A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



of Eton. It is perhaps a tribute to the gap left by Waynflete's departure 

 that it was rilled for two years by the return of his predecessor Ailwyn. 

 Wayneflete's headmastership of Eton was almost as short as the stay 

 of half the Winchester scholars, for in 1443 he became Provost. 

 Henry VI. 's uncle, Cardinal Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, died on 

 9 April, 1445. The same day the king wrote to the monks of St. 

 Swithun's Priory, with whom, as the chapter, the election of the bishop 

 nominally rested, to recommend Wayneflete, and on the i3th he was 

 elected. In June he was consecrated in Eton College Chapel, when the 

 Winchester authorities attended and gave the Eton scholars a mark 

 among them, or about zd. apiece. A few months afterwards, 19 January, 

 I448-9, 1 Wayneflete was enthroned in the presence of the king. This 

 was by no means the first time that Henry had been at Winchester. 

 All his visits are carefully recorded in a special entry made in the 

 College Register. 2 'The first coming of the most serene Prince Henry 

 VI. to this College was on the last day of July in the igth year of his 

 reign (1441) on which day he was present at first Vespers and next 

 day at Mass and second Vespers, and he offered i ^s. 4</.,' which 

 was the customary royal offering at mass. On St. Cecilia's Day, 

 22 November, 1444, he came again, 'was present at Vespers and 

 Mass, and besides his daily offering (13^. 4</.) offered 100 nobles for 

 the embellishment of the high altar, and gave a notable sum of gold, 

 viz. : 6 13-r. ^d. to the scholars and choristers ; and further of the 

 abundance of his most affluent grace confirmed and enlarged the privileges, 

 liberties and franchises of the College. Wherefore his name is worthy 

 to be had in everlasting remembrance.' He came again on St. Cuthbert's 

 Day (4 September) 1 445 and was present at first and second vespers and 

 mass and gave ' the College his second best robe furred with sables to the 

 glory of God and the honour of the Most Blessed Mary the Virgin.' 

 The college in turn gave an organ recital by the cathedral organist, 

 Robert Derby, clerk (not, be it noted, a monk) on 21 and 22 November, 

 for which the organist was paid a noble ; while expenses on his household 

 cost 5.;., and 9 gallons of red wine bought for the occasion cost 4-r. 9^., or 

 a fraction over 6d. a gallon. During the parliament held at Winchester 

 in June and July, 1449, the king attended mass in the college chapel 

 every Sunday except 29 June, St. Peter and St. Paul's Day, when he 

 went to cathedral ' because it was a local feast,' the old dedication of 

 the cathedral church being to those saints, so on that day he came to 

 Chapel to vespers only. Wayneflete officiated one Sunday, Beckington 

 another, and on Thomas Becket's translation, the archbishop, John 

 Stratford, then chancellor, officiated, with Wayneflete and the Privy Seal, 



admitted last on the roll in 1436 ; John Payn of Wood Street, London, and John Mustard of Wim- 

 borne, Dorset, both admitted 1437, and Richard Roche of Taunton, Somerset, admitted 1439. The 

 first three went off to King's. It by no means follows however that more did not go. Unfortunately 

 the early Eton registers have disappeared. 



1 Misprinted in History of Winchester College, p. 209. It was the day of St. Wulstan, Bishop of 

 Worcester. 



8 Printed Louith, App. p. 370. 



286 



