others too in the putting out of their mony Once he thought of setting up a Bank in London like that in Amsterdam where People might take up mony at so moderate an Interest as should not eat out their Labour nor waste the heart and life of Trade by making the care pains and ingenuity of the Borrower sweat and toyl for the sole benefit of the Lender Therefore he lodged a 100 l. in some honest mens hands to lend to poor people weekly or monthly by small sums upon good pawns while he lived and when he dyed he left 1000 l. to the Chamber of London to be yearly lent to Ten young Trades-men without Use Besides he ordered his Executors to abate half a years Interest to all his Debtors when they call'd in his mony Thus did this great Man wax rich and known which made him to some evil-minded persons the object of Envy and he finds not the Shadow of that Charity in the World which he shew'd in Substance and Reality Some urge that he served himself too much upon the hopes many had entertained of being his Heirs by receiving those Gifts which some covetous Friends miserunt in hamô by easily purchasing those Lands which they expected should return with Interest I do not understand the unreasonable presumption of men to name and adopt themselves their Neighbours Heirs and if they confirm it not they shall be branded with Injustice The Wisdom of the Serpent is as well required as the Innocency of the Dove He that strives to outreach his Friend is justly caught in his own Snares Others strongly believe he was the Subject of Ben. Johnson's mirth Which if it were true is no real Scandal to this good Man when all things just and honourable sacred and of good report are shamefully exposed to the lewd affronts of a bold and licentious Stage Besides 't is probable the Poet never intended what they think For in that Age several other men were pointed at and who was the true Person was then a matter of doubt If the Poet design'd to injure the Fame of Sutton he was first of all an ungrateful Wretch to abuse those hands which afforded him Bread for he allowed him a constant Pension And secondly he disowned his very Hand-writing which he sent to our Founder in Vindication of himself in this matter In the late unhappy times another sort of Enemy appears and will hardly suffer this pious Benefactor to lye quiet in his Grave The Revenue made a great noise and prov'd something melodious to the ears of the commanding Party therefore they endeavour to find out a way to subvert the House Foundation and all No better Plea than the old Popular Argument used before against his Sacred Majesty Charles the First of ever blessed memory Popery Popery 'T is presently whisper'd about That Sutton dyed a Papist That the House was built upon naughty Popish ground That all the Walls were full of Tapers and Crosses That it was designed to Jesuitical ends and Purposes That there was a great Vault underneath which reach't almost to Islington and for ought they knew it might be full of Powder and Malignants Plots and Superstition all conspiring against the Good Old Cause At this time Edward Cresset Master of the Hospital by his Interest in that Party interposed and laid that storm for which he received publick Thanks from the Lords the Governours Anno 1660. This Freak hardly deserves consideration especially proceeding from that sort of men Mr. Sutton was too well known for this Project to take effect He was an Honest and Religious Protestant constant and exemplary upon all occasions at the Publick Service of God regular and strict in Family Duties accustomed to Prayer reading the Scriptures and very solicitous in his choice of a Holy and Learned Chaplain His thoughts were usually Heaven-ward in his Ejaculations frequently desiring God That as he had bountifully blessed him with a plentiful Estate so he would be pleased to direct him in the disposal of it This he has been often over-heard to say walking in his Garden His Thoughts were not only Divine but his usual Company were Ministers of God's Word for there is no Writing scarce of his to which there is not the hand of a Divine or two Or else he visited the Fatherless and Widows the Impotent and Indigent and in a great measure kept himself unspotted from the World Now that which seems most wonderful is this That men professing the Protestant Religion should indeavour to pull down one of the greatest Monuments of the Reformed Religion it being the common Argument whereby we use to prevent the Papists extravagant Relations of Good Works Had he been a Red-letter Man Mr. Knott the Jesuite in his Answer to Dr. Potter's Book called Charity Mistaken would never have vented this following Reproach But he must be crucified between these two Do your Hospitals deserve so much as to be named Have you any thing of that kind in effect of particular note saving the few mean Nurseries of idle Beggars and debauched People except Sutton 's Hospital which as I have been informed