A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



Not until August, 1579, was the work completed, though the income of 

 the lands given by Laxton amounted to £^0 a year, and the charges 

 specified by him only came to ^^38, so that they need not have haggled 

 over repairs. Under pressure from Sir Walter Mildmay the company on 

 7 March, 1578, had to increase the master's and usher's salaries by 

 £6 I 3J". 4^. and ^3 6s. ^d. respectively ' as a benevolence.' 



When Dr. Wilkinson ceased to be schoolmaster is not stated. But on 

 20 October, 1592, w^e find Mr. Pamplin, ' the Company's scholemaster,' 

 written to ' to continue his good favour ' to the almsfolk and act as pay- 

 master. 



In 1596 Mr. Pamplin was required 'to provide himself some other 

 place of service in regard of his want of due attendance, and other misbe- 

 haviour.' In September the case was referred to the archbishop of 

 Canterbury to know whether he should continue teaching ; a move which 

 resulted a fortnight later in William Pamplin offering to resign, ' which 

 the Company very thankfully accepted,' and ' calling to mind the diligent 

 pains formerly taken in their service,' gave him a benevolence oi £10 on 

 ' avoiding ' at Christmas. 



There was good competition for the place, with testimonials from 

 ' grave fathers and godly divines,' when Richard Spencer, M.A., of Clare 

 Hall, Cambridge, was appointed 1 4 January, 1597. Warned by experience 

 with Mr. Pamplin the company appointed him only at pleasure, though 

 this was not in accordance with the statutes of the school, and made him 

 enter into a bond f©r jCi°o ^o resign at six months' notice. In 1602 the 

 company visited the school in state with a learned man as examiner, 

 accompanied by the clerk and beadle. In 1604 urgent complaints must 

 have been made, as on 30 March it was agreed that the wardens, assisted 

 by the last wardens, Mr. Renters (the renter-wardens, or bursars of the 

 year), Mr. Dale and Mr. Sandy, should 'speedily ride to visit the Com- 

 pany's school at Oundle.' They reached Oundle late on 8 June. Next 

 day they repaired to the school at 8 a.m. ' and took view of the schollars, 

 whom they found in number about three score.' They then adjourned 

 to the church to meet the vicar, churchwardens, and overseers — not 

 the overseers of the poor, but ' four best and honest parishioners ' 

 appointed by the company to act as local overseers of the charity — and 

 ' after gratulation withdrew into the Chancel.' There, after delivering 

 the copy of the ' table concerning the government of the school ' above 

 mentioned, they required a certificate from the overseers in writing as to 

 the state of the school. They arranged that thenceforth the sum of 24J. 

 a year directed by the founder for repairs should be paid to them direct 

 ' and not unto the schoolmaster as it hath been wrongfully used to have 

 been paid.' The visitors next surveyed the buildings, ' which they 

 found in very good order and well repaired,' but the usher's house had 

 been made one with the schoolmaster's ' without the consent of the 

 Company, and the Usher contented himself with one small room at the 

 end of the school,' a fact which may perhaps account for the frequent 

 changes in the ushership. They then returned to dinner, ' where Sir 



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