COUNTY OF SALOP.

SHREWSBURY.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1553, a.d.

IN the year 1551 it was represented to King Edward VI. by Hugh Edwards, mercer of London, and Richard Whitacre, the bailiff of Shrewsbury, that some public institution was needed for the education of the youth of the town; and at the same time a request was made for some of the revenues of the dissolved collegiate churches of St Mary and St Chad, in Shrewsbury. His Majesty granted their request, and assigned estates which formerly belonged to St Mary's and St Chad's, then valued at £20 per annum, for the endowment of a school with the title of "The Royal Free Grammar-school of King Edward the Sixth.” Two schoolmasters were appointed, and the bishop of Lichfield with the bailiffs and burgesses were nominated governors of the school. Queen Elizabeth greatly augmented King Edward's donation in the thirteenth year of her reign. This was effected at the instance of " the excellent and worthie" Thomas Ashton, who was at the whole expense and labour of laying the affair before her majesty, and obtaining her letters patent. Mr Ashton had been a fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, and was probably fixed upon to be the first head-master of the school by its early patron Richard Whitacre; under whose great care and able tuition the school flourished very eminently. Besides the children of the gentry of the county of Salop and of North Wales, many persons of the highest distinction in the kingdom sent sons there.

Mr Ashton resigned his office some years before his death, but continued to cherish the seminary over which he had presided. He drew up the code of laws by which the school was governed for above two centuries, and added £120 of his own money to the endowment.

The statutes and ordinances made by Mr Ashton, though well adapted to the modes of life and to the course of education which then prevailed, were however found, as is the case in many ancient foundations, to be in several respects inconvenient and deficient, and in others, impracticable. They were therefore repealed (except so far as relates to the qualifications for exhibitioners) by an act of parliament* in 1798,

* It was enacted among other things:

"That when any vacancy shall happen by death, resignation, forfeiture, or otherwise, in the place or places of the first or second master, the mayor shall notify the same within 14 days to the master and fellows of St John's College, Cambridge,

entituled "An act for the better government and regulation of the Free Grammar-school of King Edward the Sixth, at Shrewsbury, in the county of Salop." This act provides that the governors and trustees

who shall, within two calendar months, proceed to the election of one other fit person, being a graduate of the degree of Bachelor of Arts at least in the Universities of Cambridge or Oxford, and a member of the Church of England, and the best qualified in respect of morals, learning, and discretion, to fill such place; and the said master and fellows shall, previous to such election, take each and severally an oath to vote for such person only to fill the said place as in his judgment shall seem the best qualified for such station.

"That every person so admitted as head or second master shall within twelve calendar months after his being so admitted, vacate any fellowship which he or they may hold or possess in either of the said Universities, and also shall vacate any other office, place or preferment, in either of the said Universities, or elsewhere, which shall require celibacy in the person who holds any such place, office, or preferment.'

The governors are empowered, with the consent of the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, from time to time to make fit and wholesome statutes and ordinances in writing, for the general government of the foundation; not making or enacting any statutes or ordinances which may in any way tend to alter or defeat the original institution of the said school, as a free grammar-school.

"That the surplus of the rents of the estates which shall remain over and above the different payments and things before authorized to be made and done, shall be by the said governors applied and appropriated towards the founding, creating, and inaintaining of one or more exhibition or exhibitions in either of the said Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, as the said governors and the said Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry for the time being shall think fit, for such scholars as shall have been educated in the said free grammar-school, and that no exhibition shall endure longer than five years, and then a new election shall be had of some other exhibitioner.

The election and choice of the said exhibitioners, as often as there shall be a vacancy, or as often as a new exhibition shall be created, shall be in the governors, and that every such election shall be had as follows:-First, of such scholars of the said school as have been or shall be born in the said town of Shrewsbury, or in the suburbs thereof, or in the Abbey Foregate adjoining thereto, being the legitimate sons of burgesses of the same town, if they be found by the governors meet for the same and for default of such, then of such scholars as have been or shall be born in the parish of Chirbury, within the said county of Salop; and for default of such, then the choice to be of such scholars as have been or shall be born within the said county of Salop; and for default of such, then the choice to be of such scholars as have been or shall be born within the said county; but that no person, shall be eligible to such exhibition unless he shall have duly attended the said school for the space of two years immediately preceding his going to any college in either of the said Universities, and shall have obtained from the master of the said school a certificate of such attendance under his hand, and also that such scholar so offering himself a candidate for such exhibition is duly qualified in respect of learning, and of good morals and behaviour; and in case there be no such scholars of the description aforesaid in the said school, when any vacancy of an exhibition shall

shall be a body corporate, and that all the governors except the mayor shall be possessed of £200 a year in land or money.

The trustees previously to the year 1798, founded from the increased revenues of the school four Exhibitions, tenable for seven years, at St John's College, Cambridge, each of the value of £70 per annum. These exhibitions by order of the Court of Chancery have been reduced to £50 per annum, and in default of candidates, who have a preference, they are open to any scholars who have been two years at the school. And since the passing of the act in 1798, the trustees have founded two additional Exhibitions, tenable for four years, at Oxford or Cambridge, by scholars from Shrewsbury school. These exhibitions are of the same value, and are under the same regulations as the four appropriated to St John's College.

1577. Under the 12th ordinance of Thomas Ashton, clerk, the first master of Shrewsbury school, were founded two Scholarships at St John's College, which are regulated by deed, dated 3rd Sept. 1623, for students from Shrewsbury school.

happen, or in case the person offering himself a candidate for the same shall, in the judgment of the governors, be unfit and ineligible, either for want of learning, or for any other cause or defect, to have or enjoy such exhibition, then the money which would otherwise have been applied to the use of such exhibitioner, shall be applied in the manner before directed, towards increasing the fund for founding and creating a new exhibition, and so toties quoties; and towards increasing the stipends or salaries of the said vicar of Chirbury, and curates of St Mary, Astley, and Clive, as aforesaid.

