ing, in the streets of London, both hungry, naked, and cold. Now, thanks be unto Almighty God, the citizens are willing to refresh him, and to give him both meat, drink, clothing, and firing; but alas, Sir, they lack lodging for him: for in some one house, I dare say, they are fain to lodge three families under one roof. Sir, there is a wide, large, empty house of the King's Majesty, called Bridewell, that would wonderfully well serve to lodge Christ in, if he might find such good friends in the Court to procure in his Cause. Surely I have such a good opinion in the King's Majesty, that if Christ had such faithful and hearty friends that would heartily speak for him, he should, undoubtedly, speed at the King's Majesty's hands. Sir, I have promised my brethren the citizens to move you; because I do take you for one that feareth God, and would that Christ should lie no more abroad in the street. Houses being thus provided, and large contributions having been made on the part of the citizens for their support, a Charter was prepared under the great seal, by which it was willed and ordained, that "the Hospitals aforesaid, when they shall be founded, erected, and established, shall be named and called the HOSPITALS OF EDWARD THE SIXTH, KING OF ENGLAND, OF CHRIST, BRIDEWELL, AND SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE; and the MAYOR, COMMONALTY, and CITIZENS of the City of London, and their successors, shall be called Governors of the said Hospitals." The Charter included the grant of the Palace of Bridewell, and of certain lands, tenements, and revenues of the annual value of about £450, belonging to the Hospital of the SAVOY, lately dissolved; together with a license to take lands in mortmain, or otherwise, to the yearly amount of four thousand marks, for the maintenance of these * Strype's Stow, p. 169. + The Charter is given at length in Appendix V. foundations. This last endowment is connected with an anecdote, beautifully characteristic of the young prince. A blank had been left in the patent for the sum which his Majesty should be pleased to grant; and, inserting with his own hand, though he had scarcely strength to guide the pen, "foure thousand markes by the yeare," he signed the instrument, and ejaculated in the hearing of his Council:-" Lord, I yield thee most hearty thanks, that thou hast given me life thus long, to finish this work to the glory of thy name." The Savoy was originally a Palace, built by Peter, Earl of Savoy, and uncle to Eleanor, wife of Henry III. in the year 1245. 1245. It was rebuilt in 1328, in a style of the most sumptuous magnificence, at the cost of fifty-two thousand marks, by Henry, Earl of Lancaster; and totally destroyed in 1381, by Wat Tyler and the Kentish rebels. The site lay waste till the year 1509, when Henry VII. commenced, and Henry VIII. in pursuance of his father's will, completed an Hospital thereon, under the superintendence of a Master, five secular Chaplains, and four regular, for the reception of one hundred distressed pilgrims and strangers. He endowed the foundation by Charter, dated 5th July, A. D. 1513, with certain lands, to the amount of five hundred marks per annum; and ordained that it be thenceforth called "the Hospital of Henry the Seventh, late King of England, of the Savoy.” * Abuses, however, made rapid ground in the establishment, and what was intended as a refuge for the poor and destitute, had been perverted into a harbour for the profligate and abandoned; so that it was deemed advisable to rescind the Charter. The revenues, valued at £529. 15s. 9d. per annum, were surrendered to the Crown, by the Master and Fellows, in 1553; and transferred to the City, for the support of King Edward's *The following was the inscription over the great gate:- Hospitium Hoc inopi turbæ Savoija vocatum WEEVER. The lines halt a little, if they are meant for hexameters. foundations. It is possible that some difficulties attended the transfer of this property, which was not completed at the time of the King's death; and the interest which he took in the business is manifest from the following clause in his will:-" The grant made to the Mayor and City of London, touching the Savoy and lands thereof, to be performed." Queen Mary refounded the Savoy Hospital, and endowed it with other lands, in lieu of those of which it had been dispossessed; new beds, bedding, and other furniture, being also supplied by donations from her maids of honour and other ladies. Such, however, were the malpractices still carried on within its walls, and so flagrant the misappropriations of its revenues, that in the reign of Queen Anne it was again dissolved, by a decree dated July 31, 1702; and its rental, amounting annually to £2500, exchequered for the use of the Crown. Edward lived about a month after signing the Charter of Incorporation of the Royal Hospitals. He had been seized in the spring of 1552 with the smallpox, when he had scarcely recovered from the measles; and the combined effects of these maladies, upon a constitution naturally delicate, were such as to create considerable anxiety in the minds of his attendants. A cough, accompanied with the most alarming symptoms of consumption, continued to increase upon him during a tour which had been recommended by his physicians; and his health and strength declined so rapidly, that there was every reason to anticipate a fatal result. At this critical period his medical advisers were dismissed, and his cure entrusted to the ignorant empiricisms of an old nurse; by which means the violence of the disorder was greatly aggravated. He died in the arms of Sir Henry Sidney, on the 6th July, 1553, in the sixteenth year of his age, and the seventh of his reign,—praying God to receive his spirit, and to defend the realm from papistry.