A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



the fellows ceased by the former's death, and the school, as tested by 

 numbers, begun to revive under Warden Braithwaite, than it fell again 

 under the stress of political animosities aroused by the death of Queen 

 Anne and the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. 



On 6 March, 17167, the Grand Jury of Hampshire presented the 

 college ' Warden, Fellows, Master, Usher, and children for their known 

 disaffection and corruption of manners.' 



It being notorious that the late unnatural Rebellion and present threatened In- 

 vasion are the effects of Prejudice and bad Educacion . . . being credibly informed that 

 the Scollars of that noble Foundation, commonly called Winchester Colledge, are now 

 taught to emulate each other in factious and party Principles, by being told they are to 

 be distinguished and preferred according to their several degrees of zeal ; and they do 

 frequently treat most as are known to be well affected to the King's Government with 

 opprobrious language and ill-usage (particularly several Justices of the Peace) with 

 impunity from their Masters and Governors ; from whence it is naturall to infer that 

 their said Masters and Governors are also inclined to faction and disaffection. 



In 1716 the numbers of commoners fell to thirty-one, next year to 

 twenty. On 12 August, 1718, the Secretary of State (Craggs) found 

 time to spare from his severer labours to write to the warden for the 

 chastisement of ' many of the youths of Winchester School, and par- 

 ticularly those upon the Foundation.' This was for going to cathedral 

 on the king's accession day 'in a very extraordinary and indecent manner, 

 with Rue and Time on their Breasts, and some with mourning hat- 

 bands on their hats, by which it appears that these poor children, instead 

 of being taught their Book, and instructed in the principles of the Church 

 of England, have learnt somewhat to concern themselves in disloyal party 

 divisions and distinctions. I give you this notice of it that you may 

 direct them to be whipt, and take care that no enormity of this kind may 

 be committed there for the future.' The warden's answer was that they 

 did not go to cathedral till after celebrating the accession in chapel. 

 ' There were seven or eight of them, little boys, had rue and time in their 

 hats for which they were punished by the Master, according to the 

 method in the school. None of the upper boys, or Prcepositors, as we 

 call them, had any. I cannot find that above three or four had mourning 

 hat-bands, and that occasioned by the late death of relations, and besides 

 this, I believe there is not a mourning hat-band in the College. I am 

 very well informed they that were whipt knew it not to be a party 

 badge.' 



If the warden was stating facts, so innocent a tribe never suffered 

 the rod until Keate at Eton insisted on whipping the boys sent up for 

 confirmation. 



In 1720 the changing of Warden Braithwaite for Warden Cobb, a 

 younger son of Sir Thomas Cobb, Bart., may remind us how delightfully 

 early in those days people obtained their promotions. He was only 

 thirty-five when he became warden of New College, and he became 

 warden of Winchester at the age of forty-three. 



In 1724 there was a clearance. Warden Cobb gave place to 

 Warden Dobson. Cheyney illustrated the saying that a successful head- 



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