St. Vedast's, Foster Lane, we see St. Michael's, on the north side of
Paternoster Row. It is a plain dull building, with a low square tower
and pointed-headed windows. It was chiefly remarkable as the
burial-place of that indefatigable antiquary, John Leland. This
laborious man, educated at St. Paul's School, was one of the earliest
Greek scholars in England, and one of the deepest students of Welsh and
Saxon. Henry VIII. made him one of his chaplains, bestowed on him
several benefices, and gave him a roving commission to visit the ruins
of England and Wales and inspect the records of collegiate and cathedral
libraries. He spent six years in this search, and collected a vast mass
of material, then retired to his house in the parish of St.
Michael-le-Quern to note and arrange his treasures. His mind, however,
broke down under the load: he became insane, and died in that dreadful
darkness of the soul, 1552. His great work, "The Itinerary of Great
Britain," was not published till after his death. His large collections
relating to London antiquities were, unfortunately for us, lost. The old
church of "St. Michael ad Bladum," says Strype, "or 'at the Corn'
(corruptly called the 'Quern') was so called because in place thereof
was sometime a corn-market, stretching up west to the shambles. It
seemeth that this church was first builded about the reign of Edward
III. Thomas Newton, first parson there, was buried in the quire, in the
year 1361, which was the 35th of Edward III. At the east end of this
church stood an old cross called the Old Cross in West-cheap, which was
taken down in the 13th Richard II.; since the which time the said parish
church was also taken down, but new builded and enlarged in the year
1430; the 8th Henry VI., William Eastfield, mayor, and the commonalty,
granting of the common soil of the City three foot and a half in breadth
on the north part, and four foot in breadth towards the east, for the
inlarging thereof. This church was repaired, and with all things either
for use or beauty, richly supplied and furnished, at the sole cost and
charge of the parishioners, in 1617. This church was burnt down in the
Great Fire, and remains unbuilt, and laid into the street, but the
conduit which was formerly at the east end of the church still remains.
The parish is united to St. Vedast, Foster Lane. At the east end of this
church, in place of the old cross, is now a water-conduit placed.
William Eastfield, maior, th