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. XI. Of the Hospital General. (Book 11)

THis Hospital is called but one (Hospital General) but branches it self into six vast places. That which bears the name, and has the Sur-intendance of all the rest, is situated in St. Victor's Suburbs (close by the Abby of that name) and is known by a more particu∣lar name, our Lady's of Pitty; which the Masters and Administrators of the place built, having to that purpose bought divers houses and gardens, and alotted them all, to receive, lodge, and nourish poor old women and young girls, whereof there are at this hour twelve hundred and odd.

The Hospitals depending upon this, are the Salpetriere, Biscestre, Scipion, the Teigniery, and the Savonnery: In which six places, above eight thousand poor Creatures are contained and maintained at present, by the care of the King, and the Magistrates, and the free and common

Charities of all the people, which is re∣ceived in small trunks or boxes, placed in Churches and Shops all the town over.

The Salpetriere is far the most ample of all these places, being built from the ground in a fair and regular Quadrangle, and is capable of four or five thousand persons. It is finely situated in a Meadow by the river side, over against the Arcenal. It was especially deputed to the use of Vagabonds and Beggars, which importuned and infested all Paris, whither they swarmed from all the Provinces. It is divided in the use of it into three quarters. One quarter is imployed to lodge poor fami∣lies, not otherwise able to live. Another for men who are obliged to work according to their abilities: And the third for little Girls even from two years old.

Scipion is in St. Marceaux Suburbs, and is wholly imployed in a work of singular Chari∣ity: viz. Poor women with child, who have not means at home to be brought to bed, are freely received there, brought to bed and lye in, being provided of Nurses and all things fitting in such a condition.

The Castle of Bicestre is an ancient building standing a little out of St. Victor's Suburbs. It is for those who have strength and ability to work. There are in it at this time about eighteen hundred men, who are kept closely to the exercise of their divers trades.

The Teignery is in St. German's Suburbs; and is imployed to keep one hundred and twenty,

who are troubled with skal'd heads. As the Savatery is alotted for the charitable enter∣tainments of sixty poor sickly boys.

Now as this is the thing of most publick and general concern of all the rest, as being a royal Establishment, and royally endowed by his Majesties liberal Concessions in many kinds; and as the end of it is, not only to relieve the poor for the present, but to prevent poverty and beggary for the time to come: great Art and Industry is used, to train up the younger sort in such manufactures as may always afford them an honest livelihood: and others who, though strong and lusty, and well able to work, yet choosed rather to live in idleness, and beg their bread, are now taught and forced to gain it by their labours. Which that it might be followed without any interruption, it is or∣dered by publick authority, that when any of them happens to be sick they are transported to the Hostel Dieu, that general Refugium Af∣flictorum which never refuseth any. Hence it is that the greatest Officers of his Majesties Court of Justice, Magistrates, &c. are intrust∣ed, and take a religious concern in the men∣agement of this vast work, in quality of ho∣nourable Survisors, having store of able, honest, and intelligent Burgesses, to put in execution what by their frequent assemblies and confer∣rences is found most conducing to the pub∣lick welfare.

And no less care is taken for the spiritual advancement of those lazy Vagabonds, who

were too neglectful of their Souls good, and would willingly have loitered it out in the streets and by-corners, with too probable hazard of eternal perdition; had they not been forced in, according to the Gospel, with fair hopes to gain the day-penny of Beatitude. This care is principally left to the wise con∣duct of a Sorborn Doctor, of great learning and vertuous reputation, his name is Mr. Polier, Governor of this Hospital in chief, Director of the Visitation, and of the Carmelites. He humbles himself to take a place, and live a∣mong these Beggars: which as it is a place of little splendor, so proves it to him of less e∣molument; save only that it affords him full utterance for ten or twelve thousand franks a year, which he stood possessed of in patrimony or benefices before he embraced that dear beggarly preferment. He has the sollicitudes of all the six places upon his own shoulders, being assisted with a matter of twenty pious Priests, who incessantly under his directions preach, teach, instruct, comfort, confess, com∣municate, &c. Here it must not be omitted to God's Glory, and the Honour of those ex∣cellent Ladies of Charity, so-often mentioned above with deserved commendations; That they were the first Movers to this vast work; by whom Mr. Vincent was often in their weekly charitable Assemblies sollicited, yea impor∣tuned to give way to, and accompany, their zeal in that kind. But his grave counsel still was, That they went too fast a pace for him (whose

custome was to walk slowly) to keep com∣pany with them. That it was a business of so great importance, and so vast extent, whe∣ther one looked upon the manner how to com∣pass it, or the means to maintain it, that it required a long and mature deliberation. For the rest, that he was singularly edified with their zeal, and infinitely blessed God in it. The first Lady that spoke freely offered to∣wards this great work fifty thousand Livres.

The second was ready to oblige her self to give three thousand Livres annual rent. In fine they assured him again and again that there should be no want of means, since many La∣dies of their acquaintances were resolved to contribute in a very large measure.

Whereupon Father Vincent had recourse to the Queen Regent, and obtained of her free Charity the Salpebry (as he had before the Castle of Biscestre) which he and those vertu∣ous Ladies, upon better consideration and se∣cond thoughts, freely consigned up into the hands of the Magistrates, who had not only stronger arms (for stronger and more coura∣gious hearts they could not have) to weald so heavy a frame, but by their power withall they were able to call many hands to lighten the burthen. Meanwhile these noble Ladies threw notable summes into these stronger hands; not much caring by whom, so God's work were done. And by their own and the good Fathers care and cost a great quantity of linnen beds, and other moveables, toge∣ther

with ten thousand Shirts by number were provided for God's new House-keepers, and to make the poor welcome.

They opened their hands to the needy, and stretched out their palms to the poor: Let their works praise them in the gates of heaven.