46 JOURNAL OP THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
of nomination, which are not exercised in favour of workhouse 
children, but in favour of lads who may or may not have a claim 
on the score of poverty, and whom it has been the custom to pass 
in at one door of the workhouse and out of another, to keep up 
the paltry pretence that they are preferred from the Hospital of 
Poor's Portion ! 
Joan Bennett's Trust was founded under her will, bearing date 
August 10th, 1650. She left certain premises in Plymouth (Old 
Church Lane) to the Mayor and Commonalty, to the intent that £6 
of the yearly proceeds should be paid for the preaching of twelve 
sermons in the parish church of Maker, by Jasper Hicks, of 
Landrake, or whom he might appoint during his life (afterwards, 
her other executors had the appointment, and finally the Mayor 
and Commonalty) ; the residue to be paid quarterly to the poor of 
Maker. And certain other premises, in Southside Street, the 
profits of which were to be applied for the maintenance of two 
scholars in the study of divinity at Oxford or Cambridge, or one 
of them ; one student to be of the posterity of her husband's 
brother's sons, and the other of the posterity of one of her sisters. 
Furthermore she left £30 to be lent out in sums of <£10 for four 
years or less, gratis, to young tradesmen of Plymouth, well and 
piously affected ; another £50 to be lent out in like manner for 
the same period, gratis, to "two able and religious ministers of 
the gospell ;" and out of the profits of her properties in Plymouth, 
formerly the land of Pollard or his wife, £6 a year, for preaching 
a sermon monthly in the " Great Church " of Plymouth, every 
Saturday before the first Lord's-day, or before the celebration of 
the Lord's Supper, and during the term she had in the same 
property, by Mr. George Hughes, minister of Plymouth, or such 
as he should appoint — the residue of the profits to go to the 
increase of the maintenance of the two scholars; £20 was also 
left to be given to poor people of Plymouth — ancient men or 
poor widow women. Finally, after a number of personal bequests, 
Joan Bennett left the whole remainder of her property for the 
purchase of the freeholds of her leasehold interests, or of other 
lands, "to the end that the portions appointed by me for the 
maintenance of the said scholars and the lecture in the towne of 
Plymouth may be ppetuated and continue foreu r if god shall soe 
please." The executors were George Hughes, Jasper Hicks, Andrew 
