A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



were other masters regularly recognized, and that was not till the 

 present century. It has now entirely superseded all other titles except 

 on ' Long Roll,' the Latin school list published once a year in roll 

 form. 



The qualifications required of the headmaster were that he should 

 be ' sufficiently learned in grammar, having experience of teaching, a 

 man of good repute and behaviour.' His duties were ' diligently to 

 instruct and teach (instruat et informef) the scholars of the said college in 

 grammar and diligently attend to them, and carefully look after their 

 life and conduct.' 'The lazy or negligent in learning or otherwise 

 offending,' he was, ' without exception of persons, to scold, or duly 

 punish and chastise, with this caution always that he in no way exceed 

 moderation in his chastisements.' This was a most necessary caution in 

 medieval times, when Spartan views prevailed of the medicinal value 

 of mere flogging. The absence of any formal investiture by ' rod and 

 birch,' such as took place for instance at Hereford Cathedral Grammar 

 School in 1 38 5, 1 taken together with this injunction about moderation in 

 chastisement are an indication of opinion highly favourable to Wyke- 

 ham's educational good sense. Of each of the two masters it is 

 expressly laid down that he should be ' a hired servant and dismissible 

 (conductitius et remotivus),' the same terms that are used for the conducts 

 or chaplains ; unlike the fellows who were to be ' perpetual.' The 

 headmaster was dismissible by the warden at a quarter's notice, 

 and was to give half a year's notice. Nothing is said about any 

 notice to or by the hostiarius, who was probably dismissible 

 absolutely at pleasure. The term of office indicated by Wykeham in 

 his agreement with Herton, ten years, which was also apparently that of 

 Melton's tenure and was surpassed by Romsey who succeeded him, 

 marks a distinct advance in school arrangements. In the old collegiate 

 churches the statutory term of office 2 was three years extendible to four 

 or five. The term of office of a regent or teaching master at the 

 universities was two years. It was intended apparently that they should 

 always be young men on their promotion. But the dearth of qualified 

 persons caused by the Black Death had in the case of the ancient 

 and famous school of St. Peter's, York, caused an extension of the term 

 in 1368, 'until the master obtains an ecclesiastical benefice,' and 

 later, in 1486, the chancellor, Chandler, an ex-warden of Winchester, 

 appointed one for life. At the same time the growth of the chantry 

 schools, in which the schoolmaster, being also chantry priest, held the 

 chantry on the same terms as any ecclesiastical benefice was held, viz. 

 as a freehold for life, tended to lengthen the tenure of masters too much. 

 Winchester and Eton enjoyed the great benefit that while no term was 

 fixed for the master's office, he was dismissible at pleasure at three 

 months' notice. It was not until the late seventeenth century, when the 

 headmaster had become a greater man than the warden who was sup- 



1 Register Gilbert, Dec. 26, 1385. Early Torkshire Schools, pp. 13, *3 9 97. 99- 



280 



