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the University of Oxford or Cambridge." By Lord Langdale's decree in 1847, it was ordered that an exhibitioner be elected every year, and receive £50 a year for four years, and that he must have been five years at the school, and not exceed the age of nineteen years at the time of election, which takes place on the 25th June in each year. An examiner is appointed by the Bishop of Exeter, who is visitor of the school, and it is his duty to recommend or not, any candidates for the exhibition. A certificate from the master is also required. The thirty boys on the foundation have a priority of claim, and the rest of the scholars are on the same footing. A boy's pecuniary circumstances are generally taken into the account.

ASHBURTON.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1606, A.D.

THE Free Grammar-school of Ashburton was founded by William Werring, Esq. who gave lands for its endowment in the third year of the reign of James I. The original endowment has since been augmented by other benefactors.

1637. Laurence Blundell, Esq. by his will gave the sum of £4 yearly issuing out of his lands at Ashburton, to a poor scholar of the said parish, for four years while resident at the University.

Mr Blundell also gave the sum of £6 a year, issuing out of the same estate, to a poor scholar of Ashburton, for his maintenance at the grammar-school and at the University, if he should be fit for it. The appointment of this scholar is vested in the heirs of Mr Blundell's

executors.

There are besides two scholarships at Exeter College, Oxford, for pupils from this school.

CREDITON.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1547, A.D.

THE Free Grammar-school of Crediton owes its origin to the wisdom and liberality of King Edward VI. The appointment of the master is vested in the twelve governors of the church of Crediton.

In the reign of King James I. an information was exhibited in the Court of Exchequer, and in the year 1624 a decree was issued, which directed among other things, that £20 of the revenues should be paid

yearly towards the maintenance of three poor scholars of the school of Crediton at the Universities, namely 20 nobles to each of them yearly for five years after they should be at the University, and no longer, and then other three to have like allowance successively.

These exhibitions have been considerably augmented.

TAVISTOCK.

THE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

THE school at Tavistock was connected with the abbey in that place; but on the suppression of the monasteries by King Henry VIII. the school, with the abbey-lands, came into the hands of the Duke of Bedford, in whom they were subsequently vested by an Act of Parliament. The school house and the residence for the master have of late years been rebuilt by the Duke of Bedford, by whom also £80 a year is paid to the schoolmaster.

1649. Sir John Glanville, knight, granted to trustees, by indenture, an estate at Brentnor, and directed that out of the profits thereof, not less than £6. 13s. 4d. yearly should be paid to a poor scholar from the school at Tavistock, for his better maintenance at the University of Oxford or Cambridge, until he should obtain the degree of Master of Arts. The profits now amount to about £40 per annum.

DORSETSHIRE.

SHERBORNE.

THE KING'S GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1551, A.D.

THIS school was founded and liberally endowed by king Edward VI. in the fourth year of his reign, upon the petition of the inhabitants of Sherborne and many other persons. By the original charter twenty of the principal inhabitants of the town of Sherborne were appointed governors, with powers to elect new governors as often as vacancies should happen, and to make rules and statutes for the government of the master and scholars, as also for the preservation of the estates and revenues of the school. The schoolmaster must be a master of arts at least, and the usher a bachelor of arts, but the statutes do not require either of them to be in holy orders. Both the master and the usher are appointed by the governors.

The governors have from the revenues granted four Exhibitions for scholars from this school to either of the universities of Oxford or

Cambridge. Scholars are eligible for these exhibitions after having been four consecutive years at least at the school on the foundation.

The value of these exhibitions is £40 a year, and they are tenable for four years, if the exhibitioner keep his terms and conduct himself with propriety.

DORCHESTER.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1579, A.D.

THE Free-school of Dorchester was built by Edward Hardy, of Wyke, near Weymouth; his endowment bearing date the 30th of August, in the twenty-first year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

1657. John Hill, by will bequeathed the sum of £100, to be laid out by his executors in the purchase of lands, to be conveyed to the mayor and aldermen of Dorchester, upon trust, that the yearly rents of such lands should, as a yearly exhibition, be paid towards the maintenance of a poor scholar, "born of poorish parents," inhabitants of Dorchester, educated and brought up in the school there, and thence sent to one of the universities, from his admittance till he should commence Bachelor of Arts.

