Mr. Pepys to the President and Governours of Christ-Hospital upon the present state of the said hospital.: To the Honour'd Sir John Moor, Kt. and President, and the rest of my honour'd friends, the governours of Christ-Hospital. : York-Buildings, Monday, Novem. 21. 1698.

Mr. PEPYS To the President, and Governours of CHRIST-HOSPITAL upon the Present State of the said HOSPITAL.

To the Honour'd Sir John Moor, Kt. and President, and the rest of my Honour'd Friends, the Gover∣nours of CHRIST-HOSPITAL.

York-Buildings. January 25th. 1698 / 9.

Gentlemen,

LET not (I beg you) my Appearance here yet once more as I now do, be imputed to any Satisfaction I have in the uneasiness of this Court, whose Honourer I truly am; nor yet to the Want of where∣with otherwise to employ every Hour of my Life, more to my own Con∣tent; but to the Sincerity of that Concernment for the Prosperity of this House, which I shall always bear about me, while They at least who first called me to it (My Lord Mayor, I mean, and Court of Aldermen) shall think fit to suspend the Delivering me of the Share I yet hold, as their Servant, in the Charge of it. A Favour I have been long their Suitor for, and should thankfully acknowledge any Assistance from this Court towards it.

Not that it is my Purpose to trouble You with ought I have at any time already laid before You: But what alone You have Your selves been pleased to administer fresh Subject to me for, since the Date of my last. And particularly,

1st.—In the Ʋnconcernedness wherewith this Court is still pleas'd (after all I have been able to inculcate concerning it) to over-look the making-up of your Publick States and Lists of the Children of the Royal Foundation, annually requir'd from You by the King, and ex∣pressly calculated for the Service of the Crown. Whereof not One has

now for some Years past, been composed with the Integrity becoming the Dispensers of so Sacred and Princely a Charity. Nor of them all; any One so little justifyable, as that which was last deliver'd as Your New-Years-Gift into the King's Own Hand by Your Treasurer's, in the Name not only of the President and Body of us the Governours of this Hospital, but of the Lord Mayor also of this City, the First Trustee of the Crown for that Foundation.

Which how far his Lordship or this Court shall think fit to sit-down∣with, I ask not; but hold it my Duty to make (as I hereby do) my own most solemn Protest against it; as against a Paper, neither sincere, nor true; but (as such) most injurious to the Honour both of Hospital and City.

2ly.—In your arraigning the Credit of your own Dealings (beyond all that could be offer'd to it from without Doors) in the Publick Review lately had by Your Order, of that One Chapter of Your Treasurer's Accompt which specially relates to that Foundation. An Accompt, that after a Demand of more than two Years standing, and as long a Preparation, has been once actually laid (as from this House) before the Court of Lord Mayor and Aldermen; with Copies of it gone abroad, and one of them now in my Hand. And this Review executed, not by the Body of Your Auditors, nor yet of those of them whose Hands lie originally at Stake for the Truth of it; But by a Junto of the Treasurer's single Appoint∣ment: of whom the Greater Part such, as appear not to have assisted at any One Audit, within the whole Time of his Treasurership; nor now dispos'd (for ought I hear) to assert under their Hands the Truth of what they have been so doing, and are this day design'd to give You their Report of. A Proceeding most hazardous, if not of certain injury to the Honour of this Place; by adding to the Difficulty of justifying this Double Accompt, even where they agree; the yet greater of reconciling them, in what they differ.

Which being the Case; the most effectual Proof I can hope to give You of my Solicitousness for the Credit of this Court, against the Enqui∣ries of a yet Higher Form to be expected into this and every other Arti∣cle of your Treasurer's Accompts; where not his Hand only (as now) but his Oath also and his Accomptant's will be held little enough to gain them Admission: is the directing you to the Worthy Members of this Body, whose singular Applications to, and long Inspection into the Business of your Compting-House, do especially intitle them to the Charge of seeing Right done both to Themselves, to you, and to the Poor therein,-viz.

• Sir Mat. Andrews.
• Sir Will. Russel.
• Mr. Stroud.
• Sir Edm. Turner.
• Mr. Lockington.
• Mr. Foster.

Who having, among them, been at the Audit of, and warranted by their Signing, every Accompt (from first to last) of the present Treasurer; have therein done more than any like Number, or even the whole re∣maining Ninety of your Committee of Auditors.

Nor, for the same reason, ought I to neglect the noting to you the no less Worthy Gentlemen, to whose eight Months Labour, and special Influence, signaliz'd at your late Select Committee for the State

of your House, You stand most indebted; and for the advantageous Re∣port they are pleas'd at this very day to entertain the World with, of it—viz.

• Mr. Midgley.
• Mr. St-Amand.
• Doctor Carr.
• Mr. Lane.
• Mr. Boddington.
• Mr. Mallory.

