ANTIQUITIES. 
men emeritorum senio, belleque frac- 
torum, condidit Carolus Secundus, 
auxit Jacobus Secundus, perfecere 
Gulielmus et Maria Rex et Regina, 
1690.” Theinternal centre of this 
building is occupied by a large ves- 
tibule, terminating in a dome ; on 
one side is the chapel, and on the 
other the hall. The former was con- 
secrated by Bishop Compton in the 
year 1691. It is about 110 feet in 
length, paved with black and white 
marble, and wainscotted with Dutch 
Oak. The altar-piece, which re- 
presents the ascension of our Sa- 
viour, was painted by Sebastain 
Ricci.* Arich service of gilt plate, 
consisting of a pair.of massy candle- 
sticks, several large chalices and 
flaggons, and a perforated spoon, 
‘was given by James II. ; the organ 
was the giftof Major Ingram. The 
hall, where the pensioners dine, is 
situated on the opposite side of the 
vestibule, and is of the same dimen- 
sions as the chapel. At the upper 
end is alarge picture of Charles II. 
on horseback, the gift of the earl of 
Ranelagh; it was designed by Verrio, 
and finished by Henry Cooke.+ 
The whole length of the principal 
building, as it extends from east to 
west, is 790 feet ; a wing having been 
added at each end of the north side 
of the great quadrangle, which 
forms part of a smaller court. These 
courts are occupied by various 
offices, and the infirmaries ; the lat- 
ter are kept remarkably neat, and 
supplied with hot, cold, and va- 
pour baths. To the north of the 
college is an inclosure of about 
thirteen acres, planted with avenues 
of limes and horse-chesnuts ; and to- 
wards the south, extensive gardens. 
The whole of the premises consists 
of about fifty acres. — 
* Anecdotes of Painting, vol, ili. p. 142, 
[*H 3 
ak BW 
The establishment of the Royal 
Hospital or College at Chelsea, con- 
sists of a governor, lieutenant-govere 
nor, major, two chaplains, an orga- 
nist, a physician, surgeon, apothe- 
Cary, secretary, steward, treasurer, 
controller, clerk of the works, and 
various subordinate officers. The 
number of ordinary pensioners is 
336; these men must have been 
twenty years in his majesty’s ser- 
vice; butsuch as have been maimed 
or disabled, may be admitted at any 
period. The number of those who 
can enjoy the advantages of this es- 
tablishment, being so small in pro- ‘ 
portion to that of the brave veterans 
who stand in need of them, the pre- 
sent governor, very much ta his 
credit, has made a rule, that except 
under very particular circumstances, 
no person shall be admitted into the 
house under sixty years of age; by 
this means the benefit of the charity 
is appropriated with much greater 
certainty to those who are its most 
proper objects... ‘The pensioners 
who live in the house (commonly 
called the in-pensioners) are pro- 
vided with clothes (an uniform of 
red lined with blue); lodging and 
diet, besides which they have an al- 
lowance of eight-pence a week. The 
college being considered as a mili- 
tary establishment, the pensioners 
are obliged to mount guard, and to 
perform other garrison duty. -They 
are divided into eight companies, 
each of which has its proper com- 
plement of officers, serjeants, corpc- 
rals, and drummers. The officers, 
who have the nominal rank of cap- 
tain, lieutenant, and ensign, are 
chosen from the most meritorious 
old serjeants in the army, and have 
en allowance of three shillings and 
sixpence per week ; theserjeants have 
+ Tbid, vol. iii. p. 92. 
] two 
