them into a Collegiate Church, and to found therein a College, confifting of a Rector and fuch Number of Fellows as he fhould appoint.

Accordingly in 1429, he established a College confifting of a Rector and feven Fellows, to whom he appropriated the Income of the faid Churches.

Soon after which, the following Perfons made liberal Additions to their Maintenance. John Southam, Archdeacon of Oxford; John Forest, Dean of Wells, and Prebendary of Banbury; Henry Beaufort, Cardinal, and Bishop of Winchefter; William Fynderne of Childrey, Efq; who gave them a Farm at Botley in Berks fohn Bucktot, Clerk, who gave them the Manor of Little Policot in Bucks. In commemoration of which two laft Benefactors, two Sermons are preached yearly by fome of the Society; one at Childrey in Berkshire, where the former of them lies interred, the other at Afhendon in Buckinghamshire, fuppofed to be the Burying-place of

the latter.

Thefe Benefactors were before the Time of their fecond Founder, and to them we may add, Thomas Gafcoygne, fometime Chancellor of this University, and Robert Flemming, Dean of Lincoln; who befide other Donations gave them some valuable and ufeful Manufcripts.

But in the Year 1478, Thomas Scot, alias Rotherham, being then Bishop of Lincoln, and confidering the imperfect State of this Foundation, obtained a new Charter of King Edward the IVth, by Virtue whereof, he added five other Fellowships to the feven before founded, annexed to the College the Rectories of Long Combe in Oxfordshire, and Twyford in Buckinghamshire, and gave them a Body of Statutes, in which he limits the Choice of the Fellows to the Dioceses of Lincoln and York, all except one whom he would have to be of the Diocese of Wells.

After this their fecond Foundation, they received confiderable Benefactions from fome eminent Perfons, particularly William Smith, Bishop of Lincoln,

who

who gave them the Manor of Synclers in Chalgrove in the County of Oxford, and the Manor of Aylefton in the Parifli of Bifhbury in the County of Stafford: Edmund Audley, Bishop of Salisbury, from whose Benefaction they have the Manors of Petfo and Eckney in Buckinghamshire: Edward Darby, Archdeacon of Stow, from whom they have the Manor of Little Smeaton in Yorkshire.

By a Compofition made in 1537. between the faid Edward Darby, the Bishop of Lincoln, and the Society, three new Fellowships were established, in lieu of three Fellowships of the Founders, which for want of a fufficient Provifion for their Suftenance, had been kept vacant; two of which were to be filled by the Society out of the Archdeaconries of Stow, Leicester or Northampton; the third by the Bishop of Lincoln, out of the Archdeaconry of Oxford.

But the greatest Benefactor to this College was the Right Honourable Nathaniel Lord Creme, late Bifhop of Durham, who making a Vifit here in the Year 1717, after contributing liberally to the Buildings which were then carrying on at Chrift-Church, Queen's, Worcester and All-Souls Colleges, and to the finifhing of All-Saints Church, fettled by way of a Rent Charge free from all Deductions whatfoever, iffuing out of his Manors in Northumberland and Durbam, twelve Exhibitions of 20 1. per Annum each, for Commoners of this College, whom he would have to be the Sons of Gentlemen; and made a confiderable Augmentation to the Annual Stipends of the Rector, Fellows, Scholars, Bible Clerk, and the Chaplains of the four appropriated Churches. And what much enhanced the Merit of his Beneficence was, that his Benefaction took Place immediately; and they all received their refpective Shares of it half yearly, for feveral Years, while their great Benefactor was still living.

The Buildings of this College have been erected at different Times by different Perfons. The Front or Weft Side of the outer Quadrangle was built with

the

the Money left by Richard Flemming the first Foun der, together with Money of William Fynderne, Elq; abovementioned. John Foreft Dean of Wells built the old Library and Chapel in the Piace where St. Mildred's Church had lately ftood; which together with the Chambers under them make the North Side of that Quadrangle. He built alfo the Hall, which is on the East Side of it; likewife the Kitchen and the Buttery.

