In order to thoroughly understand the situation, a number of charitable women under the guidance of Madame Legas, niece of the Lord Chancellor Marillac,[430] went to the house in the Cité de Saint-Landry and studied the question from the inside of the house. Their horror at the things they saw led them to declare that the children massacred by Herod were fortunate in comparison with the condition of the orphans of Paris.[431] As it was impossible to take charge of all the children then in the Cité de Saint-Landry twelve children were taken, and in 1638, under the care of Madame Legas and some charitable women, a house was opened for them in the Faubourg Saint-Victor. As they were able to enlarge the scope of their institution, more and more children were taken care of; the enthusiasm of these women ran so high under the glowing example of Vincent, that even in the dead of night in the cold corners, they would be found going about the streets of Paris, into the worst and least lighted sections, doing police duty, gathering the unfortunate victims, and carrying them to the house in the Faubourg Saint-Victor.[432] In the course of time, sufficient interest had developed in this work so that enough money was forthcoming to enlarge the scope. Vincent gathered together the pious women who had acted as his assistants and addressed to them that _touchante allocution_, sometimes quoted as a model of eloquence.[433] The house in the Faubourg Saint-Victor was soon found to be too small, and the Château de Bicêtre was obtained from the king. The place was not found suitable on account of the _vivacité de l’air_ and the children were transferred to the Faubourg Saint-Lazare, then in 1672 to the Cité, near Notre Dame, where they remained up to the Revolution. Then they were assigned the ancient _abbaye_ of Port Royal and the _maison de l’Oratoire_, located in the southern part of Paris. The success of the new undertaking was so great that even Louis XIII. became interested and donated four thousand francs per year to the charity. Inasmuch as in the long history of the child’s fight for a place in the government, this was the first recognition by a government since the Roman emperors, it is interesting to read Louis’s own statement in the preamble of the letters patent relating to this gift: “Having been informed by persons of great piety, that the little attention which has been given up to the present to the nourishing and care of the parentless children exposed in the city and outskirts of Paris has been the cause of death, and even has it been known that they have been sold for evil purposes, and this having brought many ladies to take care of these children, who have worked with so much zeal and charitable affection that their zeal is spreading, and wishing so much to do what is possible under the present circumstances,[434] we have,” etc.