ST CATHARINE'S HALL.

FOUNDED 1473, A.D.

THE College or Hall of St Catharine the Virgin and Martyr, was founded and endowed by Robert Woodlarke, D.D., Provost of King's College, and Chancellor of the University, for which purpose he obtained a charter in the 15th year of King Edward IV.

By virtue of the authority given by the Charter, the founder set forth a code of Statutes for the government of the College, and the College was ruled by those Statutes until the year 1549, when they were revised by Commissioners appointed by King Edward the Sixth. The Statutes so revised are those by which the College is now governed.

The founder, in the opening of the Statutes which he gave for the government of the College, declares the object of his foundation to be "ad laudem, gloriam, et honorem Domini nostri Jesu Christi, ecclesiæ suæ utilitatem, sacro-sancti verbi Dei administrationem, ad sacræ Theologiæ, philosophiæ, cæterarumque artium cognitionem amplificandam in Universitate Cantabrigiæ."

The Charter was granted for a Master and three Fellows; the present Statutes, however, ordain that there shall be a Master and six Fellows, more or less, according to the revenues of the College.

A Bible-clerk (qui Bibliotista sive Biblicus vocetur) is mentioned in the Statutes, but no provision is made for his maintenance or education.

1506. A Bible-clerkship was founded by Mr Nelson. This scholar was to be nominated by the founder, from time to time during his life, and after his death to be elected by the master and fellows. The election is to be made of some person born in Londesdale, or in one of the counties of Lancaster, York, or Westmoreland, if such a person can be found in the University who can read elegantly, and has some knowledge of singing. He is to continue to hold his office till he be admitted to priests' orders, or take the degree of M.A. The person

who holds the office of Chapel-clerk receives an annual stipend of £1. 148. 8d., with rooms rent-free. The duties appointed by the founder of the Bible-clerkship having been discontinued ; the lessons in Chapel are now read in the daily services by all the undergraduates in order.

1546. The annual revenue of the College, as reported by the Commissioners in the 37th year of the reign of King Henry VIII. was £55. 18s. 6d.

1610. Mrs Rosamond Payne left an annual stipend of 5 marks each, for the maintenance of two scholars. The whole stipend, £6. 13s. 4d., is now paid to one scholar, who is allowed to hold other small scholarships to the amount of £21 in all.

1613. Sir John Claypoole founded two Scholarships, the scholars to be nominated by himself during his life, provided that the scholars so nominated shall be found by the master and fellows fit and capable. The scholars were to receive each one half of £5. 6s. 8d. yearly, out of the rent of certain chambers in the College, commonly called the New Building, if the chambers produce so much rent.

The whole stipend of £5. 6s. 8d. is now paid to one scholar, who is allowed also to receive the stipends of other small scholarships to the amount of £21 a year in all.

1626. John Gostlyn, M.D. and Master of Gonville and Caius College, gave the Bull Inn, in Cambridge, with divers lands and tenements thereunto belonging, towards the maintenance of six poor scholars and for other uses, and ordered that each should receive £4 yearly for ever. The number of scholars has been reduced to two, and the annual stipend of £12 is now paid to each of them. He ordered also a sermon to be preached on 21 Oct. and that each of his scholars attending the annual commemoration of the founder shall receive 2s.

1627. Mrs Stafford gave a benefaction for "four poor scho-" lars of St Catharine's Hall, in the University of Cambridge, that shall study divinity, and carry themselves soberly and religiously." Each of the scholars was to receive £5 a year, and if resident, to retain his scholarship till M.A. The whole stipend of £20 is now paid to one scholar.

1630. The Lady Ann Cocket gave a stipend of £4 a year to be paid to a Scholar. This stipend is now paid annually to a scholar who is allowed to receive the stipends of other small scholarships also, to the amount of £21 a year in all.

1631. Thomas Hobbs, Esq. left property in cottages and lands, the rents of which, after the deduction of certain payments directed to be made, are assigned for and towards the maintenance of two or three "honest, hopeful, poor scholars, students in the University of Cambridge, namely, in Catharine Hall and Emmanuel College, or one of them, being also of sober and Christian conversation." The sons of godly poor ministers, faithful to the work of the Lord, are to be especially respected before others, and a priority in respect of election is to be had to Catharine Hall.

