~St. Erkinwald~: an early Saxon Bishop of London, who encouraged the
citizens to restore their ruined city, and himself built the Bishop's
Gate (named after him). His shrine in St. Paul's was long an object of
reverence.
~Paternoster Row~: always a great centre of the book trade: it was a row
immediately adjoining the precincts of the Cathedral before
encroachments were made. Naturally much of the booksellers' wares was
religious--paternosters, aves, credos, &c.
~chancel~: the east end of a church in which is the altar, separated
from the rest of the church by a screen or railings. (Latin _cancelli_,
a grating.)
~transept~: the part of a cathedral projecting on either side.
Cathedrals are generally built in the shape of a cross; the transept is
the arms of the cross in the ground plan.
53. THE TERROR OF FIRE. PART II.
~Astronomer~: one who studies the stars or heavenly bodies.
~John Evelyn~ (born 1620, died 1706), a gentleman of the reign of
Charles II., was made one of the commissioners for the restoration of
London after the Great Fire. He wrote a diary, which is not so amusing
as that of Pepys (_see_ Chapter LI.)
~St. Dunstan-in-the-East~, in Tower Street, was the first church
restored by Wren after the fire.
~John Dryden~ (born 1631, died 1700): one of the greatest English poets.
He was a supporter of the house of Stuart, and was made poet laureate.
~obnoxious~: exposed to.
54. ROGUES AND VAGABONDS.
~Vagabonds~: wanderers who have no settled home.
~Wapping~: called Wapping Wash (or Marsh) in the time of Queen
Elizabeth, when it was first drained and banked in, lies on the north
bank of the Thames, in Middlesex, near the Thames Tunnel.
~Lambeth~, facing Westminster, on the south bank of the river, is
low-lying, and was called in Saxon times Lambhythe, meaning loamy or
muddy landing place.
~Bermondsey~ (_ey_--island), on the south bank of the Thames, one mile
S.E. of St. Paul's, is a centre of the leather and wool trade.
~Rotherhithe~ (or Redriff), on the south bank of the Thames, lies east
of Bermondsey and faces Wapping. The south end of the Thames Tunnel is
in Rotherhithe.
~stringent~: strict.
~impotent~: powerless, unable to work.
~stocks~: a wooden frame in which the legs of criminals were confined.
~The Barbican~: a street near the site of the old Aldersgate. Barbican
means defensive works for a gate. ~Turnmill Street~ is near Farringdon
railway station.
55. UNDER GEORGE II. PART I. THE WEALTH OF LONDON.
~Essayists~: people who write essays; that is, short compositions on any
subject.
~picturesqueness~: beauty and grace; qualities which might be supposed
to make anything a good subject for a _picture_.
~ruffles~: pieces of some white material plaited and attached as a frill
to the collar and sleeves of garments.
~ostentation~: making a great show.
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