Dr Gower, master of this school, and afterwards of St Paul's School, London, founded two Exhibitions each of the value of £7. 10s. per annum, for sons of clergymen, scholars from this school or St Paul's, at St John's College, Cambridge.

1847. The feoffees of the school established two Exhibitions, each of the value of £30 a year, for three years, at either University.

COUNTY OF DURHAM.

DURHAM.

THE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1541, A.D.

THE Grammar-school at Durham is coeval with the foundation of the Cathedral Church by King Henry VIII. and is under the control of the dean and chapter. By the statutes, it is ordained, that the master be required to teach the eighteen boys on the foundation, and all others that shall resort to the school.

1537. Hugh Ashton, Archdeacon of York, founded at St John's College, four Fellowships and four Scholarships, and provided that

one fellow and one scholar should be elected of persons born in the diocese of Durham. (See p. 309.)

1544. Thomas Patynson founded a Scholarship at Christ's College, for a student, a native of Northumberland or of the diocese of Durham, to be nominated by the dean and chapter of Durham. (See p. 295.)

1699. John Cosin, D.D. Bishop of Durham, founded five Scholarships at Peterhouse, Cambridge, each of the value of £10 a year for students from this school. (See p. 210.)

1724. William Hartwell, B.D. by his will devised property for various charitable uses, and directed that out of the rents, £20 per annum should be applied towards the maintenance of two Exhibitioners at either University from that school or that of Newcastle-on-Tyne, who were to receive £10 per annum, tenable for four years.

These exhibitions are now each £15 a year.

1773. Rev. Michael Smith, D.D. founded one Scholarship at Emmanuel College, of £16 a year, for a scholar educated at this school or Newcastle school. (See p. 368.)

Nathaniel, Lord Crewe, Bishop of Durham, left a bequest for various uses, one of which was, that exhibitions of £20 a year should be given to young men proceeding from the grammar-school at Durham to either of the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge.

HOUGHTON-LE-SPRING.

THE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1574, A.D.

THE Grammar-school and alms-house of Kepyer in Houghtonle-Spring owe their origin to the Rev. Bernard Gilpin, rector of Houghton-le-Spring, who on account of his excellent character and usefulness was called "the Apostle of the North."

This good man, observing the scarcity of learned men able to preach the Word of God, conceived the thought of a seminary of good literature, and erected a school-house, allowing a maintenance for a master and usher.

The foundation charter bears the date of April 2nd, 1575, and appoints governors with power to make, revise, and from time to time, alter the statutes of the school.

The first governors probably never exercised their power of enacting statutes. Mr Gilpin during his life directed the whole administration of the school; and having it continually in contemplation to increase

the foundation according to his pecuniary circumstances, left it at his death with no other regulations than such as were contained in the original charter.

There are six boys on the foundation of the school.

An Exhibition has lately been founded tenable for three years at Oxford, Cambridge, or Durham, by a student who has been on the foundation.

COUNTY OF ESSEX.

COLCHESTER.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1539, A.D.

THIS school was partially endowed in the 31st year of King Henry VIII. and more amply endowed in the 26th year of Queen Elizabeth. In this year her majesty re-granted by letters patent to the corporation, the chantries in the Chapel of St Helen, and in the Church of St Mary, with all the revenues thereto belonging, upon the condition that they should apply a part of the said revenues in erecting and endowing a free-school.

The school is now governed by new statutes which were framed in 1844, by the Bishop of London and the Dean of St Paul's, pursuant to the letters patent of Queen Elizabeth.

1620. Rev. Robert Lewis founded a Scholarship at St John's College of £7 per annum, for a student the son of a free burgess, educated at Colchester school. (See p. 314.)

1642. The Rev. Ambrose Gilbert founded two Scholarships at St John's College, each of the value of £18 per annum, for which a second preference is reserved in favour of scholars from this school. (See p. 318.)

CHELMSFORD.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1552.

THIS school was founded and endowed by King Edward VI. by letters patent, at the humble request of Sir William Petre, Knt. one of his principal secretaries of state, Sir Walter Mildmay, Knt. one of the general supervisors of the Court of Augmentations, Sir Henry Tirrell, Knt. and Thomas Mildmay, Esq. and the inhabitants of

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