A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



They sum up — ' Further we find that our school is greatly decayed, 

 in that many of the gentlemen in the country have put their children to 

 our school and have taken them away and have sent them to other 

 schools, in regard they have spent their times and have not profited 

 at all, to the great grief of their parents and to the hurt of our town,' 



Mr. Spencer being called before ' the Commissioners ' for his 

 defence, ' he in general confessed,' said the misorders were not done 

 wittingly and threw himself in respect of his wife and three small 

 children and ' small estate to maintain them withall ' on the com- 

 pany's mercy, with promise of amendment. After consideration of 

 which, he was again called in, ' and after a most sharp reprehension 

 used unto him for his great negligence and carelessness, with a most 

 friendly exhortation for the future, he was admonished to amend on 

 pain of expulsion, which admonition he accepted of in all kind sort, 

 giving them most hearty thanks for their most charitable and most 

 merciful dealing towards him.' 



On 5 March, 1605, Mr. Dale told the court that Spencer con- 

 tinued his neglect and breach of statutes, and letters were ordered to 

 issue for a second admonition, and that the appointment of an usher, 

 whose place was being supplied by Nicholas Taylor, should be stayed. 

 On 7 May, however, the letter of admonition not having been sent was 

 stopped, and on 4 July Taylor, on a testimonial from St. John's, Cam- 

 bridge, was definitely appointed usher. On 24 July, 161 2, an extra £/^ 

 was given to Spencer ' as the free gift of this Court,' probably for serving 

 the joint office of usher as well as master, since on the same day a new 

 usher, Michael Stone, was appointed, the place having been ' long void.' 

 He was succeeded by another, George Vernon of Trinity, Cambridge, on 

 5 February, 1 6 1 3, whose competency was referred for further examination. 

 At the same court it was ordered that the school ' shall be from hence- 

 forth once in every three years visited by the Wardens for the time being 

 accompanied with some persons of learning,' and three others of the 

 court. The next visitation was accordingly held on 6 June, 161 3, the 

 visitors being accompanied by Mr. William Haynes,^ ' chief Master of 

 the Merchant Taylors' Free Grammar School in London,' and a bevy of 

 neighbouring parsons. There were ' near one hundred ' scholars in the 

 school. But ' after one whole day spent they could not find, nor from 

 the learned gather, but that they were all, both from the highest to the 

 lowest, very raw, weak, and ignorant scholars, much lamented for the loss 

 of their time; and Mr. Richard Spencer, the Chief Schoolmaster, they 

 found not to be a man indowed with the right grounds, form, and 

 dexterity in teaching and training up of youth ever to become good 

 schollars.' 



Mr. Spencer, however, was 'by the said divines, gentlemen, and others 

 much commiserated, his poverty was found to be very great, with a great 



' He founded some exhibitions in connexion with Leicester Grammar School, now University 

 Exhibitions from the Wyggeston School, Leicester, with which Leicester Grammar School is con- 

 solidated. 



250 