A little before the Time of the fecond Foundation, Thomas Beckington, Bishop of Bath and Wells, left a confiderable Sum of Money to this College, with which his three Executors, Richard Swan (who was alfo himself a Benefactor) Hugh Sugar, and John Pope, erected an handfome Apartment for the Rector at the South Eaft Corner of the Quadrangle. Upon feveral Parts of which Building is a Device cut in Stone, reprefenting a Beacon and Tun, alluding to the faid Benefactor's Name of Bokyntun.

After which, Thomas de Rotherham compleated the Quadrangle by building up the Remainder of the South Side of it; on the Wall of which are his Arms curioufly carved in Stone in feveral Places.

The Weft Side of the inner Quadrangle was built by another Thomas Rotherham, fuppofed to be a Relation of the former. It is faid that being Burfar of the College fometime in the Beginning of the laft Century, he went off to Ireland with fome of the College Money; but that his Circumstances mending afterwards, he repaid the fame, and became a Benefactor.

The oppofite Side was built by Contributions, from Bishop Williams, Sir Roger Manwood, Knight,

and others.

- Before the faid Bishop Williams built them their prefent Chapel, which maketh up the South Side of this Quadrangle, the Society made ufe of the old Chapel, which is now their Library, conftantly for Divine Worship, except on Sundays and Holidays, on which they reforted to All-Saints Church. But in 1631, the new Chapel being then confecrated,

crated, the faid Bishop dispensed with their going to that Church, except only on All-Saints Day, when they go thither in Proceffion in their Surplices and proper Habits, as they do alfo to St. Michael's Church on Michaelmas Day.

While their old Chapel remained, the Chamber at the West End of it was their Library. But both thefe Rooms were altered in 1662; the Chapel was made a Library, and that which was before their Library was made a Fellow's Apartment. All this was done at the Expence of John Lord Crewe, Baron of Steane: In confideration whereof the Society ordered, that his Son, the Hon. Nathaniel Creme, at that Time Fellow, fhould enjoy the faid Apartment for his Life: Which Order of theirs, their Succeffors fo far complied with, that though from the Time he was chofe Rector, which was in 1668, he caused the Income of that Chamber to be added annually to the College Stock, yet he continued to have the Property of it till his Death.

Without the College, over-against the Gate, is a Garden belonging to the Fellows; which was planted and walled about, chiefly at the Expence of Dr. Fitzherbert Adams, Rector of the College, in 1686. There were two Mulberry-Trees then planted, which are still standing: They are remarkably large, and are faid to bear excellent Fruit.

From this Place Strangers are directed to look up to a Grotefque Figure at the North West Corner of the College, which they call improperly the Devil looking over Lincoln.

The Members of this College are usually between Fifty and Sixty.

The Bishop of Lincoln is the Vifitor.

T

JESUS COLLEGE.

HE Front of this College is newly beautified and improved, by a very handsome Ruftic Gateway and other Additions.

In the firft Court, the Chapel on the North Side, and Hall on the Weft, are neat well-proportioned Rooms, the latter having within these few Years been much improved by the Addition of a Cieling and other Ornaments done by Mr. Roberts.

The inner Court has three Sides uniformly and neatly built (the Hall before mentioned making the fourth Side of this Quadrangle) and on the Weft Side of it over the Common Room, &c. is a fpacious well furnished Library.

In the Principal's Lodgings is a fine Picture of King Charles I. at full Length, by Vandyke, and in the Library a half Length of King Charles II. and fome Original Pieces of Dr. Hugh Price, Dr. Manfell, Sir Leoline Jenkins, &c. Benefactors to the College.

This College was founded by Queen Elizabeth, by Charter bearing Date the 27th of June, 1571, in the 13th Year of her Reign, for a Principal, eight Fellows, and eight Scholars. The Queen at the Request of Hugh Price, LL. D. a Native of Brecknock, and Treasurer of the Church of St. David's, granted her Royal Charter of Foundation, and a certain Religious Houfe or Cell called Whitehall, (which before the Diffolution of Monastries belonging to the Priory of St. Fridefwide) for the Scite of the College, together with fuch Timber and other Materials as fhould be wanting for the building of the College, out of her Majefty's Forefts of Shotover and Stow, with Licence to the College to receive and hold any Lands, Tenements, c. not exceeding the Sum of one hundred and fixty Pounds yearly Value.

The