dignity and cruelty. Henry granted this firft eftate to John Brydges and Thomas Hale, and three years afterwards to Sir Edward North, who made compenfation to the former grantees by a rent charge of 107. per annum. From him it paffed through various hands, until, in the reign of Elizabeth, it belonged to the Duke of Norfolk, who was attainted of high treafon, but the queen restored the estate to his fon, who was in high estimation with James I. In the reign of this monarch arofe one of thofe extraordinary men, who fhew that it is poffible for a virtuous mind to refift all the corrupt propenfities ariling from unbounded wealth and uninterrupted fuccefs. This individual was Thomas Sutton, of an ancient family in Lincolnshire, who having originally a good inheritance, and having improved his property till it exceeded 80,000 /. a vast fum in those days, diftinguished his declining years by acts of benevolence and charity. On the 9th of May 1611, he purchafed of the heirs of the Duke of Norfolk the Charter-House with its appurtenances for 13,000l. and on the 22d of June in the fame year, obtained letters patent, with a licence in mortmain, to found an hofpital and free fchool there. This admirable charity was perfected under the directions of his. will; making a total expence of 20,000 l.; and the founder left eftates for its endowment valued at 4,500l. per annum. The hofpital is a comfortable and refpectable establishment for eighty friendless, unmarried old men; and although republican rapacity in the days of the rebellion diminished for a time its revenues, the fame number is ftill maintained; they are plentifully fupplied with all neceffaries, except apparel, in lieu of which they receive a gown and 7. per annum; they refide in handfome and well furnished apartments.

The scholars have handfome lodgings, are inftructed in claffical and other learning, and supplied with all the neceffaries of life; and the ftudents at the universities have an allowance of 20% per annum each, for the term of eight years. The boys who are incapable of being brought up fcholars, are put out apprentices, and the fum of 40 1. given with each, and there are nine ecclefiaftical preferments in the patronage of the governors. The governors are enabled, by the patent, to receive charitable donations from any perfon inclined to beftow them on the hofpital and free school, the latter to have as many scholars as the governors choose to admit, to be under the tuition of a mafter and ufher. Their morals and religious conduct are placed, together with that of the penfioners, &c. under the guidance of a preacher. The whole inftitution is governed, under certain reftrictions, by a mafter, who is always a governor. The governors are fixteen in number, and include the King and Queen,

the

the Lord Chancellor, many of the highest nobility and first officers of ftate.

ST. PAUL'S SCHOOL. That there was a very ancient establishment of a school at St. Paul's, London, is manifeft by the charter of Richard, bishop of London, in the time of Henry I. who granted to one Hugh, the school-master, and his fucceffors in that employment, the habitation of Durandus at the corner of the turret, (that is, the clochier, or bell tower), where William, dean of St. Paul's, had placed him, by his the faid bishop's command; together with the cuftody of the library belonging to this church. The chancellor of St. Paul's was vefted, not only with the direction of affairs relating to teaching at the church, but was abfolute over the few who taught in London. Henry de Blois, bishop of Winchefter, iffued his mandate, now at St. Paul's, directing that no perfon should prefume to teach within London, without licence from Henry, then mafter,. except the masters of St. Mary-le-Bow aud St. Martin's-le-Grand, under pain of excommunication. The appointments were made by the chancellor, but the dean and chapter only could give the mafter, poffeffion; who was to be fober, honeft, and learned; in fhort, one whofe tenor of living would be an example for his scholars; a teacher, not only of grammar, but of virtue, "Eis non folum grammatices, fed etiam virtutis magifter."

