SCHOOLS 



King's College, Cambridge, in 1443, and was a Cirencester man, obtained 

 licence * for the foundation of a chantry of St. Mary in Cirencester, which 

 was no doubt his native place. The chantry or Lady chapel is said still 

 to contain his arms, azure a chevron, between three foxes' or wolves' 

 heads erased or, which also appear in the window of the tower of the 

 church. Unfortunately, instead of endowing the chantry itself with lands, 

 the founder gave the endowment, probably a sum of money down, though 

 possibly lands, to the abbey of Winchcombe, who undertook to pay a 

 rent-charge or annuity, pension as it was then called, of 10 a year to 

 the chantry priest, who was also a schoolmaster. This appears from the 

 Valor Ecclesiasticus of 1535 and the Chantry Certificates of 1548. This 

 endowment was a good one at the time, 10 being the pay of the head 

 masters of Winchester and Eton. In 1487, when a subsidy was levied 

 on the clergy of Worcester diocese for the archbishop of Canterbury, 1 

 Master Simond Morland, schoolmaster of Cirencester (Magister Scolarum 

 Cirenceitrie), paid at the highest rate, 13*. 4^., while two chantry priests 

 of the Trinity and St. Mary and three stipendiary priests there paid at the 

 lowest rate, 6s. 8//., which, it may be remarked, was also the rate at which 

 the schoolmaster of Worcester paid. 



There being no registers of Winchcombe or Cirencester forth- 

 coming we know no more of the school till the Valor Ecclesiasticus 1 

 of 1535 records 



Humfrey . . master of the grammar school there has an annuity of 10 to himself for 

 his exercise aforesaid (pro exercitio suo) yearly paid out of the monastery of Winchcomb for 

 ever by the ordinance and foundation of Sir John Chedworthe formerly bishop of Lincoln 

 10, the tenth [payable to the crown] thence (decima indt) zos. 



It speaks well for the status of the school that there was a separate and 

 distinct song school also kept in Cirencester, one of the stipendiary priest- 

 ships in the parish church having been founded, or at all events applied, for 

 the maintenance of a song school, which would be in part a preparatory 

 school for the grammar school. For the Chantry Certificate of 1 545 ' 

 shows us 



IN THE DEANERY OF CIRENCESTRE 



64. THE PARISHB OF CIRENCESTRE, 

 where are of houseling people the nombrc of 1,400. 

 Robert Ricardes seruice, alias St. Anthonics seruice or chauntry. 



Founded by one Robert Richardes, and Elizabeth, his wyff, and the landes and 

 tenementes thereunto belonging putt in fcoffment, to the entent to manteigne a priste, 

 being a singing man, to celebrate at the alter of St. Anthonye in the seid churche, and also 

 to teache frely 2 children from tyme to tyme to singe, to helpe the dyvyne seruice there, 

 and to praye for the Founders sowles and all christien sowles for ever. 



Sir William Wylson, Incumbent there, of the age of 46 yeres, having no other lyving 

 then in the seid seruice, which ys yerely, 6 Of. H\d. 



The landes and tenementes belonging to the same arc of the yerely value of 7 131. 

 Whereof 



In reprises yerely, 19*. 4^. 



And so remayneth clere by yere, 6 14*. ij</. 



1 Wore. Epis. Reg. Marston, fol. I J. ' Valor Eecl. (Rec. Com.), ii, 447. 



1 A. F. Leach, EngL ScA. at the Reformation, 8 1, from Chant. Cert. Z2, No. 64. 



389 



