The Age of Elizabeth (1547-1603). Various

Comissions made for the inquerie and certificatt of the said manours, landes, tenementes, possessions, hereditamentes, and other thinges wich are comme or ought to comme to us by the said Acte, ye do cause any of the particuler Surveyours of oure landes, or any of the auditours of oure said Courte of the Augmentacions and revenues of oure Crowne, or any theyre deputies within their several Officyes, to make colleccion of the number of Grammer Scoles and prechinges in every Countie of England and Wales that have byn kepte of any of the said landes, tenementes, or other proffettes or Revenues, which came or ought to come to us by reason of the said Acte, and of the yerelie value of the landes, tenementes, or other Revenues or proffettes which have byn chargeable or yerelie bestowed towardes the mayntenaunce therof, and to delyver the same to you: and you to make declaracion therof to us or to our said most dere uncle: to the intent there uppon, by advise of our said uncle and any other of our said Counsaill, we may consider and take order for the contynuaunce or alteracion of the same Scoles and prechynges, or for the same or other, to be newelie erectyd in suche places in every countie as shall be thought mete and convenyent.

      And also that lykewyse ye do cause the said particuler Surveyours or Auditours to make colleccion of all suche money, or other yearlie proffettes or commodite, as hath byn ymployed yearly toward the fyndyng of any poore persone or persons, to have contynuaunce for ever, within fyve yeres next before the begynnyng of the said parliament, out of any College, Fre-chappell, Chauntrye, or other thing graunted or appoynted to us by the said Acte and to delyver the same to you, and you to make relacion thereof to us or to oure uncle.

      So that thereuppon we, or oure said uncle, maie signifie unto you oure pleasure by worde or wrytyng how many Grammer Scoles shall be erected, and have contynuaunce in every Countie, and how moche landes and other yerelie pencions, Annuyties, or other proffettes shall be appointed for the mayntenaunce of every one of the same, and also what nombre of preachers of Goddes Worde shall be appoynted to be in every countie within England and Wales to have contynuaunce for ever, together with the stipends or yerelie proffettes appoynted to them for the same, and how many hospitals or places for the sustentacion and releif of the powre shall be erected, founded, or made to have contynuaunce for ever in every countie, and what and how moche landes or other proffettes shall be appoynted to the mayntenaunce of every of the hospitalles or places for relief of the poore.

REPORT OF THE SCHOOLS COMMISSIONERS FOR STRATFORD-ON-AVON (about 1550).

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      Source.—Leach: English Schools at the Reformation. Part ii., p. 238.

      The College of Strettforde was

      Founded by one John Stretforde, some tyme Arch byshopp of Cantorburye, For one Wardein, Fyve priestes, and Four Choristares, to mainteign dyvine service in the paroche Churche of Stretforde. For the mayntenaunce of whiche Choristers one Rauffe Collingwood, sometyme Warden theare, gave all his landes in strettfford, Drayton and bynton, by hym purchased to the same intent and Charged amongest the Revenues of the said College, whiche Revenues amounte to the yerelye Rent of £127. 18. 9. …

      Plate and Jewells belonging to the same Colledge amounte in weight to 249 ounces.

      Goodes and Ornamentes thereunto belonging, as by Inventorye Indented thereof apperyth, are praysed at £6. 10. 8.

      The guilde of strettforde was

      Founded by king Henrye the Fourthe, and incorporate by the name of A maister, two proctours, and one Alderman, to mainteign as many priestes as the Revenue thereof will extende unto to minister and syng Divine service in a Chappell therefore erected stonding in the middest and face of the same towne, called the guilde Chappell, whereunto belonge lands and possessions to the yerelye value of £49. 18. 8½. …

      Plate and Jewells belonging to the same guilde, videlicet, twoo Chalices, parcell guilte, waying 47 ounces. …

      Theare ys maynteynged with parte of the Revenues of the same guilde a greate stone bridge Leading over the Ryver of Avon conteigning in Lengthe 400 yerdes, stonding appon 18 Arches, and ys the chiefe Commodyte of the same towne and of all the Contreye thereaboute; wherefore yt is verey nedeful that yt be allwayes Repayred, or ells yt wilbe the onelye decaye and Empoueryshment of the same towne.

      Theare are allso Relieved with parte of the Same possessions 24 poore people, videlicet, 12 poore men and theyr wyves, everye couple having a house and a garden Rent-free of the same possessions, and yett not above charged, and have yerelye amongest them going oute of the same landes £4 10s. allowed amongest the reprises of the same; over and besydes, theye have £4 more of the discrete provision of the mayster of the same guilde.

      A free Schoole theare.

      Mainteigned with parte of the Revenues of the same guilde. And one Sir William Dalam, priest, aboute the age of 60 yeres, ys schole mayster theare, having For his stipend yerelye £10, going owte of the same possessions by letters patent and allowed amongest the stipendes of the ministers of the Churche theare.

      Memorandum:

      Allso Theare Be twoo Chappells at ease (members of the said paroche churche) callid Byshopton and Loddington, eche of them being twoo myles distaunt From the said Towne of Strettforde, having (everye of the said Chappells) one priest to minister in them, the priest of Byshopton being one of the nombre of the guilde of Strettforde, and hathe for his salarye and Lyving all the mynute tythes of the towne of Byshopton not charged emongest the Revenues of the same guilde. And the priest ministring at Loddington afforesaid, being one of the nombre of the Colleage of Strettforde hathe onelye a pencion going owte of the possessions of the same Colleage and allowed emongest the Repryses of the same.

      Anthonye Barker, Clerke, of the age of Fiftye yeres, Bacheler of Divinte, Warden of the said Colleage of Strettforde, is parsone theare, and hathe the same in the Right of the said Wardeinship, which parsonage is yerelye worthe of yt sellffe in tythes £75. 2. 8. charged in the whole value of the said College.

      Hoseling People[3] in the same paroche 1,500.

      Yt is allso a thinge vereye mete and necessarye that the guilde Chappell of stretford stand undefaced, for that it was allwayes a chapell of ease, for the Separacion of the Sicke persons from the hole in tyme of Plague, and standith in the face of the towne.

COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE. SCHOOLS CONTINUANCE WARRANT 6 (about 1550).

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      Source.—Leach: English Schools at the Reformation. Part ii., p. 245.

      Forasmoche as it apperith [&c.] that a Grammer Scole hath been contynually kept in the said citie [of Coventry] with the revenues of the said late Guylde [of the Holy Trinity in Babelacke], and that the Scolemaster there hath had [&c.] £6 13s. 4d. [&c.].

      And that a Grammer Scole hath been contynuallie kept in Stretforde upon Avon [&c.], with the revenues of the late Guylde in Stratford upon Avon aforesaid, and that the Scolemaster there hath had [&c.] £10 [&c.].

      And that a Grammer Scole hath been contynuallie kept in Brayles in the said Countie with the revenues of the late Guylde in Brailes aforesaid, and that the Scolemaster there hath had [&c.] £8 20d. [&c.].

      Wee therefore [&c.] have assigned [&c.], that the said Scole in the Citie of Coventrie aforesaid shall contynue, And that Robert Coventrye, Scolemaster there, shall have [&c.] £6 13s. 4d. [&c.]:

      And that the said grammer [scole in Stratforde upon Avon] aforesaide shall contynue, And that William Dalam, Scolemaster there, shall have [&c.] £10:

      And that [the said grammer] scole in Brailes aforesaid shall contynue, And that John