Part 17

In the infancy of this hospital, those children not exceeding two months old, who were brought first were received, till the number the Governors had agreed to admit was completed; but this only continued for a short time, the number that came for admittance occasioned great disturbance among the persons who brought them, every one striving to deliver her child first, for fear of being excluded by delivering it too late. This necessarily occasioned a new regulation.

The persons who brought children, were conduced into a large room; and those who brought boys were seated on benches at one end, and those who brought girls, at the other. When the hour of admittance was expired, a bell was rung and the doors shut. Two of the Governors then counted how many had boys, and how many girls; after which they put into one bag as many white balls as there were boys, and into another bag as many white balls as there were girls to be admitted; and to every twenty white balls they added four red ones, and so in proportion for any greater or lesser number; after which they added so many black balls, as together with the white and red ones made the number of the balls in each bag equal to the number of persons who brought boys or girls.

The balls being mixed together, one of the Governors held the bag, and calling the persons one by one from their seats, each held up her hand open in view of the Governors, and then putting it into the bag drew out a ball; and if it was a black one, she was immediately led with her child out of the hospital; while the persons who drew white and red balls, were ordered into separate rooms to prevent their changing them.

When all the balls were drawn, and the persons who had drawn black balls were discharged, those who had drawn white ones were brought in again, and seated as before. Then one who had a white ball was taken into a room, and left alone, while her child was undressed and examined in the presence of the matron, and if the Physician, Surgeon, or Apothecary attending, had any reason to believe that it had any infectious disease, or if it appeared to be above the age of two months, it was dressed again in its own cloaths, returned to the person who brought it, and taken immediately out of the hospital; but if there were no such objections, it was received, and the person who brought it dismissed.

Every child thus received, had a different letter of the alphabet tied to its wrist; and both the clerk and steward marked a billet with the letter fixed to the wrist of the child, and in this paper wrote its sex and supposed age; the day and year when inspected; the marks, if any, on its body; the particulars of its dress; and if any writing or remarkable thing was brought with it, it was mentioned in the billet, and then sealed up, marked with the letter of the child on the outside. A female servant then took the child, with the cloathing of the hospital, into the ward appointed for the taking in of children, and there delivered it to the country nurse, who had the same letter of the alphabet with that of the child.

In this manner they proceeded with respect to all who had drawn white balls, and then if any had been rejected, they took as many white balls as there were children so dismissed, put them into a bag, and added as many black balls to them, as together with the white, made up the number of persons who had drawn red balls. These were drawn in the same manner as the first; but the persons who now drew the black, might, if they desired it, stay in the house till they saw whether all the children of those who in the second drawing had got white balls, were received or rejected, till the whole number of the children appointed to be taken in were received.

This method of drawing balls, was doubtless as unexceptionable as any other that could possibly have been invented, since it left not the least room for partiality in the choice: yet all who wished well to this excellent charity, could not avoid being concerned for those who were disappointed in the hopes of gaining admission for a child, whom they had perhaps brought many miles out of the country for that purpose, and at an expence, which they were perhaps but little able to support. This is, however, now remedied, and the parliament has granted very considerable sums, on condition of all the children being taken in that are brought of the proper age, and free from infectious diseases.

The children who are sent into the country, are under the inspection of some person of character in the neighbourhood, and are cloathed and fed according to the directions given in Dr. Cadogan’s _Essay upon nursing_, during the three years they remain there.

Such children as have not had the small pox, are inoculated at three years of age, in a proper place out of the hospital.

From three years old to six, they are taught to read, and to learn the catechism; and at proper intervals employed in such a manner as may contribute to their health, and induce a habit of activity, hardiness and labour; and from that time, their work is to be such bodily labour as is most suitable to their age and strength, and is most likely to fit them for agriculture, or the sea service; such as digging, hoeing, ploughing, hedging, cleaving wood, and carrying burdens; many of them are employed in the gardens belonging to the hospital, where by their labour they supply the house with vegetables, and being instructed in gardening, are kept in readiness for such persons as may be inclined to take them into their service.

