A HISTORY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE 



multiply by 20 for the corresponding lawyers' fees now, the costs were not 

 outrageous. This suit was the usual attempt of an heir-at-law, William 

 Massinger, to upset a charitable devise. But it failed. A decree was made 

 in favour of the school on 12 February, 1552. The enrolment of the decree 

 in favour of the corporation cost 2 6s. 8</., while the Master of the Rolls 

 and the Master of Requests were paid for the same iqs. $d. An interesting 

 payment this year, perhaps for the benefit of the school, was for ' Mr. King- 

 ston's Abbot of Misrule coming to Gloucester at Christmas time, IQJ.', while 

 * the players of the same Mr. Kingston,' who was lieutenant of the Tower and 

 a neighbouring landowner, were paid 5-r. 



Next year, 15512, finds 'Nicholas Oldysworth, scoolemaister of the 

 Free Gramer Scoole of the said citie,' receiving 10. In the following year 

 his name appears as Woldisworthy. The accounts of that year show the 

 political attitude of Gloucester in the payment of ' 2s. to him that brought 

 the proclamacion of Lady Jane ' and the same for the proclamation of 

 ' Dudley traitor,' while no less than 6oj. was paid ' to him that brought the 

 proclamation of the Queen's grace that now is,' Queen Mary. 



One wonders whether ' 201. to Mr. Arnold's servants on May Day at 

 the brynggyng yn of May ' was for the boys' benefit and a mark of the 

 reaction to Romanism. The reaction seems to have been bad for getting or 

 keeping schoolmasters. For in 15534 Oldsworthy had given place to 

 Richard Hewis, a distinguished person, of Magdalen College, Oxford, who 

 had been usher of Magdalen College School in 1540 and a fellow 1547-8, 

 being proctor of the university 1549, rector of West Walton 1550, and at 

 Brandiston, Norfolk, 1551-6. But he only stayed a year at Gloucester, 

 becoming rector of Rhoscrowther, Pembrokeshire, in 1554. Under Eliza- 

 beth he became a pluralist canon of Wells, Bristol, and St. David's. 



For the next three years no master could be got to stay. The accounts 

 record in 15545 'money paid to dy verse persons techynge the Gramer 

 scoole this year 8 15^.,' next year 5 12*. 6d., and in 15567 7 IQJ. for 

 the same purpose. Did the schoolmasters refuse to come because the city 

 spent ' 40*. in reward to the King and Queen's servants at the bryngyng 

 down of Mr. Hooper to be brant,' ' 43^. 8</. on a dyner made and geven 

 to Lord Chandos and other gentilmen that day Mr. Hooper was brant,' 

 and ' 5-r. 8</. for wyne by Mr. Kyngeston and others expended in the 

 mornyng that the said Hooper was brante ' ? A payment which does 

 not show enthusiastic loyalty was one of 6s. 8</. on the ' news that 

 the Queen's highness was delivered.' ' The glasyng of the scole howse 

 wyndowes' cost half that amount, 3^. 4^. At last, at the end of the 

 Marian persecution, came Hugh Walker, and was paid for 1557-8, as ' schole- 

 maister or teacher of the Gramer Schole for the whole yere, 10.' He 

 proved a permanence and stayed till 1 5756. His successor, Gregory Downes, 

 as he is called in 15767, and Downhall in 15778, appears in Alumni 

 Oxonienses as both Downhall and Downall. He was of Pembroke Hall, 

 Cambridge, and a B.A. there, but on coming to Gloucester took an ad eundem 

 degree at Oxford in February, 1577. He was regarded as a catch, as he 

 received double the salary of his predecessor, 20 a year. He is called in 

 the accounts ' Schoolemaster of Crysts.' After a short two years he went off 

 to the then more lucrative profession of the law, and became a master in 



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