was to receive no profit till his death who also dyed without Children Brother Sister or known Kindred so that per adventure it was escheated to the King c. At length he says He could tell us of the Annunciata at Naples which spends Three hundred thousand Crowns viz. above Eight thousand pounds per Annum feeds and cures One thousand sick persons Nurses and entertains Three thousand Sucking-children c. Then he gives a hint of another famous Hospital in Rome called Sancto Spirito To both which Instances Mr. Fuller does as reproachfully reply by saying That the Infamous Disease of Naples might well cause the erection of so mighty a Structure and as for that at Rome the wonderful plenty of unlawful Issues Children basely born did require so great a Receptacle I question not but both are too blame for where ever we find any sparks of goodness and piety though they lodge in the breast of a Turk or Jew Papist or Protestant yet it is but common Justice to afford every man his due praise 'T is easie also to discover the Jesuit's mistakes for first Mr. Sutton intended to reside upon his Benefaction as Master of it though it pleased God sooner to take him to himself to admit him into the Land of Promise Then his Kindred were known far and near for Simon Baxter Son of his Sister Dorothy endeavoured to overthrow the Settlement of the Estate as being next Heir in Law as after may be seen at large His other Objections concerning penuriousness shall be answered in another place Here now I could to purpose recriminate but that I am sensible it is disingenuous and uncharitable and widens the Breaches of Christendom Let the froward World endeavour to defame and calumniate to bespatter all that is good and laudable yet certainly we ought to rise up in the Vindication of him
ready mony And if he shall disburse any thing contrary to these Orders it shall not be allowed him upon his Accompt Besides he shall be answerable for his Disobedience He shall take a true and perfect Inventory twice in every year of all the Goods Moveables and Utensils of and throughout the Hospital and give Accompt thereof to the Master that he may lay the imbezelling or loss to every Officer Groom or poor Brother to whom it was intrusted satisfying the House out of their Wages at his discretion and giving order for repairing and renewing such Stuff as shall be so lost or by long wearing become no more useful The poor Brothers THey shall not exceed the Number of Fourscore They shall not be holden qualified and capable of the place unless they be such as are within the Intention of the Kings Letters Patents of the Foundation namely Gentlemen by Descent and in Poverty Souldiers that have born Arms by Sea or Land Merchants decayed by Pyracy or Shipwrack or Servants in Houshold to the King and Queens Majesty and none of these to be under the Age of Fifty years at the time of their Admission and it shall be the Masters Charge to certifie the Table when they are propounded at an Assembly if he know any thing of any man standing in Election to the contrary He that hath been maimed in the Warrs either at Sea or Land and not in any fray or private quarrel being also a Subject of the Kings Dominions shall be capable of the place at Forty years Age or upwards But if he be not maimed though otherwise well deserving he shall not be capable of the place unless he be Fifty years old at the least Nor shall any be admitted whose Body is tainted with any Leprous Unclean or Infectious Disease None shall be admitted or elected that hath competent Means to sustain him and if at or after his admittance he shall be found to have an Estate in value worth two hundred pounds or coming in viis modiis to the value of Four and twenty pounds per Annum during his Life his place shall be void No poor Brother shall be admitted till the next Quarter day after his place is void and till he bring two pair of new Sheets with him or that the House provide them for him in Discharge whereof the Receiver shall deduct the price out of his Wages due the first two Quarters by even and equal portions and upon his accompt clear the House of that charge No poor Brother shall have leave to pass the Seas upon what pretence soever but by petition to the Governours and signed with six of their hands in which case and time of absence he shall only be allowed his Wages and have his place reserved for him other allowances for Commons he shall not have They shall not go into the Country to visit Friends or upon any other business without the Masters leave and that but for two Months at the farthest in which case and time of absence they shall be allowed two third parts of their Commons in mony but no part of their Wages shall be abated but if they go abroad either with leave or without and fall under Arrest or any other danger whereby their return is slayed in such case they shall have no means or allowance from the Hospital either for Commons or Wages only their