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71 GUY, Thomas. A Copy of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Guy Esq; [bound with:] An Act for Incorporating the Executors of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Guy, late of the city of London, Esq. London: Printed for John Osborn; Printed by John Baskett, Printer to the King’s Most Excellent majesty, And by the Assigns of Henry Hills deceas’d, 1725 An attractive copy, in a funerary-style binding, of the will of the bookseller turned South Sea speculator Thomas Guy (1645–1724), who, selling his stock before the crash, was able to fund various good causes, most notably the foundation of Guy’s Hospital, which still operates to this day. His will makes provisions for the maintenance and expansion of the hospital, with the parliamentary act passed to incorporate this. Various 1725 printings of both publications are known, with their priority unclear. The numerous printings show the public’s interest in the extent of Guy’s fortune and how he disseminated it; in his life he had a reputation for parsimony and accrued hostile rumours, perhaps fuelled by bitterness among those whose investments in the South Sea company proved less profitable. 2 works bound in 1 volume, octavo (203 × 124 mm). Contemporary black morocco, spine lettered in gilt with gilt urn motifs to
compartments, marbled endpapers, green silk bookmark. Half-title and initial blank present. Ownership signature dated 1882 and another pencilled ownership signature to front free endpaper; some pencilled annotations to the text. Light rubbing to extremities, endpapers foxed. A very good copy. ¶ ESTC N4813; N67966. £350 [134326] 72 HALE, Sir Matthew. A Discourse touching Provision for the Poor. London: Printed by H. Hills for John Leigh, 1683 A scheme for county workhouses First edition of Hale’s Discourse , which both elaborates and provides costings of a detailed scheme for county workhouses. Chief justice of King’s bench from 1671, Sir Matthew Hale, together with Sir Josiah Child, was among the most important philanthropic projectors of the second half of the 17th century. Employed in the operation of criminal justice, Hale argued that rather than punish crime, it would be better to prevent it by the creation of useful employment of the able poor: “So that upon the whole account the prudence of prevention, as it is more Christian, so it will be more effectual than the prudence of remedy: the prevention of poverty, idleness and a loose and disorderly education, even of poor children, would do more good to this Kingdom than all the
WEALTH AND WELFARE
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