sermon was ended, willing him not to depart untill that he had spoken with him. And this that I now write is the very report of the said Bishop Ridley, who (according to the King's command) gave his attendance.

"And so soone as the King's majestie was at leisure, he called for him, and caused him to come unto him at a great gallery at Westminster, where to his knowledge (and the King likewise told him so) there was present no more persons than those two, and therefore made him sit downe in one chayre, and hee himselfe in another, which (as it seemed) were before the comming of the Bishop there purposely set, and caused the Bishop (maugre his teeth) to be covered, and then entred communication with him in this manner: First giving him harty thankes for his sermon and good exhortation; he therein rehearsed such speciall things as he had noted, and that so many that the Bishop said, Truely, truely (for that commonly was his oath), I could never have thought that excellency to have been in his grace, but that I beheld and heard it in him,'

"At the last the King's majestie much commended him for his exhortation for the reliefe of the poore. For my lord,' quoth he, you willed such as are in authority to bee careful thereof, and to devise some good order for theire reliefe, wherein I thinke you mean mee; for I am in highest place, and therefore am the first that must

make answer unto God for my negligence, if I should not be careful therein, knowing it to bee the expresse commandement of Almighty God to have compassion of his poore and needy members, for whom we must make an account unto him: And truely, my lord, I am (before all things else) most willing to travaile that way, and I doubting nothing of your long and approved wisdome and learning, who having such good zeale as wisheth healthe unto them; but also that you have had some conference with others what waies are best to be taken therein, the which I am desirous to understand, and therefore I pray you to say your minde.'

"The Bishop, thinking least of that matter, and being amazed to heare the wisdome and earnest zeal of the King, was (as hee said himselfe) so astonied that he could not well tell what to say. But after some pause said that he thought (at this present) for some entrance to bee had, it were good to practice with the citie of London, because the number of poore there are very greate, and the citizens also are many and wise; and hee doubted not but that they were also both pitifull and mercifull, as the Maior and his brethren, and other the worshipfull of the said citie. And that if it would please the King's majestie to direct his gracious letters unto the Maior of London, willing him to call to him such assistants as he should

thinke meete, to consult of this matter, for some order to be taken therein, he doubted not but good would follow thereon. And he himselfe promised to be one that should earnestly travaile therein.

"The King forthwith not only granted his letter, but made the Bishop tarry untill the same was written, and his hand and signet set thereto; and commanded the Bishop not onely to deliver the said letter himselfe, but also to signify unto the Maior that it was the King's especiall request and expresse commandement, that the Maior should therein travell, and, as soon as he could conveniently, give him knowledge how far he had proceeded therein. The Bishop was so joyous of the havinge of the letter, and that now he had an occasion to travell in so good a manner, wherein hee was marvellous zealous, that nothing could have more pleased or delighted him; whereupon the same night hee came to the Lord Maior of London, who was then Sir Richard Dobbes, knight, and delivered the King's letter, and shewed his message with effect.

"The Lord Maior not only joyously received this letter, but with all speede agreed to set forward the matter, for hee alsoe favoured it very much. And the next day, beinge Munday, hee desired the Bishop of London to dine with him, and against that time the Maior promised to send for such men as he thought meetest to talke of

this matter; and soe he did. He sent first for 2 aldermen and 6 commoners, and afterwards more were appointed, to the number of 24.”

Fearful of lessening the interest of the forego ing narrative by any alteration, I have thus far adopted Stowe's account verbatim; the more especially as he says "it was had from the Bishop's own mouth."

The above meeting was followed by several others; for such was the zeal of the truly pious Prelate in the performance of his Christian duties that nothing failed for lack of perseverance. The result was, a report to the King, who expressed his entire approbation thereof, and was not only willing to grant a charter of incorporation to those who should become governors, but requested that he might be considered as the Founder and Patron of the same.

The Hospital being now established, his Majesty was further pleased to confirm the grant of his father of the site of the old monastery of the Grey Friars, and, for the maintenance thereof, to endow it with certain lands and tenements formerly belonging to the Savoy, of the yearly value of 600l. A petition was soon afterwards presented to the King, for permission to take in mortmain, or otherwise, without licence, lands to a certain yearly value. A blank being left for his Majesty to fill up with the sum that he might think proper, he wrote, "4000 markes by the yeare," and then,

in the hearing of his council, thus concluded the great work which has handed down his name to posterity as a Prince of the most benevolent disposition: "Lord, I yeelde thee most hearty thankes that thou hast given me life thus long, to finish this worke to the glory of thy name." His Majesty lived but two days after the grant of the charter.

The virtues displayed by this young prince could not fail of exciting the admiration of his subjects; neither is it to be supposed that the utility of the foundations just mentioned could be lost upon them. Indeed, it appears that the citizens of London were so animated by the truly royal benefactions of the King, that in the short space of six months the old monastery was rendered capable of accommodating three hundred and forty boys; and by the end of the year the number was increased to three hundred and eighty. From that time to the present the Hospital has continued increasing both in size and importance; and the three hundred and fifty have been multiplied to the almost incredible number of eleven hundred and fifty.

The boys first admitted were clothed in russet, which was soon afterwards changed for the dress they now wear; viz. a blue coat or tunic reaching to the feet, with yellow stockings, a red girdle round the waist, and a small round cap. The boys now wear a kind of petticoat, technically