48 JOURNAL OP THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
other side for the interest of the constantly-accumulating balance, 
which would have paid very handsomely for all these expenses. 
However, in 1799, they did acknowledge a debt to the Trust of 
£442 18s. 7d.; and we may be thankful that they disgorged even 
so much. From that date down to the time of the enquiry of 
1820, the Corporation continued to receive and use the rents ; but 
they made no application of the funds because no persons had 
been able to prove their descent under the will ; and possibly, if the 
Commissioners had never investigated the business, nothing more 
would ever have been heard of Joan Bennett and her gift to the 
poor scholars of Plymouth. A few years later there was a Chancery 
suit; and in 1834 it was ordered that failing claimants of descent 
the sons of inhabitant householders should be chosen. The bulk 
of the Charity property now consists of accumulation of income. 
ORPHANS' AID. 
The real founder of the Hospital of Orphans' Aid had been 
forgotten, apparently for centuries, until I disinterred his will 
among the archives of the Corporation. His name was William 
Laurence, and he was a merchant, living at Foxhole. His will 
was made December 3rd, 1612 ; and its opening words show that 
he was one of the old-fashioned Puritans within whose ranks all 
that was worthy in Plymouth at this time was to be found. He 
commends "my soule to god in Crist, the onelye fountine and 
originall cause of life and saluation to me and all true beleivers." 
And then he bequeaths to Thomas and Nicholas Sherwill, 
merchants, .£100, to be paid at the return "of the good shippe 
called the Jonathan of plymouth whereof I am part owner from 
her now intended vioage to the Straights in the parts beyond the 
seas, and of the proceeds and returne of my goods and adventure 
now in the said shipp the said voyage," the condition being that 
within seven years after the testator's death the Sherwills should 
erect and build a "convenient Almeshouse" in Plymouth for 
"poore people ... to dwell and inhabite therein or for the 
education and bringing vp of poore children or orphants of the 
same borough." Further he bequeathed to the Mayor and 
Commonalty "to the use and for and towards the releife and 
mayntenannce of the said poore people and orphants which 
shall from time to time dwell or be brovght vpp in the saide 
howse," or in default of the Sherwills erecting such a house then 
