cative of the interest which was taken by the corporation in the welfare of the Establishment.* Monthly collections were also made in the several wards of the city for many years under the order of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen; and children were accordingly admitted from different parishes at their recommendation.† In the meantime the education of the children was progressing favorably, and, in the annual contests on St. Bartholomew's Eve, which had been recently resumed, and now transferred to the cloisters of the Hospital, they were soon thought worthy to bear a part. The prize-pen awarded upon these occasions to the first proficient was silver gilt, and of the value of five shillings; the second was of silver, partly gilt, worth four shillings; and the third a plain silver pen, of three shillings value. Two Masters of Arts sate as umpires, who were complimented with a silver rule of the value of six shillings and eightpence; and the masters of the three successful candidates received in money six shillings and eightpence, five shillings, and four shillings respectively. In the year 1555, the first of these prizes was adjudged to St. Anthony's School, the second to St. Paul's, and the third to Christ's Hospital. After the disputation, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen partook of fruit and wine, and then departed. These joint exhibitions of the public schools did not long continue, nor is it likely that any favourable results would be produced by them. They were succeeded at Christ's Hospital by the annual commemoration of St. Matthew's Day. In the From these general considerations, however, it is necessary to turn to the early constitution of the Hospital; and it will appear that, from the earliest * It may here also be mentioned, that the Queen's Proclamation in 1580, forbidding any more buildings within two miles of London, directed forfeitures to go to the support of the City Hospitals; and, in 1584, part of the sheriff's fines were appropriated to the same purpose. In the Court Book of the year 1557, the Hospital is said to have been erected "for the vertuous bringinge up of miserable youthe," and to be "stayed with the monthlye collections graunted of the cittizens, and of such yssues as shall arise and growe of the office of Blackwell Hall." Of these collections it will be necessary to treat more at large in the next chapter. Stow's Annals, p. 627. date of the foundation, the objects, for which it was founded, have been faithfully kept in view. The changes which appear to have taken place have been induced by a variety of circumstances, not of purpose; and the charges of abuse, which have sometimes been brought against the Governors, have arisen from an imperfect acquaintance with the real facts of the case. CHAPTER III. Premonition-Provision for the poor before the Statute of 43 Eliz.-Parochial Collections -Specific objects of Christ's Hospital-Inquiries respecting women with Child-These gradually discontinued-Falling off in the Inquest boxes-Poverty of the HospitalStat. 14 Eliz. respecting Legacies-Money-boxes in the Cloisters-Symonds' and Randall's Gifts-Early regulations respecting the admission and education of Children-Apprentices-Evident distinction in the objects of the Hospital-Admission at the request of Benefactors-for pay-in accordance with the wills of BenefactorsPresent inadequacy of such gifts-Dependence of the Hospital on benefactions and bequests-Cession of Chartered Estates-Amount of Donations and Legacies up to the year 1600-Continued Embarrassments-Loan-Restricted admissions-Security required for the discharge of Children at the proper age-Right of the Court of Aldermen to send children questioned-Rising prospects of the House-Early Benefactors-Lady Mary Ramsey-Her five advowsons-Present amount and disposition of her bequests-Exhibitions at the University-Early instances-Gift of Serjeant Moses-First Establishment of Writing School-The Grammar and Pettite Schools-Nature of the EducationPublic reputation of the School-Interest taken in its welfare by Lady Mary RamseyIncrease in the number of Children-Children put out at Nurse-Place house at Ware -Establishment at Broxburn-Excess of expenditure above revenue-Causes thereof— Consequence of the early modes of admission-Suspended admission—Assistance received from the citizens after the Great Fire-Qualifications of Children to be admitted-Original form of Presentation-Fixed Regulations for the future-Provisions for the different orders of Governors-Dissatisfaction caused thereby-Privileges of the Court of Aldermen-Rules confirmed-Recapitulation. SINCE the present constitution of Christ's Hospital, though in perfect accordance with the spirit of the Charter, avowedly aims at higher objects, than those contemplated in a portion of its original plan; it may be proper to to prepare the mind of the reader for the inference, which the facts about to be submitted are intended to supply. From a consideration of the labours of the governors in their general care of the poor, and of the manner in which the Hospital was at first subservient to the purpose of rearing foundlings and children in a state of utter destitution, together with the sort of education given them, as depicted in the following pages, and contrasted with the establishment from the very first of a grammar school distinct in appearance from the other part of the foundation; he will at once perceive a divided design in the early operations of the house. It will also be seen how justly, as the parishes more perfectly fulfilled the two first mentioned duties, diminishing at the same time their voluntary contributions, the Hospital attended more exclusively to the last; and raised their school by degrees to a level with the wants of society. These elevated prospects were doubtless instrumental in multiplying benefactions, at the same time that the right of presentation became more valuable, and was at length made subject to specific regulations. In relating facts as nearly as possible in the order of their occurrence, it is difficult at every step to point out their respective connexion with the general result; but a ready perception of their bearing will ensue from a fixed attention to the above particulars. sup Previous to the 43rd year of Elizabeth, in which the statute was passed, which is still the basis whereon the poor laws of this kingdom at present rest, the relief of the necessitous in each parish depended upon the contributions of the richer inhabitants. An act was passed in 1535 (27 Hen. VIII.), when the impending ruin of the religious houses threatened the country with a deluge of vagrant beggars, who had been hitherto relieved by monastic liberality, imposing upon all governors of shires, cities, towns, hundreds, hamlets, and parishes, the burden of porting "every aged, poor, and impotent person which was born or dwelt three years within the same limit, by way of voluntary and charitable alms in every the same cities, and with such convenient alms as shall be thought meet by their discretion, so as none of them shall be compelled to go openly in begging." At the same time it was enacted that " every sturdy vagabond shall be kept in continual labour; and that every valiant beggar or sturdy vagabond shall at the first time be whipped, and sent to the place where he was born or last dwelled by the space of three years, there to get his living; and if he continue his vagrant life, he shall have the upper part of the gristle of his ear cut off; and if after that he be taken wandering, he shall be adjudged and executed as a felon; and that no person shall give any money in alms but to the common boxes or common gatherings in every parish, upon pain to forfeit ten times as much as shall be given." This latter clause was clearly necessary to counteract the effect which gratuitous provision is calculated to produce upon the labouring classes, by relaxing the exertions of the industrious, and fostering habits of indolence and vice in a branch of the community, upon which the happiness and welfare of mankind materially depend. In order to supply a yet more effectual remedy for the "sores of the commonwealth," Edward VI. was the first to devise a system of parochial education throughout the kingdom. "This," said the youthful monarch, "shall well ease and remedy the deceitful working of things, disobedience of the lower sort, casting of seditious bills, and will clearly take away the idleness of the people." His premature death prevented the accomplishment of a design, which has since been carried into effect by public exertion; but he had already endowed several schools, besides Christ's Hospital, which prove the value which he attached to the blessings of education. The administration of the relief, provided by the collections within the city parishes, seems to have been united with the main design of Christ's Hospital immediately after its foundation; the contents of the inquest boxes being paid over to the governors for that purpose. In the "Order of the Hospitalls" already mentioned, the "admitting of children, graunting of pencioners, putting children foorth to service," and the examination of pregnant single women and their paramours, are the specified objects of the Institution. With respect to the last of these objects, the Treasurer, acting with another governor, was empowered to demand sureties for the appearance of the parties from week to week, and for the support of the child; with a view "to avoide the laying of such children in the streets, whereby this Hospitall upon such extremities should otherwise be charged thereby." It appears from the records that inquisitions of this nature gradually decreased in number, and there are but few entries respecting them subsequent to the year 1578. During I |