THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES

 
 EDWARD VI. 
 From an Oil Painting in Christ's Hospital.
 
 SSribewell IRo^ai Ibospital 
 
 TAST AND TRESENT 
 
 A SHORT ACCOUNT OF IT AS 
 
 Palace, Hospital, Prison, and School 
 
 ttf) a (Collection of Cntcrcsting IHrmoranoa 
 fjitfjcrto 
 
 BY ALFRED JAMES COPELAND, F.S.A. 
 
 TKEASTRER OF THE ROYAI. HOSPITALS OF BRIDEWELL AND BETHLEHEM 
 
 11 on Don 
 WELLS GARDNER, DARTON, & CO. 
 
 PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS 
 
 1888
 
 fit* 
 
 TO 
 
 THE PRESIDENT AND GOVERNORS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE TWO ROYAL HOSPITALS 
 
 OF 
 
 BRIDEWELL AND BETHLEHEM 
 
 3 Dedicate 
 
 THIS BOOK. 
 
 1156328
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 THE present volume is the outcome of an attempt 
 to put into interesting shape and form, some of the 
 old records and facts, respecting one of our ancient 
 Royal Foundations. 
 
 After the lapse of three hundred years, notwith- 
 standing their somewhat altered conditions, the 
 three institutions termed the " Royal Hospitals " of 
 Christ's, Bridewell, and St. Thomas's still remain no 
 mean portion of the inheritance bequeathed to the 
 citizens of London ; and it is matter of congratula- 
 tion, that great good is still being done by them to 
 the community at large. 
 
 Whether for the sick and needy, or for the educa- 
 tion of the middle classes, and the poor and neces- 
 sitous, our Royal Hospitals are noble monuments in 
 these times of the thought, care, and unselfishness 
 of our forefathers for the benefit of others. 
 
 In the compilation of this work I have consulted 
 all the available authorities on the subject; and to 
 all those who have so kindly assisted me I desire
 
 vi preface. 
 
 to make my warm acknowledgments. I have drawn 
 largely from Stow (Strype's edition), Pennant, and 
 Maitland, and from " Remembrancia, or Records 
 Preserved among the Archives of the City of London, 
 A.D. 1579-1664." 
 
 I am indebted to Mr. Anderson of the British 
 Museum, and Mr. Overall of the Guildhall Library, 
 for much that is most interesting. 
 
 Such books as the "Autobiography of Thomas 
 Ellwood," "Ned Ward's London Spy," and Mr. 
 Dixon's work upon Prisons, have interesting and 
 valuable allusions to the old Bridewell ; and Mr. 
 Ottley Martin's extensive Parliamentary Report, issued 
 in 1837, has been of the utmost service to me. 
 
 I have to express my thanks to my friends the 
 Rev. E. Rudge, the late Chaplain, and the Rev. 
 E. C. Hawkins, Vicar of St. Bride's, for many useful 
 hints ; to Mr. St. John Hope of the Antiquarian Society, 
 for assistance respecting the old Palace inventory of 
 soldiers' "Harness" given on page 9, and Mr. Allan 
 Barraud for the drawings of the present schools ; and 
 to the Rev. Hayman Cummings, F.R.Hist.Soc., for 
 the valuable aid he has rendered me in the literary 
 compilation of the work. 
 
 In these days when corporate bodies, the magnifi- 
 cent old Companies and Foundations of the City of 
 London in particular, are from time to time subjected 
 to attack from without, every effort to show their
 
 preface. vu 
 
 usefulness is to be welcomed ; and it cannot be too 
 widely known that these institutions are doing muni- 
 ficent and charitable work of the most valuable kind, 
 in the most unostentatious way. 
 
 This book bears evidence that Bridewell, in spite 
 of altered times and circumstances, such as never 
 could have been even guessed at by its royal founder, 
 is still fulfilling his intention, in the amelioration of 
 the condition of the poor and necessitous. 
 
 A. J. C. 
 
 BRIDEWELL ROYAL HOSPITAL, 
 May 30, 1888.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 
 i. "THE OLD PALACE" i 
 
 II. THE FLEET IO 
 
 III. THE FOUNDATION (TEMP. ED. VI.) ... 22 
 
 IV. PARTICULARS AND USES OF THE HOSPITAL AS 
 
 FOUNDED 39 
 
 V. PENAL DISCIPLINE . . 55 
 
 vi. "ELLWOOD'S EXPERIENCES" 65 
 
 VII. REMINISCENCES OF THE PRISON .... 74 
 
 VIII. REPORTS ON PRISON, 1855-1887 .... 84 
 
 IX. ART-MASTERS AND APPRENTICES . . -92 
 
 X. REPORT OF A.D. l8l8 98 
 
 xi. KING EDWARD'S SCHOOLS 106 
 
 XII. ENDOWMENTS OF THE HOSPITAL . . . .113 
 
 XIII. EXTRACTS FROM " REMEMBRANCIA " . . .130 
 
 XIV. JOTTINGS FROM OLD NEWSPAPERS . . . 143
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 Page 100 (foot-note). For "a. mother," read "another"; after 
 railings," insert " outside " ; after " contempt," insert " for the place."
 
 
 Btibewell Ibospital 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 "THE OLD PALACE." 
 
 BRIDEWELL Hospital ! What was it ? What is it 
 now? 
 
 The answer to these questions contains much that 
 will interest those who have a taste for the old 
 chronicles of past days and the history of the years 
 that are gone, written in the stones and foundations 
 of our city walls; enabling them (in the words of the 
 Rev. E. C. Hawkins, in his monograph of "The 
 Church and Parish of S. Bride's") "to realise how 
 this neighbourhood looked and how men lived when 
 the great parishes of S. Margaret's, Westminster, and 
 S. Dunstan's, Stepney, came close up to Aldgate and 
 Ludgate, and everything outside the city walls was 
 not London, but a suburb." 
 
 At that angle in the river Thames which was 
 formed by the estuary of the Fleet Ditch, stood for
 
 " Cbc OlD palace." 
 
 many years the Eastern Arx Palatina or Castellated 
 Palace of the City of London. 
 
 So far as can be ascertained, this once royal pre- 
 cinct occupied the space which at present is bounded 
 by Fleet Street, New Bridge Street, and the Thames 
 Embankment. 
 
 To the parish is given the name of the Danish 
 Saint Bridget, and here is the only church in London 
 dedicated to Saint Bride. 
 
 A holy spring once was here, supposed to possess 
 miraculous curative power; it also bore the Saint's 
 name, and in course of time the royal palace hard by 
 was termed " Bridewell." 
 
 Difficult as it may be to realise now, there was a 
 time when this spot was a beautiful, well-wooded 
 retreat, separated from the busy scenes of the adjacent 
 city by the swiftly flowing stream, bearing on its 
 bosom the contents of the Turnmill and Oldbourne 
 brooks, and hence called " Fleet," whilst its main 
 bank was washed by the tidal waters of the Thames. 
 
 The discovery of relics from time to time in the 
 immediate vicinity proves that it was known to the 
 Romans, but the earliest records extant lead to the 
 conclusion that the first building of repute was a tower 
 or castle pertaining to the King. " For I read," says 
 Stow, "that in 1087, the 2oth of William I., the city 
 of London with the Church of S. Paul being burned, 
 Mauritius, then Bishop of London, afterward began
 
 "Cbe l& fcalace." 
 
 the foundation of a new church, whereunto King 
 William gave the choice stones of his castle standing 
 near to the bank of the river of Thames, at the west 
 end of the citie. After this Mauritius, Richard his 
 successor purchased the streets about Paul's Church, 
 compassing the same with a wall of stone and gates. 
 King Henry I. gave as many of the stones from the 
 walls of the castle yard as served to enclose and form 
 the gates and precincts of the church." This tower 
 or castle being thus " destroyed or dismantled, stood 
 as it may seem in place whereon standeth the house 
 called Bridewell." 
 
 " For, notwithstanding the destruction of the said 
 castle or tower, the house remained large, so that the 
 kings of the realm long after were lodged there and 
 kept their courts." 
 
 " For until the 9 yeare of Henry III. the Courts 
 of Law and Justice were kept in the King's house 
 wheresoever he was lodged, and not elsewhere, and 
 that this may be proved, I quote the following 
 record : 
 
 " Hsec est finalis concordia, facta in Curia Dom. 
 Regis apud Sanct. Bridgid. Lond. a die Sancti Michaelis 
 in 15. dies Anno regni Regis Johannis 7. Cora G. 
 Fil. Petri. Eustacio de Fauconberg, Johanne de 
 Gesilinge, Osbart filio Hervey, Walter de Crisping, 
 Justiciar, et aliis Baronibus Domini Regis." 
 
 In the year 1210, King John's necessities increas-
 
 Cbe Ql& palace." 
 
 ing by the intrigues of the Church of Rome with 
 his ecclesiastical subjects, he announced a parliament 
 to meet him at S. Bride's or at his palace in S. 
 Bride's parish, London, where he exacted of the 
 clergy and religious persons a sum of ^"100,000, and 
 ^40,000 in particular from the White Friars or 
 monks. 
 
 Soon after, the city, together with all other parts 
 of the kingdom, were, by the Bishops of London, 
 Ely, and Worcester, interdicted by the insolence 
 and order of Pope Innocent, as the King would not 
 obey his unjust and imperious command. Where- 
 upon all churches and churchyards were shut up; 
 divine service ceased in all places ; there was no 
 administration of sacraments except to infants and 
 dying persons ; and all ecclesiastical rites being 
 omitted, the bodies of the dead were buried in the 
 highways and ditches without the performance of 
 funeral service. 
 
 Stow, who wrote about 1655, further relates that 
 the palace of Bridewell in " aftertimes " was not 
 used, but fell into ruins, insomuch that the very 
 platform thereof remained for the most part waste 
 and as it were but a lay stall for filth and rubbish, 
 only a fair well remained there. 1 
 
 1 When that part of the Royal Hotel where the large dining- 
 room is situate was being built, Mr. Gruning, the architect, dis- 
 covered two of the old bastions of the ancient Bridewell Palace.
 
 R> palace." s 
 
 A great part of this house, on the western side, 
 was given to the Bishop of Salisbury, and hence 
 Salisbury Square ; the other remaining waste until 
 the time of King Henry VIII. 
 
 The Holy Well of S. Bride has, with others in and 
 about London, declined ; but, inasmuch as it gave 
 its name to the adjoining palace, hospital, prison, 
 and at last to almost every house of correction 
 throughout the kingdom, until quite recently, its 
 fame may be said to be perpetuated in the fact 
 that the whole property is termed to this day, 
 "The Township of Bridewell," or Bridewell Pre- 
 cincts. 
 
 Hone's "Everyday Book" asserts that the last 
 public use of the water of S. Bride's Well drained 
 it so much that the inhabitants of the parish could 
 not get their usual supply. 
 
 The occasion was a sudden demand. Several 
 men were employed in filling thousands of bottles 
 a day or two before the igth July 1821, on which 
 day His Majesty George IV. was crowned at West- 
 minster, and Mr. Walker, of the Hotel, 10 Bridge 
 Street, obtained it by the only means now remain- 
 ing, from the cast-iron pump over the well in Bride 
 Lane. 
 
 After various vicissitudes, Bridewell Palace and 
 Precincts appear to have passed into the posses- 
 sion of Cardinal Wolsey, but on the downfall of the
 
 "Cbe I& palace." 
 
 great prelate and statesman again reverted to the 
 crown. 1 
 
 It has been asserted that Wolsey copied the 
 example of King John, and mulcted the heads of 
 religious houses in England in enormous sums, but 
 this is too much like the story related on page 4 to 
 obtain a ready credence. 
 
 Cavendish says in his life of Cardinal Wolsey : 
 "He found means to be made one of the King's 
 Council, and to grow in good estimation and favour 
 with the King, to whom the King gave a house 
 at Bridewell in Fleet Street, sometime Sir Richard 
 Empson's, where he kept house for his family, and 
 daily attended upon the King in the Court." 
 
 In 1522 Henry VIII. repaired in the small space 
 of six weeks, the old palace which had been much 
 neglected, for the reception of the Emperor Charles 
 V., and that at considerable expense. Charles V., 
 however, lodged in the Black Friars and his suite 
 in the palace, a gallery of communication being 
 flung over the Fleet estuary, and a passage cut 
 through the city wall into the Emperor's apartments. 
 
 After Wolsey's fall, Henry VIII. resided at Bride- 
 well, particularly in 1529, and during the agitation 
 at Blackfriars, concerning the monarch's marriage 
 with Queen Catherine of Aragon. 
 
 1 Vide SHAKESPEARE, King Henry VIII.
 
 " tlbe OID ipalace." 
 
 " The most convenient place that I can think of 
 For such receipt of learning is Blackfriars ; 
 There shall ye meet about this mighty matter." 
 
 SHAKESPEARE, Henry VIII., Act ii. 
 
 Shakespeare makes the whole of the third Act of 
 this play pass in the palace of Bridewell, and this 
 is historically correct. 
 
 " It was there," says Cavendish, "that the unhappy 
 Catherine received Wolsey and Campeggio, having 
 a skein of red silk about her neck, being at work 
 with her maidens." 
 
 Hall, in his Chronicle, narrates it thus : "In 1528 
 Cardinal Campeius was brought to ye Kinge's pre- 
 sence, then living at Brydewell, by ye Cardinal of 
 Yorke, and was caryed in a chayer of crimson velvet 
 borne between iiii persones, for he was not able to 
 stand, and the Cardynall of Yorke and he sat both 
 on the ryght hand of the Kinge's throne, and there 
 was one Francisci, Secretary to Cardinal Campeius, 
 made an eloquent oracion in the Latin tongue. 
 And the same King caused al his nobilitie, judges, 
 and counsaylors, w* divers other persons to come to 
 his palace of Brydewell on Sunday the viii day of 
 November at after none in his great chamber, and 
 there delivered a speech to them concerning his 
 marriage with Catherine of Aragon." 
 
 In the following year Henry and his queen resided 
 at the Bridewell Palace while the question of their
 
 "Cbe 16 palace." 
 
 marriage was pending at the Blackfriars, after which, 
 taking a dislike to the place, the King allowed it to 
 fall into decay, in which state it remained until its 
 appropriation to charitable uses in the following 
 reign. 
 
 In 1525 a parliament was held in Blackfriars, and 
 in Bridewell Palace the King created states of nobility, 
 to wit : 
 
 Henry Fitzroy, a child (whom he had by Elizabeth 
 Blunt) to be Earl of Nottingham, Duke of Richmond 
 and of Somerset, Lieutenant- General from Trent 
 Northward, Warden of the East, Middle, and West 
 marshes for anenst Scotland. 
 
 Henry Courtney, Earl of Devonshire, cousin-german 
 to the King, to be Marquis of Exeter. 
 
 Henry Brandon, a child of two years old, son of 
 the Earl of Suffolk, to be Earl of Lincoln. 
 
 Sir Thomas Manners, Lord Rosse, to be Earl of 
 Rutland. 
 
 Sir Henry Clifford to be Earl of Cumberland. 
 
 Sir Robert Ratcliffe to be Viscount Fitzwater. 
 
 Sir Thomas Belvin, Treasurer of the King's house- 
 hold, to be Viscount Rochfort. 
 
 There is a curious MS. in the possession of the 
 Society of Antiquaries, which gives a list of the har- 
 ness for horse and footmen in Bridewell Palace on the 
 death of King Henry VIII.
 
 "Sbe 15 fcalace." 
 
 It runs as follows : 
 
 Horsemen's Harness. 
 
 Remaining. Wanting. 
 
 BRIDWEL. 
 Demilaunces brests backes . . iiij. 80 
 
 Collars 60 20 
 
 Vambraces 73 pairs. 7 pairs. 
 
 Cusshes 80 ,, 
 
 Gauntletts 80 
 
 Poldernes 72 ,, 8 ,, 
 
 Headpieces 40 40 ,, 
 
 Fotemen's Harness. 
 
 Almaynes rivetts, brests, and backs . 150 \ the sallets 
 
 Splints 150 pairs. > and gorgets 
 
 The Odd Harness Remaining for Horsemen. 
 
 Cusshes . 62 pairs. 
 
 Hand hammers . . . . . . . . 48 , , 
 
 Gauntletts 14 ,, 
 
 Backs 9 ,, 
 
 Headpieces (broken) 2 ,, 
 
 The Odd Harness for Footmen. 
 
 Brests 127 pairs. 
 
 Splints 207 ,, 
 
 Skulls 7 -. 
 
 All which parcells remain in the custody of Thomas Wolner, the 
 King's armourer.
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 THE FLEET. 
 
 THE stream running hard by the old palace shared in 
 the gradual changes that came over the city suburbs 
 as the years rolled on. Fed by the upper rivulets, it 
 became, by the time it reached the old Bridewell 
 Palace, a river that joined the Thames at this very 
 spot 
 
 Stow says that it was called the "river of wells," 
 certainly as early as the time of Edward I. The 
 Conqueror, in his Charter to the College of S. Martin 
 le Grand, had given as a boundary "from the North 
 Corner of the Wall by the portion of Cripplegate (as 
 the river of the bed then neere running departeth the 
 same moore from the wall) into the running water 
 which entereth the city." 
 
 At a parliament held at Carlisle in 1307, a corn- 
 plaint was laid before King Edward I., by Henry 
 Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, that " whereas (in times past) 
 the course of water running at London under Old- 
 bourne Bridge and Fleet Bridge into the Thames had
 
 ffleet. 
 
 been of such bredth and depth that 10 or 12 ships, 
 navies at once with merchandises were wont to 
 come to the foresaid bridge of Fleet, and some of 
 them unto Oldbourne Bridge, now the same course 
 (by filth of the Tanners and such others) was sore 
 decayed, also by raising of wharves but especially by 
 a diversion of the water, made by them of the New 
 Temple, for their milles standing without Baynard's 
 Castle in the first year of King John, and by others 
 divers impediments, so that the said ships could 
 not enter as they were wont and as they ought. 
 Wherefore he desired that the Maior of London, with 
 the Sheriffs, and other discreet Aldermen, might be 
 appointed to view the said course of the said 
 water, and that, by the oaths of good men, all the 
 aforesaid hindrances might be removed, and is to be 
 made as it was wont of old. 
 
 " Whereupon Roger le Brabason, the Constable of 
 the Tower, with the Maior and Sheriffs, were assigned 
 to take with them honest and discreet men, and to 
 make diligent search and enquiry how the said river 
 was in former time, and that they leave nothing that 
 may have hurt or stoppe it, but keep it in the same 
 estate that it was wont to be." 
 
 The river was cleansed, the mills removed, and 
 other things done for the preservation of the course, 
 but never to its old breadth and depth; the name 
 "river" ceased, and it was termed a "brook," e.g.,
 
 12 
 
 Cbe fflcet. 
 
 r rurnemill or Treemill Brooke, and this, obviously, 
 from the number of mills erected on it. 
 
 It was "cleansed" very often, but, last of all, to 
 any effect, in the year 1502, the lyth of Henry VII., 
 when the whole course of " Fleet Dike " was scoured 
 down to the Thames ; and boats, with fish and fuel, 
 were rowed to the Fleet Bridge and Oldbourne Bridge, 
 
 
 THE OLD FLEET BRIDGE. 
 
 as of old time, and to the great accommodation of the 
 citizens, 
 
 In 1589 another cleansing and scouring was en- 
 forced ; but, although much money was collected for 
 the purpose, the result was only failure, and in a few years 
 it became more cloyed than ever it had been before.
 
 jfleet 13 
 
 Pennant writes, that over the tidal Fleet were four 
 stone bridges, and on the banks extensive quays and 
 warehouses; and so great was its utility, that in 1606 
 no less a sum than ^28,000 was spent in keeping 
 the channel clear. 
 
 Over the Fleet without Ludgate, was a bridge ot 
 stone coped with iron pikes on either side ; on the 
 south side were placed lanthorns, which were lighted 
 in winter evenings for commodity of travellers. 
 
 Stow writes of it : " This bridge hath been farre 
 greater in times past, but lessened as the water- 
 course hath been narrowed ; next this there is a breach 
 in the walls of the city" [the city wall was on the 
 eastern side of the Fleet, now New Bridge Street], 
 " and a bridge of timber over the Fleet Dyke betwixt 
 the Fleet Bridge and the Thames, directly over against 
 the House of Bridewell." 
 
 In 1608 twelve large granaries were erected in the 
 Hospital precincts at the expense of the City (capable 
 of holding 6000 quarters of corn), and two houses for 
 coals. These storehouses for coal in James the First's 
 time held 4000 loads of coal: a certain Alderman 
 Leman took great care and pains in the contriving 
 this useful work. 
 
 Among the records preserved among the archives 
 of the City of London, A.D. 1579-1664, there are one 
 or two letters referring to this interesting matter. 
 
 One from the Lords of the Council to the Lord
 
 14 tTbe ffleet. 
 
 Mayor, requiring him to see that the several Com- 
 panies speedily provided their full proportion of corn, 
 and expressing their belief that he would act therein 
 as might be most desirable, according to what had 
 been so worthily performed by his predecessors, by 
 whose care had of late been built fair and large 
 granaries for storage at Bridewell. The Council 
 further required him to take measures that neither 
 regrators nor forestallers enhanced the markets and 
 thereby raised the price of corn. 
 
 This letter is dated 2ist January 1612, and refers 
 to a preceding letter (yth January 1612), acquainting 
 the Lord Mayor that a petition having been presented 
 to the Lords of the Council by the Company of 
 Eastland Merchants for bringing in of corn from 
 abroad free of custom, they had given orders accord- 
 ingly, with this addition, that if by reason of plenty 
 such corn could not be sold by them at remunerative 
 rates, they might transport it elsewhere within the 
 kingdom, or into foreign parts, free of custom. 
 Special order should be taken that the granaries at 
 the Bridge House and Bridewell should be ready for 
 the stowage of corn. 
 
 Another, twelve years later, i4th January 1624, 
 from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor 
 and Aldermen, requests them to give directions for 
 the delivery to Sir Allen Apsley, one of the sur- 
 veyors-general for victualling the navy, of 2000
 
 Cbe afleet. 15 
 
 quarters of wheat from the storehouses at the Bridge 
 House, Bridewell, and elsewhere, to be made into 
 biscuit with all expedition, to be repaid by him so 
 soon as he could purchase it, he in the meantime 
 leaving such a sum of money in the hands of the 
 treasurer of the subsidies as the wheat should be 
 indifferently praised at. And further requesting them 
 to permit the said surveyor to use the granaries, bake- 
 houses, and cellars at the Bridge House and Bride- 
 well, as he might require for His Majesty's service, 
 between then and Midsummer following. 
 
 By an Act of Parliament passed in 1756 the magis- 
 trates of the City of London were empowered to erect 
 a stone bridge across the river Thames from Black- 
 friars to the opposite shore in the county of Surrey. 
 They were also authorised to fill up the channel of the 
 Fleet Ditch, and to purchase and remove such build- 
 ings, the removal of which might be thought proper 
 for forming and widening streets and avenues. 
 
 The limpid stream had become a public nuisance 
 and scandal; it formed a subject for the lampoons 
 and literary satires of the day. 
 
 Pope, in the " Dunciad," ii., thus alludes to it : 
 
 " This labour past, by Bridewell all descend, 
 As morning prayer and flagellations end, 
 To where Fleet Ditch with disemboguing stream 
 Rolls the large tribute of dead dogs to Thames, 
 The King of Dykes ! than whom no sluice of mud 
 With deeper sable blots the silver flood."
 
 i6 
 
 ffleet. 
 
 Swift's trenchant but unsavoury lines in his " City 
 Shower " showed it was time to fill up the Fleet 
 Ditch. 
 
 Strype enters at length into the Act for making 
 the Fleet Ditch navigable. 
 
 FLEET DITCH, 1749. 
 
 The cost was to be borne and first defrayed " out 
 of the fourth part of the imposition to be raised 
 on coals ; and in the next place, after the charge 
 before mentioned shall be borne out of the said 
 fourth part, satisfaction shall be made out of the
 
 jfleet. 17 
 
 said fourth part to the proprietors whose ground 
 shall be laid open, or from whom ground shall be 
 taken ; " in fact, composition was to be made. 
 