place shall be reserved for them till the Governours pleasure be further known And moreover no Brother shall presume to pass the Out-gates of the Hospital in their Livery Gowns upon pain of paying a months Commons out of their Quarters wages They shall not undertake the following of other mens Causes and Suits nor procure the molestation trouble or expence of other the Kings Subjects by their suggestions or informations upon pain of paying what Mulct the Master by these our Ordinances can impose upon them and abiding the Governours further pleasure All other Duties to be performed after their Admission as daily frequenting the Chappel Reverent behaviour at Prayers civil fashion of feeding cleanly and decent Clothing neat and wholsom Lodging friendly and brotherly conversing and living together shall be referred to the Masters discretion to direct and to the power we have given him to Correct The School THE Scholars of the Foundation shall not exceed the Number of Forty nor shall any be admitted but such as the Schoolmaster shall find and approve to be well entred in Learning answerable to his Age at the time of his admittance The Schoolmaster shall be of Twenty seven years Age at the least a Master of Arts of good Reputation both for his Life and Learning in the Latin and Greek Tongues The Usher shall likewise be well qualified for his place having taken degree of Batchelor of Arts two years at least before his Election Aged twenty four years And if there be such in either University no discontinuers and that have formerly been Members of this Hospital they shall coeteris paribus be chosen before any others The Schoolmaster shall have charge to admit no poor Scholar without one new Sute of Apparel besides that he weares two new Shirts three new pair of Stockings three new pair of Shoos and Books for the Form he is to be in or mony to buy them and if he fail therein the charge of repairing the wants shall be discounted out of his own Wages He shall have Certificate by good proof from the place whence they come of the just Age of every Boy to be admitted and he shall admit none under the Age of Ten years and above Fourteen as he will answer the contrary He shall keep a Book of all such admissions as also of all Scholars sent to the University or Trade with a particular and punctual setting down the day and year of their coming in going out They shall keep the accustomed hours of six in Summer and Seven in Winter for their coming to School and Eight and Three in the Forenoon and Afternoon for their Collations and of Six in Summer and Winter if the time of Meals will permit for their leaving off not failing both Morning and Evening to begin and end their Studies with the Latin Prayers and Collects now used He shall read none but approved Authors Greek and Latin as are read in the best esteemed Free-Schools and to see those of the Upper Form furnished with Greek Testaments for their use in the Chappel Besides the Scholars weekly exercise they of the highest Form shall every Sunday set up in the great Hall four Greek and four Latin Verses a piece upon any part of the Second Lesson appointed for that day for the Master of the Hospital or any Stranger to view and examine As also two shall be weekly appointed for reading the Chapters and saying Grace at every Meal in both the Halls It shall be his care and the Ushers charge to teach the Scholars to Cipher and cast an Accompt especially those that
while born the labour of the day and now are joyful to find such a Noble Sanctuary and place of refreshment It was primarily intended for old Gentlemen Souldiers when Age seemed to sound a Retreat and therefore such qualifi'd Persons by the Orders of the Governours may be admitted into the House ten years sooner or younger than other men I suppose because the hardships and severe Discipline of War the Wounds and Distempers contracted in the Camp might soon shatter their Bodies and render them more early objects of Charity These Persons are chosen by particular Governours every one in their Order only the King puts in two in his course the Queen and Duke of York one a piece then the Governours in their respective turns as places happen to be vacant This they do by a Warrant sent to the Master and Register of the House The Form of a Warrant for a Pensioner To my loving Friends the Master and Register of Sutton 's Hospital I Do hereby nominate and appoint A. B. of N. in the County of M. to be a poor Brother and Pensioner in Sutton's Hospital and do desire that this my Warrant may be presented to the next Assembly of Governours for the Election of Pensioners to the intent he may be elected and admitted into the next place which shall fall to my disposal next after N. N. of S. in the County of P. whom I last nominated Given under my Hand A great Number of Religious and Aged Persons have here received Comfort both of Soul and Body Much about 554 have here peaceably spent the Evening of