Harley MS 4941

A volume, containing manuscript and printed material, relating to the rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral, and other churches in the City of London, after the Great Fire of London.

Contents:

• ff. 1-19: ‘His Majesties Commission concerning the Reparation of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in London’. Printed by John Bill and Christopher Barker, 1663.
• f. 20: ‘Officers employed in rebuilding St. Paul's; their Employments & Salaries’, being: Sir Christopher Wren, Mr John Oliver, Lawrence Spencer and Thomas Russell.
• f. 21: Account of money borrowed for the rebuilding of St. Paul's, on the credit of the Act of Parliament.
• ff. 22-41: ‘His Majesty's Commission for the rebuilding of the Cathedral Church of S. Paul in London’ Printed by John Bill and Christopher Barker, 1674.
• ff. 42-44: Two manuscript papers of orders, concerning the Bishops consecration dinner; in lieu of which each Bishop was to pay 50 pounds towards rebuilding of the cathedral. Dated Whitehall, 5 February 1678 and 23 October 1678, in the presence of the King, Prince Rupert, & the rest of the Council. Signed ‘Phi. Lloyd’.
• ff. 46-47v: The advice of Gilbert Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Humphrey Henchman, Lord Bishop of London, to the King and Parliament, concerning the 39 churches to be rebuilt in the City of London, with their names, etc. This advice was intended for the Parliament, but was never put in. The advice is roughly written, with large sections crossed out and corrected. 10 February 1667.
• ff. 48-48v: The Lord Mayor’s list of the 39 churches to be rebuilt by Act of Parliament. March 1667 [1668].
• ff. 50-51: Another letter of advice & consent of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London to the Lord Mayor, Sir William Peake, concerning the 39 churches to be rebuilt in lieu of those demolished by the Great Fire of London. The letter explains that although St. Bride's & St. Sepulchre's are set down as two of the 39, his Majesty & Parliament are to determine whether those two churches (being without the walls) are to be rebuilt, over and above the 39, or included in that number. Signed ‘Gilb. Cant.’.
• ff. 52-53: A list of the 'Churches & Parishes in London, consumed by the late dreadful Fire there, 2, 3, & 4th of Sept. 1666', in alphabetical order, with the incumbents & patrons names.
• ff. 54-55v: Another rough draft of the advice of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London, found on ff. 46-47v.
• f. 56: Another letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London to the Lord Mayor, on the same subject. 28 March 1667.
• ff. 58-60: Petition of John Groves and Mathew Banks to Humphrey Henchman, Lord Bishop of London, for the speedy payment of moneys owed to them for work done on the rebuilding of several churches. Along with Mr. Groves account, listing the Churches worked on, total bills, amounts paid, and amounts still owed.
• f. 62: Proposals for the payment of moneys owed.
• ff. 63-75v: ‘His Majesties Commission for the rebuilding of the Cathedral Church of S Paul in London’. Printed by Charles Bill, Henry Hills, and Thomas Newcomb, 1685.
• ff. 76-87: An Act of Parliament for the rebuilding, finishing and adorning of St Paul’s Cathedral, with an Act for clearing, preserving, maintaining and repairing the haven and piers of Great Yarmouth. Printed by the Assigns of John Bill, deceased, and by Henry Hills and Thomas Newcomb. [19 May] 1685.
• f. 88: 6 questions from the Archbishop of Canterbury to Mr Bridge regarding revenue.
• f. 89: A paper to Major Pearce, Receiver of the duty upon coals & Treasurer for the rebuilding of St. Paul's. 1687.
• f. 90: ‘The manner of collecting the Revenue arising upon Coals at 3 s per Chaldron, for 17 years last past, humbly offered to his Grace Ld Arch-Bp. of Canterbury’.
• ff. 91-92v: A Letter to the Archbishop on the duty upon coals, etc. from Henry Loades.
• f. 93: ‘To his Grace the ArchBishop of Canterbury. The humble Petition of the persons hereunder mentioned, Master-workmen Imployed for building of Parochial Churches in London." About the coal money allotted for the workers.
• f. 94: A letter from John Peake, Grocers Hall, 1687, to the Archbishop about Sir William Turner.
• f. 95: A letter to the Archbishop from the Duke of Albemarle, about Mr. Bridges being collector of the coal money for building the aforesaid churches. Dated 1687 & signed by the Duke of Albermarle.
• f. 96: A paper about the previous letter from the Duke of Albermarle, at the bottom of which is attached short letter from Sir Christopher Wren to the Archbishop. 12 Apr 1688.
