SCHOOLS 



other evidence remains than that already given. The bulky Borough 

 Records of Northampton^ published in two sumptuous volumes by order 

 of the corporation, has deferred the date of the foundation of the 

 existing school some ten years, and by so doing made the contents of its 

 foundation deed anachronistic. The school was founded by deed dated 

 I June, I 541, by Thomas Chipsey, grocer, who had been bailiff of North- 

 ampton in 1509 and mayor in 1527 and 1538. He conveyed to Laurence 

 Manley, who had been mayor in 1535 and died as such in 1547, and 

 eighteen others, lands in Holcot and Coton with a rent charge on land in 

 Pitsford, the whole being worth £() \js. 3^. a year, 'to the use and 

 upon condition ' that they should let the land to the donor for his life at 

 the rent of a rose, and after his death should ' provide an honest and suffi- 

 cient learned master or person to teach grammar within the town of 

 Northampton to such boys and persons as might desire to learn the same, 

 freely, without any stipend to be taken for the same of them or any 

 of their friends, and shall pay yearly to the said master or person for 

 teaching the said boys the yearly stipend of jTg.' Ten shillings a year 

 was to be paid ' to such boys as should be named by the Masters or 

 Wardens of the fraternity of the Blessed Mary, in the Church of All 

 Saints, to sing and celebrate divine service in the chapel of Our Lady in 

 the said church.' Any surplus was to be applied for the repair and 

 maintenance of the pavement in the market place. 



By another deed of 5 March, 1 541-2, the mayor, bailiffs, and com- 

 monalty of the town, and the masters of the fraternity of the Blessed 

 Mary, covenanted with the founder and the feoffees of the first deed to 

 allow the schoolmaster and his successors to have the use of a house be- 

 longing to the fraternity in Bridge Street, called the Lamb, as a school- 

 house. The fraternity were to put the house in repair then, but the 

 schoolmaster was to keep it in repair afterwards. On all future vacancies 

 in the mastership the corporation, the mayor, bailiffs, and commonalty 

 were to appoint the master. They were also to have power to remove 

 him if he did not do his duty, though this power was strictly guarded. 

 They were first to warn him, and if he did not amend within a month 

 to fine him ^i, and if he did not then amend within two months, they 

 might remove him altogether. One cannot help thinking that this deed 

 merely grants a separate endowment to a master already maintained by 

 the Gild^ of The Trinity and Our Lady 'founded by Thomas Bynge 

 and John Atwell to mainteine 4 preestes ' and to sing for their souls and 

 those of the fraternity. Besides the priests it maintained a sacristan, 

 a clerk, three singing men, and ' William Corbin, organ player, of 

 the age of 54 yeres, hathe a like annuitie of 40/. and one howse of 

 loj. by a like patent, and 26s. Sd. more for teachin childerne to sing.' 

 Here then was the Song School. There were only three priests 

 instead of four in 1548, and the inference is almost irresistible that the 

 fourth priest had been the schoolmaster who had become superfluous 



' Vol. ii, 350. The date is given as 1 55 1. 



' English Schools at the Reformation, pp. 147-8, and P.R.O. Chant. Cert. 35. 



235 