The scholars are allowed to hold these scholarships till B.A. An annual stipend of £4 is paid to Emmanuel College, and the remainder of the rents, after the other payments made, is divided among two or more scholars. The sums paid to four scholars in 1850 amounted to £40.

1633. Lady Catharine Barnardiston gave a benefaction of £400 to purchase land after her decease for founding three Scholarships.

The scholars are required to be such, that their parents are not well able to bring them up and to maintain them in the University, and that their sufficiency in learning and honest condition of life and conversation shall be approved and allowed by the master and fellows.

There is a preference reserved, first, for persons of the kindred of the foundress; next, for a native of the parish of Witham, in Essex, for one scholarship, and for students from Christ's Hospital for the other two scholarships.

Again, preference is to be given in the elections for all the scholarships, to persons of the name or kindred of Sir Thomas Barnardiston, the husband of the foundress; provided, that in all these cases the persons to be elected shall be members of the College, and properly qualified as regards poverty of estate, sufficiency of learning, and honesty of life and conversation. In default of all such persons, the master and fellows are directed

to choose such members of the College as they shall out of their religious care think most fit, both for their learning and honest conversation.

The lands purchased by the executors of the foundress, and conveyed to the College, having been sold in 1801 for the redemption of the land-tax charged upon other College property, each of the three scholars now receives a clear annual stipend of £20. 148. 4d.

1635. Dr Fuller, in his History of Cambridge, states that at this College were maintained one master, six fellows, with all the students, above one hundred.

1637. Richard Sibbes, D.D., Master of the College, left an annual stipend of £4 for a Scholar, called the Master's sizar.

1646. William Spurstow, founded one Scholarship, with a stipend of £5 a year. It is tenable till the scholar is of standing for the degree of B.A. and he is allowed to receive also the stipends of other small scholarships, to the amount of £21 a year in all.

1661. Robert Skerne, Esq., bequeathed certain lands for founding four Scholarships, and the executors are directed in his will, to lay out so much money from his personal estate for the purchase of lands of inheritance for ever, as shall maintain other four scholars.

The clear income of the whole estate is now divided equally among the eight scholars. The stipend of each scholar in 1850 was £18.

1674. John Cartwright, Esq. gave a benefaction to secure the payment of £12 a year, to found one, two, or three Scholarships, and vested the appointment in his heirs. The payment to each scholar yearly was to be £12, £6, or £4, according to the number of scholars, and each scholar was to receive the payment for 8 years, if he so long continue a member of the College, and behave himself soberly, and submit to the orders of the College.

No appointment of a scholar having been made by Mr Cartwright's heirs for many years, the College has paid the sum of £12 to a scholar elected at the same time with the other scholars,

1691. Rev. Samuel Frankland, master of the grammarschool at Coventry, left by will, certain property for the maintenance of one Fellow at St Catharine's Hall, to be sent from the free grammar-school at Coventry. It is directed in the will, that the person who holds this benefaction shall be called "the Frankland Fellow," and that the nomination and election shall be in the master and fellows of the said Hall, so that they should have a careful regard to the recommendation of the mayor and aldermen of Coventry, who are the trustees of the school.

Mr Frankland also founded one Scholarship for a scholar from the grammar-school at Tamworth; the nomination and election to which is to be with the master and fellows, yet still so as they have a good regard to the recommendation of the minister and schoolmaster of Tamworth. The scholar has rooms rent-free. In default of duly qualified candidates from Tamworth school, the election is made from persons educated at other schools.

The clear annual income derived from Mr Frankland's estate is divided into three equal parts, whereof two are paid to his fellow and one to his scholar. The fellow has also rooms rent-free.

When an appeal was made to the Lord Chancellor, as Visitor, in 1831, it was ordered that a candidate presenting himself from the free grammar-school of Coventry could not claim election, unless he gave satisfactory proof upon examination that he was duly qualified in learning. In default of duly qualified candidates from the Coventry school, the practice has been to elect persons who have been educated in other schools.

An augmentation of 20 marks yearly to the stipend of the Frankland fellow was made by the Rev. Matthew Scrivener, vicar of Haslingfield, but subject to certain conditions.

1695. The Rev. Moses Holway, of Michaelstow in Cornwall, gave a benefaction to found one Fellowship, to be called "the Conduct fellowship."

At the time this fellowship was founded, the master and fellows contributed to the purpose from the funds of the College. It was at the same time agreed, that the Conduct fellow should