 The work of making the channel navigable, begun 
 in 1668, lasted five years, and was finished in 
 1673. 
 
 The distance is 2100 feet from the Thames to 
 Holborn Bridge, but the work reached only to Fleet 
 Bridge, the rest being arched over, and covered with 
 a new market. "It is wharfed on both sides with 
 stone and brick laid with terras. It hath a strong 
 campshot all along on both sides, over the brick 
 wharfing, with land ties in several places. It hath 
 rails of oak, breast-high above the campshot, to 
 prevent danger at night. 
 
 " There is 5 feet water at Holborn, and that at a 
 five o'clock tide, which is a slack one, but more at 
 spring and other nepe tides. The wharfs are 35 
 feet broad, with fair buildings. The charge of sink- 
 ing, clearing, wharfing, &c., ,27,777, beside what 
 was paid as composition." 
 
 In the " Remembrancia " there is preserved a 
 letter from William Herbert (third Earl of Pembroke) 
 to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, dated Amesbury, 
 1 5th July 1624, requesting them to give directions 
 for the necessary repair of the City wall near Bride- 
 well, which ran along his house and garden in Black- 
 friars, and which was marvellously broken down and
 
 jfleet. 
 
 decayed through the daily resort of barges into that 
 dock. 
 
 The two bridges, one at Fleet Lane and the other 
 at Bridewell, stood on stone arches over the river, 
 having steps to ascend and descend on the other 
 side, and half a pace over the arches, all of Purbeck 
 and Portland stone. 
 
 So comes it that the bridge now existing at 
 Blackfriars fills the mouth of the once filthy Fleet 
 Ditch or Bridewell Dock. This bridge was origi- 
 nally named Pitt's Bridge, in honour of William Pitt, 
 Earl of Chatham. 
 
 Sir Thomas Chitty, Knight, Lord Mayor, laid the 
 first stone, October 30, 1760. Mr. Mylne designed 
 and built the structure, which consisted of nine 
 arches, that in the centre being 100 feet in span ; the 
 whole length, 995 feet, with a carriage-way of 28 
 feet, and side-walks 7 feet each. 
 
 It was completed at the end of the year 1768; 
 the total cost being ^152,840, 35. iod., defrayed 
 by certain tolls ; upon the credit of which the City 
 magnates were directed to raise a sum not exceed- 
 ing ^30,000 in one year till ^160,000, the given 
 limit, was raised. 
 
 A hundred years later a new and finer bridge 
 was erected by Cubitt, and is called Blackfriars 
 Bridge, forming a fitting termination to the Thames 
 Embankment.
 
 3Fleet 19 
 
 In 1812 the following was the number of persons, 
 horses, and carriages, &c., passing over the bridge in 
 one day : 
 
 Foot-passengers .... 61,069 
 
 Horses . . ... . 822 
 
 Coaches ..... 890 
 
 Waggons . -533 
 
 Gigs, &c. . 590 
 
 Carts, &c ...... i, 52 
 
 This presents something of a contrast with the 
 figures which represent the traffic of the present 
 day, represented in part by the following figures : 
 
 On the 3oth April 1888, between the hours of 
 8 A.M. and 6 P.M., there passed over the bridge some 
 6155 vehicles going north, and 6090 going south. 
 
 Considering the number of these drawn by two 
 horses, and heavy waggons with three or more, we 
 may fairly take an average of say two and a half 
 horses for each, which gives 30,612 as the number 
 of horses passing in 1888. And it is to be remem- 
 bered that in 1812 there were only three bridges 
 over the Thames for the City of London; in 1888 
 there are thirteen, besides five railway bridges. 
 
 There are a few curious reminiscences of Bride- 
 well Dock in some well-known tradesmen's tokens 
 of the seventeenth century. 
 
 It was formerly a landing-place for Thames water-
 
 ffleet. 
 
 men, and, as might be expected, abounded with 
 houses of entertainment. 
 
 In Lodowick Barry's " Ram Alley, or Merrie 
 Tricks" (printed in 1611, 4to), Will Smallbankes 
 and the rest of his fellows, while being conducted 
 after supper by torchlight from the Mitre in Fleet 
 Street to the Savoy, are set on, swords drawn, by 
 Throat and his desperadoes, who carry off the pre- 
 tended heiress unperceived towards St. Giles. Thos. 
 Smallbankes, nettled at this ill-luck, affirms that 
 she had run off towards Fleet Bridge ; but Will 
 asserting it as a thing not possible, Thomas reite- 
 
 rates 
 
 ' Upon my life, 
 
 They went in by the Greyhound, and so strooke 
 Into Bridewell, to take water at the dock." 
 
 The " Greyhound " was a well-known tavern on the 
 south side of Fleet Street. 
 
 The following are the tokens in Beaufoy's list con- 
 nected with Bridewell : 
 
 Bridewell Dock. 
 
 No. 230. At ye Pyd Bull In. A bull in the field. Rev. : 
 Ould Brid-well 1652. In the field, M. A. E. 
 
 No. 231. Robert Chapman at Bride, Woodmonger's Arms. 
 Rev. : Well-Dock. His halfpenny. In the 
 field, R. E. C. 
 
 No. 233. Gile Ray, Woodmong. Woodmonger's Arms 
 in the field. Rev. : At Bridewell Dock. In 
 the field, G. I. R.
 
 ffleet. 21 
 
 Bridewell Steps. 
 
 No. 234. At the Sun Tavern. The sun in rays in the 
 field. Rev. : Upon Bridewell Steps. In the 
 field, A. E. C. 
 
 Bride Lane, Fleet Street. 
 
 No. 239. Will Hearne at y Whit. A bear in the field. 1 
 Rev. : In Bride Lane. In field, W. M. H. 
 
 1 As early as 1252 a white bear was sent from Norway as a pre- 
 sent to King Henry III. It was kept at the Tower, and fourpence 
 a day for his keep was directed to be paid by the Sheriffs of Lon- 
 don. A white bear, with collar and chain and muzzled, was the 
 badge of Anne, consort of Richard III. The bear was the badge 
 of the Earl of Warwick, who was supposed to have derived it from 
 Urso (PAbilot.
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 THE FOUNDATION (TEMP. ED. VI.) 
 
 KING HENRY VIII., upon the petition of Sir John 
 Gresham, granted charters of Bethlehem l and St. Bar- 
 tholomew Hospitals to the City a very few days before 
 his death in January 1547. The circumstances which 
 led to this are full of interest. 
 
 After the suppression of the monasteries and other 
 religious houses, London became filled with multi- 
 tudes of dissolute and necessitous persons, who before 
 that period had depended on ecclesiastical charity 
 for their support. It therefore became necessary 
 to adopt some plan for the correction of offenders, 
 and to afford a refuge and relief to such as were in 
 actual want. 
 
 The first effort towards this laudable and charitable 
 end was made by the pious Bishop of London, Nicho- 
 las Ridley, in the reign of Edward VI. So interest- 
 ing is the account of Bridewell in connection with 
 this in Strype's "Stow," vol. i. p. 197, that it is tran- 
 scribed here. 
 
 1 In the charter the name is throughout spelt " Bethlem."
 
 Front an Oil Painting: by A. VAN DER WERFF.
 
 ffoun&atton. 23 
 
 "There were also in the city many others of the 
 poor necessitous sort that had neither house nor har- 
 bour to put their heads in, but were fain to lie abroad 
 in the open streets, and divers families of other poor 
 fain to lie under one roof. 
 
 "This did closely affect many good citizens, and 
 particularly Ridley, the good Bishop of London, who 
 by some means was informed of it, and moved in it. 
 And considering that Bridewell, an old decayed house 
 of the King's situate in the city, being very large and 
 capacious, might be extremely serviceable to this 
 charitable purpose, he endeavoured to find a way to 
 beg it of the King, especially at this time, when one 
 was about buying it of the King to put it down and 
 convert it to his own use. And for the compassing 
 'of this, in the month of May, this charitable year 
 1552, he wrote a very pathetical letter to Sir William 
 Cecyl, Knight, the King's secretary, whom he knew to 
 be of a pious disposition, as well as much about the 
 King, having promised the citizens to move him in the 
 matter, because he took him for one, as he told him 
 in his letter, that feareth God." 
 
 His moving letter ran to this tenor : 
 
 " Good Master Cecyl, I must be a suitor with 
 you in our Master Christ's cause. I beseech you to 
 be good unto Him. The matter is, Sir, that he hath 
 been too, too long abroad, without lodging, in the
 
 24 be ffoun&ation. 
 
 streets of London, both hungry, naked, and cold. 
 Now thanks be to Almighty God, the citizens are 
 willing to refresh Him, and to give Him meat, drink, 
 clothing, and firing. But alas ! 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, which would wonderfully well serve 
 to lodge Christ in, if He might find friends at 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. 
 
 " 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 be no more abroad in 
 the street." 
 
 He prayed him also for God's sake that he would 
 stop the sale of the house, in case any were about 
 buying it, as he had heard there was, and that he 
 would speak in our Master's cause. 
 
 The said Bishop wrote also to Sir John Gates, 
 another great man at court, about the business more 
 at large ; and he joined, he said, Cecyl with him and 
 all others that loved and looked for Christ's final 
 benediction on the latter day : meaning that in the
 
 jfoun&atfon. 25 
 
 Gospel, " Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the 
 kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the 
 world : for I was an hungered," &c., &c. 
 
 He also sent instructions by the bearer of this 
 letter to confer further with Cecyl in this affair; so 
 that Ridley's name must not be forgotten as a great in- 
 strument to the procurement of Bridewell to the City. 
 
 "Afterwards, this house being obtained to the City, 
 it was employed for the correction and punishment 
 of idle vagrant people and dissolute, and for setting 
 them to work, that they might in an honest way take 
 pains to get their own livelihood." 
 
 " And here I cannot omit to leave upon record, to 
 their eternal honour, the names of the two good Mayors 
 of London, Dobbs and Barnes, the former a main 
 instrument of procuring the foundation of this and 
 the other hospitals, the latter of furthering the good 
 estate of them ; whom in this most Christianly affec- 
 tionate manner the aforesaid good Bishop of London 
 accosted in one of the letters he wrote out of prison 
 a little before his death." 
 
 The following is a copy of the letter here referred 
 to:- 
 
 " O Dobbs, Dobbs, Alderman and Knight, thou in 
 thy year didst win my heart for evermore for that 
 honourable act, that most blessed work of God, of 
 the erection and setting up of Christ's holy hospi-
 
 26 tTbe tfoun&atfon. 
 
 tals and truly religious houses, which by thee and 
 through thee were begun. For there, like a man of 
 God, when the matter was moved for Christ's poor 
 silly members to be holpen from extreme misery, 
 hunger, and famine, thy heart, I say, was moved with 
 pity ; and as Christ's high honourable officer in that 
 cause, thou calledst together thy brethren the Alder- 
 men of the City, before whom thou breakest the matter 
 for the poor. Thou didst plead their cause ; yea, and 
 not only in thine own person thou didst set forth 
 Christ's cause, but to further the matter, thou brought- 
 est me into the Council Chamber of the City, before 
 the Aldermen alone, whom thou hadst assembled there 
 together to hear me speak what I would say as an ad- 
 vocate by office and duty in the poor man's cause. 
 
 " The Lord wrought with thee, and gave thee the 
 consent of the brethren, whereby the matter was 
 brought to the Common Council, and so to the whole 
 body of the City, by whom, with an uniform consent, 
 it was committed to be drawn, ordered, and devised 
 by a certain number of the most witty citizens and 
 politic, endued also with godliness and with ready 
 hearts to set forward such a noble act, as could be 
 chosen in all the whole City. 
 
 " And they, like true and faithful ministers both to 
 the City and their master Christ, so ordered, devised, 
 and brought forth the matter, that thousands of poor 
 silly members of Christ, that also for extreme hunger
 
 ^foundation. 27 
 
 and misery should have famished and perished, shall 
 be relieved, holpen, and brought up, and shall have 
 cause to bless the Aldermen of that time, the Com- 
 mon Council, and the whole body of the City, and 
 especially thee, O Dobbs, and those chosen men by 
 whom this honourable work of God was begun and 
 wrought. 
 
 "And thou, O Sir George Barnes, thou wast in 
 thy year not only a furtherer and continuer of that 
 which before thee by thy predecessor was well begun, 
 but also thou didst labour so to have perfected the 
 work that it should have been an absolute thing and 
 a perfect spectacle of true charity and godliness unto 
 all Christendom. 
 
 "Thine endeavour was to have set up an house 
 of occupation, both that all kind of poverty, being 
 able to work, should not have lacked whereupon pro- 
 fitably they might have been occupied, to their own 
 relief and to the profit and commodity of the com- 
 monwealth of the City, and also to have retired thither 
 the poor babes brought up in the hospitals, when 
 they had come to a certain age and strength, and 
 also all those which in these hospitals aforesaid have 
 been cured of their diseases. 
 
 "And to have brought this to pass thou obtainedst, 
 not without great diligence and labour, both of thee 
 and thy brethren, of that godly King Edward, that 
 Christian and peerless prince, the princely palace of
 
 28 Gbe ffoun&atton. 
 
 Bridewell, and what other things to the performance 
 of the same, and under what conditions, it is not 
 unknown. 
 
 " That this thine endeavour hath not had like suc- 
 cess, the fault is not in thee, but in the condition and 
 state of the time." 
 
 By the contents of which letter, may be understood 
 more particularly than perhaps any history hath yet 
 told us, what was that course and method which the 
 citizens took, in their first attempts in founding 
 Bridewell and Christ's Hospitals. 
 
 But while these before-mentioned good motions 
 were in hand in the City, the King was excited to 
 these charities by good sermons preached before 
 him. 
 
 Such was that of Mr. Lever, a learned and pious 
 preacher in those days, and Master of St. John's 
 College, Cambridge, who, in a Lent sermon before 
 His Majesty, used these words : 
 
 " O merciful Lord, what a number of poor, feeble, 
 halt, blind, lame, sickly, yea, with idle vagabonds 
 and dissembling caitiffs mixed among them, lie and 
 creep, begging in the miry streets of London and 
 Westminster? It is too great pity afore the world, 
 and to utter damnation afore God, to see these 
 begging as they use to do in the streets. 
 
 " For there is never a one of these but he lacketh
 
 ffoun&ation. 29 
 
 either thy charitable alms to relieve his need, or 
 else thy due correction to punish his fault 
 
 " These silly souls have been neglected throughout 
 all England, and especially in London and West- 
 minster; but now I trust that a good overseer, a 
 godly bishop Bishop Ridley, I mean will see that 
 they in these two cities shall have their needs relieved 
 and their faults corrected, to the good ensample of all 
 other towns and cities. 
 
 "Take heed that there be such grass to sit down 
 there, as ye (speaking to the King) command the 
 people to sit down ; that there be sufficient housing 
 and other provision for the people there, as ye com- 
 mand them to be quiet ' The men sat down above 
 5000 in number,'" which words were part of the 
 Gospel for the day, out of which he took his text. 
 
 And Ridley, that zealous and charitable prelate, 
 and a true father of his flock in London, was season- 
 ably called also to preach before the King at West- 
 minster, when he so closely and affectionately pressed 
 persons in high place and calling to be instruments in 
 helping and succouring the poor, that the King was 
 exceedingly moved with his discourse, and presently 
 sent for him, taking notice to him of his sermon, 
 and that he supposed he had him chiefly in his 
 eye, as being the highest of those in great place and 
 calling, that he the Bishop spake to. 
 
 Then the King assured him of his own readiness
 
 30 ftbe ^Foundation. 
 
 to promote such good purposes, desiring him to 
 direct him therein, and what he would advise him 
 to do in that part. 
 
 How the Bishop hereupon referred the King to 
 the City, and how the King presently caused a letter 
 to be penned and sent to the Mayor and his brethren 
 to enter into consideration about it, and how the 
 Mayor, the Bishop, and other eminent citizens met 
 together to prepare something for the King on behalf 
 of their poor, and the report thereof made to the 
 King, and other matters relating hereunto, are all set 
 down under " Christ Church " in the Ward of Farring- 
 don Within as follows : 
 
 "Doctor Ridley, then Bishop of London, came 
 and preached before the King's Majesty at West- 
 minster, in which sermon he made a fruitful and 
 godly exhortation to the rich, to be merciful unto 
 the poor, and also to move such as were in authority 
 to travel by some charitable ways and means to 
 comfort and relieve them. 
 
 "Whereupon the King's Majesty, being a prince 
 of such towardness and virtue for his years as Eng- 
 land before never brought forth, and being also 
 so well retained and brought up in all godly know- 
 ledge, as well by his dear uncle the late Protector 
 (Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset), as also by 
 his virtuous schoolmasters, was so careful of the 
 good government of the realm, and chiefly to do
 
 ^foundation. 31 
 
 and prefer such things as most especially touched 
 the honour of Almighty God ; and understanding 
 that a great number of poor people did swarm in 
 this realm, and chiefly in the City of London, and 
 that no good order was taken for them, did suddenly 
 and of himself send to the said Bishop as soon as 
 his sermon was ended, willing not to depart until 
 that he had spoken with him. 
 
 " And this that I now write was the very report of 
 the said Bishop Ridley, who, according to the King's 
 command, gave his attendance. 
 
 "As soon as the King's Majesty was at leisure, 
 he called for him, and caused him to come unto him 
 in a great gallery at Westminster, where to his know- 
 ledge, and the King likewise told him so, there were 
 present no more persons than they two ; and there- 
 fore made him sit down in one chair, and he himself 
 in another, which, as it seemed, were before the com- 
 ing of the Bishop there purposely set, and caused the 
 Bishop, in spite of his teeth, to be covered, and then 
 entered communication with him in this manner. 
 
 "First, giving him hearty thanks for his sermon 
 and good exhortation, he therein rehearsed such spe- 
 cial things as he had noted, and that so many that the 
 Bishop said, ' Truly, truly ' for that commonly was 
 his oath ' I could never have thought that excellency 
 to have been in His Grace, but that I beheld and 
 heard it in him.'
 
 32 Gbe ffounfcation. 
 
 " At the last, the King's Majesty much commended 
 him for his exhortation for the relief of the poor. 
 
 " The Bishop, thinking least of that matter, and 
 being amazed to hear the wisdom and earnest zeal of 
 the King, was, as he said himself, so astonished, that 
 he could not tell what to say ; but after some pause 
 said that he thought at this present for some entrance 
 to be had, it were good to practise with the City of 
 London, because the numbers of the poor there ' are 
 very great, and the citizens also are many and wise,' 
 and he doubted not but that they were also both piti- 
 ful and merciful, as the Mayor and his brethren, and 
 other the worshipful of the said City ; and that if it 
 would please the King's Majesty to direct his gracious 
 letters unto the Mayor of London, inviting him to 
 call in such assistants as he should think meet to 
 consult of this matter for some order to be taken 
 therein, he doubted not but good would follow 
 thereon. 
 
 "And he himself promised the King to be one 
 himself that should earnestly assist therein. 
 
 "The King forthwith not only granted his letter, 
 but made the Bishop tarry until the same was written, 
 and his hand and signet set thereto, and commanded 
 the Bishop not only to deliver the said letter himself, 
 but also to signify unto the Mayor that it was the 
 King's especial request and express commandment 
 that the Mayor should assist therein, and, as soon as
 
 ^foundation. 33 
 
 he might conveniently, give him knowledge how far 
 he proceeded therein. 
 
 "The Bishop was so joyous of receiving of this 
 letter, and that now he had occasion to assist in so 
 good a matter, wherein he was marvellous zealous, that 
 nothing could have more pleased and delighted him. 
 
 " Wherefore the same night he came to the Mayor 
 of London, who was then Sir Richard Dobbs, Knt, 
 and delivered the King's letter, and showed his mes- 
 sage with effect. 
 
 " The Lord Mayor not only joyously received this 
 letter, but with all speed agreed to set forward the 
 matter, for he also favoured it very much. And the 
 next day being Monday, he desired the Bishop of 
 London to dine with him, and against that time the 
 Mayor promised to send for such men as he thought 
 meetest to talk of this matter; and so he did. 
 (See p. 35.) 
 
 " The order taken, and the citizens meeting to fur- 
 ther the same, the report was submitted, and His 
 Grace (the King), for the advancement thereof, was 
 not only willing to grant to such as should be over- 
 seers and governors of the said houses l a charter of 
 corporation and authority for the government thereof, 
 but also requested that he might be accounted as the 
 chief Founder and Patron thereof. 
 
 1 Christ's, Bridewell, and S. Thomas.
 
 34 tTbe jfounDation. 
 
 " And for the furtherance of the work and the main- 
 tenance of the same, he of his mere mercy and good- 
 ness granted that whereas before, certain lands were 
 given to the maintaining of the house of the Savoy 
 founded by King Henry VII. for the lodging of pil- 
 grims and strangers, and that the same was now made 
 but a lodging for loiterers, vagabonds, and dissolute, 
 that lay all day in the fields, and at night were har- 
 boured there, which was rather the maintenance of 
 beggary than any relief to the poor, he gave the same 
 lands, being first surrendered by the Master and Fel- 
 lows, which lands were of the yearly value of ^600, 
 unto the City of London for the maintenance of the 
 aforesaid foundation. 
 
 " And for a further relief, a petition being made for 
 a license to take in mortmain or otherwise without 
 license, lands to a certain yearly value, and a space 
 left in the patent for His Grace to fill in the sum it 
 might please him, he with his own hand wrote the 
 sum 4000 marks by the year, and then in the hearing 
 of the Council he uttered this prayer, ' 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.' " 
 
 He died two days afterwards, having by this, almost 
 the last act of his life, become the founder of the 
 Royal Hospitals in London. 
 
 Perpetuating the memory of the young monarch, 
 his picture was to be found in Strype's time hanging
 
 ffoun&atfon. 35 
 
 close to the pulpit in the chapel at Bridewell, with 
 these lines under it : 
 
 " This Edward of fair memory the Sixth, 
 In whom with greatness, goodness was commixt, 
 Gave this Bridewell, a palace in old time, 
 For a chastising house of vagrant crime." 
 
 The action taken by the Lord Mayor, Sir R. Dobbs, 
 on receiving the Bishop's communication, was of the 
 promptest sort. He sent for his colleagues, and made 
 a selection of twenty-four Aldermen and commoners to 
 be a committee. After several meetings they agreed 
 upon a scheme. 
 
 In this they considered nine especial kinds and sorts 
 of poor people, and those they brought into these 
 
 degrees : 
 
 Three Degrees of Poor. 
 
 1. Poor by impotency. 
 
 2. Poor by casualty. 
 
 3. Thriftless poor. 
 
 1. The poor by impotency are also divided thus : 
 
 (i.) Fatherless poor man's child. 
 (2.) The aged, blind, and lame. 
 (3.) The diseased person by leprosy, dropsy, 
 &c. 
 
 2. The poor by casualty, thus : 
 
 (i.) The wounded soldiers. 
 
 (2.) The decayed householder. 
 
 (3.) The visited with any grievous disease.
 
 36 tlbe JFounfcatton. 
 
 3. The thriftless poor, thus : 
 
 (i.) The rioter, that consumeth all. 
 (2.) The vagabond, that will abide in no place. 
 (3.) The idle person, as dissolute women and 
 others. 
 
 For these sorts three several houses were pro- 
 vided : 
 
 First, For the innocent and fatherless, the house 
 that was the late Grey Friars in London, but 
 now called by the name of Christ's Hospital. 
 
 Secondly ', Were provided the Hospital of St Thomas 
 in Southwark and St Bartholomew in West 
 Smithfield. 
 
 Thirdly, Bridewell, for the vagabond, idle, and 
 dissolute. 
 
 They also provided outdoor relief for the decayed 
 householder, and pensions for the leper. 
 
 The Charter granted by the King, sets forth the 
 particulars of the royal gift and the various goods, 
 chattels, furniture, linen, &c, from the Savoy. " Uten- 
 sils, beddings, and necessaries lately belonging and 
 appertaining unto our said late Hospital of the Savoy," 
 (reserving "one great bell, and one small bell, and 
 one chalice,") and revenues unto the yearly value of 
 4000 marks, unto the said Mayor and commonalty 
 and citizens of the city aforesaid, and to their succes- 
 sors for ever."
 
