said Running Assistant now ringing the Bell at Ten in the Morning, and Eight at Night, the People having likewise Notice by the Churchwarden to repare to the Chapel, the Reader goeth into the Pew or Desk, provided in the Chapel for the same Purpose, joining to the Pulpit, where he readeth such Prayers, Confessions, Psalms, Chapters, and singing Psalms, as are appointed in a certain Book therefore given: (For you must know, that the Common Prayer is not there used now, according to the Appointment of the Institutors of the said Office; by Reason of Prohibition by Sir R. T. when he was Lord Maior, who took away, or caused to be taken, the said Book of Common Prayer, formerly given and belonging thereunto.) For the Performance of which, he hath the Allowance of two Shillings eight Pence per Month, one Penny of every Prisoner at his first coming, if he payeth sixteen Pence for his Table-Money, and a Dish of Meat out of the Lord Maior's Basket, when it comes in; which, by reason of a Fault that lies in I know not well who, but yet I guess, proved often an empty one.

There hath been formerly a Custom to ring a Bell for the Space of Quarter of an Hour, at Nine of the Clock at Night, for all Strangers to depart the Prison, which did belong to the Reader to do, but that Bell hath been long down, and Strangers are now warned to depart by him that is called the Chamberlain; of which hereafter.

II. Of the Upper Steward, or Master of the Box.

THE Authority of him that is Master of the Box, is by the Prisoners esteemed almost equal to the Master Keeper; and by all the House respected with a Respect befitting him, whose Care and Courtesies to and for all Men (to my own Knowledge) hath exceeded, and doth far exceed any with whom I have had yet to deal.

The Order by which He and the Under Steward are chosen, saith, that they shall chuse (that is, the Prisoners at such Election) two honest and discreet Persons, the one to be called The Master of the Box, the other, The Under Steward, &c. To the Charge of which Master of the Box is committed the Keeping of the several Orders of the House, as well as all Accompts of Moneys received upon Legacies, given for the Relief of poor Prisoners: (As for those given for their Release, I shall afterwards point out at that Scylla or Carybdis, upon or in which they miscarry before they come to the appointed Haven, where the Donors intended their unlading.) Also the Distribution of all Bread or other Provision sent in by the Right Honourable the Lord Maior, or by any other private Persons: And (which is the chief and most material) the Money which is begged at the Grates by the Cryers, with the Garnishes, or Table Money, as it is commonly called, payed by every Prisoner at his Entrance, which is sixteen Pence; and is bestowed weekly for Bread, Candles, and other necessary Charges belonging to the House, except what is paid out of it for Officers Salaries, as is and shall be shewed in their proper Places. He hath also a List, or Roll, of all Prisoners, as well those that are upon the Charity, as those that are not; to whom, with the Assistance of the Assistant for the Day, he giveth their Proportion and Allowance of Bread, or other Provisions, according as by Order and Custom of the House is appointed. The Gifts, likewise, of the Market People, Butchers, Fishmongers, or any other benevolent or charitable Person, which is taken by the Clerk of the Market, and brought in by him who is the Post, is delivered to him or the Under Steward; for which they give Receipts, and by either of them, in the Presence of the Assistant for the Day, is exposed to Sale to the Charity Men, as a Market: Which Money so raised for such Victuals or Provisions, is put into the common Stock or Bank, and there remaineth 'till the Accompt Day.

Once every Month there is an Election of Stewards, Assistants, and Church Wardens, by the Vote and Consent of all the Prisoners belonging to the House; for the other Officers are only by Nomination and Appointment of the Master Keeper, Stewards, and Assistants. But you must know, that no Officers, chosen by Election or Suffrage of the Prisoners, are elected for any longer Time than one Month; and if he be found honest, that is, a popular Man, then he is again chosen; and so, many Months together: But if otherwise, he is ejected, and another chosen in his Stead. This Election is always on a Saturday. The Monday after this Election is the Accompt Day, wherein the whole Moneys received or gathered in the Boxes; as also Legacies given that Month (if any) are summed up by the said Master of the Box, Under Steward, and Assistants, and the Dividend of each Charity Man cast up; which done, the Master Keeper of the Prison (by Order of his own making) receiveth two Shillings four Pence out of every Man's Charity, if the Dividend amount to three Shillings four Pence to each Man; otherwise, he is to have but one Shilling two Pence for his Months Lodging, and the rest to go on, to be paid at his being discharged from Prison; (all which is contrary to that former recited Distich obilgatory, made by that good Founder and Benefactor, Sir Stephen Foster.)

Here I may raise one Observation, That the Goaler's Creatures and Confidents, are the poor Man's Enemies, and Charity Robbers. Which you shall well perceive, if you observe, that all Charges of and belonging to the House, as well ordinary and certain, as extraordinary and casual, are paid out of the common Stock of Charity Money; and those ordinary Charges are, such as Payment of Officers Fees, and buying of Bread for the Charity and Ample Men, (which Ample Men are such as are not entred upon the Charity) which is in the whole, one Penny Loaf every Sunday, after his being one Month Prisoner; and likewise Candles for the Use of the House in Places necessary: For the Table Money, mentioned before, doth not answer that Charge by far, by reason of the Multitude of Prisoners in the House. This kind of Charge we grant to be good. Then extraordinary Charges are, when any poor Prisoner is sick, and is not able to supply his Wants; or when any dieth, and is buried at the Charge of the House, that is also good. But that which appears to me to be the most extraordinary, and most unreasonable Payment, is to the Turnkey of the Prison, who receiveth twelve Shillings per Month, out of the said Charity; for turning his Silver Key, to let in the Gifts and Charity of the House, (which, God knows, are very few) as, the Lord Maior's Basket, and the other Provision mentioned before: Which twelve Shillings, with what Salary is allowed the Post, for his Pains in fetching it, I do (and so will a hundred Men more) avouch to be as much as it is worth. All which Deductions and Payments made, with such as I shall mention hereafter, I have known when the remaining Dividend to each Charity Man hath amounted to no more than six Pence per Man, and, indeed, seldom more now-a days. And I hope no sober Man, or Christian, will judge, that four Pence in Bread, and six Pence in Money, can be a Competency