scrap of offal meat, or piece of bone, to make up the weight;--
and these refuse pieces were very often thrown into the poor's
tub; and after being properly cleaned and boiled, served to make
their soup much more savoury and nourishing.

In the collection of the daily donations of bread, as that
article is more valuable, and more easily concealed and disposed
of, more precautions were used to prevent frauds on the parts of
the servants who were sent round to make the collection.

The cart which was employed for this purpose was furnished with a
large wooden chest, firmly nailed down upon it, and provided with
a good lock and key; and this chest, which was neatly painted,
and embellished with a inscription, was so contrived, by means of
an opening in the top of a large vertical wooden tube fixed in
its lid, and made in the form of a mouse-trap, that when it was
locked, (as it always was when it was sent round for the
donations of bread,) a loaf of bread, or any thing of that size,
could be put into it; but nothing could be taken out of it by the
same opening. Upon the return of the cart, the bread-chest was
opened by the steward, who keeps the key of it; and its contents,
after being entered in a register kept for that purpose, were
delivered over to the care of the store-keeper.

The bread collected was commonly such as not having been sold in
time, had become too old, hard, and stale for the market;
but which, being cut fine, a handful of it put into a basin of
good pease-soup, was a great addition to it.

The amount of these charitable donations in kind, may be seen in