 ^foundation. 37 
 
 " In strains melodious, the tramp of Fame, 
 Enamour'd, echoes the Sixth Edward's name ; 
 A name which charity has firm impressed 
 On the warm feelings of the grateful breast." 
 
 In the "Memorials of the Savoy," by Loftie, is 
 the following passage : 
 
 "Sir Roger Cholmely, Lord Chief Baron, was 
 appointed visitor to report upon the state of the 
 hospital and its revenues ; this he did, and his 
 report was unfavourable." 
 
 Ralph Jackson was appointed Vice-Master, gth 
 June 1553, but had to surrender the hospital to 
 the King, who, on the 26th June, made over the 
 estates, with the implements and utensils, to Bride- 
 well. 
 
 In 1558 the Hospital of the Savoy was refounded ; 
 and it is said that all the beds having been taken 
 away, the "ladies of the court," for "the better 
 attaining the Queen's good grace," refurnished them 
 in a very ample manner. 
 
 The charter of Bridewell was confirmed 26th June 
 1553, and in 1555, during the February of that year, 
 Sir W. Gerard, Mayor, and the Aldermen, entered 
 Bridewell and took possession thereof, according to 
 the gift of the said King Edward VI., the same 
 being confirmed by Queen Mary. 
 
 The following is an abstract of an Act of Common 
 Council, the last of February, the second and third 
 of Philip and Mary, concerning Bridewell :
 
 38 Cbe ffoun&atforu 
 
 " Forasmuch as King Ed. VI. had given his house 
 of Bridewell unto the City, partly for the setting of 
 idle and lewd people to work, and partly for the 
 lodging and harbouring of the poor, sicke, and 
 weake, and sore people of the city, and of poor way- 
 faring people repairing to the same ; and had for 
 this last purpose given the bedding and furniture 
 of the Savoy to that purpose : Therefore, in con- 
 sideration that very great charges would be required 
 to the fitting of the said house and the buying of 
 tooles and bedding, the money was ordered to be 
 gotten up among the rich people of the Companies 
 of London."
 
 ( 39 ) 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 PARTICULARS AND USES OF THE HOSPITAL 
 AS FOUNDED. 
 
 THE education of destitute children and the cure of 
 paupers afflicted with disease having been provided 
 for by the erection of the Hospitals of Christ Church, 
 St. Bartholomew, and St. Thomas, the citizens turned 
 their attention to the establishment of a place for the 
 reception of those vagrants and mendicants who were 
 not the objects of these institutions, and with this 
 view this petition (referred to, p. 33) was presented 
 to the King, Edward VI., praying for a grant of the 
 ancient palace of Bridewell, which appeared suitable 
 for their purpose. 
 
 " A Supplication made by the Assent of the Governors 
 of the Poor in the name of the same Poor, to the 
 King's Majesty for the obtaining of the House of 
 Bridewell. A.D. 1552. 
 
 "FOR JESU CHRIST'S sake, right dear and most 
 dread Sovereign Lord, we, the humble, miserable, sore
 
 40 particulars anfc TUses of tbc Ibospital. 
 
 sick, and friendless people, beseech your gracious Ma- 
 jesty to cast upon us your eyes of mercy and compas- 
 sion, who now by the operation of the Almighty God, 
 the citizens of London have already so lovingly and 
 tenderly looked upon, that they have not only pro- 
 vided help for the maladies and diseases and the vir- 
 tuous education and bringing up of our miserable and 
 poor children, but also have in a readiness, most pro- 
 fitable and wholesome occupation for the continuing 
 of us and ours in godly exercise, by reason whereof 
 we shall no more fall into that puddle of idleness, 
 which was the mother and leader of us into beggary 
 and all mischief, but from henceforth shall walk in 
 that fresh field of exercise which is the guider and 
 begetter of all wealth, virtue, and honesty. 
 
 "But also, most gracious Lord, except we find 
 favour in the eyes of your Majesty, all this their tra- 
 vail and our hope of deliverance from that wretched 
 and vile state cannot be attained, for lack of harbour 
 and lodging, and therefore, most gracious Sovereign, 
 hear us, speaking in Christ's name and for Christ's sake, 
 have compassion on us, that we may lie no longer 
 in the street for lack of harbour, and that our old 
 sore of idleness may no longer vex us, nor grieve the 
 commonweal. Our suit, most dear Sovereign, is for 
 one of your Grace's houses called Bridewell, a thing 
 no doubt both unmeet for us to ask of your Majesty 
 and also to enjoy, if we asked the same for our simple
 
 particulars an& TUses of tbe IbospitaL 41 
 
 living and unworthiness-sake, but we, as the poor 
 members of our Saviour Jesu Christ, sent by Him, 
 most humbly sue to your Majesty in our said Master's 
 name, Jesu Christ, that we for His sake, and for the 
 service that He hath done to your Grace and all the 
 faithful commons of your realm, in spending His most 
 dear and precious blood for you and us, may receive 
 in reward at your Majesty's hands, given to us, His 
 members (which of His great mercy He accounteth 
 and accepteth in our behalves, as granted and given 
 to Himself), the same, your Grace's house as a most 
 acceptable gift and great obligation offered unto Him, 
 and then, not we but He, our said Master and Sa- 
 viour, which already hath crowned your Majesty with 
 an earthly crown, shall, according to His promise, 
 crown your Grace with an everlasting diadem, and 
 place you in the palace of eternal glory, and not we 
 only, but the whole congregation and Church spread 
 throughout the whole world, shall and will night and 
 day, call and cry incessantly unto our said loving and 
 sweet Saviour and Master to preserve and defend 
 your Majesty both now and for ever." 
 
 It was ordered that the Bishop of London should 
 go with the deputation, amongst whom were 
 
 Sir Martin Bowes, goldsmith. 
 Sir Rowland Hill, mercer. 
 Sir Andrew $nd, skinner.
 
 42 particulars anfc TOses of tbc "fcospital. 
 
 Sir John Gresham, mercer. 
 
 Sir John Ayleph. 
 
 Master Chester, and others. 
 
 The Bishop delivered the supplication with his 
 own hands unto the King's Highness, in his inner 
 closet, kneeling on his knees, and then made a long 
 and learned oration to the commendation of the 
 citizens in the travail of their good work, and greatly 
 stirred by wonderful persuasion the King's Majesty 
 to be patron and founder thereof, and to further all 
 their suits. 1 
 
 The King's consent having been obtained, a state- 
 ment was presented to the King's Majesty's most 
 Honourable Council, A.D. 1552, setting forth the 
 objects of the Institution. 
 
 Heartily thanking the King and the Council for 
 their sympathy, they proceed to name how the same 
 shall be used and how managed. 
 
 That beggary and thieving abounded ; how many 
 statutes had been made for the redress of the same, 
 and little amendment followed; the conclusion that 
 idleness was the cause of all this misery; therefore 
 work was recommended, that beggary might be re- 
 formed. 
 
 That general provision of work should be made for 
 
 1 The last chapter, iii., p. 22, relates more particularly Ridley's 
 communications with the King.
 
 particulars and "Glses of tbe Ibospftal. 43 
 
 the willing poor, as well as for the strong and sturdy 
 vagabond. 
 
 That the work had already been begun to succour 
 the indigent child, the sick and the impotent. And for 
 the idle, that a house of occupation should be erected, 
 wherein the child, " when he is grown up and found 
 unapt to learning and unable to take service, may be 
 exercised and occupied, the sturdy and idle set to 
 work, and prisoners who are quit at the sessions." 
 And as room is required for these purposes, the 
 House of Bridewell is requested. 
 
 And for the use of the house, it is set forth that 
 profitable occupations be sought, such as making of 
 caps more substantial than those made in France. 
 
 That those lame of leg but whole of hand, should 
 be occupied in making feather bed-ticks, wool cards, 
 drawing of iron, spinning, carding, knitting, and 
 winding of silk, &c. ; and that the stubborn and 
 fouler sort be set to making of nails and other iron- 
 work. 
 
 That as the citizens had given large sums for the 
 furnishing of Christ's Hospital and St. Thomas', so 
 they would do the needful for the third house. 
 
 That the whole charge be committed to thirty 
 governors, of whom six are to be Aldermen, none to 
 receive fee or reward, and one of their number to be 
 appointed Treasurer for a year. 
 
 Taskmasters and mistresses to be appointed at
 
 44 particulars an& lases of tbe fjospital. 
 
 convenient stipends, and other officers, as steward, 
 porters, cook, &c. 
 
 That a perfect confidence in the munificence of 
 those desirous to do good would enable the continu- 
 ance of the house to be maintained in the future. 
 
 That if the House of Bridewell be not thought 
 proper and meet to be converted for the object in 
 view, then to sue for the house and lands of the 
 Savoy, &c., &c. 
 
 The indenture of covenant was made, and a 
 charter granted to the Royal Hospitals, which pur- 
 ports to confer those powers of police which were 
 essential to give effect to the intention and objects 
 of the citizens, and to enable them to clear the city 
 of the vagrants and mendicants by whom it was in- 
 fested. 
 
 The union of Bridewell with Bethlehem was made 
 at a court held at Christ's Hospital on 2yth Septem- 
 ber 1557. Although the objects of the two hospitals 
 were and are essentially different, the same governors 
 acted, and do still act, for the two hospitals, as a matter 
 of convenience. 
 
 There is in existence a small black-letter volume, 
 1557, which gives the "Ordinances for the Good of 
 the Hospitals ; " among other things, directions to 
 the beadles to walk through their wards, staff in hand, 
 two and two, and apprehend and convey to Bride- 
 well all vagrants and idle persons j if aid be required,
 
 particulars an& TUses of tbe fwspitaL 45 
 
 to call the first constable to assist ; to report if the 
 constable does not do his duty ; to see that no rogue 
 or idle person resort to trouble the street whenever a 
 citizen lies dead within their walks ; to receive re- 
 ward gratefully for their work ; to call the assistance 
 of other beadles, if need require, to help to clear the 
 streets, and to pay them accordingly ; to attend at 
 St. Paul's Cross at sermon-time ; to apprehend all 
 vagrants and idle persons, women and children, to 
 Bridewell ; and if found negligent, to have their staffs 
 taken from them and excluded for ever from serving. 
 The Ordinances and Rules drawn out for the gover- 
 nors (or rather almoners) of Bridewell are very long 
 and wordy, but the pith and marrow of them is the 
 importance of succour and relief for the poor, sick, 
 and aged ; to yield alms to the poor and honest de- 
 cayed householder ; to train up the beggar's child in 
 virtuous exercise, and to compel the wilfully idle and 
 dissolute to better ways, for which purposes the houses 
 of Christ's and St. Thomas' and Bridewell were pro- 
 vided. For the latter house, such and such of the 
 governors are appointed, some for the oversight of 
 cloth-making, others to the smithy and nail-making, 
 and some to the millhouse and bakehouse ; some to 
 receive offenders, and examine and punish the same ; 
 to visit taverns, alehouses, dicing-houses, bowling- 
 alleys, tennis-plays, and all suspected places of evil 
 resort in and about London.
 
 46 particulars an& TUsca of tbe Dospftal. 
 
 And by consent of a full court, to make altera- 
 tions from time to time in the rules and management 
 of the estates. 
 
 For the clothmaking. Women might be employed 
 in spinning or carding, and the whole under the super- 
 vision of the chief workmaster, who was to correct 
 anything that might be unseemly. 
 
 For the nailhouse. Apprentices were to be brought 
 in and taught. An inventory of all stock was to be 
 most carefully kept, and provision of iron and sea-coal 
 to be provided for the occupying of " our people." 
 
 For the millhouse and bakehouse. To permit no 
 loitering of the vagabonds employed in them. To 
 appoint eight persons to the less mill, ten to the 
 greater, and each to grind daily two bushels. To 
 observe good order, and certain told off to keep the 
 place thoroughly sweet and clean, and to work at 
 making tile-pins if any sat at leisure. 
 
 About 250 quarters of wheat were required for the 
 use of the three hospitals, and the stewards of Christ's 
 and St. Thomas' were to be careful in their tallies for 
 what was issued to them from the Bridewell Mills. 
 
 A comptroller of the diet of the house to be 
 appointed, to whom only the care and provision of 
 victuals was committed. He was to buy wood and 
 not provide charcoal (" for that is unprofitable "). He 
 was to be very careful about keeping stores under lock 
 and key, to see that the wards and their contents be
 
 particulars ant) T2iscs of tbe IbospitaL 47 
 
 clean, to keep a strict inventory, and make proper 
 provision for sheets, shirts, or any other necessary; 
 "and this is your charge, which God grant you to 
 perform and reward your pains." 
 
 All these charges are quaintly drawn up. That of 
 the bailiff of the Mill and Bakehouse is as follows : 
 
 "And this your charge, wherein if ye travail dili- 
 gently, and chiefly now at the first, for good order's 
 sake, good men will commend you, all the worthy 
 governours must love you, and God Almighty will 
 bless you here with worship, and reward you in heaven 
 with the crown of glory everlasting." 
 
 In the report above cited there is a record of the 
 Order of Common Council made 4th August 1579. 
 
 In it there are 53 orders and 13 additional precepts 
 for provision and money, to be had for good uses. 
 Among the orders it sets forth that there are to be set 
 up in Bridewell certain arts, occupations, works, and 
 labours, stock and tools for those works to be pro- 
 vided, also bedding, apparel, and diet. Great care to 
 be taken that vagrants not belonging to the city, depart 
 for their own places of birth or last abode, and to be 
 apprehended when sufficient time had elapsed after 
 the proclamation to this effect had been made. If 
 any returned in a roguish manner he was to be openly 
 whipped at a cart's tail and sent off with passport for 
 the second time. If any one "eft sones" (often) 
 return to be used as a rogue of the first degree, and
 
 48 particulars an& TUscs of tbe Ibospital. 
 
 if offending again as a rogue in the second degree, 
 viz., as a felon according to the law. 
 
 Should any be sick, the Hospitals of St. Bartholomew 
 and St. Thomas to receive such. Those whom the 
 City was charged by law to provide for and able to 
 work, to be received into Bridewell and kept to work 
 on very meagre diet, and to be punished if they were 
 idle. If any run away or escape, and be retaken as a 
 vagrant, he is to be whipped at the cart's tail, and 
 on a repetition, to be treated as a rogue of the first 
 degree and have his ear bored, and at the third similar 
 offence, he is to be used as a felon. 
 
 Citizens may take clever vagrants, skilful in any 
 occupation, into their service. Children of those 
 chargeable to the City and unable to keep them, to 
 be sent to Christ's Hospital. The parish to provide 
 for the aged and impotent, and if these be found 
 begging, punishment to be administered to such in 
 Bridewell. 
 
 No one to leave children or other belonging to 
 other places in the City under pain and penalty. 
 Citizens to hand over beggars to the beadles under 
 pain of 35. 4d., and constables to apprehend the 
 same, in pain of 6s. 8d. both by night and day ; if 
 at night to convey the offender to the cage or 
 counter (cages were first set up in 1503 by order of 
 Sir William Capell, Lord Mayor, in every ward for 
 the punishment of rogues and vagabonds), and to
 
 {particulars anJ> "Glses ot tbe Ibospital. 49 
 
 Bridewell the next day. Aldermen to hold inquisi- 
 torial wardmotes under pain of 405. as a safeguard 
 against vagrants, and for the better reformation of 
 the idle youth and unthrifty poor. 
 
 A vestry to be held a week previous to the ward- 
 mote "to enquire and understand of all idle per- 
 sons, vagabonds, rogues, disordered parents or 
 masters of houses, disordered children of the poor, 
 disordered alehouses, and such like; absences from 
 church, and other misdemeanours of the parish." 
 
 No relief to be granted to the idle but able-bodied, 
 but work to be found for the willing unemployed. 
 
 Unruly youth, if incorrigible, to be punished at 
 Bridewell. 
 
 The Governors of Bridewell, by virtue of their 
 charter, to render all assistance possible to the 
 Aldermen and their deputies in the execution of their 
 duties, should dealing with these exceed their powers. 
 
 Two Governors to be appointed for every art, 
 science, or labour, as overseers, and four to attend 
 two hours a day for the examination and direction 
 of those brought to the house after the first search. 
 
 Certain fines to be levied upon those appointed 
 to see the works at Bridewell properly carried on, 
 for non-attendance, but due notice of attendance 
 to be given. 
 
 The Savoy to be searched as to proper persons 
 taking advantage of this temporary asylum and 
 
 P
 
 50 particulars an& "Clses of tbe Ibospttal. 
 
 refuge; and the like abuse to be seen to at St. 
 Thomas' Hospital. 
 
 Alehouses, tippling-houses to be reformed ; not 
 too many permitted, and the number abridged to 
 a reasonable proportion in each ward. 
 
 Only those allowed to be open which bear a good 
 character. Bonds to be enforced for the good ob- 
 servance by victuallers against these orders; and 
 where large houses are converted into smaller, and 
 alleys farmed out, all victualling and drinking shops 
 to be disallowed to the landlords. Punishment by 
 whipping to be at the discretion of the Governors 
 without waiting for the Guildhall Sessions. 
 
 The following arts and occupations, labours, and 
 works to be set up in Bridewell : 
 
 The work in the mills. 
 
 The work in the lighters and the unlading 
 
 of sand. 
 
 The carrying of sand. 
 Making of gloves. 
 Making of combs. 
 Making of inkle and tape. 
 Making of silk lace. 
 Making of apparel for the house. 
 Spinning of woollen yarn. 
 Knitting of hose. 
 Spinning of linen yarn. 
 Spinning of candlewick.
 
 particulars an& "Oses of tbe Ibospital. s 1 
 
 Making of packthread. 
 Drawing of wire. 
 Making of pins. 
 Making of shoes. 
 
 Thicking of caps by hand and foot. 
 Making of woolcards. 
 Making of nails. 
 Making of points. 
 Making .of knives. 
 Making of baize. 
 Making of brushes. 
 Making of tennis balls. 
 Making of felts. 
 Picking of wool for felts. 
 Or any other that may fall in practice. 
 
 Reformation, and not perpetual servitude, was the 
 real object to be attained if possible, and every effort 
 to be made that youths who might be sent to Bride- 
 well should be apprenticed there to a trade, sent to 
 service, or to sea. 
 
 Employers in various trades to be encouraged to 
 send work to Bridewell, so as not to let the pro- 
 ductions of the house be injurious to trade. To 
 be careful about the foreigners, lest they become 
 burdens to the City. 
 
 Faulty and forfeited leather to be used up solely 
 for the poor in Christ's Hospital and Bridewell. 
 
 Then follow the rules and regulations for pro-
 
 52 particulars an& "decs of tbe Ibospital. 
 
 vision, and money to provide for diet, bedding, tools, 
 and stock. Two-fifteenths to be assessed and levied 
 in usual manner by the body of the City, foreigners 
 to be taxed, and assessments to be received according 
 to circumstances from time to time. 
 
 Playing of interludes considered degenerating to 
 the morals of the youthful, risky by reason of con- 
 course as regards the plague, wasteful of time, and 
 drawing folk away from the service of God, so must 
 be interdicted in the time of Lent and Easter, and 
 every holiday and Sunday in the year. 
 
 Forfeiture of bonds to be strictly enforced, and money 
 to be obtained for the maintenance of the Hospital by 
 sermons at the Cross, and other legitimate means. 
 
 Citizens, artificers, farmers, and gentlemen to be 
 solicited for situations for servants and children out 
 of Christ's Hospital and Bridewell for their kitchen 
 and service, with the offer to provide them with con- 
 venient apparel, and bind them for any competent 
 number of years, and as a further inducement, to give 
 them thorough instruction in reading, writing, gram- 
 mar, and music. 
 
 In September 21, 1579. Governors were appointed 
 for the several offices. 
 
 3 to be surveyors of shoemakers. 
 
 4 for the house. 
 
 4 for land and lime, &c.
 
 particulars and Uses of tbe Ibospital. 53 
 
 From this it is clearly evident that sand and gravel 
 were raised from the bed of the river, but the lime- 
 kilns were discontinued by order of Chancery in the 
 reign of Elizabeth. 
 
 The Order of Common Council, October n, 1587, 
 calls attention to the advisability of clearing the City 
 of vagrants with which it was infested, and after 
 proclamation to cause all who had not been resident 
 for three years past, to depart to their last place of 
 residency. 
 
 The stout and strong vagabonds to work at scour- 
 ing the town ditches, and to be fed from Bridewell; 
 the sick to be sent to St Thomas', and the infants 
 and little children to be kept at Christ's. 
 
 And to the better avoiding idle beggars and vaga- 
 bonds, humble suit be made to the Privy Council, 
 that letters be written to the heads of the neighbour- 
 ing counties to pass them on to their settlements. 
 
 The object of the citizens in the erection of the 
 Royal Hospitals, and the necessity, in order to its 
 attainment, of an entire co-operation between them, is 
 apparent ; but Bridewell was gradually separated from 
 the other hospitals, and became a prison and a place 
 for the reception of apprentices. 
 
 The powers of police which the Charter purported 
 to confer, extended equally to all the hospitals, though 
 the peculiar province assigned to Bridewell, caused 
 the exercise of them to devolve chiefly upon the
 
 54 particulars an& TUses of tbe tbospitaL 
 
 governors of that establishment, and rendered it more 
 permanent there than in the other hospitals. 
 
 Mere immorality was thought within their cog- 
 nisance, and people were frequently taken into the 
 house on slight and insufficient grounds, and on 
 charges which ultimately were proved to be false ; very 
 often considerable oppression and injustice occurred, 
 inasmuch as prisoners were received upon simple 
 complaint and without legal warrant. 
 
 The exercise of this power, and a practice that 
 prevailed from the period of its Foundation, of 
 sending people to Bridewell merely to receive cor- 
 poral punishment, in course of time caused one part 
 of the establishment to assume the character of a 
 mere prison; while the trades and manufactures, 
 already alluded to, by degrees degenerated into an 
 expansive and useless establishment of persons called 
 " art masters," to whom boys, in a sense quite foreign 
 to the purpose of the charter, were bound apprentice. 
 And these "art masters" were not got rid of until 
 a much later period. ( Vide chap, ix.) 
 
 Christ's Hospital, doubtless, was intended for chil- 
 dren, who in infancy might receive a virtuous educa- 
 tion and bringing up, while Bridewell was for "the 
 child, when grown up," so that in full age he should 
 not lack matter whereon he might virtuously occupy 
 himself in some good occupation or science, profit- 
 able to the common weal.
 
 ( 55 ) 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 PENAL DISCIPLINE. 
 
 THE following are some of the records of the inflic- 
 tion of corporal punishment in Bridewell : 
 
 December 1556. A woman, resident in South- 
 vvark, was judged by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen 
 to be whipped at Bridewell, and sent to the Gover- 
 nors of Christ's Hospital for a further reformation, 
 and subsequently to be placed in the pillory in 
 Cheapside with a paper in her hand, whereon was 
 written " Whipped at Bridewell for leaving and for- 
 saking her child in the streets." 
 
 July 16, 1559. A woman named Jane Foster was 
 brought into the house for enchanting Margaret 
 Storer, and trying to bring her into dissolute and 
 evil ways. 
 
 July 19, 1563. The order devised and taken by 
 the Governors of Bridewell for cutting off the hair 
 of the head of such immoral women as were com- 
 mitted to the said house, and would not be quietly
 
 56 ipenal Discipline. 
 
 contented to reform and amend themselves, by 
 whipping and other punishments, was confirmed. 
 
 April 1574. A scold named Joan Grove threa- 
 tened with threescore stripes with a whip, if ever 
 again, she be proved to exclaim with her tongue 
 against Sir William Drury's man or any other. 
 
 April 24, 1577. Seven persons, being common 
 rogues, had correction and were discharged. 
 
 It would also appear (from the following extracts 
 from Jardine) that torture was plentifully used at 
 Bridewell in the reign of Elizabeth. 
 
