Moulsham and the adjacent parts, for the instruction of youth in grammar learning.

1704. For a scholar educated at this school there is a second preference to a Scholarship of £6 a year at Christ's College, Cambridge, founded by the Rev. Dr Plume. (See p. 300.)

BRENTWOOD.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1557, A.D.

THIS school was founded and endowed by Sir Anthony Browne, Knight, serjeant-at-law, of Weald Hall, by letters patent of King Philip and Queen Mary.

1704. There is a second preference at Christ's College, Cambridge for an Exhibition of £6 a year, founded by Dr Thomas Plume, in favour of a scholar from this school. (See p. 330.)

DEDHAM.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

ENDOWED 1571, A.D.

WILLIAM LITTLEBURY, Esq. of Dedham, by his will, devised property for the endowment of this school, which had been built, as well as a house for the master, by Dame Joan Clarke. By letters patent of Queen Elizabeth in the 17th year of her reign, it was granted that there should be for ever a free grammar-school to be called the Free Grammar-school of Queen Elizabeth in Dedham.

Mr Littlebury also bequeathed £200 to purchase land of the yearly rent of £10, and willed that that sum should be given to any scholar from Dedham school who should be sufficiently taught, and be preferred to the University, and to find him in Christ's College or St John's College, so long and till such time as the said scholar should come to other preferment. (See p. 310.)

1595. William Cardwell, Esq. of Egmanton, in the county of Nottingham, but a native of this town, devised lands for the maintenance of two poor scholars from Dedham school at St John's College, Cambridge. (See p. 312.)

A new scheme for the management of the school is now (Jan. 1855) under the consideration of the Court of Chancery.

MALDON.

THE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1608, A.D.

MR RALPH BREDER, one of the aldermen of the corporation, bequeathed £300 to be laid out for the endowment of a gråmmar-school, the master of which was to be nominated by his feoffees while they lived, and afterwards by the corporation.

In consequence of the corporation of Maldon (in which the appointment of the master was vested) having been dissolved about 1778, no master was appointed to the school until 1810, when the charter was restored.

1704. Thomas Plume, D.D. by his will gave £100 to Christ's College, Cambridge, on condition that they allowed £6 a year towards the maintenance of a scholar educated at this school. (See p. 300.)

NEWPORT.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1588, A.D.

THIS school was founded for fifty boys by Joyce Frankland, widow, daughter of Robert Trappes, goldsmith of London, and William Saxie, her son, all of whom were benefactors to Gonville and Caius College and the Master of Gonville and Caius College was appointed governor of the school.

:

It is stated in Mrs Frankland's will that the school was founded that "youth might be well brought up and instructed in the fear of God, learning, and good manners, whereby they may become good members of the commonwealth."

At every visitation, the scholars may be examined in their learning, and three or four who are competent may be removed to Gonville and Caius College, or more of them, if the scholars and the parents consent; and these may be admitted and preferred, "according to their anncyentrye," unto the next scholarship that then or at any time shall fall void, being of the foundation of Mrs Frankland and her son, in the said college, before any other.

66

GLOUCESTERSHIRE.

WOOTTON-UNDER-EDGE.

THE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1385, A.D.

By letters patent under the great seal of England, dated in the eighth year of the reign of King Richard II. his majesty granted his royal licence to Katherine, Lady Berkely, widow of Lord Thomas de Berkely, to found and endow a free grammar-school at Woottonunder-Edge, to consist of a master and two poor scholars, and to endow the same with certain real estates as therein mentioned. The original design of this collegiate institution is to afford any poor persons come from whence they will" a liberal education gratis. The school was endowed, and in the time of Henry VIII. it escaped dissolution. In the reign of James I. doubts having been entertained whether the revenues of the school had not become vested in the crown, by the statute made in the first year of King Edward VI. entituled, "An Act for the Dissolution of Chantries," a petition was presented to King James for the re-establishment of the school. In 1622 it was declared by the Court of Chancery that all titles to the said lands under any letters patent, as also all leases of those lands, were void. The possessors of the school, in consequence of this decree of the Court of Chancery, surrendered to the king; and his majesty granted certain letters patent in 1625 under the great seal, whereby it was ordained, that there should be a grammar-school in the town of Wootton-underEdge, for the education and instruction of children and youths in grammar and other good learning, to be called "The Free Grammarschool of the Lord Berkely in Wootton-under-Edge," and that the same should consist of one master and five or more poor scholars, who should be a body corporate, have perpetual succession, and be capable of holding lands.