From six years of age, the girls are employed in common needle-work, knitting and spinning, and in the kitchen, laundry, and household work, in order to make them useful servants for such proper persons as may apply for them, except so many as may be necessary to be employed in the hospital; it being intended to have no other female servants in the house, but persons brought up in it when they are of proper age.

The diet of the children is plain and good of the sort; their ordinary drink is water; tea, coffee, tobacco, butter, and strong drink, are never permitted to be used by any children in the hospital. Their diversions are ordered to be such as are innocent, and require activity; and all games of chance, swearing, indecent language or behaviour, are strictly prohibited. They are constantly to attend divine service in the chapel on Sundays; and the officers of the hospital are often to remind them of the lowness of their condition, that they may early imbibe the principles of humility and gratitude to their benefactors; and learn contentedly to undergo the most servile and laborious offices; for it is considered, that notwithstanding the innocence of the children, yet, as they are exposed and abandoned by their parents, they ought to submit to the lowest stations, and should not be educated in such a manner, as to put them upon a level with the children of parents who have the humanity and virtue to preserve, and the industry to support them.

When any person shall claim a child, they are to leave a petition with the Secretary, directed to the Governors: this, the Secretary is to deliver to the general committee, who are to transmit it to the house committee, and to give orders, that the person petitioning attend them at a day appointed; when the house committee shall enquire, what right they have to the child; what are their circumstances; whether they are able and willing to provide for the child; what security they can give for that purpose, and what satisfaction they can make to the hospital for the expence to which it has been put, by the maintenance of the child; which committee shall report the same to the next general committee, with their opinion thereupon. If the proposal made by the parent, and the report, is satisfactory to the general committee, they are then, and not before, to order the billets to be opened, and the register searched; and if they find the child is living, may make an order to deliver such child to its parent or relation, which order is not to be delivered till they have complied with the terms required by the committee. Every person to whom a child is so delivered, is to provide cloathing for that child, in which it is to be dressed, and the cloathing of the hospital to be left with the steward.

When any are discharged on having attained the age appointed for that purpose, by act of parliament, that is, twenty-four for the males, or twenty-one for the females; or when any of the girls shall be married, with the consent of the committee; the general committee may, at their discretion, give them cloaths, money, or necessaries, not exceeding the value of 10_l._ but as it is hoped, that the males and females will be able at those years to get an honest livelihood by their industry, this charity is to be cautiously and seldom practised, except on the marriage of the girls.

FOUNTAIN _alley_, 1. Maiden lane, Southwark.* 2. Silver street, Bloomsbury market.*

FOUNTAIN _court_, 1. Aldermanbury.* 2. Bread street, Cheapside.* 3. Chandos street.* 4. Cheapside. 5. Lothbury.* 6. St. Martin’s lane, Charing Cross.* 7. Middle Temple.* 8. In the Minories.* 9. Shoe lane.* 10. In the Strand.*

FOUNTAIN _stairs_, Rotherhith.*

FOUR CROWN _court_, Rosemary lane.*

FOUR DOVE _court_, 1. St. Martin’s le Grand.* 2. Noble street, Foster lane.*

FOUR SWAN _yard_, Mile end green.*

FOX _court_, 1. Fox lane, Wapping.* 2. Gray’s Inn lane.* 3. St. James’s street.* 4. Newgate street.* 5. Queen square.* 6. Snow hill.*

FOX AND CROWN _court_, Barbican.*

FOX AND GOOSE _alley_, Peter’s lane.*

FOX AND GOOSE _yard_, London wall.*

FOX AND HOUNDS _yard_, Bishopsgate street.*

FOX AND KNOT _court_, Cow lane, West Smithfield.*

FOX _lane_, Upper Shadwell.*

FOX ORDINARY _court_, a handsome well-built court in St. Nicholas lane, Lombard street; so called from a public eating house formerly there. _Stow._

FOX _yard_, Duke street, Great Russel street.*

FOGWELL _court_, Charterhouse lane.†

FRAMEWORK-KNITTERS, or STOCKING-WEAVERS, are a society incorporated by letters patent granted by Charles II. in the year 1663, by the extraordinary title of _The Master, Wardens, Assistants and Society of the art and mystery of Framework-knitters in the cities of London and Westminster, the kingdom of England and dominion of Wales_.

