Page images
PDF
EPUB

Vidal. The electors are the dean of Exeter, and senior canon in residence, the mayor and the recorder, the master and the two senior fellows of St John's College, the master of the school, and the proprietor of the Conworthy estate, if he be of the name of Vidal.

Besides these exhibitions, there are others which may be held by scholars from this school at Exeter College, Oxford.

TIVERTON.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

Founded 1599, a.d.

THIS school was founded by the munificence of Mr Peter Blundell, clothier, a native of the place, who by his will directed that his executors should purchase a piece of ground in a convenient place and erect a school-house, &c., and that £2400 should be expended thereon, if necessary. He directed that the number of scholars should never exceed one hundred and fifty.

"If any of my exhibitioners shall be chosen scholars or fellows of any College or Hall, it shall not deprive them of their exhibition till the seven years are expired.

"I do further ordain, that there shall be no feast or dinner, nor any other entertainment at the expence of the benefaction or of the exhibitioners, at any time whatsoever; and I positively enjoin that no alteration shall be made by the mayor and chamber, of any rules prescribed by this my will, for the education of my exhibitioners after they are elected to the University; but they shall remain in the same latitude and extent which I have laid down in this will, that boys of genius may be left to their own genius, and not chained to a law-book or a concordance; therefore I allow the mayor and chamber of Exeter to choose one of the exhibitioners for the city to travel abroad for the benefit of trade, and I exempt that travelling exhibitioner from going to the University; but subject him to such rules as Mr Alderman Heath shall be pleased to draw up for his direction, both at home and abroad. I require that he shall spend four years in trading towns in foreign nations, and the other three in trade at home; and that he shall receive the yearly exhibition of the whole seven years. This is a permission to the mayor and chamber for the benefit of trade; but I require that the person so chosen shall have learnt Latin three years at the free-school, and shall have a genius for trade, and that there be no more than one travelling exhibitioner, and chosen no oftener than one election in three, notwithstanding anything in this will to the contrary.

“I do declare that, by the Free-School in Exeter, I mean that school which stands within the hospital of St John, founded by Hugh Crossinge, Esq. and others, and no other school whatsoever; for I would make the mayor and chamber electors of my exhibitioners, as they are electors of the schoolmaster, and do not doubt of their will to perform the said trust, with integrity and impartiality, for the advantage of the school and the honour of the city.”

Mr Blundell also directed his executors to bestow £2000 in establishing six Scholarships (the six scholars to be students in divinity) in the university of Oxford or Cambridge, or in both, for ever. The six scholars are to be elected by the trustees, with the advice of the schoolmaster, out of the said Grammar-school at Tiverton, of the aptest in learning, and such as are the least able to maintain themselves in the ministry.

Mr Blundell left the settlement of the scholarships to the lord chief justice, who, within a year after the founder's death, ordained, that two scholarships should be founded in Balliol College, Oxford; two in Emmanuel College, and two in Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.

It happened that Emmanuel College would not accept the nomination, which was therefore revoked, and the two scholars intended for that college were added to those in Sidney Sussex College. In 1616 the trustees gave £1400 towards the purchase of lands for the maintenance of two fellows and two scholars at Sidney Sussex College. (See page 374.)

1678. Mr John Ham of Uplowman, gentleman, by his will directed his executor, with the advice of Mr Blundell's feoffees, to bestow £200 towards the maintenance of a fellow and a scholar in Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, or in Balliol College, Oxford, to be chosen out of the scholars of Tiverton School, and born in the town, if any be fit, or in default of such, to one fit and born in the parishes nearest adjacent, and taught in the school of Tiverton. (See page 378.)

1783. Benjamin Gilberd, grocer, of the city of Exeter, by his will, devised to his trustees sufficient money to purchase £2000 consols, and, upon the death of the person to whom he gave a life interest in the same, to be transferred to the trustees of Blundell's Free-school at Tiverton, to be employed for the benefit of the school and the scholars educated therein, at the discretion of the trustees.

This benefaction came into the hands of the trustees in 1801, and at their meeting in 1802, it was ordered that £10 per annum should be paid to each of the two senior scholars at Balliol College, and that the like sum should be paid to each of the two senior scholars at Sidney College, in addition to their present stipend, and that an exhibition should be founded, to be called "Gilberd's Exhibition," with a stipend of £20 per aunum.

The first exhibitioner was elected at the meeting in 1803, and was permitted to enter at any college in either of the two universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Since the year 1814 the whole of the dividends has been given to two Exhibitioners on Mr Gilberd's foundation, being equally divided into two payments, each of £30 per annum.

1806. In the indenture, which was made between Richard Down, Esq., and the mayor and burgesses of Tiverton, it was declared that in consequence of his having transferred £700 three per cent. consols to the mayor and burgesses in trust, that they should pay to a scholar, under eighteen years of age, educated at Tiverton School for three years, after having entered at some college in Oxford or Cambridge, the dividends arising from the £700 consols for the period of seven years from his entrance at such college, unless within that time he should cease to be a member thereof, or, being of the age of twentythree years, should refuse to take orders, or accept any benefice with cure of souls of the annual value of £150; provided also that such scholar should be entered at some college within three months from the time of his nomination. If no fit and proper scholar, born in Tiverton, and qualified as aforesaid, should be found, the dividends are to accumulate till some scholar properly qualified shall be nominated: and the money accumulated during that time shall be paid by the mayor and burgesses to and for the benefit of such scholar to be next thereafter nominated, at such time and in such manner as the persons so nominating should direct and appoint.

The nomination was reserved to the founder himself and then to his son, and, after his death, to be vested in the mayor of Tiverton, the upper master of Blundell's school, and the rector of the portion of Tidcombe in the parish of Tiverton.

KINGSBRIDGE.

THE FREE GRAMMAR-SCHOOL.

FOUNDED 1670, A. D.

THIS school was founded and endowed by Thomas Crispin, a native of Kingsbridge, and a merchant of the city of Exeter.

1698. William Duncombe, M. A. of King's College, Cambridge, the first master of the school, having held that office for twenty-eight years, by his will devised some houses and lands, and ordered that £10 annually should be paid to "one, two, three or more such boys, being poor, as the estate will permit, and my executors shall think fit, and shall have had their education and learning in the said free-school of Kingsbridge four or three years at least, and shall from thence go to

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

« PreviousContinue »