Pietas Romana et Parisiensis, or, A faithful relation of the several sorts of charitable and pious works eminent in the cities of Rome and Paris the one taken out of the book written by Theodorus Amydenus ; the other out of that by Mr. Carr.

CHAP. VII. Of the Hospital of the Holy Ghost, situated near the Town-House, in a place called the Greeve. And of the Hospital of the Holy Trinity, in St. Denise's Street. (Book 7)

A Company of Burgesses of good note were moved to compassion by the miserable spectacle of poor Children, who through their parents death, or extream want, were reduced to such poverty that they were ready to perish with hunger and cold.

They repaired to the Bishop of the place, who erected a many of them into a Confra∣ternity, to have a joint care to relieve those poor Children; which pious office till this day they charitably comply with, as their Prede∣cessors

had done before them; and that so throughly too, that they gave these poor Chil∣dren not only their cares and pains while they were strong and well able, but some even them∣selves too when grown old, with all their sub∣stance; and so happily ended their days among them: and thereby it prospered and grew up to what it now is.

The Establishment as it was begun for the necessity of the poor Children of Paris, so it is limited to them alone; in such sort, that none can be admitted there but Children born in Paris, or the Suburbs, in lawful marriage, whose fathers and mothers are dead; Bastards, and others found in the streets, being exclu∣ded as well by the rules of the house, as by the Kings Letters Pattents. These poor Chil∣dren, qualified as above, are even taken from the breast into this Hospital, where they are provided of Nurses at the cost thereof, and are carefully visited and treated. As they grow up they are put to some Trade, as well to Masters who reside in the said Hospital, as to others abroad. Such of the Boys, as they find of good wits and otherwise capable, are bred up in learning, and become Clergy-men: or else, as well they, as the Girles, are provided for in Religion at the charges of the Hospital, if they have a will and inclination to that holy course of life. The rest are disposed of to serve some persons of quality. The boys which have learnt any trade are helped to pass Masters. And the Girls are assisted with some certain

summe of money to marry them. And being come to lawful age, what ever they may have brought with them is restored to all of them in general without limitation. They are cloathed in decent apparel of a Violet colour. There are at this day some two hundred in the house. And besides those as many as make up in all about two hundred and thirty or two hundred and forty at nurse. To all these the common Charity of Paris give subsistance.

Such provision made for the poor fatherless children of Paris: yet there were abundance of others in, and about the town, who had both father and mother, and remained yet in a more lamentable condition than those that are deprived of them. These might perish in∣deed through want of succour, yet being in their baptismal innocency they would be eter∣nally happy. Whereas these others by their ne∣cessitous and wicked parents are trained up in idleness, ignorance and malice, their pa∣rents own trade (made their miserable child's portion); and by that bad art, to which they needed no Master, they become able cheats, cut-purses and thieves; and so by that accursed trading often gain a halter and hell to boot. The Provost of the Merchants and Magistrates were excited, by this probable occasion of fu∣ture mischief to the City, to study the pre∣vention of it; and to turn a threatning mis∣chief, to a present mercy: Which was done as follows.

Two noble Germans, as it seems to be inti∣mated,

had long ago purchased two Acres of land near St. Denise's Gate, out of a pious de∣sign to lodge poor Pilgrims, who coming weary might sooner meet, with a lodging, than, in a manner with the town it self. To this pur∣pose they raised from the ground a noble fair Hall (together with some other buildings) of twenty one fathome and half long, six in breadth, and four in heighth within. This in tract of time being put to idle, impertinent and even prophane uses, the Parliament and Magistrates, out of their wisdome and charity, rescued it out of prophaness, and applyed it to the work of mercy, for which it now serves. viz. They took all the Boys which passed seven years of age out of their poor and un∣godly parents hands, and placed them in this Hospital; the care whereof was committed to five honest and able Burgesses, who pro∣vided them of men and maids to serve them. As all beginnings are weak, so was this in par∣ticular. Their small beginning stock would hardly reach to two meals a day, till the Cha∣rity of some Burgesses added to their small pittance. They are clad in blew Coats and Capps, and the place affords them food and instruction till they grow up to years of dis∣cretion: and then they are bound Apprentices to certain Journey-men of divers trades; who to this purpose are admitted to live in certain houses, all within the compass of the Hospi∣tal for certain years, and by that means to pass Masters. A Priviledge which the town

allowed of for the good of those poor Chil∣dren, who by this means are enabled to gain their livelihood honestly by their labours, without being a burthen, or a mischief to the town &c. They amount at present to the number of one hundred and fifty.