A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



then of Canterbury, bishop of Bath and Wells, and father of the more 

 famous Francis Godwin, who wrote De Presulibus Anglice. Thomas 

 Godwin was B.A. 1543, M.A. 5 February, 1548. He resigned his 

 fellowship at Magdalen on Christmas Day, 1 549, having been appointed 

 23 May, 1549, master of the school at Brackley, 'on account of the 

 learning and diligence which he had already displayed in instructing the 

 youth there.' As the chantry certificates were all made by June, 1548, 

 Godwin must have been already teaching school almost a year when he 

 received the definite appointment. This conversion of the chantry into 

 a school saved its property from confiscation. Godwin was granted for 

 the term of thirty years a salary of thirty marks (>C2o, or more than that 

 of the master of Magdalen School at Oxford), with the schoolhouse, 

 dormitory above, a garden, and a new building where a stable had been. 

 He married his first wife, Isabel Purefoy, while at Brackley it is said, 

 and, ' being silenced from teaching ^ under Queen Mary, took to the 

 practice of medicine.' So says Anthony Wood, but as Godwin's suc- 

 cessor was appointed in 1552, the accession of Mary in 1553 could not 

 have been the reason of Godwin's leaving the school. On Elizabeth's 

 accession Godwin was ordained, and became chaplain to the bishop of 

 Lincoln and a canon there in 1560, obtaining subsequently the prefer- 

 ments above mentioned. 



He was succeeded as master by Robert Bede,^ who was a B.A. in 

 1 541, bursar of Magdalen 1550-2. He became master just before 

 August, 1552, it being expressly stipulated by Owen Oglethorpe on re- 

 signing the presidency of the college on 6 August * that ' whereas he the 

 said Owen hath given to Mr. Bede the Scollmaistership of Brackley 

 being now void through the neglygens of him that lately occupied it,' 

 the incoming president, Walter Haddon, was to ' see that the sayd gyfte 

 take place, and ratifie the same.' 



How long Robert Bede held the schoolmastership does not appear. 

 In 1 57 1— 6 the master was John Bede or Bedd, who had been usher of 

 Magdalen College School at Oxford, and is called by Anthony Wood ' an 

 eminent grammarian.' At Magdalen College is preserved the inventory 

 ' left in the Schole-maister's house' with ' Roger Webster, Schole-master' 

 15 April, 1577. 



The house consisted of the hall (haule), the parlour, the wine cellar 

 (wyne seller), buttery and kitchen, with 'a fayre led to brew withall.' 

 ' In Mr. Bede's Studie ' were a bedstead, six ashen planks, short board of 

 walnut tree for ceiling (sealing). There was also ' a chamber over the 

 inner parlour.' The inventory ends with ' Mr. Bede's legacie to the 

 Schole : Virgil with sondrie commentaries ; Horace with a commentarie ; 

 Calepyn with Onomasticon Deorum, etc.,' a tantalizing etcetera. 



Roger Webster, who also had been usher of Magdalen School,* held 

 office until 1588. 



' So Macray's Register ; but, as the text shows, he left before Queen Mary's time. 

 ' Macray's Re^ster, ii, 82. ' S. P. Dom. Edw. VI, xiv, No. 58. 



' Magdalen College Register, ed. Bloxam, iii, 128. 



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