their days and then ascended up into Heaven to return thanks to their Great Founder and Deliverer in their former time of Distress Here I cannot but take notice of the health and sweetness of life in this place For if out of 80 aged men there dye but 9 in a year which from October the third 1614. to 1676. makes up the Sum of 554 or thereabouts they seem to outlive the common rate of men the purchase of whose lives is usually reckoned seven or eight years But if at any time it please God to visit the City with the Pestilence or some such grievous Distemper which God for ever avert from them the House is dissolved and every Pensioner has a Certificate in this Form To all whom these may appertain Greeting c. THe Bearer hereof A. B. a Brother of this Society of the Charter-house hath occasions to go into the Country and there to make his abode for a time And forasmuch as in these Contagious times all Officers and others have just cause to be fearful whom they lodge or entertain into their Company These are therefore to certifie faithfully that neither this Bearer nor any of our Society hath been yet visited with the Contagion or any danger thereof God be praised but are in as perfect health and soundness as in former times These are therefore to will and desire all men whom it may concern to suffer the said A. B. quietly to pass and freely to stay at the place of his intended abode or elsewhere behaving himself civilly and orderly whereof we give good Testimony as also of the undoubted truth of the Premises In witness whereof we have hereunto set our Hands From Charterhouse by the Order of the Lords the Governours 2. There are also 44 Boys at School chosen by the same Honourable Persons after the same manner with the Pensioners They are only capable of Admission between the years of 10 and 15 and are to continue in the House but 8 years at the most The place where now the Scholars are taught was formerly a Tennis-Court upon which an Historian has this Remark It was a Change à Ludo Pilario Slow by How 's ad Ludum Literarium Out of this Nursery of Learning some are by Election transplanted to the Universities either to Cambridge or Oxford to any Colledge according to their own Friends choice and determination where they likewise are capacitated to receive any favour or benefit from the said Colledge as several worthy Persons do this day in the Universities and are no small Reputation to this Noble Foundation Their allowance is 20 l. per Annum duly paid Quarterly without any charge or trouble in the place of their Residence in either of the Universities And this is done upon their sending up a Certificate to the Receiver of the Charter-house with this or the like signification These are to certifie whom it may concern That T. B. Student of hath been resident all the last Quarter and is of a good life and conversation This is to be signed by the Head of the Colledge and two of the chief Officers They have liberty from the House to discontinue two months in a year so that their time of discontinuance is usually excepted in the Certificate Nine and twenty of these Scholars are maintained at the Universities and the Allowance of 20 l. per Annum continues for 8 years Others who are superannuated being unwilling or uncapable of Learning are design'd for Apprentices put out to Write and Cypher and disposed of to a Trade with the Sum of 40 l. which was agreed on the last Assembly Here I cannot but take notice of a mighty Inconvenience which attends the School and were it once remedied it would certainly redound much to the Improvement of the Lads and the Honour of the Foundation I humbly desire that the Right Honourable the Governours would take it into their consideration For how is it possible for ripe and well-grounded Lads to be sent away to the Universities when Elections usually come sooner than the Scholars are prepared for them And this truly arises from no other cause but this when Boys are admitted into the House little or no regard is had to their Learning and Proficiency but the thing mainly considered is Whether they are between the years of Ten and Fifteen and though they are scarce able to read then they must be admitted The way to obtain a place for a young Lad or an old Gentleman is much the same viz. to make an address to any single Governour the Person has most Interest in by way of Friends Petition or any other method of Application for no old Gentleman or Boy is chosen by a common Vote but each Governour nominates in his turn Then a Warrant is to be procured if for a Lad after this manner To his loving Friends the Master and Register of Sutton's Hospital I Do nominate choose and appoint A. B. the Son of C. D. to be a poor Scholar of Sutton's Hospital and do desire that this my Warrant may be presented to the next Assembly of Governours for the Election of Scholars to the intent he may be accordingly Elected and admitted when any such place shall fall in my Disposal Given under my Hand c. And here it is to be noted that their Majesties his Royal Highness and the Governours being usually pre-engaged
