430 OF EMINENT M'E'N, 



" about the city. The king approved of this advice, and ordered 

 " letters to this effect, to be forthwith difpatched, before lie 

 " would permit the bifhop to go out of his prefence. 



" Bifhop Ridley, furnifhed with thefe letters and inflrucSbions, 

 " delivered them to Sir Richard Dobbs, then lord-mayor of London; 

 " who immediately called together as many of the aldermen 

 -" and common-council, as were thought fit to be advifed with 

 " in the prefent bufmefs ; and not only with great earneftnefs 

 " pleaded the caufe of the poor, and preffed them to a forward 

 " zeal in this affair ; but introduced Bifhop Ridley into the council- 

 " chamber of the city, to be their advocate, and to guide and 

 " affift himfelf and his brethren in their councils. After divers 

 " confutations, they refolved, that a general contribution mould 

 " be made by all the wealthy citizens, to the advancement of a 

 " work, fo highly conducive to the public good. To this end 

 " they were fummoned to their refpecftive parifh-churches, and 

 " there by the lord-mayor, the feveral aldermen, and other grave 

 " citizens, exhorted to contribute generoufly and bountifully 

 " to this noble defign ; and they were urged to it the more ear- 

 *' neftly, by fetting before them the many great advantages that 

 " the city would reap, if the poor were removed out of their 

 " ftreets, lanes, and alleys, and beftowed and provided for in 

 " proper hofpitals. It was therefore moved, that every man 

 " fhould fignify, what he would give towards the building and 

 " finifhing fuch hofpitals ; and how much they would contri- 

 " bute weekly toward their maintenance, until they were fup- 

 " plied by more liberal endowments. The motion was readily 

 " a:cepted ; every man fubfcribed according to his ability, and 

 " books were kept in every ward of the city, in which the fums, 

 " each perfoo. fubfcribed, were fet down j which books, when 



"the 



