A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



wages. On i6 July, 1623, a thunderbolt fell on Pemberton, in con- 

 sequence of complaints by the Oundle overseers, in the shape of an . 

 order to depart at Michaelmas. As he claimed to be heard in answer, a 

 visitation was held on 6 September. The complaints were that he had 

 not taught Nowell's catechism, that he had fallen out with the usher and 

 'expulsed ' him without letting the company know ; that he had admitted 

 boys who could not read or write, had taken half the money for admis- 

 sion, and had given play-days several times a week. But the real grievance 

 was that he was ' an ordinary haunter and frequenter of alehouses.' On 

 examination by Mr. Merrial, rector of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, the 

 scholars were found ' very imperfect and illiterate, there not being above 

 two who could make any theme or exercise in Latin.' The number 

 moreover had sunk to thirty-four. Mr. Pemberton then confessed in 

 writing, and in virtue of his five children asked for a benevolence, and 

 was got rid of for £s°- 



His successor, selected from five candidates, was Mr. Anthony 

 Death, elected on 20 February, 1624, on the recommendation of the 

 bishop of Ely and of Pembroke College, Cambridge. Within a year 

 there was trouble. It began on 7 January, 1625, about the nomination 

 to the ushership of one John Locke, in which the overseers of Oundle 

 wished to interfere, accusing the master of suppressing a letter from 

 the company. They also accused Death of ' neglect in teaching those 

 scholars who paid him not liberally,' ' exacting new fees for teaching, 

 and ' being late for school.' But these charges were apparently only to 

 back their own candidate, a Mr. Shortue, whom Death objected to as 

 ' insufficient in scholarship and not agreeing with him in his methods 

 of teaching.' The court reprimanded Death, who, after all, had 

 statutorily the absolute right of nomination, for his ' inconsiderate 

 carriage,' and appointed neither Locke nor Shortue. Worse was to 

 follow. The overseers then sent up charges of Death's behaviour to 

 sundry of his scholars ' being the most pretty and amorous boys,' 

 which had resulted in his being committed for trial at the assizes on a 

 then capital charge. The usual denial ensued, but after a visitation, on 

 12 May, the evidence disclosed a terrible state of things, and Death, 

 for ' his indecent, wanton, and uncivil carriage and behaviour,' was sum- 

 marily dismissed. 



On I June, 1625, Samuel Cobb, M.A., was elected, and under him 

 the school found peace for some eleven years, till his death in 1637. 

 Mr. Sheffield was appointed usher in March, 1626, at the increased salary 

 of ^15 a year, ;^5 more than the amount named by the founder. There 

 was only one disturbance in Cobb's time owing to a dispute about an 

 usher appointed by the company whom Cobb would not accept. But as 

 on a visitation, 5 September, 1632, a good report was given of the master 

 and the school, the matter was settled by Cobb agreeing to admit Ponder, 

 the company's nominee. Cobb's reign was rendered notable by the com- 

 mencement of a school register, begun on 15 September, 1626, which is 

 therefore, with the exception of the registers at Winchester and Merchant 



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