THE ESTATE Of the POOR in ZION COLLEGE LONDON, TRULY STATED, BY GEORGE DAGGET Attorney, and Clerk of the said College. In a Letter to a Friend.  
With Licence, May 5. 1688.  
SIR,  
FOR preventing further Mistakes, and saving myself daily trouble in giving Account to such as come or send to me for satisfaction, how the Poor of Sion-College are maintained, and for Vindication of the Reverend, the Governors of the said College, chosen Annually by the whole London Clergy, according to their Charter, who are unjustly reflected upon in this Weeks Public Occurrences, I have here sent you a brief, but faithful Account how that matter stands, from the Register in my Custody, having been Clerk of the said College, for these thirteen years last passed, and resided for the most part in the Lodgings appointed me by the Founders Will.  
Now by the Books it appears, that according to the said Will, the Alms-people are recommended to the Governors for the time being, by the City of Bristol, the Merchant-Taylors Company, and the Parishes of St. Dunstan's in the West, and St. Gregory's, London.  
And when the College, of two presented, have chosen one, the respective Presenters give the College Security by Bonds, not only to maintain and relieve them in Sickness and other Exigencies, but also in case of Death, to see them decently buried. And I am able to attest of my own Knowledge, that the said Presenters, especially the two Parishes, do visit and relieve them upon notice given; and the Alms-people are ready to acknowledge their kindness, except two or three of the Alms-men, that live idly, and s●end their small Allowance, chiefly in Drink, to the scandal of all the rest.  
I find that but two Women were buried from hence last year, one of St. Dunstan's in the West, the other a Merchant-Taylor's Widow of St. Giles' Cripplegate Parish, both which were taken care of during their Sickness, and buried by the Churchwardens of the said Parishes, as they, and the Nurses of the Deceased, are ready to attest.  
As to the Ill Management or Misimployment alleged in the Weekly Occurrences; It is well known, that the whole College and Almshouses were burnt down, and quite destroyed by the Dreadful Fire, An. Dom. 1666. and that in three or four years ensuing, the Clergy of London, by their own Subscriptions, and the Charitable Contributions of others, Rebuilt the Library, and the Almshouses under it for ten Men, and ten Women, in decent and distinct Apartments, which cost together 1300 l. and upwards; this was the first Care of the Governors, after the Fire, and the Alms-people sleep in the Dwellings built by the London Clergy.  
And as for their Pensions, being now but 3l. 10s. per Annum, whereas the Founder left 6l. to each Person; it is fit the World should know, That the Lands appropriated to the Almshouses, lie in the Hundreds of Essex, and were in the beginning of King Charles the First's Reign, Reported and settled by Judge Crook and others, to be such as would hold 120 l. per Annum, and by Order in Chancery were Demised to Mr. Keeling, one of the Executors of Dr. White, for 200 years, at 120 l. per Annum, for the Almshouses, without Impeachment of Waste; That about ten years since, the Right of the Lease came to a young Woman, a Descendant of the said Keeling, and was in the Custody of Mr. Keeling a Merchant now in London; which W 〈…〉 Losses in her Estate (as Mr. Keeling proved) became so poor, as to be maintained by Charity, and so all benefit of the Covenant in the Lease was lost; and hereupon By reason of Rents falling, Mr. Keeling and his Tenant left the Lands and Houses without notice, and very much out of Repair, so that the Governors of the College then sent to the Aldermen of Brist●l, the Company of Merchant-Taylors, and the Churchwardens of the aforesaid Parishes; and some of each appointed by the said Aldermen, Company, and Parishes, met at the College, and at Merchant-taylor's Hall several times, and viewing the Title, with Counsel, sent down Agents to view the Lands, and Assist for getting a Tenant; who, after a years seeking, could not get a good Tenant, at more than 70 l. per Annum; and it was thus Leased for 21 years from that time, with Covenants for the Tenant to lay out about 200 l. in Repairs, the Farm not being Tenantable without it; and this was one reason more why the Rent was sunk so low; and it is to be feared, when this Lease expires, it will hardly yield 70 l. per Annum, by reason of great Damages through Sluices and Salt-water.  
Observe, that the Poor of Bristol are not maintained by Lands in the Hundred of Essex; but Bristol will tell you, that the Lands there given them by Dr. White, were set apart by his Will, for repairing a Cause-way leading to the City, and they also are so sunk in value, that the City is forced to pay out of their Chamber, large Sums per Annum, to make up the defects of that Charity.  
I know also, that of late years, the London Clergy, by their own repeated Subscriptions, and some Contributions, have built the College-Hall, and several Tenements near it, most of which are now let to Students and others; for which they have expended near two thousand pounds more, and contracted a great Debt, which they are endeavouring to pay by the same means.  
Observe, that the Founder left 40 l. per Ann. for four Latin Sermons, and four Dinners every year; but since the Fire the Preachers Fee is lost, and the Dinners (which were discontinued for some years for want of a Hall) are now reduced to two in a year, and those (saving only three years) were all paid for by Contributions of the Clergy at the Basin, the overplus only being paid by the College.  
I do not find much above 20 l. per Annum in Ground-rents about the College; (other Rents there are, but newly built, and not yet paid for); out of which, by the King's Quitrent, Rent-charge to St. Alfage Parish, Parish Taxes and Duties, Library-keepers Salaries, Porters and Messengers Wages, River-water for the Alms-people, repairs in Tiling Glazing Paving, etc. the whole is expended, and as much more.  
And now my Hand is in, give me leave to add, That whereas the Clerk's Salary was before the Fire 20 l. per Annum, with the use of the Hall, and fair Lodgings: I am now contented with 5 l. per Annum, and three Little Rooms, for the building of which, in part, I myself laid out 50 l.  
And as to the 30 l. per Annum, mentioned in the Occurrences, Lately left the College by a Counsellor, of which (says the Writer) they have had no Benefit. The Case is thus:  
Mr. Brewer late of the Temple, left by Will, a Farm in Hartfordshire to the Poor of Sion-College, which was Leased by himself for twelve years, expiring last Lady-day, for 27 l. per Annum, and that he dying in March 1684. the College hath been in Suits, both at Common-Law, and Chancery ever since, with the Heir and Executors claiming this Estate by Entails alleged; and that in February last, the Cause in Chancery came to a Hearing, where one of the Defendants appeared by three or four, and the College as Plaintiff, by three Eminent Counsels, and they obtained a Decretal Order against that Defendant, for the Land; but the other Defendant, to make more work, did not appear. The Charges of these Suits are near 70l. paid, and to be paid out of the Arrears; and the College have already made a Dividend to the Poor, amounting to more than the overplus in their Hands.  
The said Mr. Brewer left also his Library to Zion College, which is still detained by the Executors, alleging that they have not Assits sufficient to pay the Testators Debts; by which you may observe, That the College takes care in the first place of the Poor's Right, and I have good Assurance that they intent to do so, though it be to their own Damage.  
And this, Sir, I hope, is enough to satisfy you and all others. I only wish, That this Paper may be made as public as the Occurrences.  
From my Lodgings in Zion College, May 4. 1688. I rest, Yours, etc. GEORGE DAGGET.   

LONDON, Printed for Ric. Chiswell, at the Rose and Crown in St. Paul's Churchyard. MDCLXXXVIII.