• ff. 97-99v: Two letters from the Bishop of London, to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
• ff. 100-125: Letters to the Archbishop from William Middleton about the coal money and churches. 1685-1689.
• f. 126: Another petition from the workmen concerned in building the said churches.
• f. 127: A paper about the Act of Parliament for rebuilding St. Paul's Catherdral.
• f. 128: ‘From Michaelmas 1687, to 1 Nov following, 300 Saile of Colliers’, with the contents & value.
• ff. 129-134: Paper regarding the appointment of John Bridge, citizen & Painter-Stainer of London, by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of London, Lord Mayor of London, as their Officer & Comptroller of the coal duty. 1687.
• ff. 135-137v: Copy of an Indenture, 1676, between the City of London, and Captain Zachary Baggs, John Bridge and others, about the coal duty.
• ff. 138-139: 2 copies, one parchment and one paper, of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of London, and Lord Mayor's appointment of Richard Pierce of London Esq. as their Chief Officer, Receiver General, Collector, Treasurer, and Book Keeper of the coal duty. 1687.
• ff. 140-143: Other papers about the coal duty, signed ‘Thomas Davies Major, Gilb. Cant. H. London’.
• ff. 144-145: Paper regarding John Bridge's appointment. 1675.
• ff. 146-147: A Bond from Richard Pierce Esq and Sir Nicholas Crispe of Westerham, to Dr. Edward Stillingfleet, Dean of St. Paul's. 1687.
• f.148: ‘An Account of Moneys brought in towards the rebuilding of St. Paul's, since Lady Day [16]82 to Mid-summer [16]85’ with the names of the donors.
• ff. 149-150: Warrants signed for money to be paid into the Office of the Works at St. Paul's. 1687-1689.
• f. 151: The Lord Mayor and the Court of the Alderman to allow for All-Hallows St. Mary-le-bow Church.
• ff. 152-152v: Letter to the Lord Mayor, 1687, regarding the united Parishes of All-Hallows, St. Mary le Bow, and St. Pancras, and the rebuilding of the churches.
• f. 153: An account from several workmen, of the charge ‘to make Chimes, in Bow Steeple, a Dyall into the Street, & a Cupylow to the Vestry’.
• f. 154: Another paper about the same. Signed Wagstafe.
• ff. 155-155v: Order of a committee at St Paul’s, January 1686 [1687], that the Lord Mayor, Sr. Thomas More, Sir Robert Geffery, Sir Peter Rich Sir Christopher Wren, and others, are to wait on the judges at the Sessions House, regarding borrowing money for St. Paul’s Catherdral.
• ff. 156-157v: Paper signed ’13 Nov. 1673, Fra. Phelips’, giving his opinion about borrowing money for the cathedral.
• ff. 159-159v: Report to the Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Bishop of London, upon the perusal of Mr. Bridge's books of accounts of the coal duty.
• ff. 160-164v: Reports of committees at St. Paul's, 1687.
• f. 165-166: 'A Brief Abstract of the Accompt contained in this book, being one whole year's Expense in and about the Rebuilding of the Cathedral Church of Saint Paul in London, with Incidents thereunto, from the first of Sep. 1682, to the first of October 1683’.
• ff. 167-168: 'A Briefe Abstract of the Accompt of Dr. Christopher Wrenn, his Majesties Surveyor General of the Works, Appointed also Surveyor for the Rebuilding of the Churches demolished by the late Fire in the Citty of London, for all such moneys as hath been received & paid by Him, since June 1670, to Michaelmas 1673'.
• ff. 169-170v: A letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth, 1688, from the commissioners for rebuilding St. Paul's about the state of expenses, with autograph signatures.
• ff. 171-171v: 'A Catalogue of 28 Books belonging to the Cole [Coal] Revenue, John Bridge Collector. Deposited with his Grace the Lord ArchBishop of Canterbury. 19 April 1688. Beginning from the 15 June 1671’.
• ff. 172-173: Report of the committee appointed to examine Mr Bridge's account of the coal revenue, to the Lord Mayor, 1688, with the particulars of the said collections, including number of chaldrons and their value, from 1685 to 1687.
• ff. 174-243v: 37 papers addressed to the Archbishop of Canterbury, containing the number of ships with their contents in chaldrons of coal, & their value. 1687-1690.
• ff. 244-245: A printed declaration ‘of the State of the Accompt of all Monies Received and Paid, As well for and towards the Reparation of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, London, Before the great and dreadful Fire, as for and towards the Rebuilding thereof, With other necessary Works and Expences done and disbursed in Order to the Beginning of the said Work of Rebuilding’. Signed, John Tillison, Clerk of the Works.