The following January was very propitious to the funds of Bethlehem hospital, several gentlemen having subscribed towards the erection of the wings for incurables. One of these gifts was 500_l._ a second 200_l._ and another 100_l._ with a promise of the same sum annually for four years; they unanimously concealed their names. M. Mahomet, a Turk, and a valet-de-chambre to George I. died in 1726, of whom it was said, "He wore the habit of a Turk, but had many Christian virtues, being profusely liberal to the poor; and is said to have discharged near 300 debtors from prison for small sums, since his coming into England." A Mrs. Palmer died in 1727, who bequeathed the following large sums in charities: 4000_l._ for propagating the Gospel abroad; 4000_l._ for promoting Christian knowledge in the Highlands of Scotland; 2000_l._ to queen Anne's bounty; 2000_l._ to Bethlehem hospital; 500_l._ to the charity school of St. Andrew's, Holborn; and 500_l._ to poor widows, who received no alms from the parish. She resided in the parish of St. Andrew; but was buried at St. Giles's, Cripplegate. The King honoured the Corporation of London with his company to dinner, in October, 1727; when on his way, a person presented him a petition, beseeching relief for the various prisoners for debt in London; this he received in the most gracious manner, and immediately ordered 1000_l._ to be paid to the Sheriffs for that purpose. A Committee of the House of Commons visited the various prisons of the Metropolis, by order of the House, in March, 1729, when they found 30 miserable wretches in the greatest extremity, through illness and want, at the Marshalsea; which operated so forcibly on their feelings, that they immediately contributed sufficient to procure them medical assistance, nurses, cloaths, and food. Bloomsbury-market, built by the duke of Bedford, was opened in March, 1730, to the great satisfaction of the neighbourhood. On the following Monday, the Duke bought all the unsold meat at the market-price, and had it distributed to the reduced housekeepers, and other necessitous persons, inhabitants of the parish of St. Giles's[31:A]. 630 chaldrons of coals were purchased in June, 1730, for the use of the poor of the several wards within the city of London. There were dreadfully destructive fires at Blandford and Tiverton in 1731; the sufferers from which received unusual commiseration from the whole kingdom, and large subscriptions. The King gave 100_l._ to each of those towns, and the several wards of London made considerable collections. In the year 1733, four Charity Sermons were preached in the parish of St. Margaret, Westminster, and a collection made from door to door, which amounted to 125_l._ intended for certain inhabitants of Saltzburg, who were persecuted for their religious opinions, and desirous of emigrating to Georgia.