 In the Council Book there is a warrant dated 
 October 25, 1591, directing Dr. Fletcher Richard 
 Topcliffe (the well-known instrument of Government 
 for the discovery of recusants) and two other persons 
 " very straightly " to examine " Eustace White," a 
 seminary priest, and one " Brian Lulsy," a distributor 
 of letters to papists, and if they refuse to answer 
 directly, to put them to the manacles and such other 
 tortures as are used in Bridewell. 
 
 This is the first occasion on which this instrument 
 finds mention, but from this time it was by far the 
 most usual kind of torture. 
 
 It seems to have been kept at Bridewell until about 
 the year 1598, after which time it is mentioned in 
 warrants as one of the tortures commonly in use at 
 the Tower.
 
 fcenal Discipline. 57 
 
 " I cannot discover," says Jardine, " from any 
 credible authority, of what the 'manacles' consisted." 
 
 It is perhaps worthy of remark that at the present 
 day a variety of instruments of torture are shown at 
 the Tower, and visitors are assured that they were 
 taken from the Spanish Armada in 1598, the exact 
 date at which the manacles were introduced at Bride- 
 well. 
 
 One of the instruments now at the Tower, which 
 compressed the neck of the sufferer down towards 
 his feet, might be the " manacles," and if so, Shake- 
 speare probably alludes to it when he makes Prospero 
 say in the " Tempest " 
 
 "He is a traitor ! 
 I'll manacle thy neck and feet together." 
 
 At the Tower, however, this instrument of torture 
 is called the "scavenger's daughter." 
 
 October 29, 1591. A warrant issued to Attorney 
 and Solicitor General (Popham and Egerton) to 
 examine Thomas Clinton, a prisoner in the Fleet, 
 and if he does not deal plainly in his answers, to 
 remove him to Bridewell, "there to be put to the 
 manacles and such torture as is there used." 
 
 June 4, 1592. Warrant issued. Owen Edmondes 
 to the torture in Bridewell. 
 
 February 8, 1593. Austin, Bagshaw, Ashe, to be 
 removed from the Gate House and Newgate, to
 
 58 penal Discipline. 
 
 Bridewell, to be in case of need punished with torture, 
 doubtless to discover and prosecute Catholic priests. 
 
 Tumultuous risings to drive away foreign traders, 
 was by Lord Coke technically termed "Expulit" 
 strangers, and 
 
 April 16, 1593. Warrant was issued to the Lord 
 Mayor, to torture if need be, and he sees fit, to make 
 the person reveal the suspected writer of a lewd and 
 vile ticket set upon a post, purporting determination 
 and intention on the part of the apprentices, to attemp f 
 violence on the strangers. 
 
 May n, 1593. Turbulent conduct of the appren- 
 tices of London on the same occasion of discontent. 
 
 Divers lewd and continuous libels having been set 
 upon the wall of the Dutch churchyard, to apprehend 
 and examine suspected persons, and to put them to 
 the torture at Bridewell, to be used at such times, 
 and as often as they shall think fit. 
 
 November 12, 1595. Gabriel Colford and his land- 
 lord, Thomas Foulkes, tortured with manacles on 
 account of seditious books published abroad. 
 
 January 25, 1595. To examine John Hardie, a 
 Frenchman, for suspicious letters sewn up in his 
 doublet, try him by ordinary torture to get his ex- 
 planation. 
 
 February 1595. H. Hodges tortured by manacles 
 to find out where ;ioo was hid in the ground, he
 
 penal SHsciplfne. 59 
 
 having stolen goods and money, and secreted them, 
 the property of Sir H. Bagnall, Knight, attendant 
 about Her Majesty's service. 
 
 November 21, 1596. Eighty Egyptians and wan- 
 derers apprehended in Northamptonshire, and tor- 
 tured by manacles. 
 
 Bradshaw and Barton tortured for intention of deal- 
 ing riotously with enclosures, demolishing churches, 
 instigating several hundred people of lower orders, in 
 Oxfordshire particularly. 
 
 The assembly with difficulty suppressed by local 
 magistrates ; four ringleaders sent to London ; war- 
 rants issued. Mr. Bacon and the Recorder of London 
 were to examine the rioters upon such articles as they 
 should think meet, and for the better boulting forth 
 of the truth of their intended plots and purposes; 
 that they should be removed to Bridewell, and put to 
 the manacles and torture. 
 
 February 2, 1596. To the manacles or torture 
 of the rack, Will Thompson, charged with a purpose 
 to burn Her Majesty's ships. 
 
 December i, 1597. To the manacles. Thomas 
 Travers, stealing a standish of His Majesty, if he 
 would not declare the truth. 
 
 December 17, 1597. Suspicion against the son of 
 an old gentleman, one, Richard Armger, whose body 
 was discovered in the Thames with marks of violence 
 upon it, and a porter of Gray's Inn.
 
 60 penal Discipline. 
 
 Richard Armger, the son, and Edward Ingram, porter, 
 if they did not confess, to be put to the manacles. 
 
 January 4, 1598. To examine at the Bridewell, 
 and if necessary, to torture by manacles, Richard 
 Denton and Peter Cooper, suspected of dangerous 
 designs against Her Majesty. 
 
 A curious commentary on these entries is in 
 another date i4th November. 
 
 All the judges being assembled in Serjeant's Inn, 
 Fleet Street, agreed in one, that he (Felton), for 
 assassinating the Duke of Buckingham, might not by 
 the law of the land be tortured by the rack, for no 
 such punishment is known or allowed, by our law. 
 
 July 6, 1606. Derick, the executioner at Newgate, 
 for not branding a culprit, but burning him with a 
 cold iron contrary to order, was punished with twenty- 
 four lashes. 
 
 September 22, 1682. A beadle was appointed to 
 correct prisoners in the house, and those who were 
 to be punished through the streets of the City, instead 
 of the Chapel Beadle, who had performed the office 
 for the better witnessing the correction, the whipping- 
 post to be raised. 
 
 The practice of sending offenders to Bridewell 
 merely to receive corporal correction continued down 
 to a late period. In 1793 as much as ;8o, 6s. was 
 paid to one of the beadles for flogging prisoners
 
 penal Discipline. 61 
 
 during the previous two years at five shillings each, 
 which gives about 160 as the number of persons 
 annually punished. 
 
 Only two instances of corporal punishment occurred, 
 however, during the ten years ending Christmas 
 1836. 
 
 Mr. Martin, in his report on charities, remarks : 
 "It is difficult to imagine how the governors could 
 justify these acts of authority." 
 
 Indeed, the powers of police contained in the 
 charter seem to be illegal. Sir Francis Bacon's 
 opinion upon the Charter of Bridewell, was that 
 accusations against people of ill repute are not suffi- 
 cient without indictment or other matters of record, 
 according to the old law of the land; for Magna 
 Charta maintains that no freeman shall be taken or 
 imprisoned, but by lawful judgment of men of his 
 degree, or by the law of the land. 
 
 With regard to the internal economy of the house, it 
 appears that on May 2, 1582, the mill for grinding corn 
 was let to George Green, citizen, and Brown, baker, 
 to take charge of the mill and employ the prisoners 
 on it, for forty years at a yearly rent of ^20, to do 
 the work thoroughly, see that the workers did not idle 
 away their time, and to have always corn and grain 
 ready, and should the mill stop for any good reason, 
 i2d. out of the yearly rent per diem to be allowed. 
 
 April 30, 1637. Two beadles were ordered to
 
 62 penal Discipline. 
 
 daily walk the streets to clear them of beggars and 
 vagrants. 
 
 In 1656 it was found that the beadles did not 
 do their work, so the " Corporation of the Poor in 
 London " requested that they might appoint six- 
 teen beadles, and if beggars and vagrants, young 
 or old, were found on apprehension unable to work 
 in Bridewell, to punish them, and to pass them on 
 to their place of birth, or last settlement, and in May 
 19, 1658, further stringent rules were laid down "that 
 the beadles be most strict in apprehending beggars, 
 and pass on those who ought to be provided for 
 elsewhere; the youngest beadle to punish some by 
 whipping, and others to be kept at work until legally 
 discharged." 
 
 "The Treasurer and Governors to examine the 
 women and dispose of them. To have the mill set 
 in order, and to keep at work as many hands as 
 were necessary presumably so and if more room 
 was required for a larger number of prisoners, to 
 provide the same." 
 
 In February 19, 1673, tne marshal's men were 
 reproved for bringing in the lame, blind, and aged 
 persons and young children unfit to be put to labour, 
 and in future were required to punish them and pass 
 them on, and on no account to receive such into the 
 house. 
 
 The apprehension of vagrants by the beadles be-
 
 penal Discipline. 63 
 
 came obsolete in 1785, and an order was made (June 
 1 6) that for the future the porter receive no prisoners 
 without a legal commitment by a magistrate. 
 
 The scope of the Governors was confined to 
 the interior arrangements and management of the 
 prison. In 1814 the Common Council petitioned 
 the Governors to co-operate with them towards fur- 
 nishing more accommodation for people of profli- 
 gate character, but to little purpose; and it was 
 a matter to be regretted, that the prison was not 
 more serviceable to the police. In fact, the state of 
 the prison was anything but satisfactory. The means 
 of classification during the day, and of air and exercise 
 were wholly wanting ; beating hemp, picking oakum, 
 grinding corn, drugs, and other kinds of labour had 
 been abandoned, and although some employment 
 was provided for the females, the male prisoners 
 passed almost all their time in idleness. 
 
 Bridewell was occasionally used as a State prison. 
 On March 2, 1576, Martin Corbet appeared before 
 the Court, for that the Governors had received a war- 
 rant from Her Majesty's Commissioners for Causes 
 Ecclesiastical, and was conveyed to prison until such 
 time as he had satisfied the effect of the said warrant. 
 
 January 28, 1656. James Naylor was committed 
 on a warrant from the Speaker of the House of Com- 
 mons, dated December i5th previously. 
 
 Prisoners were likewise occasionally received on
 
 64 penal Discipline. 
 
 charges of felony, and detained for safe custody till 
 trial. 
 
 January 21, 1642. It seems that several Turks 
 were then confined in Bridewell waiting their trial at 
 Newgate on a charge of piracy. 
 
 November 26, 1658. Thomas Bullock and another 
 were received on suspicion of stealing goods of the 
 value of ^17, to work his jail delivery and be thus 
 sent up. In the reign of Queen Anne, felons con- 
 victed at the Old Bailey were sent to Bridewell for 
 punishment; but September 9, 1713, the Governors 
 refused to receive them any more, and memorialised 
 the Secretary of State for that purpose.
 
 65 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 "ELLWOOD'S EXPERIENCES." 
 
 THOMAS ELLWOOD, of Amersham, born 1639, and 
 so often imprisoned for attaching himself to the 
 Quakers, in his " History written by himself" of 
 old Bridewell gives the following narrative. 
 
 "I was that morning, which was the twenty-sixth 
 day of the eighth month, 1662, at the meeting at the 
 Bull and Mouth, by Aldersgate, when on a sudden a 
 party of soldiers rushed in (of the trained bands of 
 the City) with noise and clamour, being led by one 
 who was called Major Rowsell, an apothecary, if I 
 misremember not, and at that time under the ill 
 name of a Papist. He made a proclamation that 
 all who were not Quakers might depart if they would. 
 
 " It so happened that a young man named Dore, 
 from Chimer, near Crowell, in Oxon, came that day 
 in curiosity to see the meeting, and finding me there 
 (whom he knew) came and sat down by me. As 
 soon as he heard the noise of the soldiers he was 
 much startled, and asked me softly if I would not try 
 

 
 66 "Ellwoofc's Experiences." 
 
 to get out. I told him no ; I was in my place and 
 was willing to suffer. He turned away and went out. 
 He that commanded the party gave us first a personal 
 charge to come out of the room, but we who ' ought 
 to obey God rather men ' stirred not, whereupon he 
 sent some soldiers to drag or drive us out, which they 
 did roughly enough. He had gotten thirty-two of us, 
 and ordered pikes to be opened before us, and the 
 word to march given, the soldiers making a lane to 
 keep us from scattering. 
 
 " He led us up Martins, and so turned down to 
 Newgate, where I expected he would have lodged us. 
 But, to my disappointment, he went on through 
 Newgate, and turning through the Old Bailey, brought 
 us into Fleet Street. I was then wholly at a loss to 
 conjecture whither he would lead us, unless it were 
 to Whitehall, for I knew nothing then of old Bride- 
 well; but on a sudden he gave a short turn, and 
 brought us before the gate of that prison, when 
 knocking, the wicket was opened forthwith, and the 
 master with his porter ready to receive us. 
 
 "One of those who had been picked up in the 
 street to go with us, happened not to have been 
 with us in the meeting : this I represented to the 
 Major, who, incensed at my previous question I 
 had put to him about a massacre, looked sternly at 
 me and said, ' Who are you that take so much upon 
 you? Seeing you are so busy, you shall be the
 
 "Bllwoo&'s Experiences." 67 
 
 first man that shall go into Bridewell,' and he thrust 
 me in by the shoulders. 
 
 "As soon as I was in, the porter pointing with his 
 finger, directed me to a fair pair of stairs on the 
 further side of a large court, and bid me go up 
 those stairs, and go on till I could go no further. 
 Accordingly I went up the stairs, the first flight 
 whereof brought me to a fair chapel on my left 
 hand, which I could look into, through the iron 
 grates, but could not have gone into if I would. 
 
 "I went a storey higher, which brought me into 
 a room which I soon perceived to be a court or 
 justice room. Observing a door on the farther side, 
 I opened it, but withdrew from going in, being 
 frightened at the dismal appearance of the place; 
 for, besides the walls being laid all over from top 
 to bottom in black, there stood in the centre a 
 great whipping-post, which was all the furniture it 
 had. 
 
 " In one of these rooms judgment was given, and 
 in the other, it was executed on those ill people, who 
 were sent to this prison, and then sentenced to be 
 whipped, which was so contrived that the court might 
 not only hear, but see, if they pleased, their sentence 
 executed. 
 
 " A sight so unexpected and so unpleasing gave me 
 little encouragement to rest or even enter, till I 
 espied on the opposite side another door which I
 
 68 "JEUwoo&'s Experiences." 
 
 opened. This led me into one of the fairest rooms 
 I ever remember to have seen, for it was the dining- 
 hall of the royal seat or palace of the Kings of 
 England until Cardinal Wolsey built Whitehall, and 
 offered it as a peace-offering to King Henry VIIL, 
 who, until that time, had kept his court in this house 
 (Bridewell). 
 
 "The room, for I lived in it long enough to 
 measure it, was sixty feet in length, and proportion- 
 ally broad. On the front side were very large bay 
 windows in it, and therein stood a large table ; the 
 floor was covered with rushes for some solemn 
 festival. 
 
 " My thoughts were disturbed by the flocking in 
 of my other friends my fellow-prisoners with whom 
 I had little acquaintance, having been so short a 
 time in the city. 
 
 " Soon after we had gotten together the master of 
 the house came up and demanded our names ; this we 
 need not have done until legally convened before 
 some civic magistrate, but we, being neither guileful 
 nor wilful, gave our names simply. It happened that 
 so great was the storm that fell so heavily upon our 
 meetings, the prisons were very full of our friends, who 
 had been apprehended at the several meetings, and 
 no less care and pains had the authorities to furnish 
 necessary accommodations and provisions. 
 
 " This prison of Bridewell was under the care of two
 
 "Ellwoo&'s Experiences." 69 
 
 honest, grave, discreet, and motherly women, whose 
 names were Anne Merrick (afterwards Vivens), and 
 Ann Travers, both widows. They provided some hot 
 victuals, meat and broth, for the weather was cold, 
 with bread, cheese, and beer, and gave notice to us 
 that it was provided for all those that had any one to 
 provide for them. 
 
 " For myself, I had tenpence, all the money I had 
 about me, or any when also at my command. But 
 ' Natura pauca contenta? Hungry as I was, I felt 
 that I was not included in the invitation, so sat as far 
 from the table as I could. 
 
 " When evening came, the porter told us that we 
 might have simple eatables, as bread and cheese, eggs 
 and bacon, &c., from the chandler's shop in the 
 house, and many gave him money to pay for what 
 they required. 
 
 " He brought me two halfpenny loaves, with which 
 I regaled myself, reserving one for the following day. 
 This was to me both dinner and supper, and I had 
 liked to have gone to bed had there been one ready, 
 but as there were none of any kind, we walked about 
 to keep ourselves warm, and sat about all night. 
 Fortunately some one had bought some candles to 
 prevent us being in total darkness. 
 
 "I made the best of sleeping accommodation by 
 spreading rushes under the table and using one end 
 of its frame for a bolster. I, who had no one to look
 
 70 "JEItwooD's Bjpcricnces." 
 
 after me, had to endure this rushy pallet for four 
 nights, to my intense discomfort ; yet, thank God, I 
 rested well, enjoyed health, and took no cold. 
 
 " Many of my companions were released by Sir 
 Richard Brown, who was a great man at Bridewell, 
 at the instigation of relations and acquaintances, and, 
 thanks to the courtesy of one William Macklaw, I 
 accepted his offer of his hammock whilst I was a 
 prisoner. Several formed a sort of club and obtained 
 from Anne Travers agreeable provisions, but my means 
 were too limited to permit me to join them, for they 
 judged me by my person, and not by the lightness 
 of my purse. Yet Providence sent me supply. One 
 William Pennington called to see me, and desired 
 me to accept twenty shillings ; this I did with thank- 
 fulness. And he, going to Chalfont to see his brother, 
 reported my imprisonment, whereupon Mary Pen- 
 nington by him sent me forty shillings. Soon after I 
 received twenty shillings from my father, for my sup- 
 port in Bridewell, and the letter he forwarded to Mr. 
 Wray through my sister I suppressed, the purport 
 being to get Mr. Wray to intercede with Sir Richard 
 Brown for my release. 
 
 " Acknowledging the goodness of God, I could now 
 join the club, and I became one of their mess. 
 
 " The chief thing I now wanted was employment. 
 Many being tradesmen, could soon set to work, but I 
 being a novice, could not be trusted, lest I might
 
 's Experiences." 71 
 
 spoil the garments ; so I got some from a hosier in 
 Cheapside, and made night-waistcoats of red and 
 yellow flannel for women and children." 
 
 It appears that this occupation served merely to 
 pass away Ellwood's time, for he never got a penny 
 for his work other than one crown-piece when he 
 came out of prison, and no more, although he had 
 made many dozens of waistcoats and bought the thread 
 himself. 
 
 He relates how one poor fellow, for finishing a pair 
 of shoes on a Sunday, was informed against, and 
 Richard Brown committed him to Bridewell to hard 
 labour at beating hemp. This he refused to do, as he 
 had done no evil, and for the refusal he was cruelly 
 whipped. " The manner of whipping there is to strip 
 the party to the skin from the waist upwards, and 
 having fastened him to the whipping-post, so that he 
 can neither resist nor shun the strokes, to lash the 
 naked body with long but slender twigs of holly, 
 which now bend almost like thongs and lap round 
 the body, and these have little knots upon them, tear 
 the skin and flesh, and give extreme pain." 
 
 This poor man was a Friend, and when his tor- 
 mentors could make no impression upon him, they 
 turned him in with Ellwood and his companions. 
 
 With some balsam, his skin, which was dreadfully cut 
 and torn with the rods, back, sides, arms, and breasts 
 were dressed, and after a while got, sound and well.
 
 72 "BUwoo&'s lEiperfences." 
 
 From the 2 6th August to the roth of October they 
 were kept in prison. They then attended the Ses- 
 sions at the Old Bailey, but the case was not called ; 
 so they returned to Bridewell till the 2gth October. 
 
 They all were sent then to Newgate for not taking 
 the oath of allegiance,' which Ellwood cleverly fenced, 
 for it is to be remembered he was a man of gentle 
 birth and education, alleging the plea that being 
 a prisoner, he could not take this oath freely and 
 without constraint. 
 
 The misery endured in Newgate was intense, and 
 one man died. 
 
 Much against his will, an old citizen passing by 
 was made foreman of the inquest, and desiring to 
 see the place where the dead man had been kept, 
 was astonished at the miserable, pestilential place. 
 
 The next day Sir William Turner, one of the 
 Sheriffs, caused all those who had come from Bride- 
 well to return thither, and this they did without a 
 keeper^ their word being alone taken. 
 
 "When we were come to Bridewell, we were not 
 put up into the great room in which we had been 
 before, but into a low room in another fair court, which 
 had a pump in the middle of it ; and here we were not 
 shut up as before, but had the liberty of the court to 
 walk in, and of the pump to wash and drink at. 
 
 " We could have gone away, as there was a passage 
 out into the street, but we were true and steady
 
 "Ellwoofc's Experiences." 73 
 
 prisoners, and looked upon this liberty as a kind of 
 parole upon us." 
 
 They were treated with considerable leniency and 
 indulgence until the court sat at the Old Bailey 
 again, when they were all called to the bar, and 
 without further question discharged.
 
 ( 74 ) 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 REMINISCENCES OF THE PRISON. 
 
 NED WARD, in his " London Spy " (A.D. 1703), gives 
 an account of Bridewell, but it is not very enter- 
 taining. 
 
 His experiences take the form of unsavoury dia- 
 logues between the prisoners and himself or his 
 companions. Yet one poor fellow was detained 
 for being unable to pay his fees, which amounted 
 to five groats. Ward remarks, " Bless me ! thought 
 I, what a rigorous uncharitable thing is this that so 
 noble a gift, intended, when first given " (alluding to 
 the Hospital), " to so good an end, should thus be 
 preserved, and what was designed to prevent people 
 falling into misery through laziness or ill courses, 
 should now be corrupted by such unchristian con- 
 finement, or to starve poor wretches because he 
 wants to satisfy the demand of a mercenary Cer- 
 berus when discharged by order of the court : such 
 severe, nay, barbarous usage is a shame to our laws, 
 an unhappiness to our nation, and a scandal to 
 Christianity."
 
 1Rcmini0cences of tbc iprieon. 75 
 
 He praises the magnificent, noble buildings which 
 composed the prison or penitentiary, and, in going 
 to the female side, is struck with its occupants. 
 Some seemed so very young, to be brought thus 
 early into a state of misery, and others so old that 
 one would think the dread of the grave and thoughts 
 of futurity were sufficient to reclaim them from vice. 
 
 Sick, amazed, and tired with the behaviour of these 
 unhappy culprits, who had neither sense of grace, 
 knowledge of virtue, fear of shame, or dread of 
 misery, Ward and his friend proceed to the court- 
 room, where they witness the trial and punishment 
 of a young woman, who had to strip to her waist 
 and be flogged until the master of the tribunal let 
 his hammer fall to show that sufficient punishment 
 had been administered ; giving rise to the old ex- 
 pression, so often used, when this same whipping 
 took place, by the prisoners, " Knock, good Sir 
 Roger, knock ! " The moral which the author of the 
 " London Spy " draws from the before-mentioned 
 scenes is as follows: "According to my real senti- 
 ments, I only conceive it makes many bad women, 
 but that it can in no measure redeem them; and 
 these are my reasons, First, if a girl of thirteen 
 or fourteen years of age, as I have seen some others, 
 either through ignorance or childishness of their 
 youth, or unhappiness of a stubborn temper, should 
 be guilty of negligence in their business, or prove
 
 76 IReminiscenccs of tbe prison. 
 
 headstrong, humoursome, or obstinate, and through 
 an ungovernable temper take pleasure to do things 
 in disobedience to the will of their master and 
 mistress, or be guilty of a trifling wrong or injury 
 through inadvertency, they have power at home 
 to give them reasonable correction without exposing 
 them to this shame and scandal, which is never to 
 be washed off by the most reformed life imaginable, 
 which unhappy stain makes them always shunned 
 by virtuous and good people ; also will neither enter- 
 tain a servant nor admit of a companion, under this 
 disparagement, the one being fearful of their goods 
 and the other of their reputation, till the poor wretch 
 by her necessity is at last drove into the hands of 
 ill persons, and forced to betake herself to bad con- 
 versation, till she is insensibly corrupted and made 
 fit for all wickedness. 
 
