Report of the Commissioners appointed in pursuance of an act of parliament made and passed in the 5th and 6th years of King William the 4th, c. 71 : instituted, "An act for appointing commissioners to continue the inquiries concerning charities in England and Wales, until the first day of March one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven." (Dated 30th June 1837.) Presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty.

  • Great Britain. Commissioners for Inquiring Concerning Charities
Date:
1840
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Commissioners appointed in pursuance of an act of parliament made and passed in the 5th and 6th years of King William the 4th, c. 71 : instituted, "An act for appointing commissioners to continue the inquiries concerning charities in England and Wales, until the first day of March one thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven." (Dated 30th June 1837.) Presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

    85/398 (page 79)
    J London.] INQUIRING CONCERNING CHARITIES. 79 citizens shall appoint from time to time to be officer or officers, governor or governors of the said manor-house of Bridewell, or any other the said houses or hospitals appointed for the poor aforesaid, and for every of them at all times hereafter, and from time to time within the city of London and county of Middlesex, to search and examine, by all ways and means, according to their good discretions, all and all manner of suspicious houses, as taverners, ale- houses, and all manner of victualling houses, gaming, and dicing houses, dancing schools, tennis plays, bowling alleys, closshe,* keeles,! cock-pits, and every other suspect or unlawful place and places, or in any other place or places, liberty or liberties, within the said city and county of Middlesex aforesaid, by what name or names soever they or any of them be or shall be called, and also to search every such suspicious house or place of idle ruffians, vagabonds, and masterless men or women, or any other suspect person or persons, which they or any of them can apprehend and take within any such suspicious place or places, or in any other place or places, liberty or liberties, within the said city and county of Middlesex aforesaid, and not only to commit such ruffian, vagabond, and masterless person, but also the house- holder, master or keeper of any such house or houses, place or places, where any such shall be found, unto the house of occupations aforesaid, or otherwise to punish him or them at their discretions, unless the same can, before the mayor and aldermen of the said city for the time being, or before the said officer or officers, governor or governors, honestly discharge him or themselves for their so harbouring and lodging of such suspect persons, or for maintaining of such unlawful game or games, place or places, or that such ruffian, vagabond, or masterless person can truly and justly excuse himself of his or their misbehaviour, suspicious dealing, or of his or their loitering, wandering, or walking about, or other misdemeanours; and that it shall be lawfvd for the said mayor and officers for the time being to use such correction and order herein, as to them shall seem meet, without impeachment of our said Sovereign Lord the King, his heirs or successors, or his or their justices, escheators, sheriffs, or other his or their ministers, servants or subjects whatsoever; any statute, law or custom to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding. And our said sovereign Lord the King, of his more abundant grace, is further pleased and contented, and for him, his heirs, and successors pro- miseth and granteth to the said mayor and commonalty, and citizens, and their successors, that said Sovereign Lord the King, his heirs and successors, from time to time at all times London, Christ's Hospital, continued. our hereafter, will do and suffer to be done all and every such act and acts, thing and things, be it by letters patent, Act of Parliament, confirmation, or otherwise, for the better and more perfect assm'ance and making sure of all the said manors, parsonages, tithes, lands, tene- ments, and all and singular the premises appointed to be granted and made sure to the said mayor and commonalty, and citizens, and their successors, and for the sure erection, found- ation, and establishment of all and singular other the premises, to and for the purposes before expressed as by the learned counsel of the said mayor and commonalty, and citizens of the said city of London, and their successors, from time to time, and at their costs and charges (except the costs of the great seal of England) shall be devised or advised. And moreover our said Sovereign Lord the King is pleased and contented, and granteth by these presents, that the said mayor and commonalty, and citizens, of the said city of London, and their successors, shall have the one part of this indenture sealed with the great seal of England, and also shall have all other letters patents to them to be made by our said Sovereign Lord the King, his heirs or successors, touching the premises, or any part thereof, under the great seal of England, in due form to be made and sealed, without any fine or fee, much or little to be paid for the same in the hamper of the Chancery, or elsewhere; and shall also have to them delivered, as of his gift, all evidences, deeds, and writings concerning the premises, and every part thereof, which his highness by these indentures is pleased to give and grant to the said mayor and commonalty, and citizens, and their successors, in form aforesaid. In witness whereof to the one part of this indenture remaining with the said mayor, commonalty, and citizens, our said Sovereign Lord the King hath caused his great seal of England to be put; and to the other part of the same indenture remaining with our said Sovereign Lord the King, the said mayor, commonalty, and citizens have put their common seal, the day and year first above written. Edward VI., by the grace of God of England, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Charter of King Faith, and in earth of the Church of England and of Ireland supreme head : To all to whom Edw. VI. the present letters shall come, greeting. Whereas we, pitying the miserable estate of the poor, fatherless, decrepit, aged, sick, infirm, and impotent persons, languishing under various kinds of diseases; and also of our special grace thoroughly considering the honest, pious endeavours of our most humble and obedient subjects, the mayor and commonalty and citizens of our city of London, who by all ways and methods diligently study for the good provision of the poor, and of every sort of them ; and that by such reason and care, neither children yet being in their infancy shall lack good education and instruction, nor when they shall obtain riper years shall be destitute of honest callings and occupations, whereby they may honestly exercise themselves in some good faculty and science, for the advantage and utility of the commonwealth; nor that the sick or diseased, when they shall be recovered and restored to health, may remain idle and lazy vagabonds of the state, but that they, in like manner, may be placed and compelled to labour, and honest and wholesome employments: Know ye that we, as well for the considerations aforesaid, as of our special grace, and of our certain knowledge and mere motion, desiring not only the progress, amplification, and mcrease of so honest and noble a work, but also condescending, in our name and by our royal authority, to take upon ourself the patronage of this most excellent and most holy foinidation. * The game of hopping, from the French sauter a cloche pied, to hop on one leg. t The game of skittles, from the French jeu de quilles.