Dr. Pilkington, bishop of Durham, at the commencement of the reign of queen Elizabeth, speaks in answer to the adversaries of the reformed religion, who had boasted of their hospitality; "Look into London, what hospitals are there founded in the Gospel time! the poor indeed relieved, youth godly brought up, and the idle set to work. Popery would sometimes feed the hungry, but seldom correct the unprofitable drones, who sucked the honey from the labouring bees, nor bring up children in the fear of God: but to fill the belly, and not to teach virtue, is to increase vice. Well worth Bridewell therefore, for it is a good school." In the year 1553, king Edward VI. gave this royal palace to the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of London, to be a working house for the poor and idle persons of the city, and to be a house of correction, with seven hundred marks land, formerly of the possessions of the house of Savoy, and all the beddings and other furniture of the said house, towards the maintenance of Bridewell, and the hos pital of St. Thomas, in Southwark. But king Edward dying soon after this grant was made, prevented the city's entering upon the premises and taking possession, till it was confirmed two years after by queen Mary. After which Gerrard, the mayor, entered and took possession thereof: and in order to forward so good a work, the following act of common council was made the last day of February, in the second and third years of Philip and Mary: "Forasmuch as king Edward VI. has given his house of Bridewell unto the city, partly for the setting of idle and lewd people to work, and partly for the lodging and harbouring of the poor, sick, weak, and sore people of this city, and of poor way-faring people, repairing to the same; and has for this last purpose given the bedding and furniture of the Savoy: therefore in consideration that very great charges will be required to the fitting of the said house, and the buying of tools and bedding, they ordered the money to be gotten up amongst the rich people of the companies of London, &c." It It appears, however, that this antient royal establishment was founded for specific charitable purposes; ap-. prentices are the objects: artmasters, the officers of the charity. During the space of about fifty years after the foundation, apprentices were admitted into the hospital, and placed with artificers, who received stipends; the work being done for the benefit of the house. For the last centuries, apprentices have also been placed with artificers, upon certain conditions; but with this difference, that each master has carried on trade on his own account. The house having nothing to do either with the trouble, or the profits of the business, in either case; so that the obligations imposed by the charter, were satisfied. It is the duty of the governors to take care that the charity be efficient, and the officers competent to the charge which they undertake; and they possess, both from the indenture and the charter, full power and authority, from time to time, to nominate, appoint, make, create, and ordain, such and so many offi cers, ministers, &c. &c. as shall be thought meet by their discretions. It is evident from the indenture, and also from the charter, which recites the conditions upon which the house and revenues of Bridewell were granted, that the citizens entered into a solemn and legal obligation with Edward the Sixth, to receive into the hospital two classes only, or descriptions of objects. 1st. Poor youths, who had been virtuously brought up, to be taught some useful trade. 2nd. Idle or disorderly vagabonds, of whatsoever age, to be punished, and employed in some laborious occupation. The indenture having noticed the provision which had been made at Christ's Hospital, for the virtuous education and bringing up of the child in his infancy, provides, that "neither when the same shall grow into full age, shall (he) lack matter whereon the same may virtuously occupy himself." And then immediately follows a covenant, by which the citizens are bound to employ in their works at Bridewell, such poor as they then had, or hereafter shall have, or or receive, within their newly erected hospital of Christ Church, i. e. children who, according to the words of the charter of Bridewell, "in their infancy and tender age had not lacked honest bringing up and watching." Another object of the charity of Bridewell was, "to set on work such of the poor as they then had, or should thenceforward receive within the newly erected hospital of St. Thomas." The meaning and intention of this covenant are manifest; when the streets of London were cleared of the vagabonds, by which they were at that time infested in an extraordinary degree, it would have been of little use to put sick and sore vagrants to labour, together with the sturdy. It was therefore provided, "that they who first be sent to St. Thomas's, and when they were recovered and retored to health, should not again, as slothful and idle persons, be permitted to beg and wander about