FORM of BEQUESTS of LEGACIES. I A. B. do give and bequeath unto The TREASURER of the SOCIETY for the DISCHARGE and RELIEF of Persons imprisoned for Small Debts, known by the name of the Thatched-boufe Society, in Craven-Street, Strand, the sum of to be paid out of my personal estate, and to be by him applied (with the consent of the Governors thereof) for the sole uses and purposes of that benevolent institution. N. B. Any Legacy arising from Lands is void, by the Statute of Mortmain. We have been informed of several legacies, for the relief of prisoners, which are not applied to the purposes for which they were bequeathed. It would be a matter worthy of enquiry, what other legacies are yet undiscovered, besides the following, which have long lain dormant. 1st, The legacy of Mr. Henry Brown, late linen-draper in the Borough of Southwark, of 50l. per ann. as may appear by the donor's will, in Doctors Commons. 2. The legacy of Mr. James Dodd, of 30l. per ann. to be paid out of a farm at Hartly-row, near Hertfordbridge, in the county of Southampton; some years past in the occupation of Mr. Cile, who lived on the said farin. 3. The legacy of Arthur Child, of the county of Hert→ ford, Esq. of 241. per ann. to be paid out of 2201. per ann. lying in the parish of Stevenage, in the said county. This legacy was left in the year 1669. 4. The legacy of Mr. Samuel West, citizen of London, of 161. per ann. to be paid out of the ground-rent, arising from several houses in Coleman-street, London. 5. The legacy of Mr. John Hill, of Charlton, in the county of Kent, of 12l. per ann. to be paid out of an estate at Charlton aforesaid; some years past in the occupation of Sir William Longham. This legacy was left in the 1654. year 6. The legacy of the family of the Lushingtons, of 117. 13s. 4d. per ann. as appears by the donor's will in Doctors' Commons. 7. The legacy of Robert Henley, Esq. of 10l. per ann, payable by the possesors of an estate lying near the church at Harrow on the Hill, in the county of Hertford; which estate is now, or was lately, in the family of the Waldos. The foregoing legacies amount to 1537. 12s. 4d. per ann. and have not been paid to the poor prisoners for many years past. See a pamphlet, intitled, "The ex traordinary case of William Penrice." THE THE foregoing RULES and ORDERS of the Society, and FORMS for carrying the benevolent designs of the public into effectual execution, have been honoured by the general approbation and encouragement of all ranks of people among us; insomuch that some of the public city companies, executors, and others, trustees for distributing annual sums of money for the discharge of poor debtors, have made the Society their Almoners; under a full conviction "that the Society, from the experience they have acquired, can discharge as many debtors for ONE hundred pounds, as they themselves can for TWO*." The Society, however, are at all times ready and desirous to act according to the general directions of such trustees; and to render to them accurate lists and accounts, of the debtors so discharged, and of the monies so intrusted to their distribution, TIME, which effects the various vicissitudes of human life, has of course made some changes in the Society but Humanity, Philanthropy, and Christianity, are still the same: so that, though some of the NOBLE, the GREAT, and the GOOD, have been removed, others have kindly become the friends of the distressed Debtor, in their stead. *See before, p. 15. The The present Officers of the Society are, PRESIDENT, THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL OF ROMNEY. VICE-PRESIDENTS, THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUIS OF HERTFORD. TREASURER, JAMES NEILD, Esa. R. GRASSWELL, Secretary. The business of the Society being now conducted on so regular a plan, that the Committee have not thought it necessary to meet oftener than once a month; those meetings are held at N° 7, CRAVENSTREET, STRAND, the first Wednesday of every month, at noon. The Committee is composed of all such annual Benefactors as choose to attend: their company, therefore, will at all times be esteemed a kindness to the Society, more especially, if any Gentleman should have any thing to propose, for rendering this institution more advantageous to the publick, or essentially conducive to its prosperity. Persons desirous of establishing similar Societies in other parts of the kingdom, may have copies of the modes of business which the Society have adopted, gratis: and should any deficiency or defect be found therein, the Society will be very thankful for better information and advice, and happy to pursue it. |