 " Secondly, I think it is a shameful indecency for 
 a woman to expose her naked body to the sight of 
 men and boys, as if it was designed for other pur- 
 poses than to correct vice or reform manners ; there- 
 fore I think it both more modest and more reason- 
 able they should receive their punishment in the 
 view of women only, and by the hand of their own 
 sex. 
 
 " Thirdly, as their bodies by nature are more 
 tender and their constitutions allowed more weak, 
 we ought to show them more mercy, and not punish
 
 Reminiscences of tbe prison. 77 
 
 them with such dog-like usage, unless their crimes 
 were capital." 
 
 The following lines are added : 
 
 " "Twas once the palace of a prince, 
 
 If we may books confide in, 
 But given o'er by him long since 
 For vagrants to reside in. 
 
 The crumbs that from his table fell 
 
 Once made the poor the fatter, 
 But those that in its confines dwell 
 
 Now feed on bread and water. 
 
 No venison now, whereon to dine, 
 
 No fricassees, no hashes ; 
 No ball, no merriments, or wine, 
 
 But woeful tears and slashes. 
 
 Where once the king and nobles sat, 
 
 In all their pomp and splendour, 
 Grave City grandeur nods its pate, 
 
 And threatens each offender. 
 
 Unhappy their ignoble doom, 
 
 Where greatness once resorted ; 
 Now hemp and labour fills each room, 
 
 Where lords and ladies sported." 
 
 Only a few more words are needed respecting 
 Bridewell as a prison. 
 
 " Let the sorrowful sighing of the prisoners come 
 before thee," are the words which John Howard the 
 philanthropist introduces, in his work upon "Lazarettos 
 Abroad and Prisons in England," 1789. In referring
 
 78 IRemtniscenccs of tbc prison. 
 
 to Bridewell, he says : " No alteration but the venti- 
 lators taken down. Each sex has a workroom and a 
 night-room. They lie in boxes with a little straw on 
 the floor. The prison not being strong, the men were 
 in irons, some picking oakum, and others were making 
 ropes, which is a new and proper employment. Mr. 
 Hardwick, a hemp-dresser, has their labour, and a 
 salary of twenty guineas a year. Allowance, one 
 penny loaf each, and four days in the week ten 
 ounces of beef without bone, &c. The allowance 
 for persons constantly employed, is not too much, 
 but would it not be better if they had less meat 
 and more bread? The prison wants white-washing, 
 and the men's night-room more light and air. At 
 my first visit two men were in the infirmary ; at my 
 last, only one. 
 
 1787, November 6, . . Men, 26 ; women, 25. 
 
 1788, September 13, . . Men, 19 ; women, 10. 
 
 " There are many excellent regulations in this estab- 
 lishment. The prisoners have a liberal allowance, 
 suitable employment, and some proper instruction ; 
 but the visitor laments that they are not more 
 separated." He adds in commendation, " In winter 
 they have some firing, the night-rooms are supplied 
 with straw; no other prison in London has any 
 straw or bedding." 
 
 There are, very properly, solitary cells for the
 
 IRemtntecences of tbe Prison. 79 
 
 Bridewell boys, in which one was confined and 
 employed in beating hemp. 
 
 Vagrants and others committed to the prison in 
 
 Year. Prisoners. 
 
 1783 1597 
 
 1784 2956 
 
 1785 612 
 
 1786 716 
 
 These numbers are from accounts made up every 
 Easter. 
 
 HEPWORTH DIXON, writing more than a century 
 later in his "London Prisons," 1850, thus refers 
 to Bridewell : " At present it is a sort of House 
 of Correction to the City of London. Summary 
 convictions and apprentices sentenced to solitary 
 confinement are sent hither, but not many of the 
 latter are to be found there. Every care is taken to 
 prevent communication with vagrants or others also 
 occupying the building. Troublesome as some of the 
 lads are, they are not to be confounded with the 
 felons ; they probably proved good stuff after all. 
 
 "As a House of Correction it was bad, unhealthy, 
 the apartments small and straggling, ill arranged, and 
 no sort of superior supervision worthy the name ; 
 cells and corridors dark and confined, insufficient 
 light and air ; yet it is superior to Giltspur Street 
 Compter, and Horsemonger Gaol, and, on account of 
 separate sleeping apartments, better than any gaols in
 
 8o TRcminfsccnccs of tbe prison. 
 
 London except Pentonville and the Middlesex House 
 of Detention. 
 
 " The numbers were men, 70; females, 30; chiefly 
 under sentences of three months' hard labour, which 
 consisted of the tread- wheel and oakum-picking, most 
 kept at the wheel, and the straining figure of the 
 criminal may be dimly seen. The only sound appa- 
 rently is the dull soughing of the wheel ; and the dark 
 shadows toiling and treading in a journey which 
 knows no progress, force on the mind, involuntary 
 sensations of horror and disgust. 
 
 " The system of discipline pursued is a mere mockery 
 of the silent system. Communication is forbidden 
 during hours of work, but not prevented. The walkers 
 of the wheel are commanded not to talk, but from 
 the straggling nature of the building and the paucity 
 of prison officers, complete inspection and control are 
 out of the question, and practically they talk just as 
 much as they think proper : as when at work, only a 
 thin partition separates one from another. Nothing 
 less than the presence of a warder could prevent them. 
 They who are not sentenced to hard labour are con- 
 fined in the opposite wing of the prison. Under- 
 ground are two small miserable cells, the day-rooms 
 of this department. They are very cold and damp, 
 consequently fires have to be kept in them, a circum- 
 stance fatal to all discipline. 
 
 " In each of these rooms at the time of our visit
 
 IRemimscences of tbe iprison. 81 
 
 there were eight or ten prisoners shut up, picking 
 oakum. They were quite alone, that is, no officer was 
 with them in the room. Occasionally they receive a 
 visit, but by far the greater portion of the day they 
 are quite alone, talking over the fires, and instruct- 
 ing each other in their favourite arts. How different 
 this, to the workrooms of Millbank or Coldbath- 
 fields ! 
 
 "There is no school in this prison. This is the 
 fitting climax of its many faults, the crowning absur- 
 dity of the whole system of mismanagement. If book- 
 teaching be absolutely required anywhere, if it promise 
 to be successful to operate for good anywhere, surely it 
 is here in Bridewell. Being summary convictions, the 
 inference is that persons come here, to get their initia- 
 tion into the prison world, and the fact is so generally. 
 
 " The ill-directed youth of the city, who commits 
 his first petty offence, is most likely to be sent hither. 
 Upon the impressions which he takes away, may de- 
 pend the entire future of his existence for good or 
 evil ; in a course of reform or a career of guilt, his 
 incarceration in Bridewell is the starting-point. One 
 thinks with pain and sorrow of the education which 
 such a youth must get here now, and of the direction 
 most likely to be given to his energies by the persons 
 he will meet with. Three months' imprisonment here 
 is enough to ruin any child for life. The boy must 
 have powerful elements of good in him who can leave
 
 82 "Reminiscences of tbe prison. 
 
 it no worse for ninety days' contact with its contamina- 
 tions. Instead of subjecting the unfledged criminal 
 to the pollution of his unrestrained intercourse with 
 offenders worse than himself, every care should be 
 taken here, upon the threshold of his career, to lead 
 him back from the fatal path into more respectable 
 and honest courses. The negative act is not enough. 
 He should not alone be kept from peril ; he should 
 also be put into the way of good. 
 
 " Two means are patent for this purpose work and 
 teaching. The work should be severe but useful, 
 such as a man in whom it was sought to foster habits 
 of self-respect, might be asked to do. The instruction 
 should be sound and regular ; what the criminal mind 
 wants most is discipline. Formerly there was a school 
 at Bridewell ; it has for unknown reasons been given 
 up. Fatal mistake ! If anything could atone for the 
 faults of the City Bridewell, it would be the institution 
 attached to it, called the House of Occupation, in 
 St. George's Fields. This is, in fact, an industrial 
 school; and has about 200 inmates, half male, half 
 female. It is not a criminal establishment. The 
 majority of its scholars have not been in prison ; the 
 minority have, in Bridewell. 
 
 " Children who are idle merely, disposed to be 
 troublesome to their parents and to the community, 
 are taken in, educated and instructed in a trade, and 
 after several years of careful training are placed in
 
 IRemfniscences of tbe prison. 83 
 
 situations, or permitted to go home to their parents on 
 the latter making proper application. 
 
 " The instruction given to them is sound and prac- 
 tical, the discipline enforced strict, but not rigid, and 
 the general result highly successful. The boys are 
 taught trades. At present there is one or more, learn- 
 ing each of these useful employments engineering, 
 painting, tailoring, shoemaking, masonry, binding, 
 baking, carpentry, rug-making, rope-making. The 
 girls are being taught every species of domestic work 
 washing, sewing, cooking, ironing, knitting, &c. 
 
 " Great care is also taken with the education of 
 their minds ; they are said to make admirable domestic 
 servants, and very rarely indeed does one turn out 
 ill. They are in great request, there being usually 
 from twelve to twenty applications for servants on 
 the books of the institution. 
 
 " As they are ready they are put out from Bride- 
 well ; the Magistrates have a power of removal to this 
 House of Occupation, being one of the first Refor- 
 matory Schools established, and by the change of 
 scene, this removal from old haunts, old comrades, 
 and old occupations, hundreds of poor boys are 
 placed in a position for becoming useful and pro- 
 ductive, instead of dangerous and expensive, members 
 of society."
 
 84 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 REPORTS ON PRISON, 1855-1887. 
 
 AN interesting communication was made in 1886 
 (5th November) by General Adams, late Governor of 
 the prison, who wrote : 
 
 " I was appointed to the office of Superintendent in 
 November 1847, and held it till March 1855, when the 
 prison was closed except for the reception of refractory 
 City apprentices committed by the Chamberlain. 
 
 " On my services being no longer required, the 
 Governors granted me a very liberal pension, which 
 I still enjoy. The staff of the prison consisted, be- 
 sides myself, of the chaplain, one chief, and four 
 assistant warders on the male side, and of a matron 
 and two female warders for the female prisoners. 
 
 "The prisoners were committed by the Lord 
 Mayor and Aldermen, and the period of their confine- 
 ment was from three days to three months. 
 
 " They were principally pickpockets, and very gene- 
 rally gave as their place of abode the New Cut or 
 Mint Street, in the Borough. Most of the others 
 were vagrants sent to prison for begging in the streets.
 
 IReports on Prison, 1855-1887. 85 
 
 "Many of the prisoners were well known to the 
 officers, having been frequently inmates of the ' Old 
 House,' as they called Bridewell. 
 
 " Hard labour was carried out by the treadmill, 
 which, communicating with the adjacent mill, was the 
 motive power for grinding the corn for the use of the 
 two Hospitals and House of Occupation. 
 
 "Such prisoners as were unfit to undergo hard 
 labour were employed in chopping wood, or any light 
 work about the prison. 
 
 " The females did all the lavatory work, and a few 
 of them assisted in preparing the food. 
 
 "The conduct of the male prisoners was generally 
 good, and they were always very respectful. 
 
 " The females were not unfrequently refractory ; so 
 much so as to oblige the matron to call for the assist- 
 ance of the warders on the other side. On these 
 occasions the women would scream until they were 
 quite hoarse, and tear up their clothes and bedding 
 into shreds, and smash the windows of their cells." 
 
 The Governors' report in February 1855 was as 
 follows : 
 
 " The Governors having, at an early period of the 
 year, decided upon the expediency of closing the 
 prison of Bridewell and of applying the large reve- 
 nues of the Hospital to more useful and beneficial 
 purposes, solicited the concurrence of the Court of 
 Aldermen in that arrangement; and as they practi-
 
 86 "Reports on prison, 1855-1887. 
 
 cally acquiesced in the proposal by ceasing to commit 
 any prisoners subsequent to the month of April, the 
 prison may almost be said to have been closed from 
 that time, although at a later date the City apprentices 
 committed by the Chamberlain have been received. 
 
 " The above statement was necessary, in order to 
 explain the cause of the very small number committed 
 in 1854 when compared with those in former years; 
 but it may likewise be observed, that although the 
 committals of the past year extend over a period only 
 one-third of that in previous years, the relative propor- 
 tion is by no means the same, but was much less than 
 in any year that preceded it. 
 
 "In the years 1851, 1852, and 1853, the number of 
 committals from the ist of January to the 3oth April, 
 was respectively 394, 278, and 418, whereas in 1854 
 it was only 65. 
 
 " Unfortunately we are not warranted in attributing 
 this decrease to any diminution of crime in the Metro- 
 polis, but rather to the preference evinced by the 
 City Magistrates to commit prisoners to the House 
 of Correction at Holloway, in which it is supposed 
 that the modern system of prison discipline can be 
 carried out with greater efficiency, than in the old and 
 obsolete building of Bridewell. 
 
 " The number of prisoners committed during the 
 past year amounted, as above stated, to 65 prior to 
 the 3th April, and the subsequent committal of two 
 apprentices gives a total of 67.
 
 "Keports on iprison, 1855-1887. 87 
 
 "Of these, five were City apprentices committed 
 by the Chamberlain. The remainder were chiefly 
 either pickpockets or misdemeanants, of which last 
 class of offenders the proportion was somewhat greater 
 than in former years ; but their detention in prison was 
 generally only until their friends could procure the 
 means of paying the fines, in default of which they 
 were committed. 
 
 "The number of juvenile offenders was twenty- 
 four, being about one-third of the whole; and of 
 these five were recommittals. Their ages varied 
 from eight to seventeen years. 
 
 "The health of the prisoners was as usual very 
 good, and their conduct whilst in prison satisfactory. 
 
 (Signed) " E. ADAMS, CapL, 
 
 Superintendent. 
 
 "BRIDEWELL HOSPITAL, 
 c,t& February 1855." 
 
 There are many of the old commitment warrants 
 still in existence, dating from 1828 to 1853. One or 
 two have been selected from among the waste paper 
 at Bridewell, as illustrating the offence and punish- 
 ment, the chief offences being those of vagrancy, idle- 
 ness in the apprentices, indecency, and thieving, and 
 the term of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 
 three months.
 
 88 
 
 Reports on prison, 1855-1887.
 
 "Kcports on prison, 1855-1887. 89 
 
 
 ^ t?C3,-!;S'S^^j3' K> O^ i^i 
 
 j-i-^-^MS-Q^dji-^in 
 
 &? I^^'j^-rfc-il gj p^ 
 
 cr 3Wg^sg'a3|*j'g~ w P >g 
 
 v "iuo;'i2 Vo ^^S rt o'Si-e ^ 

 
 90 "Reports on prison, 1855-1887. 
 
 The practice of committing to Bridewell for safe 
 custody had long been discontinued in 1837, and no 
 tried prisoners had been received since 1828. 
 
 Those in the prison in 1837 were : 
 
 1. City apprentices committed by the Chamber- 
 
 lain for misconduct. 
 
 2. Ordinary prisoners summarily convicted by 
 
 the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. 
 
 The warrants by the Chamberlain were and are 
 even now directed to the porter or beadle, according 
 to ancient practice. The confinement is solitary; 
 there are six cells, and the beadle has charge of them. 
 
 The Vicar of St. Bride's has notice of the recep- 
 tion, and visits the apprentices daily whilst in the 
 cells. 
 
 A curious entry occurs in the Vestry Book of St. 
 Bride's parish : 
 
 " At a Vestry held February 26, 1661. 
 
 "Upon the petition of younge Jenninges wife, 
 her husband abusing her, the churchwarden is to 
 chide him for it and advise him to behave other- 
 wise ; if he doth not amend, then a warrant to goe 
 out against him that he may be committed to 
 Bridewell till he gives security for his good be- 
 haviour."
 
 TReports on prison, 1855-1887. 91 
 
 There were 52 recalcitrant apprentices in the 
 House in 1836; in 1886 and 1887, only 17. 
 
 The punishment is not considered a criminal con- 
 viction, nor does the Chamberlain commit unless 
 the offence is really discreditable, as neglect of work, 
 absconding, playing truant, &c.
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 ART-MASTERS AND APPRENTICES. 
 
 IT seems that the manufactures originally introduced 
 into the House were to be carried on, on account of 
 the Hospital, and it is probable that the more com- 
 plicated operations were performed by persons receiv- 
 ing wages for their labour, and hired into the House 
 to work up the materials prepared by the inmates, 
 the due execution of the work, being secured by the 
 selection for each trade, of governors particularly 
 acquainted with the requisite details. 
 
 In the ordinances of 1557 the word "apprentices" 
 occurs. And in a report of a committee in 1657 it 
 is stated that by several leases which were executed 
 about that year (1657), houses and apartments within 
 the Hospital were demised to several persons who 
 were appointed "taskmasters and taskmistresses " for 
 the management and improvement of different manu- 
 factures, and bringing up " apprentices to the same." 
 
 There is extant a copy of an indenture dated 226. 
 November 1577 (igth of Elizabeth), whereby certain
 
 Brt*/ifcasters anfc apprentices. 93 
 
 houses were demised by the Mayor, Commonalty, 
 &c., to Richard Matthew, at Bridewell, for ninety-two 
 years, with a covenant that he and his executors, 
 &c., should instruct and bring up youths in the trade 
 of making knives, steel buttons, blades, &c., and the 
 lease to be void if the premises should come to any 
 person not free of the city. 
 
 Another instance occurs of such a lease, for in 
 1585 the Commonalty demised certain houses to 
 Thomas Dowleyn, cutler, who covenanted to receive, 
 take, instruct, and keep at work, as his daily servants, 
 upon some decent and good handicraft, all such poor 
 vagrants as should be sent by the Governors, and that 
 he should lodge and board them, and not permit them 
 to escape. 
 
 The precise date of the introduction of art-masters 
 and legally bound apprentices cannot be ascertained. 
 
 An old weekly account book, says Mr. Bowen, a 
 former chaplain of Bridewell, contains an entry, 23d 
 May 1 5 94, of a payment of izs. 8d. for six pairs of inden- 
 tures of apprenticeship for boys bound with the glover. 
 
 In February 1597, again, that one Exton and 
 family, be allowed 263. 8d. per week for teaching 
 boys pin-making. 
 
 At a court held February 8, it was ordered that 
 the Treasurer should examine the accounts of the 
 late "art-masters of the pinners," and this appears 
 to be the first time the word occurs in the records.
 
 94 art*/foaster0 an& apprentices. 
 
 The first instance of regular binding occurred at a 
 court held 28th March 1598, when Nicholas Ling, 
 churchwarden of St. Clement's, Eastcheap, paid ,5 
 "to place Thomas Scarlet, apprentice with Thomas 
 Ellis, the glover, for seven years." 
 
 Ellis was paid 125. more, and 305. for diet since 
 " Hallentide" last, and the court discharged the ward 
 of Candlewick, of the charge of Scarlet during his 
 term of apprenticeship. 
 
 By an order, October 10, 1599, the Governors 
 agreed to receive parish children and children of 
 freemen, to be taught some trade; and Richard 
 Brooke, a fustian weaver, was allowed a house rent 
 free and to keep ten apprentices. 
 
 March 18, 1600, it was ordered, with full consent 
 of the Lord Mayor, that Aldermen might send to the 
 Hospital, parish children within their wards, to be 
 placed under some artificer. 
 
 December 8, 1606, Churchwardens of the parishes 
 of St. Sepulchre's, St. Giles's Cripplegate, St. Bride, 
 St. Botolph, Aldersgate and Aldgate, to be allowed to 
 send any poor boy, to be set apprentice. 
 
 This system of apprenticeship was fostered and 
 encouraged, by the bequests of Locke, Fowke, and 
 Palmer. 
 
 In March 1644, it was recommended that vagrants 
 found in the streets, should be brought to Bridewell ; 
 and that the small children born in the City, and
 
 anD apprentices. 95 
 
 not able to move, be kept at Christ's Hospital, to be 
 reared and taught, and on attaining the age of twelve 
 years be sent back to Bridewell to be employed in 
 some good occupation. 
 
 About the year 1671 the better education of the 
 apprentices was considered, and a school established 
 in the house for them. 
 
 In 1720 the art-masters and apprentices appear a 
 very numerous, and also a very disorderly part of the 
 Hospital. 
 
 The insubordination and irregularities that had 
 arisen were occasioned by the free liberty they pos- 
 sessed to quit the precincts of the house, and the 
 custom existing from an early period, of permitting 
 the engine of the Hospital to attend all fires. 
 
 The Bridewell engine was noted for its efficiency 
 and for the courage and dexterity of the apprentices, 
 called "Bridewell boys;" but this practice resulted 
 in frequent injuries, drunkenness, and debauchery. 
 
 Hone mentions in the " Everyday Book : " " On 
 the i3th November 1755, at a Court of Governors 
 of Bridewell Hospital, a memorable report was made 
 for the Committee, who inquired into the behaviour 
 of the Bridewell boys at Bartholomew and South- 
 wark fairs, when some of them were seriously cor- 
 rected and continued, and others, after punishment, 
 were ordered to be stripped of the Hospital clothing 
 and discharged. The Bridewell boys were, within
 
 96 art=flfca6ters an& apprentices. 
 
 recollection, a body of youths distinguished by a par- 
 ticular dress, and by turbulence of manners. They 
 infested the streets to the terror of the peaceable; 
 and, being allowed the privilege of going to fires, 
 did more mischief by their audacity and perverseness 
 than they did good by working the engines." It is 
 only right to add that some improvement must have 
 taken place in their manners ; for Hone concludes 
 by admitting, that " the Bridewell boys at this time " 
 (the book was published in 1827) " are never heard of, 
 in any commotions, and may be regarded therefore 
 as peaceable and industrious lads." Nevertheless, 
 their attendance at fires seems to have been dis- 
 pensed with. 
 
 In 1792 a strong opinion prevailed that the system 
 of art-masters and apprentices was extravagant and 
 useless, and on the i4th June, it was resolved that 
 it should be abolished, and notice to quit was actually 
 given to the art-masters. This was modified by a 
 subsequent report. 
 
 In 1798 there were no apprentices in the House. 
 
 In 1799 a lengthy report contained suggestions for 
 the better classification of the inmates of the House, 
 e.g., for the reception of destitute persons discharged 
 from prisons and hospitals, and for the institution of a 
 distinct establishment as a " School of Occupation " for 
 the uneducated children of the Metropolis, and urging 
 the entire inutility of the art-masters and apprentices.
 
 an& apprentices. 97 
 
 The report was not confirmed. 
 
 Admission of apprentices was resumed after an 
 inquiry in May 1799, and the report confirmed, 
 and they were chiefly taken from the boys who had 
 received at Christ's Hospital the lower grade of 
 education. 
 
 None were appointed from Newgate, or taken from 
 the streets, yet nothing could be more pernicious than 
 assembling together, a large number of young men 
 within the same building with abandoned and disso- 
 lute prisoners of both sexes; for though they might 
 be completely separated, the inmates were lowered in 
 public estimation, and their prospects of future em- 
 ployment prejudiced.
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 REPORT OF A.D. 1818. 
 
 THE Report of the Committee of the House of Com- 
 mons, published in 1818, condemned the existing state 
 of things. 
 
 " Bridewell is that Hospital of the three named in a 
 Charter of King Edward VI., nominally devoted to the 
 employment of the idle and disorderly, but in practice 
 effecting neither. Although ostensibly a House of Cor- 
 rection, no attempt is made to reclaim the prisoners 
 or to correct them, except by administering corporal 
 punishment, which is left in a great measure to the dis- 
 cretion of the porter. No employment of any de- 
 scription is provided. A few women work at spinning- 
 machines, but the men for the most part saunter about. 
 
 "The revenues, amounting to ^7000 a year, are 
 not well applied. However defective former arrange- 
 ments may have been, the present are useless. The 
 evil has grown by gradual progress. Vagrants are, it 
 is true, received and fed for a few days until they can 
 be passed on to their proper settlements. The dis- 
 orderly are confinedj but ridicule the correction.
 
 IReport of A.D. 1818. 99 
 
 "Apprentices are admitted and taught by art-masters, 
 but they might better gain a knowledge of their trades 
 elsewhere at far less expense, and a minute inquiry is 
 recommended." 
 