This company consists of a Master, two Wardens, eighteen Assistants, and fifty-eight Liverymen, whose fine for the livery is 10_l._ They have a small hall in Redcross street.

FRANCIS’S _court_, Bartlet’s street.†

FRANCIS _street_, Golden square.†

FRANCIS _yard_, Brook street.†

FRANKLIN’S _row_, Chelsea.†

FRANSHAW’S _court_, Leadenhall street.†

FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF LONDON, a space of ground without the gates, and within the liberty of the city, bounded by an irregular line, which separates the freedom from the county of Middlesex. This line begins at Temple Bar, which is the only gate fixed at the extremity of the city liberties, and extending by many turnings and windings, through part of Shear lane, Bell yard, Chancery lane, by the Rolls liberty, &c. extends into Holborn, almost opposite to Gray’s Inn, where there are bars to shew its utmost limits on that side.

From Holborn Bars it passes with many turnings, by Brook street, Furnival’s Inn, Leather lane, Hatton Garden, Ely House, Field lane and Chick lane, to the common sewer, where it returns westward to Cow Cross, and so to Smithfield Bars.

From Smithfield Bars it runs with several windings between Long lane and Charter house lane to Goswell street, and up that street northward to the bars.

From Goswell street Bars, where the manor of Finsbury begins, it winds across Golden lane at the posts and chain set up there, to the posts and chain in Whitecross street, and from thence to the posts and chain in Grub street; and then thro’ Ropemakers alley to the posts and chain in the highway from Moorgate; and from thence by the north side of the four quarters of Moorfields, all abutting upon Finsbury manor, where it returns northward up to the bars in Bishopsgate street; and from thence eastward into Spitalfields, abutting upon Norton Falgate.

From Norton Falgate it returns southward by Spitalfields, and then southeast by Wentworth street to Whitechapel Bars.

From Whitechapel Bars it winds more southerly, leaving out the Little Minories and Goodman’s fields, from which it returns westward to the posts and chain in the Minories, and thence more westerly till it comes to London Wall, where it abuts upon the Tower liberty, and there ends.

Though this line in its several turnings is of great length, yet the ground between it and the wall is but narrow, so that the extent in acres is not answerable to its circumambulation. It is in length 21,370 feet, which is about four miles, and yet the ground comprehended between the line of the city wall, and this line of separation, is but 300 acres. _Stow._

FREEMAN’S _court_, Cornhill.†

FREEMAN’S _lane_, Horselydown.†

FREEMAN’S _yard_, Cornhill.†

FREE SCHOOL-HOUSE _street_, Horselydown.☐

FREESTONE _alley_, Eagle court, St. John’s lane.

FREESTONE _court_, Artillery lane.

FRENCH _alley_, 1. Goswell street. 2. Quaker street, Spitalfields.

FRENCH _Almshouse_, in Black Eagle street, Spitalfields, contains convenient apartments for forty-five poor men and women, who are every week allowed 2_s._ 3_d_. a bushel of coals each, and apparel every other year.

This house belongs to the French church in Threadneedle street, near the Royal Exchange, and to that in Black Eagle street. The society by which it is supported, Mr. _Maitland_ observes, appears to be the most charitable and generous, from an inscription round a large pewter dish in the possession of Mr. Henry Guinand, an eminent French merchant in Little St. Helen’s, (when deacon of the church) who collected the under-mentioned sum in gold, bank notes, &c. The inscription is as follows: _La collecte qui s’est faite a l’eglise Françoise de Londres, & à celle de l’hopital dans Black Eagle street, pour les pouvre de la dite eglise, le 10 Mars, 1727–28. a produit £1248 7 6._ That is: The collection made in the French church of London, and that of the hospital in Black Eagle street, for the poor of the said churches, amounted to 1248_l._ 7_s._ 6_d_.