Upon whom also I do myself chiefly rely, for the Convictions promis'd me, of the Errors of my own less grateful Computations touching the same: When (by the Delivery of this Accompt of Yours to the Court of Aldermen) You shall become possess'd of that Report of mine lying with them, by which you will be admitted to such a View of our Wretchedness, as was never yet expos'd to, nor is (I fear) ever likely to be otherwise come-at, by this Court.

On which Score, and that no Time may be lost in your Arrival there∣at; let me once more beg Your hastening the Removal of the Impediment given thereto, by your Refusal of this Accompt to that Court: In con∣tradiction to the most mature Resolution taken by One of your own, summon'd in the most solemn Manner, and on the most solemn Occasion; that the Business or Trust of this House is capable of; and owing on∣ly to the Presumption of a Private One, not yet confirm'd by any other; and so rendring the whole Transaction of this Committee entirely Ex∣tra-judicial; and as such, by a Worthy Member of this Body most just∣ly and publickly protested-against.

Besides; that till the matter of our Revenue (the sole Subject of that Report) receive a Decision; it seems too soon to proceed to what I have yet behind, upon the so-often-mention'd Article of the Moral State of this Hospital: As thinking it of little Ʋse, and less Satisfaction, to be offering more Matter for Grief and Reproach from the Pollution of its Manners; till better assur'd of wherewith to support them, when (by being better'd) they shall be brought to deserve it.

Which no Man (I fear) will think they now do▪ that is privy (as I am) to the Ʋniversal Looseness of them, both in Kind and Degree, beyond what is almost conceivable from a Nursery consecrated to Ʋses so pious, and to the Benefit of Objects so little to be suspected susceptible of the very thoughts of them.

A Truth too extensive to be here enter'd-on, even were it now a Time for it. Let it only suffice, as an Instance of what I shall then have but too long and ungrateful a deduction to give you of; that I recommend to your present Enquiry, the prostituted Ʋse made of the Publick Access allow'd to your Children's Devotions in the Hall and the adjacent Rooms on Sun∣day-Evenings; and particularly the Riot committed by their lewd Vi∣siters in the Girls Ward, but on Sunday last. I say, the Girls Ward; where (as blameable as I take the Whole of our present Dis∣cipline to be) nothing appears more abandon'd, than that Order and Mo∣desty which, till now, has been ever held Sacred in that Place; what∣ever might hap'ly be found less justifyable elsewhere.

And This; notwithstanding the Infamy laid (but few Evenings before) at your own Door, by a Coach conducted by the Mob, charg'd with two of your Mathematical Boys, distinguish'd by the Badge of their Royal

Founder, taken-up at Billins-gate, brought thro' the City, deliver'd to you (as before) Dead-Drunk, and by their Fellows discharg'd (insensible) into their Ward. Their Ward I say; wherein, as in the former, Excesses of the same Kind, though not in the same Measure, are (God knows) but too familiar: And particularly with Him of these Two, who being now Head of the School, and Leader in this Fact, is One, who after having en∣joy'd for near nine Years together, the Benefit of this House's Charity, and spent twice the Time originally establish'd for his Stay in that School; was but lately rejected at the Trinity-House, as not yet qualify'd for the End of his so chargeable Education. And who being also arriv'd to the full Age limited for it by the King; it seems worthy your Considering, what it is you have now to expect from One, whom Debauchery has car∣ried out of the reach of Command, before either his Learning or your Dis∣cipline has fitted him, for knowing how to Obey.

Let me only, on this Occasion, take leave to lament a little more nearly, the unhappy Conduct of this House: By which it seems at this day brought under the greatest Weight of Reproach, from that alone, which was Originally calculated for, and accordingly received, as its greatest Ho∣nour and the largest Instance of Royal Beneficence, that was ever at once confer'd on a House of Charity: I mean, this Mathematick Foundati∣on.

The Thoughts of which compel me so far at least to resume the menti∣on of the Account relating to it; as once again to recommend it to this Court, that no more Imposures on his Majesty be adventur'd-on, by Appli∣cations to his Treasury for further Payments on that Score; till We shall have first discharg'd our selves of the Debt I so long since noted to You thereon, without ought ever yet return'd me in Solution of it.

3ly.—In the little Regard had, after near two Years pass'd since the Treasurer's Resignation of his Office and Your accepting it, to the for∣warding the Adjustments of his Accounts necessary to the Execution of it: We being now entring into 1699, without any Audit closed, much less engross'd and sign'd-to for the Year 1697.

