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major part of them; and, in all cases, the governess to have three, and the secretary, two voices.

That all rules for governing the children, under five years of age, shall be made by the governess, her secretary, and their assistants; that the government of the whole, under such rules, be in the governess.

That all female children shall continue under the sole government and direction of the governess, until they attain the full age of twentyone years, or are married by her consent.

That all male children, at the age of five years, shall be separated from the female, and put under government of the several masters, to be appointed to instruct them in learning arts and trades, according to their several capacities, and the rules of the house.

That the principal chaplain be governor of the male children above five years of age, according to such rules, as shall be made from time to time, for well ordering the said hospital.

That all parish-found children, under the age of three years, shall be admitted into the said hospital, as soon as it is built, for two shillings per week, or the sum of fifteen pounds, to be paid at the election of the overseers, or vestry of the parish, that send them, to continue there twenty-one years.

That there shall be appointed proper mistresses, to instruct all the children, under five years of age, in reading and arts, according to their capacities, who are to have salaries and subsistence from the house, by such rules as shall be made from time to time, as occasion happens; which mistresses are all to be subject to the governess.

That like mistresses be appointed, for instructing the female children in plain-work, lace-making, point-embroidery, and all other female arts, according to their several capacities, and under the like government.

That masters, in several mysteries, arts, and handicrafts, be appointed, to teach the male children, as painters, engravers, carvers, watchmakers, smiths, and carpenters, of all sorts; salemakers, taylors, shoemakers, and many other trades, according to their ge niusses, strengths, and several capacities.

That an able register be appointed, to set down, and keep, a due account of the day of the enterance of every child into the hospital, with the proper marks of its body, colour of its cloaths, and other things about it, with its hospital name, and where it was found, with its own name, if a note be left thereof, to the end that any one may recover their lost child, if they please; that the register take care to cause all children to be instructed in fair writing and accounts, according to their several capacities.

That all names are to be given by the governess, and that every child, upon its being brought into the hospital, shall be marked with a cross of blue under the brawn of the arm, with the day and year of its admittance; to the end they may be found out and recovered, if they should chance to conveigh themselves out of the hospital

before the age of twenty-one years, to defraud it of the benefit of the mystery, art, or trade they have learned.

That a woman, sufficiently skilled in writing and accounts, be appointed secretary to the governess and company of midwives, to be pre sent at all controversies about the art of midwifery, to register all the extraordinary accidents happening in the practice, which all licensed midwives, are, from time to time, to report to the society; that the female secretary be reckoned an assistant to the government, next to the governess, and capable of succeeding in her stead, if chosen there. unto by the governess, in her life-time, with the approbation of his majesty, his heirs, and successors.

That the principal physician, or man-midwife, examine all extraordinary accidents, and, once a month at least, read a publick lecture to the whole society of licensed midwives, who are all obliged to be present at it, if not employed in their practice; and he shall deliver a copy of such reading, to be entered into the book to be kept for that purpose: a copy of which shall be made out to any person, demanding the same, for such reasonable fee, as shall be appointed by the government, and shall be free, for any licensed midwife, at all convenient times, to have recourse to the said book, and to read any part of the same gratis.

That no men shall be present at such publick lectures, on any pretence whatsoever, except such able doctors and surgeons, as shall enter themselves students in the said art, and pay, for such their admittance, ten pounds, and ten pounds a year; five pounds to the house, and the other five to be divided equally between the governess and the chief doctor, or surgeon, that shall be director of the house for the time being.

That all physicians and surgeons, so admitted students and prac titioners in the art of midwifery, shall be of council with the principal man-midwife, and be capable of succeeding him, by election of the governess, her secretary, twelve assistants, and the twenty-four lower assistants, or the major part of them all: elections to be made by balloting, the governess three balls, and the secretary two balls.

That the man-register, and secretary of the house, be under the command and direction of the whole government thereof for all business, except the art of midwifery, which is to be meddled with by none, but the governess, female secretary, man-midwife, and their assistants.

That any child, under the age of one year, whose parents are known, or not known, shall be admitted into the house, under the rules of being there twenty-one years; provided there be paid into the stock of the hospital the sum of thirty pounds, at the sending in of the said child.

That any person, or persons, who would have a child out of the said society, shall have power to examine the register, whether the êhild, by its marks, be living or dead, and may redeem the same, being under the age of five years, for twenty-five pounds, or being of that age, or under the age of seven years, for forty pounds; and from seven to ten, for fifty pounds; but, after the age of ten years,

every year it continues in the house, shall advance ten pounds in the price of the redemption, till such times they attain the age of fifteen; after which time, no increase of the price of redemption shall be upon any child; any one being, at any time, to be free for a hundred pounds, or less, if the governess of the house, her secretary, twelve assistants, or the major part of them, consent to the same; the governess hath three, and the female secretary two voices, which are to be given by the chaplain, register, and treasurer, if it be a male child that is to be redeemed; but, if it be a female, then the power to rest in themselves.

That all the money, coming to the said hospital, either by annual payments, charity, redemption, or any other ways whatsoever, shall be placed into one common treasury, to be kept in one, or more iron chests; not to be opened, but by the consent of the governess, her secretary, the chief chaplain, or him that shall be governor of the male children, the register, and treasurer, who shall each of them have a key to so many several locks; and the said monies, other than the constant salaries of the officers, and daily mainte nance of the children, shall not be applied to any extraordinary use, but such as shall be appointed by the whole government of the hospital, in which number the keepers of those keys, for such purposes, are to be accounted part.