Such was the ancient school, dedicated to the honour of St. Paul; and fuch the foundation on which Dean Colet erected the prefent flourishing feminary. Erafmus has afforded a minute account and defcription of the school, which Dr. Knight translated from the Latin, for his excellent history of the foundation, as follows: "Upon the death of his father, when, by right of inheritance, he was poffeffed of a good fum of money, left the keeping of it should corrupt his mind, and turn it too much toward the world, he laid out a great part of it in building a new school, in the church-yard of St. Paul's; dedieated to the child Jefus; a magnificent fabrick, to which he added two dwelling-houses for the two feveral mafters, and to them he allotted ample falaries, that they might teach a certain number of boys free, and for the fake of charity. He divided the school into four apartments: the firft, viz. the porch and entrance, is for the catecumens, or the children to be inftructed in the principles of religion; where no child is to be admitted but what can read and write. The fecond apartment is for the lower boys; to be taught by the fecond mafter, or ufher. The third for the upper forms; under the head master. Which two parts of the school are divided by a curtain to be drawn at pleafure. Over the mafter's chair is an image of the child Jefus, of admirable work, in the gefture of teaching; whom all the

boys,

boys, going and coming, falute with a fhort hymn. And there is a reprefentation of God the Father, faying, "Hear ye Him," thefe words being written at my fuggeftion. The fourth or laft apartment, is a little chapel for divine fervice. The fchool has no corners or hiding-places, nothing like a cell or clofet. The boys have their diftinct forms or benches, one above another. Every form holds fixteen; and he that is head or captain of each form, has a little kind of defk, by way of pre-eminence. They are not to admit all boys of course; but to choose them in according to their parts and capacities."

The wife and fagacious founder faw that the greatest hopes and happiness of the commonwealth were in the training up of children to good letters and true religion; for which noble purpose, he laid out an immenfe fum of money; and yet he would admit of no one to bear a fhare in this expence. Some perfon having left a legacy of 100/. fterling towards the fabrick of the fchool, Dean Colet perceived a defign in it; and, by leave of the bishop, got that money to be laid out upon the vestments of the church of St. Paul. After he had finifhed all, he left the perpetual care and over-fight of the eftate, and government of it, not to the clergy, not to the bishops, not to the chapter, not to any great minifter at court, but amongst the married laymen; to the Company of Mercers, men of probity and reputation. And when he was afked the reason of fo committing this truft, he answered to this effect, "That there was no abfolute certainty in human affairs; but, for his part, he found lefs corruption in fuch a body of citizens than in any other order or degree of mankind."

The worthy dean prefaces his ftatutes by expreffing an ardent wifh, that children fhould be taught regularity of conduct, and a knowledge of literature. That he might perform his part, he refolved to found this school of St. Paul's, for one hundred and fifty-three children. He appoints the Company of Mercers patrons, governors, and defenders; and for the governance of the ftudents, a master, a fur-mafter, and a chaplain, with sufficient falaries, for ever.

The office of high master requiring great abilities in its poffeffor, he very juftly defines what are the qualifications neceffary: "A man whole in body, honeft, and virtuous; learned in pure Latin and Greek; a man either fingle or married; a prieft, with no benefice with cure, or any impediment which might prevent or divert his attention from the duties of his fituation. Such a man is to be chofen by the Company of Mercers, in the fchool, during good conduct; which is to be examined into on Candlemas-day, at the fchool. The Mercers are forbid to permit the master's abfence without their licence; VOL. III.

