|
CHAP. IX.
ORDERS and ORDINANCES, For the better Government of the Hospital of St. BARTHOLOMEW the Less.
Published in the Reign of K. EDWARD the Sixth, for the Vindication of the Citizens Care thereof, and the faithful Discharge of their Trust in the said Hospital, committed to them by King HENRY the Eighth: Against certain Clamours and Slanders raised by some ill-minded Persons in those Days. And printed again An. MDLXXX. The PREFACE to the Reader; Shewing, what was first done by the City, as to their Care and Expence, when that Hospital was first granted them by that King; and the Case and Condition thereof.
THE Wickedness of Report at this Day, good Reader, is grown to such Rankness, that nothing almost is able to defend itself against the Venome thereof; but that, either with open Slander, or privy Whispering, it shall be so undermined, that it shall neither have the good Success, which otherwise it might, or the Thanks, which for the Worthiness it ought. It is better known by Report unto the Number, than weighed in Effect almost to any, that for the Relief of the Sore and Sick of the City of London, it pleased the King's Majesty, of famous Memory, Henry the Eighth, (Father to this our most dread Sovereign Lord now reigning) to erect an Hospital in West Smithfield, for the continual Relief and Help of an Hundred Sore and Diseased. And the same endowed with the Yearly Revenues of five hundred Marks, to give unto the said City and Citizens conditionally, that they also for their Part, should add other five hundred Marks by the Year. Which Thing, with all due Thankfulness, they received at his Majesty's Hands: And (for that they saw it proceeded from his Highness, as well of most charitable Zeal toward the afflicted Members, and his Brethren in Christ, as of a singular Favour toward the City) very gladly embraced the Condition. Thinking it, for their Parts, rather too little than enough. But when they had taken such Survey thereof, as was convenient for them in this Case to do; although the King's Majesty's Endowment was after the Rate of his Highness's most gracious Gift; yet found they the Nature of the same, and the State of the Whole, far under that they at the first had hoped. The raising of this five hundred Mark-rent, to lie only in a certain Number of Houses, some in great Decay, and some rotten and ruinous: And some other, to whom better Tenants had happened, already leased out at Term, and Rent, scant reasonable enough for the Behoof of the Poor. So that, first to make them again worth the wonted Revenue, and then to continue them in the same, was no small Charge: And the Help thereunto, which out of the better repaired might have grown, was by the former Leases and Rentings prevented. In the Hospital itself (beside the Pensions issuing out of the said five hundred Marks, and granted by the Letters Patents of his said Highness to the Hospitaler there, and to other the Ministers of the same) was found so much of Houshold Implements and Stuff, toward the succouring of this hundred Poor, as sufficed three or four Harlots then lying in Child-bed, and no more; yea, barely so much, if but necessary Cleanliness were regarded. So far had the godly Meaning of the gracious King been abused at those Days; and yet was little then smelled, and less talked of.
| |
The good Citizens nevertheless, not so much discouraged with others evil Doings, and the great fall of their Hope, as moved with the Duty of their Enterprise, and godly Regard, not to their own poor and afflicted only, but to all other sore and diseased, which daily, out of all Quarters of the Realm, resort to the City, (as into a common Receipt and Refuge of their Misery) proceeded with such Speed as they could, to the Redress of all these Decays, Disorders, and Defaults; and bestowed thereabout, above their Covenant of five hundred Marks yearly, for their Welcoming and Beginning, not much less than a thousand Pounds; whereby (together with other their good Endeavours) when they had
|
Good Citizens
|
|