his Assistants for the time being to this end and purpose That they shall distribute or cause to be distributed the yearly profit arising of the same over and above the yearly Rent payable to the Kings most Excellent Majesty amongst the poorest people dwelling within the said Town of Beverly Also I give to the Maior and Aldermen of the City of Lincoln for the time being all such Profits and Revenues as shall arise and grow of the Parsonage of Glentham within the County of Lincoln and all the residue of the years that shall remain after my decease to this intent that they shall distribute and bestow or cause to be distributed and bestowed the same amongst twenty of the poorest people that shall then be dwelling in the said City with the consent and privity of the Dean of the Cathedral Church of Lincoln or the Recorder of the same for the time being they the said Maior Aldermen Dean and Recorder foreseeing that the Parsonage be letten for their most benefit Item I give into the Treasury or Store-house of mine intended Hospital to begin their Stock with and to defend the Rights of the House One thousand pounds of lawful English mony And I give to every one of my Feoffees whom I have put in trust about my intended Hospital to whom I have not given any thing in this my last Will the Sum of Twenty six pounds thirty shillings and four pence of lawful mony of England Item I give to Amy Popham if it please God she live to keep House three Feather-beds and so many pair of Holland Sheets with the Boulsters to them and so many Hangings of Tapestry as furnish her a Bed-chamber The rest of my Housholdstuff I will shall be sold by mine Executors for the speedier payment of my Legacies and performance of this my last Will. Item I give to the Widow Tassel of Balsham the Sum of Five pounds of lawful mony of England and to Thomas Lawrence the elder of the same Town Five pounds of lawful mony of England Item I give and bequeath unto the Brother of Percival Graung my late Servant deceased the Sum of Twenty pounds of like lawful mony of England And of this my last Will and Testament I make and ordain Richard Sutton of London Esquire and John Law one of the Procurators of the Arches London my Executors charging them as they will answer at the last Day of Judgment that they or one of them in the absence of the other endeavor themselves with all earnestness and diligence to see this my Will performed according to my true meaning and charitable intent And I make Overseers of this my last Will and Testament the Reverend Father in God George Abbot Arch bishop of Canterbury unto whom I give and bequeath the Sum of Forty Marks of lawful mony of England or a piece of Plate of that value at his election and choice And also Launcelot Andrews Almonizer to the Kings Majesty my other Supervisor and Overseer of this my last Will and Testament unto whom I give and bequeath the Sum of Twenty pounds of lawful mony of England or a piece of Plate of that value at his election and choice Item My will and full intent and meaning is That if any person or persons whosoever to whom I have in and by this my last Will and Testament given and bequeathed any Legacy or Sum or Sums of mony shall any ways gainsay impugn contradict or impeach this my last Will and Testament that then all and every one so impugning contradicting impeaching or gainsaying this my last Will and Testament and every of their Children and Kinsfolks to whom I have in and by this my last Will and Testament given and bequeathed any Legacy or Sum or Sums of mony shall have no part nor portion of any such Gift Legacy or Bequest but shall utterly lose the same and be utterly barred thereof as if no such Legacy Gift or Bequest had been given unto him her or them by this my last Will and Testament any thing before in these presents mentioned or contained to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding Item I give and bequeath to Richard Sutton one of my Executors before named the Sum of One hundred pounds and to Mrs. Law over and besides the Legacy before to her given I give the Sum of Forty pounds to make her a Gown withal Item I give to Master Hutton the Vicar of Littlebury Twenty pounds To the Town of Camps Castle where I dwell to be distributed amongst the poor of the same Parish Ten pounds Also to the poor of the Town of Elcomb to be equally distributed amongst them the Sum of Ten pounds Item I give and bequeath those my Mannors of Littlebury and Hadstock in the County of Essex to the Right Honourable the Lord Thomas Howard Earl of Suffolk and to his Heirs for ever upon Condition that he do well and truly pay or cause to be paid to my Executors before named or to the Survivor of them the Sum of Ten thousand pounds of lawful mony of England within One year next after my decease And if he shall