The accounts whereof, and of all monies coming into, or going out from the same, shall be kept by the register; and free access shall be had at all times, to the same, gratis, by the governors, or any of the visitors of the said hopital; and that, once a month, all comings in and goings. out, and all other transactions on that account, shall be, by the register, fairly entered into a book for that purpose, which, shall always remain with the governess, and not to be taken out upon any pretence whatsoever; and that any person may search the register's book, for the fee of sixpence for one year's

search.

That rules shall be made, from time to time, by the government, for trying the geniusses of the children, and dividing them into se veral classes and employments, according to their several capacities, and for entering them under proper mistresses and masters, upon certain salaries, or, otherwise, binding them apprentices to the said mistresses and masters within the house, or for clothing them, during their residence in, or at their going out of the said hos pital.

As likewise for all other accidents, as lunaticks, idiots, and other infirmities, diseases, and sicknesses, and for separating the infirm from the healthful, and the infectious diseases from the other sick, and for all other contingencies, as there shall be occasion.

That none shall be detained, against their wills, above the time of twenty-one years, nor turned out at that time, if they desire to stay; it being in the power of any of them, at that age, to enter him, or herself, subject to the rules and duties of the house, for their natural lives; nor are any of them incapacitated to get their livings abroad, nor, being within the house, at any time to be turned out, but are

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to be maintained by them in necessary meat, drink, cloaths, and lodging, during their natural lives, or till they recover of their distempers, so as to be able and willing to leave the same.

But no person, once discharged, and out of the care of the house for six months, shall be capable of demanding enterance into the same again, or of maintenance from it, but by the consent of the government thereof; and that such, as return to the house, shall give good testimony, that they have spent their time well, and without scandal, or be for ever expelled the society.

That further rules, for the establishment and foundation of the said community, or hospital, and for visiting the same, may be ap. pointed in the charter for endowing the same; and such penalties imposed, on such as practise without license from the corporation, as to your majesty's wisdom shall seem meet.

To which all is humbly submitted.

THE

PROPHECY OF BISHOP USHER.

To which is added two Letters;

ONE FROM

SIR WILLIAM BOSWELL,

(AMBASSADOR AT THE HAGUE),

TO THE MOST REVEREND WILLIAM LAUD,

LATE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY;

THE OTHER FROM

THE REVEREND JOHN BRAMHALL,

BISHOP OF DERRY IN IRELAND,

TO THE MOST REVEREND JAMES USHER,

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London, printed in the Year 1687. Quarto, containing twelve pages.

THE

is

HE prediction of the most learned and pious Archbishop Usher very remarkable: as it was printed about seven years ago with license, and the truth of the matter of fact therein delivered, never, that I krow of, denied, but confirmed by many, which, in short, was thus that the year before this holy primate died (who was buried in the Abbey at Westminster, the 17th of April, 1656, the usurper Cromwell allowing two hundred pounds towards his funeral; so great his worth, that it even charmed that tyrant, otherwise far from

being a friend to any of his profession) an intimate friend of the archbishop's asking him, among other discourse, what his present apprehensions were concerning a very great persecution which should fall upon the church of God in those nations of England, Scotland, and Ireland (of which he had heard him speak with great confidence many years before, when we were in the highest and fullest state of outward peace and settlement) and whether he did believe those sad times to be past, or that they were yet to come? he answered, that they were yet to come, and that he did as confidently expect it as ever he had done: adding, that this sad persecution would fall upon all the protestant churches of Europe. His friend arguing, that he hoped the affliction might now be over, and be intended of our late calamitous civil wars; the reverend prelate túrning towards him, and fixing his eyes upon him, with that serious and severe look, which he usually had when he spoke God's Word, and not his own, and when the power of God seemed to be upon him, and to constrain him to speak, said thus: Fool not yourselves with such hopes, for I tell you, all, you have yet seen, hath been but the beginning of sorrows, to what is yet to come upon the protestant churches of Christ, who will, before long, fall under a sharper persecution than ever yet has been upon them; therefore said he to him, look you be not found in the outward court, but a worshiper in the temple before the altar, for Christ will measure all those that profess his name, and call themselves his people; and outward worshipers he will leave out, to be trodden down by the Gentiles. The outward court, says he, is the formal christian, whose religion lies in performing the outside duties of christianity, without having an inward life and power of faith and love, uniting them to Christ, and those God will leave to be trodden down, and swept away by the Gentiles: but the worshipers within the temple, and before the altar, are those who' do indeed worship God in spirit and in truth, whose souls are made his temples, and he is honoured and adored in the most inward thoughts of their hearts, and they sacrifice their lusts and vile affec tions, yea, and their own wills to him; and these God will hide in the hollow of his hand, and under the shadow of his wings? And this shall be one great difference between this last, and all the other preceding persecutions: for, in the former, the most eminent and spiritual ministers and christians did generally suffer most, and were most violently fallen upon; but in this last persecution, these shall be preserved by God, as a seed to partake of that glory which shall immediately follow, and come upon the church, as soon as ever this storm shall be over; for as it shall be the sharpest, so it shall be the shortest persecution of them all; and shall only take away the gross hypocrites, and formal professors, but the true spiritual believers shall be preserved till the calamity be over-past.

His friend then asked him, by what means or instruments this great trial should be brought on? He answered, by the papists. His friend replied, that it seemed very improbable they should be able to do it, since they were now little countenanced, and but few in

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