Besides that (by all I can yet learn of what is done towards it) Your Receipts for that Year have exceeded those of the Year preceding; as a∣mounting to full 12000 l.: Without a Farthing of it yet apply'd to the les∣sening either Your 13000 l. Debt to Benefactors for Purchases, or the 20000 l. I make You accountable-for to the King on his Foundation. Nor yet a∣bove 200 l. Discharg'd of the 8400 l. lately owing for Principal Money taken-up at Interest; nor more than 100. and odd Pounds given-in for your Remainder in Cash. While at the same time I have it to observe to you; that in consequence of the Importunities you have heretofore suffer'd from me, for the discontinuing your so frequent and almost unlimited Ad∣missions of Children (as the only certain Expedient I could then, or can yet propose for rescuing Us from Ruin) their Number is from 1030. lower'd to 430; and consequently, your Charge diminish'd (through the suc∣cessive Abatements of about 120 Yearly, between Easter 1694. and that now approaching 1699) by 600. Children: And the Savings there∣from (of what, had the contrary Practice continu'd, your Expence must

have amounted to) fallen little short of 15000 l; and the Condition also of your Purse, some way or other, been as much better'd. Whereas, if what has been above-inform'd me be true (which God forbid, and yet I dare not disbelieve) This also is gone; and the Hospital rests in the same Degree of Distress it was in, when thought nearest being undone.

And this too; without One Penny of our Charge retrench'd, either in the Number or Expence of our Officers, from what it was when the Number of our Children was more by Three Fifths than they now are: But so much the Contrary, as to have the Charge of Officers said to be now Greater, by several Hundreds of Pounds, under our present 430 Children; than it was in the Years 1660 and 1661 with above 1100.

For God▪s sake therefore, Gentlemen, let us from these Effects be incit∣ed, instantly and closely to Consider in what Hands the Treasure and Stock of our Poor now lye. Hands, that (in one Word) need no other Evidence of their Ʋnsitness for the Trust; than the Publick Re∣luctancy they are not asham'd to shew, to every thing that but Looks like bringing them to an Account.

Besides the Consideration, of how much more to be Lamented any Miscarriage would be, and less to be Excus'd, that should attend the Neglect of it, in case of any unexpected Change in the Person of our Treasurer; whose known Age will alone justify my Apprehension of it, even without the Help of that Declaration which Himself two Tears since thought fit spontaneously to make in open Court, of his Disability (even then) both in Body and Mind, for longer executing his Office; and therefore resigning it had it accepted of by you.

4thly,—In the Liberty taken by some Gentlemen, not of the low∣est Name in the Management of this House; of arraigning in Common Conversation as well as singly to my self, these Enquirys of mine on behalf of our Orphans; as tending at least (if not designed) to the wresting the Government of it out of their Hands, who valuing themselves upon the Title of Church-of-England-Men, seem impa∣tient under the Apprehension of being supplanted in it by the Fana∣ticks. A Thought (God knows) of too little Weight with me, for Fither's sake, to trouble my Head with: As well knowing, how lit∣tle the Felicity of Mankind has at any time been owing to Nominal Distinctions in Religion; and no less remembring, how little the Bishop of Jerusalem, St. James, could be thought ignorant of that best of Names (of Christian, I mean) when to ascertain the Religion intended by him under his Epithetes of Pure and Undefiled, he waved the Ʋse of either that or any other; and rather chose to distinguish it, by the Moral Lessons, of Visiting the Fatherless and the Widow in their Afflictions, and living unspotted of the World: Lessons read to Mankind, long before the Name of Christian or of its Holy Founder was ever heard of therein.

In pursuance of which; If to subject our Orphans to all the Consequences of a Mispent Revenue; if to add to the Affliction of their Widow-Mothers, the sorrowful Effects too often seen in them of a

corrupted Education; if the Disappointments arising from both, to the religious Purposes of their pious and bountiful Benefactors, be in the Sense of these Gentlemens Church the fulfilling of that Description; Much Good may do them with their Churchmenships; and may I be their Cast-away.

5thly.—Lastly, In the Proof so lately given me, of the little to be hoped-for of Remedy to these Evils, from what I must acknow∣ledge my having lodged my last Relyance-on, towards it: namely, The getting them fairly laid before a General-Court. Forasmuch as from the Ineffectualness of all my Endeavours on that behalf, in the Solemnity of the Summons provided for that held the 25th of November last; I find the Predominancy of those whose Business it is to obstruct it, such; as to have been able to prevent the very Reading of the Papers it was alone called to the Hearing of; and con∣sequently, to send them home as little apprised of the Import thereof to the Weal of the House, as they were at their coming thither.

From which so fresh Confirmation of a Truth I had but too often be∣fore both experimented and complain'd of; and from the further Pra∣ctices occurring to me on this occasion, of intercepting, suppressing, and otherwise indirect disposing of Papers not thought for some Private Turns fitt to be admitted to Publick View: I think it high Time for me, to lay∣down the Tenderness wherewith I have hitherto govern'd my self, in the exposing of what I have already said, and may hereafter have further to say hereon; proceeding (as I lately told You, I should) to the communi∣cating the same without Restriction to the Gentlemen of this House, in the like Open method I have (with good Acceptance) been for some time using towards the Honourable the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen our immediate Superiors, on the same Subject. I am with great respect,

Gentlemen,

Your most faithful and most humble Servant, S. Pepys.