NATIVES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 429 



His care for the poor was no lefs, than his care for lettered and 

 oppreffed virtue. The London-^oov were more immediately under 

 his eye, for whom he procured an ample fupport. The method 

 he took to do it in, I mall give in the words of the ingenious 

 author of his life, the Reverend Mr. Downes, though I might do 

 it in his own, from his farewel-letter, prefcrved among many 

 others of his, in a curious and valuable collection of letters of 

 the martyrs, printed by Day, in 410. 1564 (o). 



"In the beginning of the year 1553, Bifhop Ridley preached' 

 '*' before the king, who began to decay apace, at Wejlm'mjler. The 

 " fubject he chofe to difcourfe upon, was charity; and he, in 

 " very moving and affecting terms, preffed the king to take care, 

 " that a conftant and fettled maintenance mould be provided for 

 " the poor. This difcourfe made fo great an impreffion on the 

 ' young king, that he fent for the bifhop ; and' after he had 

 * commanded him to lit down, and be covered, returned him 

 " his hearty thanks for his good exhortation ; and defired him to 

 ^communicate to him his opinion, what would be the beft expe- 

 " dient, effectually to bring to pafs fo great and good a delign. 

 " the bifhop was very much pleafed to find the king's inclina- 

 **" tions fo forward ; and with tears of joy, told him, that the 

 " London-poor, by reafon of their numbers, Hood in need of his 

 " more immediate concern; and that he would therefore advife 

 *' him, to order letters to be wrote to the Lord-Mayor and Alder- 

 " men, to take this affair into confideration, and project a fcheme 

 " for the relief of the poor, who fwarmed in great numbers 



(o) In this letter he takes his leave of all his near relations, addreffes them all by name, 

 alfo Cambridge, the place cf his education, the college he was of, and the feveral placfs to 

 which he was preferred. It contains a moft moving and affefting recognition of the moft 

 material j-aflages of his own life. 



" about 



