A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



To meet the difficulty of finding a new master at this reduced rate, 

 the company took the fatal step, on the recommendation of the ' local 

 trustees,' as they were now called, of appointing the vicar of Oundle, 

 Edward Caldwell, to the mastership. Under him four boys only were 

 admitted in the year 1690, seven in 1696, two in 1697, and three in 

 1699, when the register breaks off till 1762. 



There is no entry in the company's minutes relating to the school 

 from 1689 to 1705, in which year the court ordered payment of the 

 vicar-schoolmaster's salary, on production of a testimonial ' setting forth 

 his sobriety and integrity and faithfulness ' against ' the false accusation 

 lately given to the Court against him and the Usher.' The measure of 

 his failure is given by the register, which at the end records the scholars 

 going to the universities. In Speed's time, between 1673 and 1689, 39 

 had gone up, or at the rate of two and a half a year. In the vicar's time, 

 between 1689 and 1693, only four, including the vicar's own son, went 

 to the universities. He died in 1717. 



The new master, Mr. John Jones of St. John the Baptist's College, 

 Oxford, ' civilian,' found the school out of repair to the extent of 

 ^^30, and the company, after grumbling at having paid ^1 ^ a year 

 more than the founder allowed, eventually produced ;^20. Jones only 

 stayed for five years and was succeeded by another Jones, named Richard, 

 of Clare College, Cambridge. All that we hear of his reign is incessant 

 wrangles over repairs, and for a decent house for the schoolmaster. On 

 26 May 1 76 1 his son informed the company of Jones's death. 



The election of his successor was a lengthy matter. After the local 

 ' inspectors,' as they were now called instead of overseers, had been asked 

 to find a master, and a Mr. Rowe had been recommended, it was deter- 

 mined to advertise ' in the daily and evening papers.' After several 

 adjournments four candidates appeared. On 19 February 1762 one had 

 his petition and papers returned because he was not an M.A. as required 

 by Laxton's will, and Mr. Samuel Murthwaite was then elected by 

 ballot. Almost at once he complained that the master's house was so 

 bad that he could not live in it, ' or take scholars to board ; — to the great 

 discredit of the school ' ; while the inhabitants said that it was so ruin- 

 ous as to be incapable of repair. The company acted with commendable 

 expedition. The matter was only brought up on 22 October, and by 

 3 December plans for a new house costing ^365 were approved and 

 ordered to be executed. The building was not, however, completed till 

 8 March 1765. 



Poor Murthwaite began apparently with high hopes, restarting the 

 register, in which there had been no entries since 1699, with an ambiti- 

 ous exordium : ' The names of the pupils {discipuloruni) admitted to the 

 Public School of Oundle long deserted [diu infrequentissimam), when the 

 rule of it was undertaken by Samuel Murthwaite, 19 February 1762.' 

 But his hopes were doomed to disappointment. One entry in the 

 first year, two in the second, one in the third, furnished the meagre 

 record. 



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