refuse to pay the said Sum of Ten thousand pounds for the said Mannors then I give and bequeath the said Mannors of Littlebury and Hadstock to my said Executors and to their Heirs for ever And then I will and devise that the said Mannors of Littlebury and Hadstock shall be sold by my said Executors or the Survivor of them to the uttermost price and value that they may be sold for and the mony coming of the sale thereof together with as much more as shall make up the same Sum the full Sum of Twenty thousand pounds I will shall be imployed and bestowed by my said Executors or the Survivor of them with the advise of my Supervisors aforenamed in some good works and charitable uses for mine intended Hospital and for poor people or otherwise as they in their wisdoms and discretions shall think fit Item I give to Mr. Flud Parson of Newington the Sum of Thirteen pounds six shillings eight pence And to the wife of Benjamin King of Southminster Six pounds thirteen shillings four pence Item I give to Thomas Averell if it shall be found that he hath dealt faithfully and plainly with me in my business the Sum of Ten pounds which he oweth me Item I give unto the wife of Mr. Ingry of Littlebury Three pounds six shillings eight pence Item I give to Sir Henry Hubberd Knight the King's Majesties Attorney General a piece of Plate of the value of Ten pounds And to Mr Locksmith his Clerk the Sum of Ten pounds Item I give to the poor of the Parish of Hackney Ten pounds Item I give to Bridget Law the Sum of Ten pounds And to the Lady Altham daughter to Mr. Auditor Sutton the Sum of Twenty pounds Item I give to Sir Edward Philips Master of the Rolls a piece of Plate of the value of Twenty pounds And to
them of that which shall be good and sweet and to see ready mony paid for the same And if any poor Man shall refuse to serve in his turn he shall be kept without his Diet in the Hospital until he perform it Per Ordinem fact 25 Junii 1621. The Master of the Hospital and all and every Officer and the poor Brethren and Members thereof shall take their Diet of Dinner and Supper in the Common Hall in the Hospital and not in any of their Chambers And they shall carry no part thereof from thence into private Chambers And not any of the poor Brethren shall presume to sit down at the Table before Grace be said and the Master and chief Officers sit nor any of them to arise from the Table before Grace be said without licence of the Master or in his absence of Senior at the Master's Table Provided notwithstanding that if any of them happen to be sick upon signification of his sickness to the Master it shall be lawful for him with the Master's allowance for to take and have his Commons out of the Kitchin in his private lodging during the time of his sickness Per Ordinem 24 Februarii 1622. All the poor Brethren and other the Inferior Officers and Members of the said Hospital now being and their Successors that shall hereafter at any time be chosen into their rooms shall give dutiful Reverence to the Master of the Hospital for the time being wheresoever they shall happen to be in his presence or when either he shall speak to any of them or any of them shall repair or speak to him they shall stand before him with their Heads uncovered not presuming whilst they are in his presence to put on their Hats except it be at the Table whilst they are at Dinner and Supper And that none of them give or use any evil reviling or railing speeches of him before his face or behind his back upon pain of the loss of one months Commons at least for every such Offence done And also it is commanded that they be obedient unto him in all his lawful Commands and Injunctions to them for the observing the Orders and Constitutions now made or hereafter to be made by the Governours of this Hospital and their Successors Per Ordinem 24 Februarii 1622. They and every of them and all others that shall succeed them in their places shall be diligent in frequenting the Chappel in the Hospital twice every day at times of Divine Service and there behave themselves Reverently as becomes them to do in so Sacred a Place and at so holy a Work And though they may ask and obtain leave of the Master on some Work-day of the Week to be absent upon some good and urgent occasion yet that in no case none of them be absent from Service and Sermon on the Sunday if he be in health and able to come forth of his Lodging And that every one of them do receive the holy Communion of the Lords Supper thrice every year to wit at Christmas Easter and Whitsuntide if he be at that time in health able to go forth of his Lodging Per Ordinem 24 Februarii 1622. And unless the Master and Preacher be satisfied by some lawful excuse and just cause of their failing otherwise the party so wilfully neglecting shall be liable to the Masters Chastisement and to the Governours further displeasure Per Ordinem 22 Junii 1627. If any of the poor Brethren and Inferiour Officers and