as vagabonds; but be forced in Bridewell, to practice and exercise themselves in honest occupations." The words of the original. instrument are, "when they (the vagabonds) shall be recovered and restored to health, and have power and strength, and be meet to labour, then shall they be forced to labour in the works of Bridewell." Our ancestors understood plain and substantial charity; but they had no idea of those refinements in benevolence, which have resulted from the improved state of comforts of social life. In the following reigns, granaries and store-houses for coals were erected at the expence of the city within this hospital, and the poor were employed in grinding corn with hand mills; which were greatly improved in the reign. of queen Elizabeth, when a citizen invented a mill, by which two men might grind as much corn in a day, as could be ground by ten men with the other mills, and being to be worked either by the hands or feet, if the poor were lame in the arms, they earned their living with their feet, and if they were lame in their legs, they earned their living with their arms. The old building was entirely destroyed by the dreadful fire in 1666, together with all the dwelling houses in the VOL. IV. No. 77. B precinct precinct of Bridewell, from whence had arisen two-thirds of its revenue; the hospital, however, was rebuilt in 1668, in the manner it lately appeared. It consists of two courts; in which the buildings are convenient, and designed not only for prisons and places of hard labour and punishment, but for indigent citizens; for artsmasters in several branches of trade, who together retain apprentices, that are entitled to the freedom of the city, and to 10%. each after they have served seven years. This hospital is likewise used as a house of correction for. all strumpets, night-walkers, pickpockets, vagrants, and incorrigible and disobedient servants, who are committed by the lord mayor and aldermen; as are also apprentices by the chamberlain of the city, who are obliged to beat hemp, and, if the nature of their offence requires it, to undergo the correction of whipping. A vast plan of innovation was attempted a few years since, by which not only this and the other city hospitals must have been injured, but one of the most antient usages of the citizens materially infringed upon *. After several mcans had been used in various publications to decry the original and proper object for which Bridewell Hospital was instituted, and every prejudice which could be excited to render the establishment useless in its intention; the following speculative suggestion of reform was attempted to be introduced, contrary to the very words and spirit of the charter, and repugnant to the motives which created the charity. By this plan, the revenues of Bridewell were to be converted to support "An institution for convalescents from the various city hospitals. sweepers. for discharged prisoners. for discharging apprentices of chimney A school of occupation for boys. See the reverend Mr. Bowen's Remarks on the Constitution, &c. of Bridewell. A school A school of occupation for girls. A school for boys on board a vessel on the Thames. To give apprentice fees. A general provision of work for all who want it." The governors, however, revolving the merits of these different schemes, wisely reflected, that, as trustees for an hospital endowed for specific purposes, it was not open for them to conclude "Whether some other mode of charity might not be more useful; but that it was their duty to carry into effect the peculiar objects of their own trust, in the best manner possible." Indeed to such a pitch had this furor of reform arrived, that it was suggested "seven years apprenticeship was more than necessary," and the very sytem condemned. With respect to the apprentices of Bridewell Hospital, it was observed, "that a considerable loss and inconvenience is occasioned by the precise period for which they are bound to their trade, viz. seven years; and that if boys and girls could be taught some easy and useful employment for a shorter period, more young persons might be endowed with the means of an honest livelihood than can be in the present mode of an apprenticeship for seven years." "But," This was a bold attack upon an antient usage. says the reverend Mr. Bowen, in his "Remarks," "There are many good reasons which justify the policy of our ancestors, in instituting septennial apprenticeships. It is right in a moral point of view, that a youth should be kept under proper restraint till he has attained his majority. And it is equitable that a master, who has the unprofitable labour of teaching a lad during the first, should reap some emolument from the last years of his servitude. But in this case, as in that of the vagrants, the recommendation of the committee (for reforming Bridewell) is unfortunately at variance with the laws and institutions of the country. It is not lawful for any person to set up, use, &c. any craft, mystery, or occupation, now used within the realm of England and |