FRENCH HOSPITAL, contiguous to the Pesthouse on the south side of St. Luke’s parish, was erected in the year 1717, and the Governors by letters patent of the 4th of King George I. in 1718, were constituted a body politic and corporate, by the name of _The Governor and Directors of the hospital for the poor French Protestants, and their defendants, residing in Great Britain_.

This hospital at present contains 220 poor helpless men and women, 146 of whom are upon the foundation, and are plentifully supplied with all the necessaries of life, at the expence of the hospital; but the other seventy-four are paid for by their friends, at the rate of 9_l._ a year each. This charity also extends to lunatics, for whose accommodation a large infirmary is provided.

To this foundation belong a Chaplain, Physician, Surgeon, and other proper officers, who carefully attend the pensioners, and administer to their several necessities. _Stow, last edit._

FRENCH HOUSE OF CHARITY, in Spitalfields, commonly called the _Soup_, was erected about sixty years ago, for the relief of necessitous families, whose number in the year 1733 amounted to two hundred and ninety-six. This house, which is supported by the charitable benefactions and contributions of well-disposed persons, is under the direction of a certain number of Governors and Governesses, who at first supplied the poor under their care with money; but many of them, without the least regard to their distressed families, wickedly disposing of the money in spirituous liquors, tobacco, &c. the managers agreed for the future to allow these poor families provisions instead of money, according to their several necessities; some therefore are allowed two portions a week, others three or four, and the most necessitous, six: each portion consisting of a pan of good soup, mixed with six ounces of bread, half a pound of meat, and the same weight of dry bread. The expence of this charity amounts to 500_l._ _per annum_. _Maitland._

FRENCH EPISCOPAL CHURCH, in Threadneedle street, near the Royal Exchange. In this place was formerly a synagogue built by the Jews about the year 1231, but in the reign of King Henry III. the Christians obtained it of that Prince, who granted it to the brotherhood of St. Anthony of Vienna, and it was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. Afterwards an hospital was added, called St. Anthony’s of London, with a large free-school; and this hospital which was allowed by Edward IV. to have priests, clerks, scholars, poor men and brethren, with choristers, proctors, messengers, servitors, &c. like the convent of St. Anthony of Vienna, was about the year 1485, appropriated to the collegiate church of St. George at Windsor. This school in the reign of Henry VI. was one of the most celebrated in England, and the scholars used at a certain time in the year to go in procession; particularly on the 15th of September 1562, there set out from Mile end two hundred children of St. Anthony’s school, who marched through Aldgate down Cornhill, to the Augustine Friars, with flags and streamers flying, and drums beating. But at length Johnson, one of the schoolmasters, becoming a Prebendary of Windsor, ruined the hospital; spoilt the choir of the church; conveyed away the plate and ornaments; then the bells; and lastly turned the almsmen out of their houses, allowing only 12_d_. a week to each. These houses were afterwards let out for the sake of the rent, and the church at length became a place of worship for the use of the French, who hold it of the church of Windsor.

This church being destroyed by the fire of London, was rebuilt, and is still possessed by the French and Walloons, who here perform divine service, after the manner of the church of England, in the French tongue; but though it is a pretty large and commodious edifice, it is not sufficient to accommodate all the communicants; they therefore make an exchange with the Dutch church in Austin Friars every first Sunday in the month, where the Lord’s supper is constantly administered in French, the Dutch preaching on that day in the French church in Threadneedle street.