Members of the said Hospital after his admittance shall draw any Weapons in the said Hospital to the intent to hurt any Member of the said Hospital or shall strike in anger any of the said House within the precinct thereof or be convict of any notorious crime punishable by the Laws of this Realm That then his place in the Hospital shall be void and be quite removed from the same Per Ordinem fact 24 Februarii 1622. None of the poor Brethren shall intermeddle with any business touching the affairs of the Hospital but attend only the Service of God and take thankfully what is provided for them without muttering murmuring or grudging Per Ordinem 26 February 1622. None of the said poor Brethren or other the said Inferiour Officers and Members of the said Hospital shall wear any weapons long hair coloured boots spurs or any coloured shoos feathers in their hats or any Russian-like or unseemly Apparel but such as becomes Hospital-men to wear Per Ordinem fact ut supra None of them shall lodge abroad out of his ordinary Lodging by night or permit or suffer any Stranger to lodge in any of their Lodgings within the Hospital Neither shall any of them haunt Houses suspected of Incontinency Gaming-houses common Bowling-Allys Taverns or Ale-houses by Day or Night neither use swearing and taking of God's holy Name in vain nor railing on any of his Fellow Brethren nor given to any Drunkenness or other notorious Vice upon pain of such punishment as shall be thought meet of such an Offender by the Master in the presence of two of the chief Officers of the said House whom he shall please to call unto him And if the party so punisht by him shall prove incorrigible after he hath been twice punisht then the Master shall put such an Offender out of Commons until the next General Assembly and then he shall make the same Offender together with his Offence known to the Governours that they may inflict such further punishment upon him either by expulsion or otherwise as they in their wisdom shall hold sitting Per Ordinem fact ut supra No poor Brother of the Hospital shall hereafter presume to go into any Taverns or Ale-houses with his Livery Gown on his back upon pain of such punishment as the Master in his discretion shall hold sitting to be inflicted upon him Per Ordinem fact 22 Februarii 1624. No poor Brother shall have leave to pass the Seas upon what pretence soever but by Petition to the Governours and signed with six of their Hands In which case and time of absence he shall only be allowed his wages and have his place reserved for him Other allowance for Commons he shall not have Per Ordinem 21 Junii 1627. They shall not go into the Country to visit Friends or upon any other business without the Master's leave and that but for two months at the furthest In which case and time of absence no part of his wages shall be abated But if they go abroad either with leave or without leave and fall under Arrest or any other danger whereby their return is staid in such case they shall have no monys or allowance from the Hospital only their places shall be reserved for them till the Governours pleasure be further known And moreover no Brother shall presume to pass the Out-gates of the Hospital in their Livery Gowns upon pain of paying a months Commons out of his Quarters wages 21 Junii 1627.
They shall not undertake the following of others mens Causes and Suits nor procure the molestation of trouble or expence of other the Kings Subjects by their suggestions or informations upon pain of paying what Mulct the Master by the Ordinances can impose upon them and abiding the Governours further Censure 21 Junii 1627. All other Duties to be performed after their Admission as daily frequenting the Chappel Reverent behaviour at Prayers Civil fashion of Feeding Cleanly and decent Cloathing Neat and wholsom Lodging Friendly and Brotherly Conversing and Living together shall be referred to the Masters discretion to direct and to the power given him to correct 21 Junii 1627. At an Assembly of the Governours 27 February 1656. It is Ordered That whensoever any Pensioner or poor Man of this Hospital shall with leave or without leave go into the Country and be absent from the Hospital or shall live in or about the City of London Westminster or elsewhere and shall not be Abiding Lodging and Resident at and in the Hospital he shall have no allowance at all in mony or otherwise for his Commons or Diet during any such time as he shall be absent from the Hospital And those that are now absent are at their perils to take notice of this Order and to return home to the Hospital by the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary now next ensuing Neither shall any Pensioner or poor Man that lodgeth in the Hospital and goeth abroad into the Town be suffered to be out of Commons nor be paid any mony for or in lieu of his Commons but shall take and eat his Commons in kind in the common Dining-Hall of the Hospital