 The Court held November 6, 1818, appointed a 
 Committee, who, in their report of the 2oth October 
 1819, confirmed the report of the Parliamentary Com- 
 mittee, that the prison, both in structure and manage- 
 ment, was defective, and that a radical change was 
 necessary ; but that doing away, or immediate inter- 
 ference with, the art-masters was to be deprecated. 
 
 It appeared that in March 1819 there were twenty- 
 eight apprentices in the house, out of ninety-three 
 that had been bound during the twenty-one years 
 previous to that date. On June 22, 1821, a resolu- 
 tion was adopted "That it is the opinion of this 
 Court, that the prison of Bridewell be altered, to 
 admit of proper classification and superintendence, 
 and that it will also be proper, so far as the revenue 
 and the altered state of society will admit thereof, 
 to restore the Hospital to its original condition of a 
 House of Occupation." 
 
 Males and females to be received as follows : 
 
 (i.) To be instructed in useful handicraft, trade, 
 or occupation, whereby an honest livelihood may be 
 obtained for the future. 
 
 (2.) The unemployed, whether committed by the 
 magistrates as idle, disorderly, &c., or being appren-
 
 "Report Of A.D. 1818. 
 
 tices committed by the Chamberlain, or received at their 
 own desire, to be usefully employed until discharged. 
 
 (3.) Prisoners, quit at the Sessions, desiring tem- 
 porary refuge and maintenance, to be employed use- 
 fully during their continuance in the Hospital. 
 
 Proper rules and regulations were to be drawn up 
 for the classification and employment of those com- 
 mitted, and those admitted at their own request ; and 
 that a rather lower scale of wages than is usual, be 
 given to the latter for work done. 
 
 That the art-masters be termed taskmasters, and be 
 freemen of the City. That a school be established for 
 the general instruction of the children in religious and 
 moral duties. 
 
 A superintendent and other officers, as keeper, mat- 
 ron, and turnkeys, were appointed, and considerable 
 alterations were made, treadmills, &c., being provided. 
 
 In 1835 a new wing was added to the prison. 1 
 
 The House of Occupation was not resolved upon 
 until March 7, 1828. 
 
 The resolution was as follows : 
 
 1 Benge, the beadle, December 21, 1887, told the author that a 
 very decent man conversed with him not long since, who had been 
 an apprentice in Bridewell, and that it was the happiest time of 
 his life. 
 
 A mother who had been a prisoner long ago, told Benge, that 
 when the prisoners were discharged, a loaf of bread was given to 
 each, and this they always stuck on the railings to show their 
 contempt.
 
 Of A.D. 1818. ioi 
 
 " That a new House of Occupation for the reception 
 of destitute objects of both sexes, should be provided. 
 That destitute people committed to the House of Cor- 
 rection at Bridewell, and disposed to work, should be 
 received at the expiration of their time of confinement, 
 and remain at the discretion of the Governors." 
 
 A lease was granted for sixty-one years, at a yearly 
 rent of ^200, from August i, 1828, for the House of 
 Occupation, on three acres of land in St. George's 
 Fields belonging to Bethlehem Hospital, and a build- 
 ing was erected at a cost of ^14,900, and opened 
 October 1830. 
 
 It only remains to follow the history of the House 
 of Occupation till such time as it was altered and 
 called "King Edward's Schools." 
 
 The Report of 1836 says, that youth only, of both 
 sexes, are admitted, and the inmates divided into 
 the following : 
 
 (i.) Persons merely destitute. 
 
 (2.) Persons guilty of misconduct. And this class 
 included those, not convicted of offences against the 
 law, but of idle, dissolute, vicious, and bad habits, and 
 uncontrollable by their parents; young women who 
 had gone wrong, and were desirous of returning to a 
 better life ; young persons of both sexes desirous of 
 amendment, after committal on summary convictions, 
 and those convicted at Sessions on whom judgment 
 had been respited.
 
 "Report Of A.D. 1818. 
 
 The age was from eight to nineteen, and prefer- 
 ence given, caieris paribus, to those discharged from 
 Bridewell. 
 
 Great attention was paid to their cleanliness, diet, 
 and clothing ; the trades taught (besides the perform- 
 ance of all the necessary economies of the institution), 
 appear to be brewing, baking (the flour came from 
 the mill at Bridewell), ropemaking, bootmaking, and 
 tailoring ; and one notices that education, particularly 
 religious instruction, of which the inmates were very 
 ignorant, had prominent attention. 
 
 The total admission of both sexes from 1830 to 
 1853 were 1632, 842 of whom were males and 790 
 females, and of these 305 had been in prison, or had 
 been sent from prison, 185 males and 120 females. 
 The Rev. Mr. Garrett, chaplain, writes as follows in 
 his report, dated March 15, 1854: "It is a very 
 remarkable and most interesting fact, and I trust, 
 gentlemen, you will pardon my again drawing your 
 attention to it, that the number of those young per- 
 sons of either sex who have left this House under 
 unfavourable circumstances, and have taken a position 
 in society honourable to themselves, thus reflecting no 
 trifling degree of credit upon the labours of those, to 
 whom you have confided so responsible a charge, very 
 greatly preponderates over those, who have again fallen 
 into a vicious course of life, and this has been more or 
 less the certain results of our inquiries from year to year.
 
 IReport of A.D. 1818. 103 
 
 " This fact evidently arises, not so much from a 
 separation from their former associates (for each com- 
 mittee-day adds to the amount of moral delinquency 
 already within the walls), but is rather to be ascribed 
 to the occupation of that time, which was once a 
 weapon of mischief in their hands, in the task of 
 storing their minds with useful knowledge, of instruct- 
 ing them in their duty to God and man, and the 
 providing them with industrial pursuits, which, when 
 they step again into the world, will afford them the 
 means, with God's blessing, of obtaining an honest 
 livelihood, and also a way to escape, when trials and 
 temptations assail them." 
 
 Mr. Garrett retired from the chaplaincy of Beth- 
 lehem and the House of Occupation, in January 
 1856, after twenty-two years' service. When the 
 Rev. Edward Rudge made his first report in the 
 following January, he gives the number of inmates 
 as 212, 114 boys and 98 girls, but the usual aver- 
 age "rarely falls short of 220 ;" and further remarks 
 " that much of the evil sought to be cured by means 
 of the House of Occupation, might have been 
 avoided altogether by a more conscientious exercise 
 of parental responsibility." 
 
 " Nor does the poverty, or even the ignorance, of 
 the parents, at all times render this neglect in some 
 measure excusable. Those who are best acquainted 
 with the humbler classes, will bear ready testimony
 
 104 "Report of A.D. 1818. 
 
 to the struggles made by the industrious and well- 
 principled among them, to appear in decent apparel 
 themselves, and to get their children properly clothed 
 and educated. The neglect is often the greatest 
 amongst the well-paid and intelligent, who spend 
 most upon personal and selfish indulgences, and 
 least upon home comforts and the education of their 
 children. It is thus that children become undiscip- 
 lined, and the parents, willingly or otherwise foster- 
 ing them in evil courses, are by such means relieved 
 of the charge of them altogether. The reformatory 
 movement is a hopeful feature of the present day, 
 but the danger just presented is apparent, and sug- 
 gests caution." 
 
 " When I first knew the House of Occupation," he 
 adds, " it was partly a Reformatory School, and 
 partly what I will call a Preventative School, i.e., a 
 school for such destitute children as were in danger, 
 from their unprotected state, of falling into crime. 
 No classification was attempted, nor indeed was 
 possible, and the effect of associating unconvicted 
 children with others who had been convicted, and 
 that more than once (one boy of the age of fourteen, 
 admitted from the City Prison at Holloway, had been 
 convicted of pocket-picking seven times) must have 
 been most injurious to the former. The Governors 
 had no power to help themselves ; by the terms of 
 their charter they were bound to admit both classes.
 
 IReport of A.D. 1818. 105 
 
 The criminal children were most difficult to manage ; 
 they were constantly trying to escape ; skilful in the 
 art of making skeleton keys, and adepts in prison slang. 
 
 " Of course they never saw the outside world from 
 the day of their admission to the day of their dis- 
 charge. They were treated as kindly as circum- 
 stances permitted ; but I must say that I look back 
 to my first experience of the House of Occupation 
 with anything but pleasurable feelings." 
 
 Again, in 1858, the chaplain writes: "Your 
 House of Occupation differs from the modern re- 
 formatory school in these two particulars, first, that 
 conviction of crime before a magistrate is not a neces- 
 sary qualification for admission ; and, secondly, that 
 the inmates are neither received nor detained, against 
 their own wishes. But facts show that our real and 
 actual work is very similar, and the Governors may 
 fairly claim the credit of having for many years acted 
 as pioneers to that philanthropic movement for the 
 recovery of the juvenile delinquent, to which a vigo- 
 rous impulse has in these days been given." A great 
 many boys at this period were received into the 
 Royal Navy. Of 140 boys and 68 girls discharged, 
 62 of the former entered the Royal Navy, and 12 
 the merchant service ; and of the latter, 50 went into 
 domestic situations ; and the tone of the girls was 
 much improved under the firm but kind discipline 
 exercised by a new matron.
 
 ( io6 ) 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 KING EDWARD'S SCHOOLS. 
 
 IN 1860 the new scheme for the regulation of the 
 charity came into operation. Alterations in the quali- 
 fications for admission were made. The name was 
 changed from that of the " House of Occupation " to 
 the more appropriate one of 
 
 " KING EDWARD'S SCHOOLS." 
 
 The age of admission, hitherto from 13 to 16, was 
 lowered to from 12 to 15, and even in some cases to 
 from 10 to 12. Nor were the admissions confined to 
 the residents in the City of London, the county of 
 Middlesex, and the borough of Southwark, thus ren- 
 dering the institution not a local, but in every sense a 
 national one. Its character as a school for the pre- 
 vention of crime rather than for the reformation of 
 juvenile criminals, was more clearly defined, and no 
 criminal children will be received except under pecu- 
 liar circumstances; and if any be admitted of this 
 class, the proportion not to exceed one-sixth of the
 
 ffing EDwarD's Scbools. 107 
 
 whole number of inmates. Mr. Rudge greets these 
 features of the new scheme as most excellent. For 
 the association of children steeped in crime and used 
 to prison ways, with those who are simply destitute 
 and unprotected, is manifestly unfair, and calculated 
 to exercise a baneful influence upon the future course 
 of life of the inmates generally. 
 
 The reproach of having belonged to the school will 
 exist no longer. "When I became your chaplain," 
 continues Mr. Rudge, " five years ago, the majority of 
 the inmates were criminals. Out of those admitted 
 last year (1860), which exceeded 200, only 16 boys 
 and 4 girls had been convicted of crime : 108 boys 
 were discharged to the Royal Navy and 44 girls to 
 situations." An officer commanding one of H.M.'s 
 ships writes : " It gives me very great pleasure to in- 
 form you that the lads from King Edward's School who 
 have joined the Navy in this ship have always behaved 
 much to my satisfaction. I only regret that, in conse- 
 quence of the number of applications we receive from 
 other charitable institutions, we cannot afford to take 
 more from you." 166 boys and 36 girls, who formerly 
 belonged to these schools, attended the Commissioners 
 with certificates of good character and received their 
 ,1 reward, in accordance with the excellent rule of 
 the institution: 86 boys and 19 girls for the first 
 time, 48 boys and 10 girls for the second, and 30 boys 
 and 7 girls for the third and last time. On the 3d
 
 io8 iking JEDwaro's Scbools. 
 
 March 1865 the first stone of the new school was 
 laid at Witley, near Godalming, Surrey, by the Pre- 
 sident, Alderman Copeland (the silver implements 
 used in the customary formalities were presented 
 some years later to the Governors by one of the late 
 Alderman's sons), and the separation of the boys from 
 the girls completed early in 1867 ; the new build- 
 ings being formally opened on the 5th April. 
 
 At the end of the year 1868 there were 107 boys 
 and no girls in the schools. The intention of the 
 new school at Witley, was for the accommodation of 
 150 boys, and an equal number of girls at the old 
 school at Southwark, and these numbers were gradu- 
 ally attained. In 1876 there was a total of 311 
 children in the schools. The Admiralty having 
 raised the standard, and parents proving so unwilling 
 to allow their boys to go to sea, Mr. Rudge bitterly 
 laments his inability to get lads into the Royal 
 Navy. He records that a former inmate, who had 
 left eight years previously for the Royal Navy, had 
 been in the Arctic expedition, and gave on a visit 
 to his old school a most interesting account of his 
 adventures. 
 
 Of the eighteen saved when the Captain capsized 
 in the Bay of Biscay, three of them were old King 
 Edward School-boys. The author saw the Volage 
 in the Portsmouth Roads when, with Mr. Rudge, 
 endeavouring to get some lads taken on board the
 
 Iking E&wat&'s Scbools. 109 
 
 St. Vincent training-ship. It was the Volage which 
 brought home those who were saved, and the loss of 
 the Captain had a bad effect at the time, these huge 
 ironclads being termed by the tars " iron coffins." 
 
 Meanwhile, the girls' school had been progressing 
 admirably. The number of applications for girls for 
 private families was in 1877 greatly in excess of the 
 matron's means of supply, and it is most satisfactory 
 to record that in nearly every instance these appli- 
 cations are the result of the observed efficiency of 
 the King Edward School-girls one lady recommend- 
 ing the school to others having vacancies in their 
 households. 
 
 Those of the Governors who have gone over the 
 establishment (which is at all times open to their 
 inspection), and who have observed the modest and 
 cleanly appearance of the inmates, and the careful 
 manner in which they are trained in all the various 
 branches of domestic work, will feel no surprise at 
 this result. Further, in all the little trials and diffi- 
 culties which they have to encounter at the first 
 start in life, the girls are encouraged to apply to 
 the matron for advice and direction, and correspond- 
 ence with them and visits to them in their places, 
 whenever a personal interview seems desirable, occu- 
 pies a considerable portion of the matron's time 
 time which, however, is well employed ; for I attri- 
 bute to this constant supervision, this kindly interest
 
 Ring E&war&'s Scboote. 
 
 in their welfare, even after they have ceased to be 
 scholars, no small portion of that success which 
 this branch of the institution has undoubtedly ob- 
 tained. It must be remembered that the fact of 
 keeping touch with those discharged for three years 
 after their leaving the school is a most important 
 element in their general behaviour. The system of 
 rewarding for good conduct in situations, whatever 
 they be, so long as the chaplain and matron is cog- 
 nisant of their being respectable, by i each year, 
 has been proved most efficacious. 
 
 About the management and internal life of the 
 schools it is hardly necessary to say much. Two 
 most excellent features are noticeable, the praise for 
 which is due to the Governors, and not to the execu- 
 tive. The first is the absolute impartiality with which 
 the candidates for admission are selected by the sub- 
 committee of Governors the most destitute cases 
 being invariably preferred, and thus the objectionable 
 system of canvassing, with its expense and frequent 
 disappointment, entirely avoided. The second is the 
 admirable rule of giving to former inmates who 
 attend the committees with good characters from 
 their employers rewards of ;i for three years. Not 
 only does the pecuniary benefit, act as an incentive to 
 good behaviour, and as a barrier against a restless 
 change of place, but it gives an opportunity of 
 renewing acquaintance with old scholars, and afford-
 
 s Scbools. 
 
 ing such advice as circumstances might seem to 
 require. 
 
 The numbers in the schools gradually increased, 
 and in 1881 a total of 436 is reported 216 boys and 
 220 girls and the enlargement of the premises, both 
 in London and Witley, was completed, and the num- 
 bers permitted as a maximum was 240 of either sex. 
 
 The Lord Mayor in 1880 (Sir F. W. Truscott) 
 visited the boys' school on the annual examination- 
 day ; his example was followed by Sir Henry Knight 
 in his year of office in 1883, and by Sir Reginald 
 Hanson in 1887. 
 
 The present chaplain is the Rev. Gerard M. Mason, 
 who succeded Mr. Rudge in March 1886. Mr. 
 Rudge had served thirty years with the schools, and 
 his retirement was deeply regretted. Mr. Foster, of 
 Fernside, Witley, added a gymnasium in 1887 as a 
 Jubilee offering and memento, and the Governors a 
 splendid playroom of large dimensions and a car- 
 penter's shop, to enable the boys to be further in- 
 structed in manual and instructive pursuits. In the 
 last reports of examination by Mr. Waddington, most 
 satisfactory results are recorded as to the condition of 
 the inmates of both schools. The needlework of the 
 girls is noticed particularly ; also their examination in 
 religious subjects by the diocesan inspector. The 
 drilling of the boys, their excellent play in the band, 
 and their general appearance never appeared better.
 
 -fctng JE&war&'s Scbools. 
 
 On the day in July for the annual examination, 
 many of the Governors and their friends find their 
 way down to Witley, and one can testify to their 
 intense pleasure in witnessing the busy scene pre- 
 sented by 240 boys, in and out of school ; the prize- 
 giving, the out-of-door exercises, &c. ; and the most 
 satisfactory thing of all is the reflection that these 
 children have for the most part been taken from bad 
 influences, reared for years under careful discipline, 
 with simple, plain, and good education, founded upon 
 the tenets and principles of the Church of England, 
 so as to fit them to battle with the world in after life 
 like good citizens and soldiers in life's contest.
 
 ( "3 ) 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 ENDOWMENTS OF THE HOSPITAL. 
 
 THE expense of the first establishment of Bridewell 
 was not defrayed by voluntary contributions, but by 
 a compulsory assessment of the City Companies. The 
 Hospital, however, did not share very largely in the 
 bounty of the citizens. 
 
 In 1602 the fines and forfeitures accruing from the 
 constables and others, for not punishing rogues and 
 beggars, according to the statute 39 Elizabeth, were 
 handed over for the maintenance of the House, while 
 another privilege belonging to it was the right of col- 
 lecting rags and marrow-bones. 
 
 St. Thomas's Hospital appears to have appropriated 
 to its use, the lands granted by King Edward VI., the 
 precinct of the ancient palace being all that was set 
 apart for Bridewell, and for years it was a matter of 
 considerable anxiety to the Court of Aldermen how 
 the latter should be maintained. 
 
 St. Thomas's paid^zoo a year quarterly to Bridewell, 
 with slight intermission, from 1589 to 1670; but after 
 falling into arrear, the payment finally lapsed in 1684.
 
 H4 Endowments of tbe Ibospftal. 
 
 Considerable benefactions from time to time have 
 been made by way of gift or grant, but the present 
 condition of the Hospital stands somewhat thus in 
 the possession of real estates and annuities : The 
 former consists of houses in London and Middle- 
 sex, a farm in Oxfordshire, and an estate at Wap- 
 ping; and it shares with Bethlehem the rents of a 
 farm in Kent. 
 
 Since the prison was pulled down and demolished, 
 and the leases in New Bridge Street fell in, the old 
 Bridewell precinct has been materially altered. A 
 good road now passes through the back, and the 
 whole available space is covered with large houses and 
 offices, notably Messrs. Spicer and Son's paper ware- 
 houses, and the Royal Hotel, whose proprietor is Mr. 
 Alderman De Keyser,Lord Mayor of London, 1887-88. 
 
 No. 14 in New Bridge Street is easily recognised 
 as Bridewell Royal Hospital, and contains within its 
 area the treasurer's house, the beadle's lodge, the 
 offices and hall, and the receiver's house, together 
 with the cells for recalcitrant apprentices who may be 
 sent for solitary confinement by the City Chamberlain. 
 
 The lands at Wapping and the Rectory at North- 
 leigh (Oxon), with the appurtenances as described in 
 the grant of Henry VIII., to be held in capite by 
 the service of the fortieth part of a knight's fee, was, 
 for the consideration of a fine of ^184, 53., confirmed 
 by Queen Elizabeth, April 12, 1600.
 
 jEn&owmente of tbc Tbospital. 115 
 
 In 1759, on the enclosure of the parish of North- 
 leigh, the Commissioners awarded to the Governors 
 323 acres and 16 perches, and the advowson of the 
 Vicarage was vested in the Crown. 
 
 The estate at Wapping, formerly a marsh, is now 
 covered with wharves, warehouses, manufactories, and 
 a few private dwellings, with a river frontage granted 
 by letters patent, Charles II., 8th April 1676. 
 
 The incidents connected with this estate are fully 
 related by Mr. Martin in his report of 1837, referred 
 to in Chapter X. 
 
 The north side or entrance of the Old Thames 
 Tunnel is situated on the Wapping estate, and it 
 has been affirmed, on somewhat doubtful authority, 
 that the principal grant which Charles II. appears 
 to have made at Wapping was of some ground 
 near the Thames, as compensation for land lying 
 near " Bridewell Dock," and on which he had pro- 
 hibited any new buildings being erected, after the 
 Great Fire, to replace those which had been destroyed. 
 
 Bridewell itself is situate in the ward of Farringdon 
 Without, a ward that occupies one-fifth of the whole 
 City, and is conspicuous for the enormous interests it 
 contains. There are, besides those of the Temple, 
 banking, commercial, and market interests, and it is 
 also the centre of the great printing and publishing 
 trades, from which emanate, besides general litera- 
 ture, over 130 newspapers, daily and weekly, for the
 
 n6 Endowments of tbe fjospitaL 
 
 education and amusement of the community at large. 
 The present Lord Mayor, Polydore De Keyser, Esq., is 
 the Alderman of the ward, and the deputy, Mr. Walter, 
 has resided in the ward seventy years, and represented 
 it in the Court of Common Council for forty-four years. 
 
 The pecuniary bequests of Locke, Fowke, and 
 Palmer, for helping apprentices of good character, 
 were administered up to a recent date, and when the 
 new scheme was adopted, the interest was absorbed in 
 the general fund. 
 
 The management or government of the Hospital, 
 according to the provisions of the Act 22 George 
 III., c. 77, is vested in a president and a treasurer, 
 the Court of Aldermen, twelve Common Councilmen, 
 elected as the Act directs, and an unlimited number 
 of Governors, who have presented the Hospital funds 
 with a benefaction of fifty guineas. 
 
 The revenues of the Hospital being considerably 
 diminished by the present depression in trade and 
 agriculture, the treasurer welcomes these benefactions 
 with considerable interest. 
 
 The treasurer has the use of a furnished house at 
 Bridewell, but he receives no salary, and no part of 
 the moneys of the Hospital passes through his hands. 
 
 All Governors have equal voice in any election. 
 
 Various officers are appointed to do the necessary 
 business of the Hospital or Institution, as it should 
 be more correctly called, and the same administers
 
 TREASURER'S RESIDENCE, BRIDEWELL, 
 14 NEW BRIDGE STREET, BLACKFRIARS, E.C.
 
 Endowments of tbe Tbospital. 117 
 
 to the duties involved in Bethlehem Hospital, which 
 is incorporated with that of Bridewell. 
 
 These include a surveyor, solicitor, agents for the 
 Lincolnshire and Kent estates, steward, clerk and 
 receiver, resident physician, chaplain and superin- 
 tendent, with their necessary subordinate officers. 
 
 Each Governor, on being admitted, receives the 
 following charge, which was written by Bishop Atter- 
 bury : 
 
 "THE CHARGE TO EVERY GOVERNOR ON HIS 
 ADMISSION. 
 
 " Given in the presence of the President or Treasurer ; 
 and other Governors, assembled in Court. 
 
 " SIR, You have been elected, and are come to 
 be admitted, a Governor of the Royal Hospitals of 
 Bridewell and Bethlem, a station of great honour 
 and trust, which will afford you many opportunities 
 of promoting the glory of God and the welfare of 
 your fellow-creatures; for in these Hospitals a pro- 
 vision is made for [employing and correcting idle, 
 vagrant, and disorderly persons, and 1 ] educating poor 
 children in honest trades, and also for maintaining 
 and curing needy and deplorable lunatics. 
 
 " The distribution of the revenues designed by 
 
 1 These words, which are in the original, are at the present time 
 usually omitted.
 
 n8 Endowments of tbe Iboepital. 
 
 royal bounty and many charitable persons for those 
 truly noble and excellent purposes, is now about to 
 be committed to your care; and you are hereby 
 solemnly required and earnestly requested to dis- 
 charge your duty in this behalf with such conscien- 
 tious regard, that you may appear with joy at the 
 judgment-seat of Christ, when a particular account 
 will be taken of all the offices of charity in which 
 we have abounded towards our poor brethren, and 
 a peculiar reward conferred on those who have with 
 fidelity and zeal performed them. 
 
