Christ’s Hospital is situated between Newgate Street and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in Smithfield. Here, as has been observed already, was anciently a monastery of grey friars, founded about the year 1325, which, upon the dissolution of monasteries, was surrendered to King Henry VIII., anno 1538, who, in the last year of his reign, transferred it to the City of London for the use of the poor. King Edward VI. endowed this hospital—together with those of Bridewell and St. Thomas’s Hospital in Southwark—with large revenues, of which the City were made trustees, and incorporated by the name of the mayor, commonalty, and citizens of the City of London, governors of the possessions, revenues, and goods of the hospitals of Christ, Bridewell, and St. Thomas the Apostle, to whom the king granted £3,266 13s. 4d. per annum. It was opened in the year 1552, in the month of November, and a good writing-school was added to this foundation in the year 1694 by Sir John More, Kt., and alderman. The children admitted into this hospital are presented every year by the Lord Mayor and aldermen and the other governors in their turns, a list of whom is printed yearly and set up at the counting-house, and a letter is sent to each of the said governors, some days before the admission, reminding him of the day of choosing, and how those he presents should be qualified, wherein is enclosed a blank certificate from the minister and churchwardens, a blank petition to the president and governors, and a paper of the rules and qualifications of the child to be presented. Upon this the governor, having made choice of a child to present, the friends of the said child come to the counting-house on the admission-day, bringing the said petition and certificates, rules, and letter along with him, and on the back side of the said petition the governor who presents endorseth words to this effect. “I present the child mentioned in the certificate on the other side, and believe the same to be a true certificate. “Witness my hand . . . the day . . . of 17.” Which the said governor signeth, and the child is admitted. The said rules and qualifications are as follows: 1. That no child be taken in but such as are the children of freemen of London. 2. That none be taken in under seven years old. 3. That none be taken in but orphans, wanting either father or mother, or both. 4. That no foundlings, or that are maintained at the parish charge, be taken in. 5. That none who are lame, crooked, or deformed, or that have the evil, rupture, or any infectious disease, be taken in.