54 
JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
by the Mayor and Commonalty; and the Sherwills by their 
foundation deeds provided that the Hospital should be under 
Municipal management. The ex-Mayor was to be governor, four 
of the aldermen assistants, and two of the "twenty-four" wardens; 
and the Mayor and his brethren, from the time that there should 
not be three of the first founders or benefactors surviving, were to 
have the sole direction and visiting of the Charity, and the placing 
and displacing of the orphans. For this reason, though they had 
ample reason given them not to take anything for granted, the 
Commissioners of 1820 made no investigation of the affairs of the 
Hospital. It is now under the control of the trustees of the 
Municipal Charities. 
Though appropriated solely to boys, the original intention seems 
to have been to include girls within its benefits. At any rate the 
seal, the draught of which cost Is. 6d., shows five orphans, of 
whom three are females. 
HOSPITAL OF -POOR'S PORTION. 
In May, 1589, John Berry, of Plymouth, left (1) a house to one 
Thomasine Collyn for life, charged with 6s. per annum to the 
relief of the poor ; (2) lands and tenements which he had bought 
of Mr. Foster " near Plymouth Church " to his kinsman, William 
Berry, of Bideford, Jane his wife, and their heirs; failing such 
heirs, in succession to Mark Berry, Thomas Berry, and Roger 
Berry, and their heirs male ; and failing either of these, the rever- 
sion to the Mayor and Commonalty for the maintenance and relief 
of the poor for ever — this land was also charged while it continued 
in the Berrys with a second annuity of 6s. for the relief of the poor ; 
(3) lands and tenements at the Southside which he had bought of 
John Amadas and Edmund Specott, in succession to Marke, 
William, Thomas, and Roger Berry and their heirs male (likewise 
charged with an annuity of 6 s. for the relief of the poor), and the 
reversion as before to the Mayor and Commonalty for the mainten- 
ance and relief of the poor for ever. 1 
1 Among other bequests were 20s. each to the " poore men's boxe of Ply- 
mouth and Tamerton ; " 4d. each to every occupant of the Almshouse and 
the Maudlein ; sundry pieces of white tin ; a mazer cup " of silver " to 
Thomas Collin ; his best gown to Peter Anthonie, goldsmith, and his second 
best to Thomas Piers ; 10s. to Mr. Gill, curate of Plymouth ; 5s. to the 
preacher of his funeral sermon ; and 2s. each to his godchildren. 
