The million-peopled city
Garwood, John
1853
Its Origin.
The following sketch of its foundation, and of the recent spectacle within it, is taken from the Report of a valuable missionary of the , in whose district the Hospital is situated:- | |
"The plot of ground on which Albion has erected this noble asylum for the disabled veterans of her island soldiery, was, at the close of the 16th century, called ' ,' and was in the possession of . The then newly-established being greatly harassed by the controversial attacks of Papists on the one hand, and of Nonconformists on the other, it occurred to , that it would be a great advantage to the Church, if a College were established, in which divines should be trained in a skilful knowledge of polemical theo- logy. This suggestion having been expressed to ., who was himself fond of controversy, and having received his approval, was purchased, and, on May 8, , the King, in person, laid the foundation-stone, and a charter was bestowed, fixing the number of its fellows at a provost, and 19 fellows. The continuance of this noble institution was short, for in 20 years it had almost ceased to exist. But it had enrolled many names amongst its fellows that are yet illustrious. Amongst others were , , , , , , and . During the unhappy wars of the Commonwealth, the new | |
118 | College was degraded by the from the dignity of a seat of learning to be a stable for horses and a depot for prisoners. After the Restoration, it was given to the , but, being found unfit for their purposes, was pur- chased again by the Crown, and was afterwards given by the licentious to his favourite and kind-hearted paramour, ' In , . had founded the , at ; and this act no doubt sug- gested to the desirability of establishing a similar refuge for those numerous disabled soldiers who had fought for his father's cause. Certain it is, that, about this time, seriously contemplated such a project, and the following anecdote relates the manner in which its site was determined." |