By a decree of the Court of Chancery, confirmed in 1725, it was ordered that three scholars might be added to those then belonging to the school and that the overplus of the revenues should be applied for the maintenance of these three scholars, and for increasing the number, or for the assistance of any one or more of them at the University, as the master should judge convenient. This foundation now consists of the master, an usher, and 10 scholars. The scholars are admitted at the age of ten years, and may remain till they are eighteen; they have their education free in classical and mathematical

learning, and each receives a stipend of £6 per annum for books, &c. Those scholars, who are qualified and proceed to the University of Oxford or Cambridge, are allowed exhibitions towards their maintenance while resident there, which are not to exceed £60 a year, nor to be continued beyond four years.

HAMPSHIRE.

WINCHESTER COLLEGE.

FOUNDED 1387, A.D.

WILLIAM of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester, was the sole and munificent founder of the college named "Seinte Marie College of Wynchestre *," as also of that called "Seinte Marie College of Wynchestre in Oxenford," which since the time of its foundation has been called "New College."

From circumstances of an early date, it seems that William of Wykeham had formed some extensive plan for the advancement of learning correspondent to his ample means, and greatness of mind. In the conception of his two colleges he formed one comprehensive design, which was to lead the objects of his bounty "through a perfect course of education; from the first elements of letters through the whole circle of the sciences; from the lowest class of grammatical learning to the highest degrees in the several faculties." A design so enlarged, so

* "Wykeham, having resolved to bestow his wealth in charitable uses, was greatly embarrassed when he came to fix his choice upon some design that was like to prove most beneficial and least liable to abuse. He tells us himself, that upon this occasion, he diligently examined and considered the various rules of the religious orders, and compared them with the lives of their several professors; but was obliged with grief to declare that he could not anywhere find that the ordinances of their founders, according to their true design and intention, were observed by any of them. This reflection inclined him to take the resolution of distributing his riches to the poor, with his own hands, rather than employ them in establishing an institution which might become a source and an occasion of guilt to those for whose benefit it should be designed. After much deliberation and devout invocation of the divine assistance, considering how greatly the number of the clergy had been of late reduced by continual wars and frequent pestilences, he determined at last to endeavour to remedy, as far as he was able, this desolation of the Church, by relieving poor scholars in their clerical education; and to establish two colleges of students, for the honour of God, and increase of His worship, for the support of the Christian faith, and for the improvement of the liberal arts and sciences: hoping and trusting that men of letters and various knowledge, and bred up in the fear of God, would see more clearly and attend more strictly to the obligation lying upon them, to observe the rules and directions which he should give them."-Bp. Lowth's Life of Wykeham.

comprehensive, so munificent as this, had not before been conceived by the most illustrious of the founders of English schools and colleges. But no provision that this excellent prelate made for his foundations is more worthy of notice than the statutes which he gave for their government, which breathe throughout the liberal spirit and wisdom of their author: and it may be remarked, that in the statutes of New College, he acknowledged, and practically admitted the equity of that first maxim of just government,—that whatever concerns the general body should be done by the general consent.

William of Wykeham lived long enough to witness the prosperity of both his colleges. He died at South Waltham in 1404, at the age of eighty years, and was interred in Winchester cathedral. He was formed to be a great and good man; and his biographer, Bishop Lowth, most justly records of him that "he was raised to the highest order of human beings,-namely, those who lead a life of active benificence directed by wisdom."

The society of Winchester College was arranged to consist, as it does at present, of a warden, seventy scholars, to be instructed in grammatical learning, ten secular priests perpetual fellows, three priests chaplains, three clerks, and sixteen choristers; and for the instruction of the scholars a schoolmaster and an under-master or usher.

The seventy scholars on the foundation receive lodging, board, and tuition, free of all expense. The qualifications required by the statutes are that they be “pauperes et indigentes scholares,” and that no boy is to be admitted until he is eight years of age, and not above the age of seventeen years. The other boys, who receive no emoluments from the foundation, are styled "commoners."

William of Wykeham appointed a solemn visitation of Winchester College to be holden in it every year by the warden of New College, in conjunction with two other examiners, called posers, chosen annually from the fellows of New College. The time of the visitation is in the choice of the warden of New College, and the statute gives him a latitude of nearly three months; but it is now held in July. After the visitation follows an examination of the scholars, who are then chosen, according to their merit, to succeed to the vacancies which may happen at New College for a year to come, and whose names are put in a roll or indenture for that purpose. The names on the roll are placed in the order of merit, with the exception of the founder's kin, of whom two annually, if found to have "a competent share of learning," are placed at the head of it. At the same time a similar roll is made of those boys