Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 9.djvu/390

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NOTES AND QUERIES. o s. ix. MAY 17, 1902.

but also cousin to John Hampden, and, by marriage, a connexion of Cromwell. Some have thought that Shakespeare himself was related to John Hampden ; but, in spite of heroic efforts, the Shakespearean pedigree still lies seething in the crucible. Byron, through his mother, was descended from that great poet-king, James I. of Scotland, who wrote 'The Kingis Quair,' and whose foul murder is so beautifully chronicled in Rossetti's ballad of 'The King's Tragedy.' William Cowper (also through his mother) claimed descent from an earlier poet, the great Dean of St. Paul's, John Donne ; and Donne again had an interesting pedigree, being grandson to old John Heywood, the epigrammatist, whose wife (Elizabeth Ras- tall) was granddaughter of Elizabeth More, sister of the martyred Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor. A. R. BAYLEY.

ST. MARGARET'S CHURCH AND WEST- MINSTER BENEFACTORS.

(Continued from p. 305.)

THE last benefactor of our city's poor having a monument in our old parish church is Emery Hill, whose name is more often on the lips of our citizens than almost any other, and whose memory is generally beloved and blessed. The monument is of white marble and is attached to the last pillar westwards and northwards. It is of chaste and handsome design, with the following inscription :

"Sacred | toy 8 memory of that great | Example of piety and true Christianity | M r Emery Hill | Late Inhabitant of y" Parish & worthy benefactor of y 9 Same who departed y 8 | life upon y e 27 day of June A Dm. 1677, in y 9 68 year of his age & lies here interre d | A person accomplished w th all Chr'ian races & vertues & most eminent for his | charity esides w' hee gave in his Life time he Left by his will at his death | 1 st the Revenue of severall howses in Westminster for ever for the use of | the poor Childrenn of the Kings Hospitall in tuttle fields of w ch hee | was one of y e Govern" 2'^ y e Sume of 100 11 for y 9 building of three Almes | houses in Petty france. 3 ly 7 U p. an. in fee for y e teaching of y 9 poor Childre n | of y e Parish 4 1 *' 100 U for A stock of Coales for ever for y e use of y 6 Poor of y e | Parish. 5 ] y 50 U to the Children of Christ church hospitall in London | 6 1 ? A bountifull guift for y setting upp of poor decayed Tradesmen | he Left plentiful! for y e building of Twelve | Almeshouses, AChappell & schol for six poor men & their j wifes, six poore widdowes & teaching of 20 poore | children w th Sufficient maintenance | for the same for ever | More 50 U for y e use of y e poore of y e | Company of Brewers | Besides | Severall other | charitable bequests | which we have | notrowmeto | mention." This handsome tablet is adorned with his arms, Vert, three talbots passant argent, two and one. The various benefactions of this

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notable son of our city extend over a very wide area, many of them sounding very quaint and peculiar to our twentieth-century ears, but all of them tending to the use and comfort of our less fortunate fellow- creatures ; and, to quote again and at length from the Report of 1890 now, I believe, out of print and not very easily procurable we find it recorded that by his will, dated 10 April, 1677,

" he directed the Governors of the Hospital of Green Coates, in Tuttle Fields, to allow the Church- wardens for the time being from time to time 20s. a yeare forever, to be spent in a Collation with the Treasurer and ancient Vestrymen, to be spent in June, then 'before dinner' to take a view of all the gifts given to the parish by any man or woman, and see whether they be truly entered in a book kept for that purpose, and whether the gifts be applied justly and according to the donors' intention."

The benefactor goes on to state that

" I know for want of such a yearly inspection there is a great neglect of many good works, and many a pound lost to the parish for want of looking after guifts and wills."

It may be presumed he knew what he was saying ; he was an excellent parish man, and had been churchwarden of St. Margaret's in 1651-2. If the good work just referred to was neglected, the 20s. was to go to the church- wardens of St. Mar tin's -in -the -Fields. He also gave WOl.

" for an everlasting stock, for Sea Coales for the only use of the Poore of St. Margaret'*, West- minster, that I am sure hath neither stock nor store- house. And my will and meaning is that this Hundred Pounds, noe nor any part thereof, noe nor the least proceed thereof, be ever imployed or made any other use of whatsoever so long as the world

endureth as they will answer the breach of this

trust at that great and dreadful day of Judgment when and where every man must give an accompt of all his actions whether good or bad."

He was very particular and precise as to when the coals should be laid in, which was to be

" between April and August when they were cheapest, and sold in winter at the same rate they cost, provided the Charges for laying them in and delivering the same out be saved and alwaies ex- cepted."

The vestry report tells us that the coals were deposited in a storehouse built (50. being left by will for that purpose) on part of the ground belonging to the Red Lion Alms- houses (Van Dun's), the rule being that no individual should receive more than three bushels, and it is stated that in mild seasons the stock was not distributed at all. After the demolition of the almshouses the IQQl. was invested in an Exchequer bond, and the interest applied towards the purchase of coals,