"Moreover the sayd towne of Kermeddyn being "the most frequented place, and indifferently "situate in the middle of the dyocesse, I myght "there (and God willinge so I wolde) settle my "continuall consistorie, assisted by lerned per"sons, mayntayninge a free gramar schole with "a dayly lecture of holy scripture whereby Gods "honour principally preferred, the Welch rude"ness decreosynge, christian cyvilytie may be intodnced to the famous renoune of the kynges "supremasseye, whose princely majestye Al"mightie Jesu preserve with your lordship. "From Kermyddyn, the last day of March."your lordships to command-W. Meneven." WILLIAM OF WYKEHAM. Among the munificent patrons to whom the literature of this country is indebted, few have rivalled, and still fewer, if any, have surpassed Willam of Wykeham. This eminent man, whose name is derived from the place of his birth, in Hampshire, was born in 1324. Like most of the great personages of his time, those at least who attained any elevation in the church, he was raised by his own superior talents from the humble station to which his family belonged, to the very highest dignities of the realm. For his education he was indebted to the liberality of a patron who having-recommended him to Edyngton, the bishop of Winchester, was introduced by him at this early age into the service of king Edward the third. From his extensive architectural knowledge and extraordinary skill in that science, he was appointed clerk of the kings works, and was attached to the castle and forest of Windsor as surveyor. The ability he displayed in these situations, induced the king to confer upon him, in 1359 many similar appointments. Being at this time only in the lowest rank in the church he was received into the priesthood in 1862. From this time his official rise was extremely rapid, in 1363 he was made warder and justiciary of the royal forests, south of Trent, and in the following year he was nominated keeper of the privy seal; he then became chief of the privy council and governour of the great council; to his ecclesiastical preferments, which hitherto had been inferior, the see of Win. chester was added, upon the death of his former patron Edyngton in 1366; in the next year he was raised to the dignity of Lord high Chancellor, but of this office he was deprived in 1370. In 1884, he was induced, though with reluctance, to accept the great seal a second time, but resigned it in 1891. This was in the reign of Richard the Second, by whom, upon his recover ing his authority, he with the other commissioners was impeached of high treason, and escaped solely by the influence of his wealth. Though present at the first parliament under Henry IV. which in 1399 deprived Richard the second of his crown, he did not assist at the council which pronounced on him the sentence of perpetual imprisonment. His health was at this time fast declining, and being unable to perform his episcopal functions, he nominated two coadjutors to his see, and quietly waited for that inevitable fate which should release him from all worldly care : he expired in September, 1406, in the eighty fifth year of his age. Having lived in a state of celibacy, and possessing the most ample wealth, he was enabled to gratify the spirit of munificent liberality by which he is pre-eminently distinguished. In addition to the numerous other buildings he created and repaired within his own diocese, in the course of ten years he rebuilt in the gothic style the cathedtal of Winchester, which had been a Saxon edifice of the eleventh century. His college at Oxford, was known by the name of New College, was completed in 1388, in the turbulent reign of Richard the second, as was also the school or college at Winchester, from which it was to be supplied with students; this was finished in 1393. Whatever charges the |