Put/it: Clutniir*. [MAY, 



witli the exception of nine shillings, was to bo applied, were expressly 

 stated. Among these uses are 20L to fifteen of the most poor and aged 

 sort of men and women of the borough of Wallingford ; 20/. to four poor 

 brethren of the Mercers' Company; 24 /. for redeeming twelve or more 

 poor debtors yearly in the two compters and Ludgate that is, such as 

 were redeemable for forty shillings, or less; 14/. for clothing poor and 

 naked men, women, and children, wandering in the streets of London, and 

 that have no dwelling ; 20/. for Christ's Hospital ; 20/. for a dinner to the 

 warders, assistants, and livery of the company, on St. Andrew's Day, &c. 

 The company have done pretty much as they pleased with this charity. 

 The annuity of 20/. to Christ's Hospital they have redeemed. The present 

 rental of the estate is 1,000/. a year: the charges upon it amount to 509/.; 

 but the last tenant, on condition of giving up the lease, had an annuity 

 granted of 400/c, which, of course, will fall in by-and-bye ; and then the 

 charges will be only 109/. out of 1,000/. 



But we wish to call the reader's attention to the 241. for redeeming 

 debtors. This sum, in spite of the vast numbers that have always crowded 

 our gaols, was, it seems, unapplied for, and was consequently invested in 

 the public funds; and, in 1818, the dividends amounted to another 24/. 

 In 1820, there was actually a balance of 149/. 11*. 1 \d. in hand. Had 

 the company no bowels ? The keeper of Whitecross-street prison no*\ T , 

 we learn, is annually informed of the sum in hand, with liberty to apply 

 for the whole of it, if he find proper objects ; and the debts, to which relief 

 may be granted, are extended to 4/. or 51. Why, we ask, is not the sum 

 thus disposable trebled, or quadrupled, or rather decupled ? The London 

 debtor prisons are in a horrible state. The 1 4/. assigned to the destitute 

 to save themselves trouble the company paid over, without the addition of 

 a farthing, in 1820, to the Mendicity Society. 



BANCKS'S CHARITY, 1619. A house and six acres of land in Holloway, 

 in the parish of Islington, Middlesex ; the whole rent of which, then 

 amounting to ML was directed to be applied by the company to specific 

 uses. This 171. they still distribute scrupulously but what becomes of 

 the balance ? The rent is now 84/. Mr. Bancks also left 200/. to be lent 

 to two young men of the company' the interest to be added to the rent of 

 the Holloway land. For this the company have not accounted to the com- 

 missioners. 



MERCERS' SCHOOL. In 1542 Henry VIII., by patent, granted to 

 the Company certain premises belonging to the dissolved hospital of 

 St. Thomas of Aeon, on part of which premises the present hall, chapel, 

 &c., of the company, stand, in consideration of 969/. 17*. 6d., and 

 also, on condition of keeping a free grammar school for twenty-five 

 boys. This school has been kept up nearly in the manner prescribed 

 by the original instrument. To the Mercers', also, Thomas Rich be- 

 queathed all his tenements in St. Mary-axe, on condition of their allow- 

 ing two exhibitions, of 6L each, to poor scholars taught in Mercers' school 

 and sent to the University ; which property now produces SO/, a year. No 

 exhibitions were claimed till 1817. The money, however, had been 

 funded, and the dividends now amount to 90/. Another small property 

 w T as left by the same Thomas Rich, directing 41. for special uses, and a 

 moiety of the remainder to be paid to the school master. This produces 

 46/. The average sum spent on the school for the last seven years is 

 617l.-2s. \d. The value of the premises, granted by the crown, either at 

 the time of the grant, or at present, we haveno means of judging, nor, . of 