 " In confidence that you will diligently attend to 
 this good work, you are now admitted a Governor 
 of the Hospitals of Bridewell and Bethlem." 
 
 Atterbury became preacher of Bridewell Hospital 
 and Minister of Bridewell Precinct in 1693. He 
 was subsequently appointed Dean of Carlisle. In 
 1713 he resigned his position at Bridewell on being 
 promoted by Queen Anne to the Deanery of Christ 
 Church, Oxford. In 1714 he was elected a Governor 
 of the Royal Hospitals of Bridewell and Bethlehem. 
 A few months later he was made Bishop of Rochester 
 and Dean of Westminster. On suspicion of being 
 implicated in a plot in favour of Charles Edward, the 
 Pretender, he was imprisoned in 1722, and by Act of 
 Parliament was deprived of all his dignities and offices 
 and condemned to perpetual exile. He died in Paris
 
 Bnfcowments of tbe IbospitaL 119 
 
 in 1732, but his remains are laid in Westminster 
 Abbey. 
 
 Stow writes of the chapel at Bridewell that it " was 
 enlarged and beautified at the proper cost and charge 
 of the Governors and inhabitants of this precinct 
 in the year of our Lord 1620, Sir Thomas Middleton 
 being then president, and Master Thomas Johnson 
 treasurer of this Hospital. 
 
 " This enlargement was by the taking in of a large 
 room, that, before the date above - named, joyned 
 upon the head of the chappell. This ground adding 
 to the length of it (all the full breadth going with it) 
 24 foote and better. 
 
 " This room thus taken in, trimmed, beautified, and 
 consecrated is now a beautiful chapell, it being before 
 a room unfit, vast, rude, and unsightly, though then 
 in the use deserving a fair commendation. 
 
 "For then that ground that is now a church to 
 the prisoners of the house was a chapell, into which 
 every Sabbath (through a bye or backward passage) 
 they were brought from their severall lodgings to 
 heare divine service. 
 
 "So that then and now in that worthy use, and 
 this worthy alteration and beauty we may see the 
 pious and religious care of these worthy right wor- 
 shipfull Governours continually employed and ap- 
 plyed to things of this excellent nature." 
 
 Among the records now at the Boys' School at
 
 Endowments of tbe fjospital. 
 
 Witley are the following notes, some of passing 
 interest 
 
 October 4, 1693. The Rev. Francis Atterbury, 
 elected preacher of Bridewell Hospital and minister 
 of Bridewell Precinct 
 
 June 15, 1713. He resigned, upon his appointment 
 to the Deanery of Christchurch. 
 
 February 26, 1714. He was elected a Governor 
 of the Royal Hospitals of Bridewell and Bethlehem. 
 
 June 26, 1713. The Rev. Thomas Yalden, D.D., 
 elected minister and preacher. 
 
 October 27, 1 736. The Rev. William Gibbon, M. A., 
 elected. 
 
 February 8, 1758. The Rev. Moses Wright, M.A., 
 elected. 
 
 February 16, 1770. Elected a Governor. 
 
 December?,, 1774. The Rev. Thomas Bowen,M.A., 
 elected reader. 
 
 January 29, 1784. Elected a Governor. 
 
 January 29, 1795. The Rev. Moses Wright's de- 
 cease reported. On his death the offices of reader 
 and preacher were by order of Court consolidated, 
 and the same day the Rev. Thomas Bowen was 
 elected chaplain of Bridewell Hospital and minister 
 of Bridewell Precinct. 
 
 January 16, 1800. Rev. Thomas Bowen died, 
 cetatis 51. Following wise and good men, he lived 
 in the faithful discharge of the sacred duties of his
 
 FRANCIS ATTERBURV, BISHOP OF ROCHESTER. 
 from an Old Print.
 
 fin&owments of tbe TbospftaL 121 
 
 office, and manifested his zeal for the benefit of these 
 Hospitals by his able and useful publications. 
 
 February 19, 1800. The Rev. Henry Budd, B.A., 
 elected chaplain. 
 
 March 24, 1831. Resigned. Elected a Governor, 
 April u, 1832. 
 
 April 12, 1831. The Rev. Robert Monro, M.A., 
 elected chaplain, &c. ; resigned March 26, 1849. 
 
 April 30, 1849. TheRev. Frederick Poynder, M.A., 
 elected chaplain, &c. ; resigned Michaelmas 1858. 
 
 1833. Thomas E. Garrett, B.D., appointed chap- 
 lain to House of Occupation ; superannuated 1856. 
 
 May 1856. Edward Rudge, LL.B., elected chap- 
 lain; elected superintendent, King Edward Boys' 
 School, in November; removed to Witley, March 
 1866; superannuated January 1886 on resignation, 
 and left March 1886. 
 
 When the Boys' School was removed to Witley, 
 an assistant chaplain was appointed for the Girls' 
 School, the present holder of the office being the 
 Rev. B. West. 
 
 On St. Matthew's Day, 2ist September in each year, 
 the Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs and Aldermen, 
 according to custom, go in state to attend divine ser- 
 vice at Christ Church, Newgate Street. The Blue 
 Coat Boys of Christ's Hospital attend the service, 
 after which an adjournment is made to the Hospital, 
 and the lists of the Governors of all the Royal Hos- 
 pitals are presented to the Lord Mayor.
 
 122 J6n&owments of tbc Ibospttal. 
 
 It was also the custom on Easter Monday, altered 
 a year or two since to the Tuesday, for a sermon, 
 termed the " Spital Sermon," to be preached by one 
 of the Bishops in Christ Church, Newgate Street, 
 before the Lord Mayor, the Corporation, and the 
 Governors of the Royal Hospitals. 
 
 The Blue Coat Boys also attend, after being regaled 
 at the Mansion House with a bun, a glass of wine, 
 and a " tip " from the Lord Mayor. They wear on 
 their coats a piece of silk embroidered with the legend 
 " He is risen," referring of course to the great event 
 commemorated on Easter Day. 
 
 The Lord Mayor, on a convenient evening, enter- 
 tains numerous guests, and the toast of the Royal 
 Hospitals is the great toast of the evening. 
 
 This Spital sermon derives its name from the Priory 
 and Hospital of Our Blessed Lady St. Mary Spital, 
 which was situated on the east side of Bishopsgate 
 Street, with fields in the rear, which now form the 
 suburb called Spitalfields. 
 
 Hard by this hospital, founded in 1197, was a large 
 churchyard with a pulpit cross in it, from whence it 
 was an ancient custom on Easter Monday, Tuesday, 
 and Wednesday, for sermons to be preached on the 
 resurrection before the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, 
 Sheriffs, and others, who sat in a house of two storeys 
 for that purpose, the Bishop of London and other 
 prelates being above them.
 
 Endowments of tbe IbospitaL 123 
 
 In 1594 the pulpit was taken down and a new one 
 set up, and a large house erected for the Governors 
 and children of Christ's Hospital to occupy. 
 
 In April 1550 Queen Elizabeth came in great state 
 from St. Mary's, Spital, attended by a thousand men 
 in harness, with shirts of mail, and corslets, and pikes ; 
 and ten great pieces of ordnance, were carried through 
 London into the court, with drums, flutes, and trumpets 
 sounding, morris-dancers, and two white bears in a cart. 
 
 On Easter Monday, 1617, James I. having gone 
 to Scotland, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord 
 Keeper Bacon, the Bishop of London, and certain 
 other lords of the court and privy councillors, attended 
 the Spital sermon with Sir J. Lemman, the Lord Mayor, 
 and Aldermen, and afterwards rode home and dined 
 with the Lord Mayor in his house near Billingsgate. 
 
 The Hospital was dissolved under Henry VIII. ; 
 and the pulpit broken down during the troubles of 
 Charles I. 
 
 After the Restoration the sermons denominated 
 " Spital " were preached at St. Bride's, Fleet Street, on 
 the three usual days. 
 
 A writer of the last century speaks of a room 
 crammed as full of company as St. Bride's Church 
 upon the singing a Spital psalm at Easter or an 
 anthem on Cecilia's Day. For many years past the 
 sermons have been preached at Christ Church, New- 
 gate Street.
 
 124 
 
 Endowments of tbe 
 
 The following is a list of the Presidents and 
 Treasurers of Bridewell and Bethlehem Hospitals 
 from 1557 to the present time : 
 
 Presidents. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 Sir Rowland Hill, Knt 
 Sir Win. Garrett, Knt 
 
 1557 
 I^S 
 
 
 Sir Rowland Hill, Knt 
 Sir Roland Haywood, Knt. 
 Edward Gilbart 
 
 1559 
 1561 
 1^6^ 
 
 
 Sir Wm. Chestie, Knt 
 
 1^64 
 
 
 Sir Jno. White, Knt 
 
 1 568 
 
 Grocer, and Lord Mayor, 
 
 Sir Alex. Avenon, Knt 
 Sir Lionel Duckett, Knt 
 
 SirWm. Row0rRowe, Knt. 
 Sir Wm. Webbe 
 
 1573 
 1580 
 
 1592 
 
 ICQ4. 
 
 1563. No feast on 
 account of plague ; 
 Thames frozen over. 
 Ironmonger : eight times 
 Master. 
 Mercer. President from 
 1569 to 1573 and from 
 1580-1586. 
 Ironmonger : five times 
 Master. 
 Salter. 
 
 Sir Stephen Slaney 
 
 I^qq 
 
 Skinner. President of 
 
 Sir Wm. Ryder 
 
 1600 
 
 Christ's Hospital, 1602. 
 
 Sir Leonard Halliday 
 
 l6cK 
 
 Merchant Taylor. 
 
 Sir Thos. Bennett 
 
 1606 
 
 
 Sir Thos. Middleton 
 
 1613 
 
 Grocer. His younger 
 
 Sir Roland Hayter 
 
 1631 
 
 brother, Sir Hugh, pro- 
 jected the New River, 
 opened with great 
 splendour on the day 
 Sir Thomas was Lord 
 Mayor. 
 
 George Whitman . . . 
 
 1611 
 
 
 Sir Jno. Wollaston, Knt 
 Christopher Pack 
 
 1643 
 1640 
 
 ... 
 
 Sir Richd. Brown, Bart 
 Sir Jas. Smith, Knt 
 
 1661 
 1668 
 
 Clothmaker. 
 
 

 
 Endowments of tbe f>ospftal. 
 
 125 
 
 Presidents. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 Sir Wm. Turner, KnU 
 Sir Robert Jeffries, Knt 
 Sir Wm. Turner, Knt 
 
 1669 
 1689 
 1690 
 
 Merchant Taylor. 
 
 Sir Robert Jeffries, Knt 
 Sir Samuel Dashwood, Knt. 
 Sir Thos. Rawlingson, Knt. 
 Sir Wm. Withers, Knt 
 Sir Samuel Garrard, Bart... 
 Humphrey Parsons . . . 
 
 1693 
 1703 
 1705 
 1708 
 1721 
 I72C 
 
 
 Robt. Willemott 
 
 1741 
 
 
 Wm. Benn 
 
 174.6 
 
 Goldsmith. 
 
 Sir Richd. Glynn, Knt 
 Sir Walter Rawlinson 
 
 1755 
 
 1773 
 
 
 Brackley Hennett 
 
 1777 
 
 
 Brass Crosby 
 
 1782 
 
 
 Sir Jas. Saunderson, Knt.... 
 Sir R. Carr Glynn, Bart.... 
 Sir Peter Laurie, Knt 
 W. T. Copeland 
 
 1789 
 1793 
 1833 
 1861 
 
 Saddler. 
 Goldsmith. 
 
 J. E. Johnson 
 
 1868 
 
 
 Sir Jas. C. Lawrence, Bart.. 
 
 1868 
 
 Fishmonger. 
 
 TREASURERS. 
 
 Treasurers. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Treasurers. 
 
 Year. 
 
 John Haskerne 
 
 iec.7 
 
 Henry Johnson 
 
 1618 
 
 Will. Box 
 
 >?' 
 i<;6o 
 
 John Whitwell 
 
 1626 
 
 John Buckland 
 
 ic.63 
 
 John Withers 
 
 1631 
 
 Edwd. Mabbe. . . 
 
 1572 
 
 John Rawlins 
 
 1677 
 
 Thos. Gardiner . 
 
 IC76 
 
 Robt. Edwards 
 
 1641 
 
 John Ladin^ton 
 
 iqSo 
 
 Henry Isaacson 
 
 1642 
 
 Harry \V r arfield 
 
 1581 
 
 Gawin Gethin 
 
 l6<4 
 
 Gabriel Newman 
 
 1 102 
 
 Benj. Ducane 
 
 1672 
 
 Thos. Caldwell . . 
 
 I COO 
 
 Robt. Baker 
 
 1687 
 
 Richd. Arnold. 
 
 l6oO 
 
 Hy. Ducane 
 
 1688 
 
 Richd. Wyat . 
 
 1602 
 
 Dan. Baker 
 
 I6Q3 
 
 John Polland 
 
 l6oi 
 
 James Gardiner 
 
 1700 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 There is in Merchant Taylors' Hall an excellent portrait, by G. 
 Kneller, of this gentleman.
 
 126 
 
 lEn&owments of tbc Ibospital. 
 
 Treasurers. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Treasurers. 
 
 Year. 
 
 Sir Jas. Cass, Knt 
 
 I7OQ 
 
 Nathl Thomas. 
 
 177? 
 
 John Tayler 
 
 1714 
 
 Richd. Clarke 1 
 
 I78t 
 
 Robt. Alsop 
 
 I72Q 
 
 Ralph Price 
 
 1836 
 
 Robt. Bishop 
 
 1777 
 
 J. E. Johnson 2 
 
 1848 
 
 Edwd Holloway. . 
 
 1730 
 
 Sir Chas. Hood, Knt * 
 
 1868 
 
 Robt. Alsop 
 
 1 7 CO 
 
 John Bao^allav 4 . 
 
 1870 
 
 John Wallington 
 
 171? 
 
 A. J. Copeland 
 
 188? 
 
 Wm. Kinlisioe 
 
 1768 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1 Fifty-five years Treasurer. The bust of Mr. Clarke, on the 
 staircase at Bridewell, presented by Mr. Hardwick in 1837, bears 
 the following inscription : 
 
 SACRED 
 
 TO THE MEMORY OF 
 
 RICHARD CLARK, ESQ. 
 
 WHO DIED 16 JANUARY 1831, 
 IN HIS 92ND YEAR. 
 
 He filled the office of Treasurer 
 of Bridewell and Bethlem Hospitals 
 
 for the space of half a century 
 
 with the highest honour and integrity, 
 
 and with great advantage to those Institutions. 
 
 He was the legal pupil of Sir John Hawkins, 
 
 the personal friend of Dr. Samuel Johnson, 
 
 and the respected associate 
 of many of the literary and most esteemed characters of the 
 
 last and present age. 
 He was endowed with a mind of the most amiable qualities, 
 
 his manners were eminently attractive and engaging, 
 and he enjoyed to the latest period of a protracted life 
 
 the affection and attachment 
 
 of all with whom he was connected, 
 
 either in its private relations 
 
 or its public duties. 
 
 2 Afterwards President. 
 
 3 Previously Head-Physician at Bethlehem. * Retired.
 
 BnDowments of tbe toospftal. 127 
 
 Among the numerous addresses that were pre- 
 sented to her present Majesty in her Jubilee year, 
 1887, one was included from the Royal Hospitals, 
 drawn up by Mr. Cross, of St. Bartholomew's, and 
 signed by the four Presidents and Treasurers, as 
 follows : 
 
 " To the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty. 
 
 " We, your Majesty's loyal subjects, the Presidents, 
 Treasurers, and Governors of the Royal Hospitals 
 of St. Bartholomew, Christ, Bridewell, and Bethlem, 
 and St. Thomas the Apostle, of the City of London, 
 humbly beg leave to be permitted to offer to your 
 Majesty our most dutiful and sincere congratulations 
 on the completion of the fiftieth year of your most 
 propitious and eventful reign. 
 
 " Dedicated in bygone ages to works of piety and 
 deeds of love, the care and healing of the sick 
 poor, and the nurture and instruction of the young, 
 and incorporated and endowed by your Majesty's 
 illustrious predecessors King Henry the Eighth and 
 King Edward the Sixth, the Royal Hospitals have 
 conferred, during many generations, incalculable 
 benefits on the several objects of their bounty. 
 
 "To your Majesty each one of the Royal 
 Hospitals is deeply indebted, as we gladly acknow- 
 ledge, for many acts of gracious favour and con- 
 descension ; arid we rejoice that of one of them,
 
 128 Endowments of tbe IbospitaL 
 
 Christ's Hospital, your Majesty's name has been for 
 many years enrolled as a Governor. 
 
 " It is to us a matter of the most lively satisfac- 
 tion that that true spirit of philanthropy which led 
 to the founding of the Royal Hospitals is ever grow- 
 ing amongst your people, and is evidenced not only 
 by the continued and increased efficiency of these 
 our ancient foundations, but by the establishment 
 and maintenance of numerous other charitable in- 
 stitutions designed to meet the always present wants 
 of the sick, the sore, and the needy, a fact which 
 we cannot but recognise as in great measure attri- 
 butable to your Majesty's noble example of large- 
 hearted and womanly sympathy with the sorrows and 
 afflictions of all classes of your subjects. 
 
 "With feelings of sincerely attached loyalty to 
 your Majesty's person and throne, and with grati- 
 tude for your life's devotion to the well-being and 
 prosperity of your people, we humbly and earnestly 
 pray that it may please Almighty God to continue to 
 guide and guard your Majesty with His protecting 
 hand, and to preserve your life for many years in 
 health, peace, and happiness." 
 
 In the court-room of Bridewell Hospital there are 
 some most interesting historical paintings and por- 
 traits. The following is a list : 
 
 Presentation of the Charter of the three Hospitals of Christ, Bride- 
 well, and St. Thomas by King Edward the Sixth. This picture
 
 of tbe Ibospital. 129 
 
 is of great historical value, and until comparatively recently 
 was attributed to Holbein. 
 Portrait of King Charles the Second. By Lely. 
 
 King James the Second. By Lely. 
 
 ,, Sir William Turner, President 1669. By Mrs. Beale. 
 
 Sir Robert Geffery, President 1693. By Kneller. 
 
 ,, Sir Thomas Rawlinson, President 1705. By Kneller. 
 
 ,, Sir Samuel Garrard, President 1720. Unknown. 
 
 William Benn, Esq., President 1746. By Hudson. 
 
 ,, Sir Richard Glyn, President 1755. By Zoffanni. 
 
 ,, Sir James Sanderson, President 1793. By Dupont. 
 
 ,, Sir Richard Carr Glyn, President 1798. By Hoppner. 
 
 ,, Sir Peter Laurie, President 1833. By Frazer. 
 
 ,, King George the Third. Copy after Romney. 
 
 ,, Queen Charlotte. Copy after Romney. 
 A portrait unknown. By Lanskraen. 
 Portrait of Richard Clark, Esq.. Treasurer 1781. By Lady Bell. 
 
 Ralph Price, Esq. , Treasurer 1836. By R. P. Knight, R. A. 
 
 ,, John Edward Johnson, Esq., Treasurer 1848.! By 
 Tweedie. 
 
 William Taylor Copeland, Esq., President 1861. By 
 Tweedie. 
 
 i Subsequently President.
 
 130 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 EXTRACTS FROM " REMEMBRANCIA." 
 
 THE following are curious, as having reference to 
 Bridewell, whether as hospital or prison. They are 
 extracts from the archives of the City of London, A.D. 
 1579-1664. There is a letter, i4th January 1579, 
 from the Lord Mayor to Sir George Carey, 1 bring- 
 ing to his notice, the complaint made against his ser- 
 vant Lucas, for using abusive and threatening words 
 towards Robert Winch, Treasurer of Bridewell, and 
 requesting him to take steps to prevent the repetition 
 of such conduct ; likewise informing him that his 
 servant Gold, who had been permitted to lodge in 
 Bridewell, had so conducted himself against the City 
 that he would not be suffered to remain there. 
 
 The Court of Aldermen had been informed of his 
 intention, to make a request for a part of that house 
 
 1 Sir George Carey, eldest son of Henry, Lord Hunsden, cousin 
 of Queen Elizabeth ; knighted 1571 ; succeeded to the title as second 
 Lord Hunsden on the death of his father in 1596 ; made Lord 
 Chancellor, March 1597 ; Lord Chamberlain of the Household, 
 1598 ; K.G., April 22, 1592 ; died, 1603.
 
 Bjtracts from "Remembrancfa." 131 
 
 for himself. It was the intention of the City, to 
 employ the place for the storage of corn and other 
 such public uses. 
 
 A LETTER (dated Somerset House, isth January 
 1579) from Sir George Carey to the Lord Mayor 
 and Court of Aldermen in reply, denying the imputa- 
 tion made against his servants, and alleging that the 
 Treasurer was a person unworthy of credit. It had 
 not been his intention to request a part of Bridewell 
 for himself, but for a friend who had intended to pay 
 for the same. 
 
 A LETTER from the Lords of the Council, 6th April 
 1582, to the Lord Mayor, stating that they had been 
 lately informed that a gentlewoman of good birth and 
 alliance, Mrs. Moody, had, upon some suspicion of 
 ill-behaviour, been committed to the Compter, and 
 from thence removed to Bridewell. 
 
 Some of her friends had caused her to be rescued 
 by the way, in which attempt, one of the beadles was 
 casually slain. 
 
 The Council requested an inquiry into the whole 
 case to be made, and if it should appear that she had 
 not been a party to the officer's death, she should be 
 set at liberty. 
 
 A LETTER from the Lord Mayor to the Lords of 
 the Council in reply. 
 
 They had been misinformed of her faults, whatever 
 had been stated in her excuse, touching her privity to
 
 i33 Extracts from "Remembrancfa." 
 
 the rescue, whereupon the murder or manslaughter 
 ensued ; the plea " that she would not know of it 
 by reason of her close imprisonment," had been 
 stated rather to move their compassion, than for 
 matter of truth. 
 
 The poor woman, the wife of the man that 
 had been killed, having lost her husband and the 
 means of sustenance, desired justice against this 
 woman. 
 
 Before the receipt of their letter steps had been 
 taken to release her, upon reasonable security being 
 given for her appearance to answer the charge ; her 
 enlargement, however, had been stayed until the 
 Council's further pleasure had been ascertained. 
 
 A LETTER from the Lord Mayor to the Lord Cham- 
 berlain, dated 8th July 1614, detailing the steps taken 
 by him since his appointment for reforming, what he 
 found out of order in the City. 
 
 Firstly, He had freed the streets of a swarm of 
 loose and idle vagrants, providing for the relief of 
 such as were not able to get their living, and keeping 
 them at work in " Bridewell ; " not punishing any for 
 begging, but setting them on work, which was worse 
 than death to them. 
 
 Secondly, He had informed himself, by means of 
 spies, of many lewd houses, and had gone himself 
 disguised to divers of them, and finding these nurseries 
 of villainy, had punished them according to their
 
 jEjtracts from "IRemembrancfa." 133 
 
 deserts, some by carting and whipping, and many by 
 banishment. 
 
 Thirdly, Finding the gaol pestered with prisoners, 
 and their bane to take root and be beginning at ale- 
 houses, and much mischief to be there plotted, with 
 great waste of corn in brewing heady strong beer. 
 " Many consuming all their time and mtans sucking 
 that sweet poison," he had taken an exact survey 
 of all victualling houses, amounting to above 40,000 
 barrels ; he had thought it high time to abridge their 
 number, and limit them by bonds as to the quality 
 of beer they should use, and as. to what orders they 
 should observe, whereby the price of corn and malt 
 had greatly fallen. 
 
 Fourthly, The bakers and brewers had been drawn 
 within bounds, so that if the course continued, men 
 might have what they paid for, viz., weight and 
 measure. 
 
 He had also endeavoured to keep the Sabbath- 
 day holy, for which he had been greatly maligned. 
 