"That all the annual stipends, payments, or sums of money, which are now paid out of the revenues of the school estates for the better maintenance and support of scholars or exhibitioners from the said school, unto or for the use and benefit of such scholars or exhibitioners, at the said college of St John the Evangelist, in the University of Cambridge, under the ordinances of the said Thomas Ashton, shall not at any time hereafter be lessened or diminished, but shall continue to be paid by the said governors to the same amount at the least as they are at present paid; and that it shall be lawful for the said governors, with the consent of the said bishop, from time to time, out of such surplus, to augment the salary or stipend of any such scholar or exhibitioner, which is now or shall be at the said College of St John, under the said ordinances of the said Thomas Ashton.

"That four times in every year, that is to say, on the 5th January, the 5th April, the 5th July, and 10th October, there shall be made out and printed an account of the whole of the receipts, arrears, debts, bills outstanding, and also of all the expenses, and of the surplus of the whole revenues, and twelve printed copies thereof shall be lodged with the corporation, and shall at all times be open to the inspection of the mayor, aldermen, and assistants of the said town of Shrewsbury, and six printed copies thereof shall be transmitted to the master and fellows of St John's College aforesaid for their information."

1656. Two Exhibitions were founded by deed, at St John's College, for students from Shrewsbury school, under certain restrictions. These exhibitions are now each of the value of £35 a year, and they are tenable till scholars take the degree of Bachelor of Arts.

1713. Rev. Oswald Smyth, second master of Shrewsbury school, bequeathed property for founding two Exhibitions, tenable for seven years at Oxford or Cambridge. A preference is reserved for his relations, next for sons of burgesses, born in the town; after that, those born in the suburbs of Shrewsbury :-in default, any scholars born in the county of Salop, and educated at Shrewsbury school.

1724. John Millington, D.D. founded one Fellowship and four Exhibitions at Magdalene College, for scholars from Shrewsbury school. (See p. 333.)

1734. Mr James Millington founded two Exhibitions at Magdalen College, for students from Shrewsbury school. (See p. 334.)

1766. John Taylor, D.D. by his will, gave an Exhibition of £23 a year for four years, at either Oxford or Cambridge, for scholars from Shrewsbury school, with a preference to any descendant of Roger Owen, of Andover, though not brought up at the same school, but who should be thought duly qualified for the exhibition.

1844. Rev. R. B. Podmore founded an Exhibition of £30 a year, at Trinity College, Cambridge, tenable for four years, for a native of Shropshire. (See p. 353.)

NEWPORT.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1656, a. d.

THIS School was founded and endowed by William Adams, citizen and haberdasher of London, who gave besides an estate at Woodease, in the county of Salop, in aid of the original endowment, lest there should be any deficiency for carrying out his design.

In 1660, the 12th year of Charles II. an act of Parliament was obtained, appointing the master and wardens of the Company of Haberdashers, in the city of London, to be the governors of the free-school and almshouses so founded by Mr Adams; and for the settlement of the lands and possessions upon them for the maintenance of the school and other charitable uses.

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The founder in 1656 drew up statutes, constitutions, and ordinances

for the government of the school*. It is ordained by them that the school shall be for ever free for the teaching of the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew tongues, or any of them, unto fourscore scholars.

The statutes and orders are directed to be fairly written and suspended in a convenient place publicly in the school, and to be openly read in the school once a quarter from time to time, that so none may plead ignorance.

Mr Adams also founded four Exhibitions for scholars proceeding from this school either to Oxford or Cambridge. The nomination is in the visitor and the head-master, and is to be made within the last two days of the month of February yearly. It is also provided, that if at the time of election any scholar born in Newport or Chetwynd End shall be fitted for that choice, then such to be first chosen: in case there be none such, then next any one born within three miles of that town, but within the said county, if fitted for it; and in case that none such be found fit there, then any other born elsewhere within the said county of Salop may be chosen, respect always had for the preferring of such that were born at the least distance from the said school: or otherwise in case of failure therein, then to make choice of any well qualified and fitted that hath been a scholar in the said school by, the space of three years or upwards, so always that in all the respective places afore-mentioned, care be taken that the poorer sort be herein preferred, in case they shall be every way fitted for the same. These exhibitions are for the term of four years and no longer, and are each of about the value of £20 per annum.

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• The following are the tenth, twelfth, and eighteenth rules:—

10. "The master and usher shall have a special care to the good manners and decent deportment of the scholars, and shall exemplarily punish all misdemeanours, especially the sins of swearing, cursing, lying, filching, filthy or obscene talking or acting, gaming for any thing of price, and foul language to any person, and in an especial manner shall diligently endeavour to see the Lord's day kept free from any profanation (as much as in them lieth) as well after as under the public ordinances by all these scholars."

12. "All disobedient and stubborn youths that are pertinaciously and exemplarily bad, after two admonitions, wherewith their parents or friends be acquainted, shall the third time be expelled from the school."

18. "No scholar at any time shall with knife, or otherwise whatsoever in stone, lead, or other materials, cut, notch, deface, or break the windows, wainscot, forms, seats, tables of orders, desks, doors, tables, in any part of the houses, school, or library, neither deface or in any kind abuse any of the books in the said library. The master upon conviction of such offender, or offenders, shall give him or them exemplary punishment for deterring others so to do."