according to the Orders of the House and shall carry none of it away uneaten and what he cannot eat there shall be there left and given to the poor women that are appointed to do service in the Hospital And We the Governours do charge the Receiver not to pay any of them any mony or allowance contrary to the intent of this our Order upon pain not to be allowed the same upon his Accompt besides incurring our further Censure Provided always that if any of the said Pensioners shall be sent or go away out of the Hospital upon the Dismission of the House in the Sickness time in respect of the danger of the Plague then in such case during such time of Dismission and Absence he shall have his full Allowance in mony for Commons and Diet as hath been formerly given in such case There are divers other Orders made by the Governours concerning the poor Men and Brothers of this Hospital which are not so proper to be comprehended in this Table but are with these herein mentioned transcribed into a Book remaining in the Vestry whereunto any Pensioner or poor Man of this Hospital may at convenient times repair to see and read for his better knowledge and observation My House shall be called THE HOUSE OF PRAYER Mark 11. â— Spare the People 〈…〉 Let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord Weep between the 〈◊〉 and the Altar and let them say Spare thy People O LORD Ioel. 1.17 London Printed for Henry Bromâ—â— 1677. PRAYERS UPON Several Occasions Fitted for the PRIVATE DEVOTIONS OF THE Ancient Gentlemen IN THE CHARTER-HOVSE c Vpon their Admission into the House O Thou Lord of Hosts and God of Battels The great Preserver of Men I adore reverence and magnifie thy holy Name that after the skirmishes of a tedious and uneasie life I have the blessed Opportunity of retiring and making my peace with thee O God my Life has been a real warfare I have been exposed to the dangers of Night and the discoveries of Day to the fury of unkind Weather and the rage of Enemies but yet thou wast my defence and shield the support of my Soul and my great Deliverer Therefore blessed be the God of Heaven I will take the Cup of Salvation and praise thy glorious Name I will never cease to cry out Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts Blessed be thy Name for ever and ever O Father who hast looked upon me in the times of hazard and sear mou'd and frame my mind into acknowledgment and thankfulness Thou who art absolute in thy Providence hast wonderfully raised means to succour and relieve thy Servant in danger may thy grace and goodness never forsake me but continue to be my loving God Helper and Saviour unto the worlds end How many are in â—onds and Distress when I am Free and provided for How many are in wars and necessity when I am in peace and encompas't with plenty Though I have justly deserved many years ago to have been cut off from the Land of the Living and by reason of my sins to have been sent early to the House of Mourning yet thou hast drawn out my life to a great length thy mercy has saved and protected me all the time of my Pilgrimage and now I remain as a signal Monument of thy loving kindness O grant that the remainder of my time may be spent in Thanksgiving and Repentance that all the days of my appointed time I may patiently wait until my change come Let my Admission into this Religious house be an Emblem of my Entrance into Heaven above that my Life may be a continual walking with Thee that the main tendency of my thoughts may be heaven-wards and my conversation there also Grant O Lord that my entring into this Society of Grey-hairs below may be an Earnest of my joyning with the Elders that are before thy Throne above That when I first put on these Garments of Charity I may resolve to endeavour that my Soul may be cloathed with humility and gratitude and the robes of Righteousness I am sensible O Lord of the weakness of my Body and the decays of Nature but our Souls are of another frame and complexion Therefore be pleased to quicken and revive my thoughts to awaken the powers faculties of my Soul that the feebleness of my Body may be recompenced with the strength of my mind that the declination of my outward man may be in order to the Ascension of my Soul into the Heaven of Heavens Not long since the sorrows of my heart were enlarged but now thou hast graciously brought me out of all my trouble I have nothing now to do in this place of Retirement but to live well and love thee from whom I receive my daily bread who art the Fountain of all I drink Therefore O my Soul praise that God who is so great a lover of the sons of men Thou hast not dealt so with every man neither have the wicked a desire to praise thee Thou hast plentifully prepared all things for me thy aged and infirm Servant so that I must confess I want nothing but thankfulness to Thee What Reward shall I give unto thee or what Sacrifice shall I pay for all thy benefits Now I am setled in this Religious