 Fifthly, If what he had done were well taken, he 
 would proceed further, viz., to deal with thieving 
 brokers or broggers, who were the receivers of all 
 stolen goods. And, lastly, the inmates and divided 
 houses would require before summer to be discharged 
 of all superfluities for avoiding infection. 
 
 A LETTER from the Court of Aldermen to the Lords 
 of the Council, i2th February 1590, acknowledging
 
 34 Extracts from "TRcmembrancia." 
 
 their letter on behalf of Ferdinando Richardson and 
 Mr. Richard Tothill, for the renewal of the estate of 
 the said Tothill in certain tenements pertaining to 
 the Hospital of Bridewell. 
 
 They had the Governors of the Hospital before 
 them, and commended the same to their considera- 
 tion, and had since received their reply, from which 
 it appeared, that on account of the extraordinary 
 charges of the charity, the Governors had already 
 granted a reversion of Tothill's lease to the several 
 tenants, in consideration of certain charges incurred 
 by them, in repairing the tenements for the benefit of 
 the Hospital. 
 
 They regretted that, for the above reasons, they 
 were unable to comply with the Council's request. 
 
 A LETTER from the Lords of the Council, 3151 
 December 1594, to the Lord Mayor, the Archbishop 
 of Canterbury (Whitgift), and others, concerning the 
 Commission given under the Great Seal to inquire 
 into the manner in which the lands in that county 
 (not named) belonging to the Hospital were employed 
 or abused, and to see if any provision could be made 
 for the sustentation and comfort of maimed soldiers, 
 who were not sufficiently provided for by the statutes. 
 
 A LETTER, about 1600, from the Lord Mayor to Mr. 
 Cooke (Sir Edward Coke), Attorney-General, beseech- 
 ing his good offices in behalf of the City, in the settle- 
 ment of the question referred to him and the Recorder,
 
 Bjttacts from "IRemembrancta." 135 
 
 touching the lands and tenements in question between 
 the Hospitals of Bridewell and Bethlehem and Mr. 
 William Tothill. 
 
 A LETTER from the Lord Mayor to the Earl of 
 Dorset, 1 23d September 1608, touching a parcel of 
 ground lying on the west part of Bridewell Hospital, 
 belonging to the President and Governors, which of 
 late had been enclosed by his father without consent 
 of the Governors, and praying that the same might 
 be restored. 
 
 A LETTER dated 28th March 1611 from the Lord 
 Mayor to Lord Woolton, 2 in reply to his application 
 on behalf of Ann Tisdale for a lease of her dwelling 
 in a part of Bridewell, stating that the President and 
 Governors desiring him to acquaint his lordship that, 
 for the better government of the said Hospital and 
 the relief of poor fatherless children there, they had 
 agreed that none should inhabit or hold any part of 
 it by lease, except officers of the place and such arti- 
 ficers as, having fitting trades, would be bound to take 
 poor children as apprentices ; but that they had, in 
 consideration of her father and grandfather having 
 
 1 The old mansion and manor of Salisbury Court, alias Sack- 
 ville Place, alias Dorset House, was confirmed to Richard, Earl 
 of Dorset, March 25, 1611, the family having held it some years 
 previously. 
 
 2 Thomas, second Lord Woolton, of Marley, Kent, succeeded to 
 the title, 1604 ; Treasurer of the Household, 1616-18 ; died 1630, 
 when the title became extinct. '
 
 136 Ejtracts trom "'Remembrancia." 
 
 been dwellers there, and of their expenditure on the 
 premises, permitted her and her husband (who was 
 only a tailor, and not bound or able to take and 
 bring up poor children as apprentices) to remain as 
 tenants at will. 
 
 A LETTER from Lord Verulam, Lord Chancellor, to 
 the Lord Mayor, dated York House, 3d December 
 1619. 
 
 The French Ambassador, Comte de Tilliers, had 
 desired that the punishment to be inflicted upon 
 certain persons, committed to Bridewell for their 
 insolent and outrageous assault upon him and his 
 people, might be remitted ; upon which the Lords of 
 the Council had thought fit, they should be discharged 
 without further punishment, but that first they should 
 be carried by their keeper to the Ambassador, if he 
 would see them, otherwise he was to be informed that 
 they were sent to ask his forgiveness on their knees, 
 and then be set at liberty by his Grace. 
 
 This arose out of an occurrence on 28th October 
 1619, when a tumultuous assemblage took place before 
 the house of the French Ambassador, resulting from 
 a quarrel between his boy and a carman, in which his 
 servants and others, passers-by, took part. A constable 
 who went to appease them, being taken into the Am- 
 bassador's house, a report circulated that he was slain 
 there, and much uproar arose, which was stilled by 
 his reappearance, when the people dispersed.
 
 Extracts from "IRemembrancta." 137 
 
 A LETTER from Sir Thomas Smyth to the Lord 
 Mayor recites the following, under date i3th Jan. 
 1618: 
 
 That " the King to Sir Thomas Smyth, states that 
 the Court had lately been troubled with divers idle 
 young people, who, though twice punished, still con- 
 tinued to follow the same ; having no other course to 
 clear the Court from them, had thought fit to send 
 them to him, that -at the next opportunity they might 
 be sent to Virginia to work there," and remarking 
 that some of these persons had already been brought 
 by the King's command from Newmarket to London, 
 and others were coming. 
 
 The Company of Virginians had no ship ready to 
 sail, and no means to employ them or place to detain 
 them in, and he requested the Lord Mayor to autho- 
 rise their detention and employment in Bridewell, 
 until the next ship should depart for Virginia. 
 
 The Lord Mayor received an intimation from the 
 Council, informing him that all the ills and plagues 
 affecting the city were caused through the number of 
 poor swarming about the streets, and recommending 
 the Corporation to subscribe with the Companies and 
 the several wards, and so to raise a fund to ship out 
 these persons to Virginia ; and he issued his precept 
 to the several Companies for the purpose, March 27, 
 1609. 
 
 On April 29 the Merchant Taylors' Company deter-
 
 138 Etract0 from "IRemembrancta." 
 
 mined to subscribe ^200, and the members of the 
 Company advanced ^300 more. 
 
 The Ironmongers advanced ^150. ^1800 was 
 raised in the City for the purpose of founding this 
 plantation. 
 
 A broadside was issued in 1610 by the Council of 
 Virginia touching this plantation ; another stating that 
 a good fleet of ships under the conduct of Sir Thomas 
 Gates and Sir Thomas Dale, Knights, would soon be 
 ready to sail, and directing good artificers and others 
 desirous of joining, to repair to the house of Sir 
 Thomas Smyth, in Philpot Lane, before the end of 
 January 1612. 
 
 A broadside was also issued in February 1621, 
 giving the numbers of the ships and people (one 
 being the Mayflower) sent out from August 1620 to 
 February 1621. 
 
 A LETTER from William, Lord Beauchamp (Netley, 
 22d July 1620), to the Lord Mayor and Court of 
 Aldermen, with respect to the City's wall adjoining 
 his house and garden in Blackfriars (in margin " over 
 against Bridewell "), which was in so great ruin that 
 if not speedily taken in hand it could not be restored 
 before winter. 
 
 He was advised by counsel that he could not con- 
 tribute thereto without prejudice to himself and pos- 
 terity, but he pledged his honour, so tender a care 
 had he for the City's right, that if anything were
 
 Extracts from "IRemembrancia." 139 
 
 justly proved, he would not be unready to give due 
 satisfaction. 
 
 When patents were granted by King James I. for 
 the issue of farthing tokens, a proclamation was 
 issued in 1633, by which it was ordered that coun- 
 terfeiters of these tokens upon conviction should be 
 fined ;ioo, be set in the pillory in Cheapside, and 
 from thence whipped through the streets to Old 
 Bridewell, and there kept to work; and when en- 
 larged, should find sureties for their good behaviour. 
 
 A very curious reminiscence of Bridewell is found 
 as follows in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, from 
 weekly reports by Mr. Fletewoode, Recorder of Lon- 
 don, to Lord Burghley : 
 
 " My singular good Lord, uppon Thursdaye at even, 
 her Majestic in her coache nere Islington taking of 
 the air, Her Highness was environed with a number 
 of roogs. One Mr. Stone a footman cam in all haste 
 to my Lord Maior, and after to me, and told us of the 
 same. I dyd the same nyght send warrants out into 
 the sayd quarters and into Westminster and the 
 Duchie, and in the morning I went abroad myselff 
 and tooke that day Ixxiiij roogs, whereof some were 
 blynde and yet great usurers and very rich ; and the 
 same daye towards nyght I sent Mr. Harrys and 
 Mr. Smithe, Governors of Bridewell, and took all 
 the names of the roogs, and then sent theym from 
 the Sessions Hail into Bridewell, where they re-
 
 i4 Extracts from "IRemembrancia." 
 
 mayned that nyght. Uppon Twelff daye in the tbre- 
 noone, the Master of the Rolls, myselff and others, 
 receyved a charge before my Lords of the Counsel!. 
 as touching roogs and masterless men and to have 
 pryvie searche. The same daye at after dyner (for I 
 dyned at the Rolls) I met the Governors of Bride- 
 well, and so that afterwards wee examined all the 
 seyd roogs and gave them substantial payment. And 
 the stronger we bestowed on the mylle and the 
 lighter; the rest were dismyssed with the promise 
 of a double paye if we met with them agayne. Uppon 
 Soundaye being crastine of the Twelffth daye, I dyned 
 with Mr. Deane of Westminster, when I conferred 
 with hym touchinge West r . and the Duchie. And 
 then I took order for Southwarke, Lambeth, and 
 Newyngton, from whence I receyved a shoal of xi. 
 roogs, men and women and above. I bestowed 
 them in Bridewell. I dyd the same afternoone 
 peruse Pools (St. Paul's), when I tooke about xxii. 
 cloked roogs that there used to kepe standing. I 
 placed theym also in Bridewell. The next morning 
 being Mundaye the Master of the Rolls and the reste, 
 tooke order with the constables for a privie searche 
 agaynst Thursdays at nyght, and to have the offenders 
 brought to the Sessions Hall uppon Fridaye in the 
 mornyng, where wee the Justices shold meete. And 
 agaynst the same tyme my Lord Maior and I did 
 the lyke in London and Southwarke. The same
 
 Extracts from " IRemembrancia." 141 
 
 afternoone the master of Bridewell and I mett and 
 after every man had been examined, eche one receyed 
 his payment according to his deserts : at which 
 tyme the strongest were put to worke, and the 
 others dismissed into their countries : the same day 
 the Master of the Savoye was with us, and said he 
 was sworn to lodge, ' Clandicantes, egrotantes, et peri- 
 grinantes/ and the next morning I sent the constables 
 of the Duchie to the Hospitall, and they brought 
 unto me at Bridewell vj tall fellows, that were dray- 
 men unto brewers and were neither ' clandicantes, 
 egrotantes, nor perigrinantes.' The constables, if they 
 might have had theyre owne will, would have brought 
 in many moor. The Master did write a very cartese 
 letter unto us to produce theym, and although he 
 wrote charitably unto us, yet were they all soundly 
 paydd and sent home to their masters. All Tues- 
 daye, Wednesdaye, and Thursdaye, there came in 
 numbers of roogs : they were rewarded all according 
 to theyr deserts. Uppon Fridaye morninge, at the 
 Justice Hall, there were brought in a 100 lewd 
 people taken in the private searche. The Master of 
 Bridewell receyed theym, and immediately gave them 
 punishment. The Saturdaye after causes of con- 
 sciense herd by my Lord Maior and me, I dyned and 
 went to Polls (St. Paul's), and in other places, as well 
 withine the libertes as elsewhere. I founde not one 
 rooge styrryng. Ermongst all these thyngs I dyd note
 
 142 Bjtracts from "IRemembrancta." 
 
 that we had not of London, Westminster, nor South- 
 warke, nor yett Middlesex nor Surrey above twelve, 
 and those we have taken order for. The residue for 
 the most part were of Wales, Salop, Cester, Somerset, 
 Barks, Oxforde, and Essex, and that few or none of 
 them belonged about London above iij. or iiij. months. 
 I'd note also that wee mett not agayne with many in 
 all our searches, that had receyed punishment. The 
 chieff nurseries of all these evill people is the Savoye 
 and the brick kilns near Islington. As for these 
 brick kilns we'll take such order that they shalle be 
 reformed, and I trust by your good Lordships help, 
 the Savoye shall be amended as surelie. 
 
 "As by experience I fynd it the same place as it 
 is used is not converted to a good use or purpose, 
 and this shall suffice for roogs. W. E. C. 
 
 " The Savoy was the great nest of these roogs, and 
 in consequence of objection being made to it on this 
 account, the Master comes to the writer to excuse 
 himself. Mirror, xviii., p. 337."
 
 ( 143 ) 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 JOTTINGS FROM OLD NEWSPAPERS. 
 
 THE following jottings from old newspapers will be 
 found curious and interesting in their references to 
 Old Bridewell : 
 
 December 1719. Edmund Thomas at the "Old 
 Brunswick Mum and Spruce Beerhouse " against 
 Bridewell Bridge, Fleet Ditch, sells right Brunswick 
 Mum and Spruce Beer wholesale and retail. Note, 
 he hath a large quantity of new spruce just arrived, 
 and is the only person in London that deals in these 
 two commodities and nothing else. 
 
 October 1719. A Convenient House and Coal 
 Wharf in Bridewell Dock well accustomed, to be 
 disposed of, with the advantage of the Trade, the 
 person wishing to leave off his business. 
 
 Enquire at the Golden Key, between Fleet Bridge 
 and Bridewell. 
 
 May 1720. Whereas in the late fire on Sunday 
 night, the ist inst, in Bridewell Precinct, several 
 goods and things of value are missing, viz., a gold
 
 144 Jottings from l& Vlewspapera. 
 
 watch and chain marked on the inside case Gibraltar, 
 made by one Morley, and plate, herein, &c. These 
 are to give notice, that if any person will bring them 
 or any part thereof, or give information where the 
 same may be had, they shall be well rewarded by 
 Thos. Arnitt at C. Bateman's, Bookseller, in Pater- 
 noster Row, the corner house next Warwick Lane. 
 
 May 19, 1720. Whereas it is incidentally reported 
 that Mr. Theophilus Arnitt, woodmonger, at the lower 
 end of Bridewell Dock (who has had a very great loss 
 by fire), has left off his trade. This is to certify his 
 friends that he still continues the woodmonger trade 
 as before, at the same place. 
 
 August 1720. John Howe, Esq., of Gloucestershire, 
 is- chosen one of the Governors of the Hospital of 
 Bridewell and Bethlem, having given 100 to the 
 latter for the use of such distracted persons as are 
 declared incurable. 
 
 March 1722. On Saturday last at 12 of the clock 
 a fire broke out in the New River Company's House 
 at the lower end of Bridewell Dock, which might 
 have been of dangerous consequence had it not been 
 timely extinguished by the diligence of the watermen 
 belonging to the Sun Fire Office. 
 
 July 1723. Mr. Hart, formerly partner to Mr. 
 Taylor, a governor of Bridewell, was well in health 
 on Tuesday night, but found dead in his bed the 
 next morning.
 
 jottings from 15 newspapers. 145 
 
 Being a gentleman of an extraordinary good char- 
 acter, his death is much lamented by all who knew 
 him. 
 
 September 4, 1723. Yesterday evening, one Bird, 
 a watchmaker, aged above 20, living in Bridewell 
 Precinct, cut his own throat, but not doing it effec- 
 tually, hanged himself afterwards on the bannister 
 of the staircase. 
 
 August 6, 1730. Mr. Alderman Parsons has wrote 
 to Mr. Alderman Child from France, to desire he will 
 hold the annual Court Thursday at Bridewell, where 
 a fine entertainment will be prepared at the expense 
 of twelve stewards, the said Alderman having put off 
 his return to England for some time. 
 
 1 740. On Saturday last the son of Mr. Woolton, 
 a glazier in Bridewell Precinct, a youth of about seven 
 years of age, playing with his companions in a lighter 
 in Fleet Ditch, before his father's door, unfortunately 
 fell overboard and was drowned, which frightful acci- 
 dent so terrified his playmates that, with hastening 
 out of the lighter, they had all like to have shared the 
 same fate. 
 
 1740. Thursday a Court was held at Bridewell 
 Hospital for the election of two art-masters. The 
 candidates were 
 
 Mr. Thomas Keil, engine-weaver. 
 
 Mr. Wm. Dell, weaver. 
 
 K
 
 146 Jottings from l& Newspapers. 
 
 Mr. Wm. Simmonds, fanstick-maker. 
 Mr. Cornelius Mortier, velvet-weaver. 
 Mr. John Benchan, weaver. 
 
 The Weavers' Company in great numbers, masters 
 and journeymen, attended a petition against the ad- 
 mission of Mr. Thomas Keil, and after both sides 
 heard, and a ballot, the numbers stood thus : 
 
 Mr. Keil 52 
 
 Mr. Dell 44 
 
 Mr. Simmonds . . . -25 
 Mr. Mortier . . . .10 
 Mr. Benchan . . . .10 
 
 Upon which the two first were declared duly elected. 
 
 The following is an extempore on the confinement 
 of Bridewell : 
 
 OXON, MARCH 5, 1740. 
 
 ' ' O Bridewell ! Bridewell ! dare thy walls confine 
 And bar the flight of such a soul as mine ? 
 In vain thy walls, o'er walls my soul can fly, 
 Scorn all thy power, and mock thy destiny. 
 But ah ! my body must thy force obey, 
 Body ! too gross to wing so light away ; 
 Then boast thy triumph triumph over clay." 
 
 On Sunday evening, August 17, 1755, died, of a 
 mortification of his foot, William Benn, Esq., Alder- 
 man of Aldersgate Ward, and President of Bridewell 
 and Bethlem Hospitals.
 
 Jottings from lo Iftewspapers. 147 
 
 Mr. Benn was chosen Alderman on December 12, 
 1 740, on the death of Richard Levett, Esq. He was 
 Sheriff of the City and County of Middlesex in 1742, 
 and while he was Lord Mayor, was on January 28, 
 1746-47, elected President of the Bridewell and 
 Bethlem Hospitals, in the room of Sir Robert Willi- 
 mott, by a majority of 16 votes against the late Sir 
 Daniel Lambert. 
 
 1790. A set of villains have for some time infested 
 the neighbourhood of Bridge Street, Ludgate Hill, 
 who make their depredations in the most daring 
 manner, by watching the motions of servants, of 
 whose incautiousness and neglect they are sure to 
 take advantage. 
 
 The house of Mr. Barnard, in Bridge Street, was 
 robbed last week in the following manner. 
 
 Perceiving the appearance of much company in the 
 drawing-room, one of the gang knocked at the door. 
 and desired the maid-servant who answered it to 
 deliver a message from a person whom he named 
 to her master, that he would wait upon him in the 
 morning agreeable to his desire, and requested to 
 know the more convenient hour. Mr. B. imme- 
 diately suspected the design, but before he could 
 get downstairs the hall was stripped of a number 
 of coats, hats, &c., with which they got clean off. 
 
 Last Saturday, May 27, 1758. Ambrose Head, 
 servant to Mr. W. Cox, one of the art-masters at
 
 148 Settings from 15 newspapers. 
 
 Bridewell, was sent with a bill to receive a large sum 
 of money ; but not returning with it search was made 
 after him, and yesterday he was taken and carried 
 before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, who 
 committed him to the Poultry Compter, he having 
 embezzled 19, us. of the said money. 
 
 July 28, 1760. That part of Bridewell that juts 
 out considerably into the street, and all the west side 
 of Fleet Ditch from the water-side to within two 
 doors of the china shop at the corner, is to be 
 pulled down in order to widen the passage for car- 
 riages, &c. 
 
 April n, 1780. This day the question to inquire 
 into the right of the Corporation to become Governors 
 of the four Royal Hospitals St. Bartholomew's, 
 Christ's, Bridewell and Bethlem, and St. Thomas' 
 came on at Lincoln's Inn Hall, before the Lord 
 Chancellor, as Visitor of all the royal foundations. 
 
 The counsel for the City of London were the 
 Attorney-General, the Recorder, Mr. Maddox, and 
 Mr. Pope. For the petitioners (the President and 
 Governors), by donation, were Mr. Mansfield, Mr. 
 Kenyon, and Mr. Erskine. 
 
 The former, in a speech of an hour and a half, 
 stated the object of the petition and the prayer, and 
 a modern bye-law of the Corporation for sealing 
 Hospital leases in the Court of Common Council, that 
 in consequence of the new resolution, leases brought
 
 Jottings from 10 IRewspapew. 149 
 
 to the Court of Aldermen agreeable to former usage, 
 were refused the seal; after which the Lord Chan- 
 cellor intimated that a matter of this importance 
 required a deal of time, and proposed a further day 
 convenient to the Court and Council for a complete 
 investigation. 
 
 1800. The following is an amusing record of 
 eighty-eight years ago : 
 
 " It is to be hoped that the Committee of General 
 Purposes in the City, will order Blackfriars Bridge to 
 be watered through the summer. As the public pay 
 an expense towards it by a Sunday toll, they ought to 
 be accommodated. 
 
 " At present the bridge is neither watered nor 
 swept, and is a most intolerable nuisance." 
 
 Circa, 1792. In one part of the building about 
 20 decayed artificers have houses, and about 150 
 boys, distinguished by white hats and blue doub- 
 lets, are put apprentices to glovers, flaxdressers, 
 weavers, &c., and when they have served their time 
 are entitled to the freedom of the City and Ten 
 Pounds each, towards carrying on their respective 
 trades. 1 
 
 " The other part of Bridewell is a prison and a house 
 of correction for disorderly servants and vagrants, who 
 
 1 Locke's, Fowke's, and Palmer's gifts were absorbed in the 
 general fund upon the introduction of the new scheme for King 
 Edward schools.
 
 Jottings trom ID newspapers. 
 
 are made to beat hemp, and are kept at other hard 
 labour. 
 
 "All the affairs of the Hospital are managed by 
 Governors, who are above 300 in number, besides 
 the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen. 
 
 " The Governors of this Hospital are likewise Gover- 
 nors of Bethlem Hospital, because these two are but 
 one Corporation, and have also the same president, 
 physician, surgeon, and apothecary. Bridewell, how- 
 ever, has its own steward, porter, matron, and four 
 beadles." 
 
 There is a song by Isaac Walton, in which he im- 
 mortalises a certain " Old Rose." This is very likely 
 to have been "Rose, the old viole maker," whom 
 Stone mentions in his Annals as the son of John 
 Rose, citizen of London, living in Bridewell, and 
 who invented a species of lute, which he called the 
 " Bandon," in the fourth year of Queen Elizabeth. 
 
 In 1792 the Grand Treasury Committee investi- 
 gated the affairs of the Hospitals, extending their 
 inquiries as far back as the year 1775. 
 
 "A sum of ^595 7, us. hath been expended on 
 the apprentices, and ^7493, i6s. 4d. in maintaining 
 the vagrants (the only two supposed objects of Bride- 
 well). 
 
 "In the same period ^19,254, os. 4d. has been 
 expended in salaries, c., ^6341, 6s. id. for taxes, 
 viens of estates, &c., and ^3234, 93. id. in feasts,
 
 Jottings from I& newspapers. 151 
 
 making a total of ^28,829, 153. 6|d. ; and what 
 seems still more extraordinary, the further enormous 
 sum of ^17,332, 193. yd. for repairs to the Hospital 
 alone. 
 
 " Facts like these clearly demonstrate defects in the 
 system of management, for which a radical cure 
 should be provided." 
 
 "The average income for sixteen years past was 
 estimated at about ^4000, the average expenditure 
 ^37 2 5> I 7 S - 8d.; and the Committee having hinted 
 at the extravagance and expense and disproportions, 
 the disbursement might be curtailed, and the saving 
 more usefully and properly applied." 
 
 Here then we bring to a close this little volume of 
 reminiscences of Bridewell Hospital, trusting that by 
 its perusal, some may be moved to become Governors, 
 and so assist and further the good work that is being 
 done by this institution one of the old Royal Foun- 
 dations of Edward VI. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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