continued in the possession of that fraternity till their dissolution by Henry VIII. when it was granted to Thomas Calton, and alienated by his descendant Sir Francis Calton, to Edward Alleyn, Esq. in the fourth year of James I. It was at that time of the annual value of 8007.; the sum paid by Mr. Alleyn for the purchase was 5000l. In the year 1614, Mr. Alleyn began to erect a commodious building for an hospital, from a design by Inigo Jones; and having with some difficulty obtained his majesty's letters patent for settling lands on it, he executed a deed of trust, by which he conveyed the manor of Dulwich and other estates to the use of the college for ever. This institution he named THE COLLEGE OF GOD'S GIFT; and appointed it to consist of a master, warden, and four fellows; of which three are ecclesiastics, and the fourth an organist, six poor men, as many women, all of whom are enjoined celibacy; and twelve boys, who are educated by two of the fellows of the college. The right of presentation to this institution he vested in three parishes, with which he was immediately connected; and in the master, warden, and fellows of the college; thus distinguishing them into four separate parties; who have * Mr. Edward Alleyn was a celebrated actor in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. He had been accustomed to the stage from a very early period of life, and had acquired such a comprehensive knowledge in his profession, that Shakespeare is supposed by some, to have formed his instructions to the player in Hamlet, from hints communicated by him; and from observations on the various beauties exhibited in the different characters which he sustained. In the course of his theatrical pursuits he be came proprietor of the Fortune playhouse in Golden Lane'; where he performed with a company under his own engagement; and sought the favour of the public, in a spirit of generous emulation and opposition to our great dramatic bard. He was likewise master of his majesty's sports of bull and bear baiting; and had the conduct of the theatre called Paris Garden, where those diversions were exhibited. Having by this office, by the profits of his playhouse, and by marriage, accumulated an affluent fortune, he settled at Dulwich; and formed the benevolent plan of appropriating, during his life, the property he had acquired to the service of those whose career had not been so fortunate as his own. VOL. V. No. 104. H each each the right of introducing an equal number of poor per sons, to partake of the charity of the founder. The parishes are, St. Botolph Bishopsgate, where he was born; that part of St. Giles, Cripplegate, now formed into St. Luke, Middlesex, which contained the Fortune playhouse; and St. Saviour, Southwark, where the Bear-garden was situated, He ordained, that the churchwardens of these parishes should have a vote in the concerns of the college, under the title of Assistants; and that they should audit the college accounts twice every year. The power of visitation he assigned to the archbishop of Canterbury. The plan being thus completed, the founder passed the remainder of his life in a kind attention to the welfare of the little community he had formed; and to the regulation of its future domestic concerns. He died at Dulwich, Nov. 21, 1626, in the sixty-first year of his age, and was buried in the chapel of the college, without any further memorial than an inscription on a stone in the pavement. The benevolent intention of the founder seems to be completely fulfilled, in the prudent administration of the college concerns, by the various superiors; whose kind attention to the happiness of the society is acknowledged by those who have the good fortune to be under their care*. The institution does not seem to have originated from a vain and ostentatious disposition, but from a mind replete with humanity and benevolence. An idle tale was however propagated, that the Devil had appeared to Alleyn on the stage, and frightened him into this act of charity. Mr. Oldys, in his life of the founder, thought it necessary to enter into * A tradition prevails at Dulwich, that the soldiers of the parliamen tary army were suffered by their officers to disturb the remains of those who were buried there, for the purpose of converting the leaden coffins into bullets. From this may be inferred, that the College of God's Gift underwent a similar fate with that of Sir Thomas Gresham, at the time the chair of the astronomical professor was filled by Sir Christopher Wren. When one of his friends attempted to enter, in order to hear the lecture, he was met at the gate by a man with a gun on his shoulder, who told him, that he might spare himself the trouble, for the college was reformed into a garrison. 