* In the foundation of CHRIST'S HOSPITAL, he * The following lines, on the death of Edward VI., from the pen of Bishop Jewell, have not, as far as I know, appeared in print. Ad Edwardum, Anglia Regem, Joannes Juelus. O Fortunatos nimium, te Rege, Britannos, Dive puer, possent si sua scire bona. had provided the surest means, under Providence, for the success of his prayer; and his life was spared just long enough to greet him with the promise of that harvest, which this seminary of sound learning and true religion was destined to yield. Instigated by the pious example of their Royal Benefactor, the citizens proceeded vigorously with the necessary repairs of the old Conventual Edifice; which in less than six months had sufficiently advanced to allow of the admission of three hundred and forty children in the month of November. They were clothed in a livery of russet cotton; and on the Christmas day following, they lined the procession of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to St. Paul's, from Lawrence Lane westward. In the month of June, 1553, the young King received the Corporation at the palace, and presented them with the Charter; the Children also being present at the ceremony. A more interesting spectacle, connected as it was with the recent change in the national religion, can scarcely be conceived. Nothing so heart Hoc ex morte tua, miseri, seroque videmus; Ex vita quoniam vidimus antè parum : Sed stetit et Patriæ et Religionis Honos. Mors nimis, heu! nobis tristis, amœna tibi; Ex notis MSS. Johis. Balei penes Comitem Oxon. p. 675, et Apographum nostrum, p. 289. Tho. Baker, Coll. Jo. Socius ejectus. Sir John Cheke also wrote a poem on his death, which was published in 4to. with the following title: "A Royall Elegie, briefly describing the vertuous Reigne, and happy (though immature) Death of the most mightie and renowmed Prince, King Edvvard VI., of England, France and Ireland, &c. Who died in the sixteenth yeere of his Age, and in the Seuenth yeere of his Reigne. Written by Sir John Cheke, Knight, anno 1553. Never before published, but most worthy to be read of all estates in these our dayes. Imprinted at London, for H. Holland, and are to be sold at Christ Church doore, 1610." A copy of this Elegy, in the possession of the Hon. Mr. Grenville, is perhaps unique; and by his kind permission it is printed in Appendix VI. G stirring in its nature has probably occurred either before or since, even in the pleasing exhibitions of the more extended train of children, in their annual processions at Easter.* There is a fine picture by Holbein in the Hall of Christ's Hospital, descriptive of the scene; of which Mr. Malcolm has given the following able, though in some respects severe, criticism: "The King is seated on a throne, elevated on two steps, with two very clumsy brackets for arms, on which are fanciful pilasters, adorned with carving and an arch; on the left pilaster, a crowned lion holding a shield, with the letter E; a dragon on the other, has another inscribed R. Two angels reclining on the arch, support the arms of England. The hall of audience is represented as paved with black and white marble; the windows are angular, with niches between each. As there are statues in only two of those, it seems to confirm the idea that it is an exact resemblance of the Royal apartment. "The artist has bestowed his whole attention on the young monarch, whose attitude is easy, natural, and dignified. He presents the deed of gift with his right hand, and holds the sceptre in his left. The scarlet robe is embroidered and lined with ermine, and the folds are correctly and minutely finished. An unavoidable circumstance injures the effect of this picture, which is the diminutive stature of the infant King, who shrinks into a dwarf, compared with his full grown courtiers; unfortunately reversing the necessary rule of giving most dignity and consequence to the principal person in the piece. 66 The Chancellor holds the seals over his crossed arms at the King's right hand. This officer and three others are the only standing figures. Ridley kneels at the foot of the throne, and shows his face in profile, with uplifted hands; on the right are the Mayor and Aldermen, in scarlet robes, kneeling. Much cannot be said in praise of those worthy men. The Mayor receives the gift with a stupid expression of astonishment, spreading his left hand, while every one of his brethren seem to leer * The assembly of the Charity Children in St. Paul's Cathedral is, of course, excepted. |