36 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
turning liability. At present a definite sum of about «£80 is annually 
paid out of the Corporate funds towards the support of the widows 
in the newly-erected Corporation Almshouse in Green Street. 
Moreover, the Municipality keep the entire block in repair. 
We take the other Almshouses in chronological order. 
The foundation deed of Fownes's Almshouse exists in counter- 
part among the muniments both of the Corporation and the 
Guardians. Nevertheless no document relating to this Charity 
could be found to be produced before the Charity Commissioners 
at their original enquiry. The reason for this lies possibly in the 
fact that the Almshouse had been demolished, the site sold, and 
the money appropriated to other purposes without legal authority, 
not many years before. The deed, dated 1628, recites that 
Thomas Fownes (Mayor 1610-11, 1619-20) had lately created 
and "new buylt the said Hospitall and Almeshouse conteyning 
thirteene roomes." The almspeople were to be elected by the 
Mayor and Commonalty, with the "assent and agreement of 
Thomas Fownes and his heirs for ever ; notice of every election 
being given 10 days prior at his dwelling-house in Vintry Street." 
This Almshouse did pass to the Guardians under the Act of 
Incorporation. It lay between Bedford and Basket Streets, 
with a frontage of 54 feet to the former, and a superficies of 
2859 ; and was for twenty -four decayed and aged people. 
Having been suffered to become dilapidated, it was called a 
nuisance, and in 1808 was pulled down, and the ground sold for 
<£500 to the Mayor and Commonalty, as portion of a site for the 
proposed hotel and theatre. When another position was chosen 
for that building, part of the site of the Almshouse was thrown 
into the street. The money is stated to have been laid out on the 
Workhouse ; but the Charity Commissioners questioned the right 
of the Guardians to dispose of these buildings, and it now seems 
with good cause. The building was said to have been allowed to 
fall into decay because there was no endowment ; but I do not see 
how this can have been, when in September, 1656, we have 
Timothy Alsop acknowledging to the Mayor and Commonalty that 
he owed the Charity £100 with interest. 
The history of Miller's Almshouse is still worse. Alice Miller, 
about 1655 (in which year £10 was paid in lieu of stones 
