504 Public Charities. > [MAV, 



value of IS/. &>. &/., in part of the said 201. This grant was to be applied 

 to the maintenance of certain SUPERSTITIOUS uses in the church of St. 

 Stephen's, Coleman-street except thirty shillings, to be distributed in 

 coals among the poor of the same parish. What has become of this pro- 

 perty ? There has been strange management on the part of this Mer- 

 cers' Company in ancient days ; and the conduct of the commissioners with 

 respect to this property is perfectly unaccountable. The application of the 

 property, after the discontinuance of these superstitious uses, is involved in 

 obscurity ; and they did not, they say, think it material to inquire farther 

 about it. Not material to inquire ? On what principle could they thus 

 desert their sworn duty ? Did it never strike them that the good lady, 

 though she might direct her donations to be applied to superstitious uses, 

 yet doubtless meant to benefit her fellow-creatures and, no doubt, speci- 

 fically, her poorer fellow-creatures? But the property itself the M9 

 acres in. the heart of London, covered with houses every foot of it does 

 the company hold it still ? No ; eight acres and a half are all that are 

 left of it in their hands forming the north side of Long Acre and the 

 adjoining street. But the produce of these eight acres and a half, in such a 

 position, must be of some significance. What becomes of it ? How does 

 the company apply the still valuable relic of this once magnificent dorja- 

 tion ? Have they found any analogous use for it ? The poor lady's wishes 

 have been held in utter scorn, ,even to the distribution of the thirty shillings 

 in coals. They are paid, not in coals, but in the shape and tale of thirty 

 shillings still, into the general poor-account, of St. Stephen's, Colemau- 

 street. 



ROBERT CHERTSEY'S GIFT, 1555. All his messuages, tenements, and 

 houses in the parish of St. James's, Garlick-hithe, were conveyed to the 

 company on the death of his wife, on condition that seven-pence a week be 

 paid to each of three poor householders, free of the company, for ever ; 

 and, accordingly, seven-pence a week is most conscientiously paid to three 

 poor widows of freemen of the company. This property must be of con- 

 siderable value; but the commissioners have left us completely in the dark 

 about it. What is the meaning of this ? Were they wearied, or careless, 

 or disgusted ? Let them return to the charge, and fearlessly and faithfully 

 perform the duty they have sworn to fulfil. 



LADY GRESHAM'S GIFT, 15(50. Dame Isabell, widow of Sir Richard 

 Gresham, left to the Mercers' Company, in trust, certain houses in the city, 

 charged with the payment of 9/., to be distributed to the poor of certain 

 parishes annually in sums of eighteen-pence each or in coals, one sack or 

 more; and empowering the company to take ten shillings to compensate its 

 officers for their trouble. The rental of the estates was then 14/. \s. '3d. ; 

 but, in 1819, it had grown to 902/. What do the company do with it ? 

 Oil ! not one farthing beyond the original 9/. 1 0*. do these cautious and con- 

 scientious trustees venture to distribute, though the intentions of the donor 

 so stare them in the face, that they must studiously turn away to avoid the 

 petrifying gaze. This is one of the 'grossest pieces of corruption that the 

 corrupt trusts of corrupted England can shew. 



SIR THOMAS GRESHAM, 1575. The estates left by this magnificent 

 merchant now produce 6,080/. a year, which sum, it appears, is divided 

 equally between the corporation of London and the Mercers' Company. 

 The charges upon the estate are 50/. for each of seven lecturers, to which 

 another50/,was added in lieu of residence, when the government purchased 

 the present site of the Excise, where, before ; the lecturers had, each of them, 



