the Night, ( or Mobbed, as they call it) which shall be detained by he knows not who, until such Time as he hath paid the uttermost Farthing.

Having rested one Night, he shall the next Day be called upon for a Due of sixteen Pence, which is to be paid to one of the Stewards of the House, and is called Table Money, with which Candles, &c. is bought for the Use of the House, and every Night set up in Places necessary.

These Fees and Dues must be paid by every Prisoner, be he never so poor, at his Entrance, amounting in all to eight Shillings. Which I have particularly mentioned, to undeceive such who think Ludgate to be so Free a Prison, and that the Fees are small, and the Benefits and Privilege therein very great, which in their due Place I have discovered.

But now, to administer a Word of Instruction to such as desire (not being brought in upon, nor sued to Execution) to have Liberty to go out. It is wrought by two several Ways, though by one and the same Engine, Money.

He, I say, that would have his Liberty, must procure to go either with a Keeper, or else upon Security. In order to which, he must send to each Compter, to know what Actions are entered against him: Which must be certified under the Clerks Hands, and will cost four Pence the Search, as much for every Action, and four Pence for the Clerks Hand to them.

This being done, and that he desires to go out with the Keeper, he must, for his first Day's Progress, pay two Shillings six Pence to the Head Turnkey, twelve Pence to the Under-Turnkey, and eighteen Pence to the Keeper that attends upon him, which is also a Prisoner: And twelve Pence to the Turnkey, and as much to his Keeper every Day of his going out afterwards.

If a Prisoner will go out without such an Attendant, it must be by Security of two Men, such whom the Keeper or Turnkeys shall accept of, and judge sufficient, each of them entring into Bond severally for his true Imprisonment; and likewise one other Bond for Payment of his Lodging to the Master Keeper; for which the Turnkey takes as his Fee five Shillings at the least; nay, I know some, of whom he hath demanded twenty Shillings, for his good Will to let him out after Bonds sealed, for which the Prisoners must pay too, with some saucy Expences to boot; and what they condition for weekly must be truly and punctually paid, or he is soon fetched in, and deprived of Liberty, and his Bond cancelled and made void.

But supposing a Prisoner to end with his Creditor, and that he bring his Discharge from each Compter, he shall then find to pay at his Exit, the several Fees following, viz. Two Shillings the Master Keeper's Fee, fourteen Pence the turning of the Key, twelve Pence for every Action that lies against him: If he be charged in Execution, then it is two Shillings six Pence, and as much for every Writ that lies against him: These be added to his Lodging, proves sometimes as much or more than the original Debt; and yet, perhaps, the Creditor never the nearer being satisfied. The Justness of taking which Fees I refer to the Legislators to consider of.

Having stept thus far into the Discovery of Matters, I shall give you likewise an Account what the Keeper makes of his Lodgings, and also name you the Chambers, as they are called by the Prisoners, and their several Rates, and then give all in one gross Sum. And first, to begin with the several Rooms, at three Pence per Night, with the Number of Beds therein contained, two Persons lying in a Bed for the most Part.

The Lodgings, at this Rate, amount to seven Pound seven Shillings per Week: And is in a Year, three hundred sixty one Pound, fourteen Shillings four Pence.

Now, if an Objection should be, "That there is not so many constantly, and that sometimes Men die, and then the Money is lost."

To this I answer: That it may and will be affirmed, that take those who are abroad upon Security, which likewise pay for their Lodging, with those that are within, which must pay, that then these Beds would not contain them.

And to the second, That when Men do die, and though they be maintained in their Sickness, and buried after their Deaths, by the Charity of the House; yet the Keeper will seize upon whatsoever they have in the House, as Cloaths, Bedding, (if they have any) or other Matters, unless he be paid his Lodging-Rent by some Friend; a Custom not usual, 'till Covetousness turn'd the Key: But if a Man had been buried at the Charge of the House, his Cloaths were, by the Stewards and Assistants, exposed to Sale among the Prisoners, and the Money for them received was put into the Master of the Box his Hand, for repairing the Loss of the Stock by such Disbursements.

Having peeped into every Room of the House, I think I had best step down into the Cellar too, and out of the Barrels of Beer and Ale I shall find the Keeper hath a very considerable Profit running into his Purse.

He is the Head Butler of King Lud's House; only, for his Ease, he lets it out to another, which is no Prisoner, who allows him sixteen Shillings a Barrel for all the Beer and Ale that is drawn in the Cellar. The Tobacco he meddles not with, but allows that Profit to his Under-Butler, with which, it is supposed he finds Fire, Pipes, and Candles, and that, I think, is all he can do.

What he pays a Barrel for his Beer and Ale to the Brewer I know not, but it is sold to Pri-