ans, Vagabonds, and idle Persons. This Gift of the King was computed to the Yearly Value of 450l.

And moreover, out of his mere Grace and Christian Charity, he gave out of the Hospital of the Savoy, now supprest, for the aforesaid charitable Use, a great Part of the Revenue thereof, which was 700 Mark Land, together with the Bedding and Furniture; though dying soon after, the Grant seemed not to be fully finished. But for fear it should not take place, (so much it ran in the King's Mind) that in his last Will he caused this Clause to be inserted; "The Grant made to the Maior and City of London, touching the Savoy and Lands thereof, to be performed."

This Hospital near 100 Years ago is said to have maintained 700 Persons; that is, poor Children with Officers. The Charge reckoned at 4000l. per Annum.

This Hospital of Christ's Church, as also those others founded for the Relief of poor Children, and other sick and diseased People of the City, gave Occasion, not long after the founding of them, to Numbers of Poor, and Lame, and Sick People, and many of them idle Persons, Rogues, and Vagabonds, to flock into the City from all Parts, expecting present Relief and Entertainment here; which caused the Lord Maior, Anno 1569, to issue out a strict Order to forbid all such Resort, and such Persons to be taken up and brought to Ward; and Warning to be given, that none should give them Harbour: Which Order was as followeth:

"Forasmuch as Experience of late hath shewed, That the charitable Relief, given as well by the Queen Majesties noble Progenitors, as also the charitable Alms from time to time collected within this City, and bestowed by the Citizens, as well upon the Poor and Needy Citizens, being Sick, Impotent, and Lame, as the poor Orphans and Fatherless Children, born, or being within the said City, not having wherewith to relieve themselves, as well in Christs Church, and Bridewell, as in other the Hospitals founded for the Relief of the Poor within the City of London; hath drawn unto the said City great Numbers of Vagabonds, Rogues, Masterless Men, and Idle Persons, and also Poor, Lame, and Sick Persons, dwelling in the outmost Parts of the Realm, so as the said City is thereby opprest, to the great Prejudice of the said City, and of the needy Poor, inhabiting in the same; and that these needy Beggars, and impotent Persons coming out of Foreign Parts of the Realm, and also the Rogues and Vagabonds greatly disliked the Queen, &c. the Maior, and his Brethren the Aldermen in her Majesties Behalf, straitly charge and command, all and every Person and Persons whatsoever, dwelling or inhabiting within the said City and Liberties and Suburbs thereof, that they do not at any time hereafter, give any Relief, Lodging, Alms, or Maintenance, to any Vagabonds, Rogues, &c. or to any common or valiant Beggar; but contrariwise, to cause such Beggars, Rogues, Vagabonds, and Masterless Men, to be apprehended and brought to Ward, to the end, that they might be examined and punished by such as have Authority in that Behalf, according to the Queens Law, &c. "

" And further, the said Maior and Aldermen, straitly charge and command, for the better avoiding the said common Beggars, &c. that no manner of Person whatsoever, shall let any Tenement, Cottage, Chamber, or Room, to Farm, either by the Day, by the Week, by the Month, by the Quarter, or by the Year, or any other time, to any common Beggar, or Vagabond, &c. Imprinted by John Day over Aldersgate."

Besides this first Royal Founder King Edward, Christ Church Hospital hath of late enjoyed another Royal Founder, viz. King Charles II. who founded a Mathematical School and Ward, lying on the West Part of the Hospital, for the Instruction of 40 Boys in the Mathematicks, especially in that Part of it that respects Navigation; and liberally endowed it with one Thousand Pounds a Year, paid out of the Exchequer for Seven Years for the founding thereof.

The Mathematical Master at Christs Hospital, by the Constitution of the House, must be thus qualified; he must be a Sober, Discreet, and Diligent Person, of good Life, a good Scholar, very well understanding the Latin and Greek Languages, a very good Mathematician, well knowing and ready in the Theory and Practice of all its Parts; to the end Boys may be furthered in the Latin Tongue, and the Master able to answer Strangers, if need be; and that they and others may find his Abilities to Satisfaction.

And by the Constitution, Ten are to be put forth Yearly Apprentices to Masters of Ships: to the End they may be fit in time to do Service in the Navy Royal, and Ten more to be received into their Rooms. These Youths who are chosen out of the rest of the Blewcoat Boys, are to be the most acute, and of the readiest Wits, that they may be fit for Mathematical Studies. These as a Badge of Distinction, wear on their Breasts fastened to their Coats a Plate of Silver, with some Figures engraven, the Dye whereof is kept in the Tower, where they are all stamped. The chief Figures are three of the Liberal Sciences, viz. Arithmetick, with a Scroll of Accounts in one Hand, and laying her other Hand upon a Blew Coat Boys Head, having his Cap under his Arm. The next Figure representeth Geometry, with a Triangle in her Hand. The Third, Astronomy, with a Quadrant in one Hand, and a Sphere in the other. There is also the Figure of a Ship or two under Sail, with a Wind from Heaven, blowing as it were upon it a prosperous Gale. There be also in the Clouds two Angels, one of them a Mercury; and these Words wrote round declaring the Royal Founder, and the Year when this School commenced, viz. Auspicio Caroli Secundi Regis, 1673. This Badge they wear constantly, not only in the Hospital, and about the Town, but when they are put forth; which when seen secureth them from being pressed. But they will sometimes put it into their Pockets, as not caring to own the Place of their Education; for which when it is discovered, they are reprimanded.

And here it must not be omitted, for perpetual Memory, to remark the first Occasion of instituting this most useful Mathematick School, Founded in this Hospital. It was accidental, and owing in a great measure to Sir Robert Clayton, Knt. and Alderman, and sometime Lord Maior of the City, who as the setting up of such a Discipline in this Hospital first came into his Mind, so he was very instrumental and active, in bringing it to that Success it afterwards came to, by his moving it so seasonably to the Lord Clifford, then Lord High Treasurer: who as effectually propounded it to the King. I shall relate the Substance of it, as I had it from his own Mouth in his own House, Apr. 16. 1706.

He had been occasionally reading (according to his Custom at leisure Times to divert himself