5 a serious a serious refutation of the charge; but the story was an old one, variously applied by Prynne, and other puritans, though never so injudiciously as in this invidious attack on Satan's sagacity. Mr. Alleyn left behind him a diary of transactions, after the foundation of the college, which, in the following extract, as well as in many others that might be made, expresses his gratitude for the ability of doing good to those around him." June 6th, 1620, My wife and I acknowledged the fine at the Common Pleas, of all my lands to the college. Blessed be God that has lent us life to do it "* On a vacancy in any department, two persons are chosen by the master and warden of the college, out of the parish from which the deccased was admitted: these draw lots, consisting of two pieces of paper, in one of which is written "God's Gift," which constitutes the successful candidate. The place of master is however an exception to the above. mode. To this the warden succeeds; and he must take it on himself within twenty-four hours after the death of the former master, and must appoint the Monday fortnight for the election of his successor; at the conclusion of which they all receive the sacrament, in token of their unanimity; and the new warden provides a dinner for the whole college at his own expence. Mr. Alleyn directed that the offices of master and warden should be confined to "the blood and family of the founder;" but if the family should become extinct, that those officers should be chosen from persons of the name of Alleyn, or Allen. * Before his decease the founder inconsiderately made an additional charge on the estate, towards the support of thirty poor persons, for whom he had erected habitations in the three parishes before-mentioned, and six junior chaunters for the chapel, forgetting that what he had once appropriated, as before stated, was no longer at his own disposal. This occasioned an unfortunate litigation between the heads of the college and the officers of the three parishes, till it was at length settled in favour of the college; the thirty poor persons being excluded any participation in the college estate, but allowed the privilege of being the only candidates for admission at Dulwich. On the death of one of the poor inhabitants, the furni ture which he brought with him is sold, and the money being divided into twelve equal shares, is distributed among the survivors; the matron who has the care of the boys, having two shares for her portion. When the boys arrive at a proper age, they are either sent to the universities, or placed out apprentices. A premium of ten pounds is given with each of the latter; and if they behave well, they are presented with five pounds at the expiration of their servitude. The letters patent for the institution of the college bear date June 21, 1619; the deed of foundation September 13. in the same year; and the deed of uses April 24, 1620. In the year 1686, Mr. William Cartwright, a celebrated comedian and bookseller in Holborn, gave to the college, by will, his collection of books, pictures, linen, and four hundred pounds in money; and in 1776, a legacy of three hundred pounds was left to the college by lady Falkland, which was placed in the public funds; and the interest is divided among the poor brethren and sisters, according to the will of the donor. The college contains a small library of books, chiefly the productions of our own language in the latter end of the sixteenth, and the beginning of the seventeenth centuries. Amongst these was a collection of old plays, which Mr. Garrick obtained of the college by an exchange of modern publications. The plays however are not withdrawn from the public use, having been since deposited in the British Museum. There is likewise a gallery of pictures, the gifts of several benefactors, and of others which were left by the founder. Some of them are valuable for their merit; some for their singularity; and others on account of their being authentic portraits of remarkable persons. Amongst these are, Henry prince of Wales, eldest son of king James I.; king Charles I. and his queen Henrietta Maria; James duke of York; a portrait said to be that of queen Elizabeth, but the authenticity of it is not ascertained. At the upper end of the gallery is a collection of portraits portraits of the monarchs of England, and their queens; among which is one of Anne Bolleyn, which is considered as genuine, but which by no means answers the idea of beauty usually annexed to this lady; it rather agrees with the account given of her by Saunders the Jesuit; who describes her as "lean-visaged, long-sided, gobber-toothed, and yellow-complexioned." We quote from Dr. Fuller, who stands forth as her majesty's champion, and enters the lists in defence of her beauty; but as the former of these authors was a bigoted Catholic, and the latter a zealous Protestant, the one thought it incumbent on him to degrade, and the other to exalt the character of this unfortunate lady. There is also a whole-length portrait of the founder; and another of James Alleyn, Esq. a cursitor baron, who held the office of master of the college several years, and founded an additional school at Dulwich, for the education of children. Mr. Cartwright's portrait is likewise amongst them, as is that of Burbage the actor, painted by himself. He was cotemporary with Shakespeare, and is said to have painted the only original picture of him now extant. Cartwright was the Falstaff of Charles the Second's time*. Over the entrance into the college is a long Latin inscription, written by Mr. James Hume, descriptive of Mr. Alleyn's qualifications and benevolence. DULWICH was celebrated a few years since for its medicinal water, to which there was such a resort of company, that the master of the house, then called the Green Man, erected a handsome room for their accommodation. In this house was born the famous Miss ANN CATLEY †, an eminent vocal performer on the London theatres. The wells having fallen into disrepute, the house was occupied for some time by lord Thurlow, whilst his house at Knight's Hill was rebuilding. The fine walk opposite this house, through the woods, affords from its top a noble prospect: but this is much exceeded by that from a hill behind the house, under a tree, called The Oak of Honour, from a tradition that * Ellis's Campagna of London. † Afterwards the wife of general Lascelles. queer |