and

and any diffenfion between him and the fur-master is to be referred to the furveyors being for that year. His lodgings were to confift of the whole ftory over the hall and chambers, and a little middle chamber in the house roof, now called a garret, and a gallery, with all the cellar beneath the hall, the kitchen, and buttery. He received his furniture, and his wages were a mark per week, with a gown annually, of four nobles value; but in confequence of the improved rents of the school estates, and in confideration of the diminished value of money, this, and all the other falaries are now greatly increafed. The mafter was indulged by the doctor with a vacation of thirty days, conjunctim or divifim. When ill of an incurable difeafe, or far advanced in age, he was to be difmiffed with a pension of 10%; but if he refigned voluntarily, a twelve month's notice was required. If the master had a hope of convalefcence in illness, his falary was continued, and the fur-master officiated for him; for which he had a reasonable compenfation from the highmafter. Upon his demife the fur-matter to be chofen in preference to other candidates. The dean beftowed his house at Stepney on the office. The attainments of the fur-mafter are required by the dean to be equal to those of the high-master, and he vells his appointment in that officer. The furveyors attended at the fchool, when the mafter prefented his affiftant to them, and they jointly charged him to execute his duty faithfully, on pain of difmiffion. He lodged in the Old Change, and his falary was 6s. 8d. per week, with a gown like the high-mafters. He was to dine with him, if convenient; and when decay and age rendered the fur-mafter unfit for the office, the worthy dean recommended him to the charity of the Company of Mercers. His notice of refignation was fix months only. If both mafters were ill of any contagious disorder, the founder orders the fchool to be fhut, and the falaries of each continued. Neither of them is permitted by the statutes to enjoy lectureships or profefforfhips.

The chaplain was to be an honeft virtuous priest, appointed by the Mercers; he was alfo to learn, or if learned, help to teach in the school. The dean requires that the chaplain hould have no preferment or other occupation; that he teach the children their catechifm, and inftruct them in the articles. of the faith and commandments in English. He was to hold his office only during good behaviour, and to have but one vacation in the year, and that not without permiffion from the iurveyors; to be clear of all difeafes when chofen; but to enjoy his falary of 87. during illness. His gown was valued at 26. 8d.; and he lodged either with the mafter, or in the Old-chain.

The

The dean permits the children admitted to be of any nation, and mentions that they must previously read, write, and be capable of repeating their catechifms. The high-mafter is permitted to receive 153 (alluding to the number of fish taken by St. Peter); with the trifling fum of four-pence, admiffion-money, which he orders to be given to a poor scholar who swept the fchool. Each child finds his own candles of wax, for those of tallow are exprefsly rejected.

He dires that one fcholar fhall prefide at every form; and that the teaching commence at feven in the morning, continue till eleven, recommence at one, and terminate for the day at . five; with prayers in the morning, noon, and evening.

The ftatutes comprize minute directions for the inftruction of the children, and appoint furveyors and a renter, and give to them and fome other officers their fees and falaries; and, finally, dean Colet folemnly charges the Company of Mercers to guard and promote the interefts of the foundation for ever, to the utmost of their ability, as they fear the juft vengeance of God for neglecting them; and to make fuch other regulations for the governance of the fchool as time and circumftances may render neceflary, with the advice and afsistance of good, lettered, and learned men.

To this valuable feminary belong twenty-feven exhibitions. The captain of the fchool leaves it at Eafter, with an exhibition, which is not confined to any particular college, amounting to 401. per annum for four years, and 50l. for three fucceeding years. This is tenable with any collegiate preferment except a fellowship. Two of the exhibitions are for St. John's, Cambridge, at 10. each. The Cambridge Univerfity Calendar fays, p. 112., under Trinity college," Five (exhibitions), Mr. Perry, 10l. per annum each, to fcholars from St. Paul's fchool, London. If the number is incomplete, the 50%. is fhared equally between them." And in page 78, Bene't college," One 1781, by James Stock, efq.; patrons, the governors of St. Paul's fchool: value 30l. a year, with the accumulation during a vacancy, except 157. paid to the college, appropriated to a student at St. Paul's fchool."

MERCHANT TAYLOR'S SCHOOL. This establishment is fituated on the declivity of a hill on the eastern fide of Suffolk-lane, Thames-ftreet, London. It is a large plain brick building, with an unornamented front; and was founded by the company whofe name it bears, in the year 1561. The fite, called the manor of the Rofe, was purchafed by the company, aflifted with a dona tion of 500/. from Richard Hills, who had ferved the office of mafter. The ftatutes of this fchool ordain, that 300 fcholars, of which it confifted, fhould be educated on the following terms,

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