FRENCH EPISCOPAL CHURCH, on the east side of St. Martin’s lane. Here originally stood the parish church of St. Martin’s Ongar; that edifice was almost destroyed by the fire of London, but part of the steeple of the old church remains; this has a dial which hangs over into the street, and the parish is united to St. Clement’s East Cheap. However, as part of the tower and nave remained, and was found capable of repairs, after the above dreadful conflagration, a body of the French protestants of the church of England, obtained a lease of them of the Minister and Churchwardens, which was confirmed by an act of parliament; and a church was erected for their use, in which divine service is still performed after the manner of the church of England. _Maitland._

FRENCH _court_, 1. Artillery lane, Spitalfields. 2. Cock lane. 3. Harrow alley. 4. Little Broad street. 5. Pig street. 6. Wentworth street.

FRENCH ORDINARY _court_, Crutched Friars.

FRENCH _yard_, 1. Artichoke lane. 2. Spital square.

FRENCH _wharf_, Millbank.†

FRESH _wharf_, Thames street.

FRIDAY _street_, Cheapside.

FRIER’S _alley_, Wood street, Cheapside.†

FRIER’S _court_, 1. Old street.† 2. Red Mead lane, near the Hermitage.†

FRIER’S _lane_, Thames street.†

FRIER’S _rents_, 1. Blackman’s street.† 2. Fishmongers alley.†

FRIER’S _street_, Black Friars.†

FRIERY, in Pall Mall.

FRITH _street_, by Soho.

FROGGET’S _court_, Thieving lane.†

FROG _island_, Nightingale lane, Limehouse.

FROG _lane_, Islington.*

FROGMORE, near Windsor, the seat of the late Duchess Dowager of Northumberland, lately purchased by the Hon. Edward Walpole, Esq.

FRUITERERS, a company incorporated by letters patent granted by King James I. in the year 1605. They are governed by a Master, two Wardens, and thirty Assistants, and have a livery of sixty-three members, whose fine on their admission is 5_l._ They have no hall, and therefore usually meet in that of the parish clerks.

FRYING PAN _alley_, 1. Berwick street.* 2. In the Borough.* 3. Brown’s gardens.* 4. Deadman’s Place.* 5, Fore street, Lambeth.* 6. Golden lane.* 7. Great Swan alley.* 8. St. John street, West Smithfield.* 9. Kent street, Southwark. 10. Maze, Southwark.* 11. Oxford street.* 12. Petticoat lane.* 13. Redcross street, Cripplegate.* 14. Tothill street.* 15. Turnmill street.* 16. Wheeler street.* 17. Wood street, Cheapside.*

FRYING PAN _stairs_, Wapping Dock.*

FRYING PAN _yard_, Back street, Lambeth.*

FRY’S _alley_, Spring street.†

FRY’S _court_, Tower hill.†

FULHAM, a village four miles from London, on the side of the Thames, over which it has a wooden bridge to Putney; for the passing of it not only horses, coaches, and all other carriages, but also foot passengers pay toll.

FULLER’S _Almshouse_, at Mile end, was founded in the year 1592, pursuant to the will of Judge Fuller, for twelve ancient poor men of Stepney parish, for whose relief he endowed it with lands in Lincolnshire to the value of 50_l._ _per annum_.

In the same year was also founded, in conformity to the will of the same judge, an almshouse in Old street, Hoxton, for twelve poor women, each of whom has an allowance of 4_l._ a year, and three bushels of coals. _Maitland._

FULLER’S _court_, East Smithfield.†

FULLER’S _rents_, near Golden lane, High Holborn.†

FULLER’S _street_, Hare street, Shoreditch.

FULLER’S _school_. See IRONMONGER ROW _School_.

FUMBLER’S _yard_, Priests alley, Tower street.║

FULWOOD’S _rents_, High Holborn.

FURNIVAL’S _Inn_, on the north side of Holborn, almost opposite Staples Inn, is one the Inns of Chancery. It took its name, according to Mr. Stow, from its formerly belonging to Sir William Furnival, Knt. It is a handsome old building of great extent. The entrance is in the middle by a large gate, which leads into a spacious court, behind which is a pleasant garden.

FURNIVAL’S INN _court_, Holborn.☐

FURRIERS _alley_, Shoe lane.

_End of the_ SECOND VOLUME.