SCHOOLS 



Fryer of Coleford, which has attached to it the seal of the chantry, the 

 figures of St. John and St. Nicholas, and a shield of the Beauchamp 1 arms. 

 The legend is : 



SIGILLUM CANTARIE ROBERT! [GREYNDO0R ARMIGJERI APUD NULfANDJ. 



On 16 May, 1521,* John Bolthar, B.A., was presented by the Sir Chris- 

 topher Baynam (tie) who, as we saw, wrote his name on his predecessor's 

 brass, on the cession of Sir Thomas Poumfrey, whose appointment is not 

 given and who cannot be traced. The Oxford University registers now 

 begin to throw light, though fitful and scanty, on some of these masters. 

 We can trace 8 John Bolthar, for instance, as the John Bolter who supplicated 

 for his B.A. degree on 4 December, 1513, and 17 May, 1514, and was 

 admitted to it on 3 July, 1514. His successor, David Smith, appointed* on 

 Bolter's resignation by Sir Christopher Baynham on 1 2 January, 1530, appears, 

 under the spelling * Smygth,' * supplicating for his B.A. degree 1 1 March, 

 1 507-8, and 'determining' in 1508-9 ; and supplicating for his M. A. degree 

 20 February and 'incepting' 28 February, 1518-19, and dispensed from 

 disputations on 10 March, 1518-19, probably because he was already 

 teaching school somewhere, and again on 25 June, 1522. He died after 

 little more than a year, being succeeded by Roger Wynter, appointed by 

 Sir Christopher Beynam (sic), 17 November, 1531.' Wynter's appointment 

 testifies to the high status of the school, for he was a fellow of Oriel College, 7 

 who supplicated for his B.A. degree n November, 1522, determined in 

 1523, and became fellow of Oriel 2 November, 1525, when he is described 

 as from Salop. He supplicated for his M.A. degree 28 January, 1528-9, 

 and incepted 15 March, 1528-9. 



At the date of the chantry certificate of Edward VI, 1548, ' Sir Roger 

 Forde ' was ' at this present incumbent and scolemaster.' He is to be 

 identified with 'Roger Ford, secular chaplain,' who in 30 January, 15312, 

 was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Grammar at Oxford. His being 

 described already as chaplain, and his seeking only the inferior degree in 

 grammar instead of that in arts, may be taken to imply that he was already 

 incumbent and schoolmaster at that time. 



A flattering testimonial to him, and to his predecessors, is given by the 

 Chantry Certificates. 8 Sterneholde says : * 



A man of honest conversacion and good learninge, and wholyc geven and applyinge him- 

 self in the vertuouse bryngynge up of the same scollars, whereof are at this present good store, 

 and the Scole very well haunted, to the grete commodytie of the countrey thereabouts. 



This is more largely expressed, apparently from the original return, in the 

 Particulars for Sale: 



A man of honest conversacion and good lernynge, applyengc him selfe daylie in 

 theducacion and bringinge upp of Scolers in vertue and lerninge, the scoole now beinge well 

 haunted and furnished with scolers, and hathe ben allweyes ; which is very requisite and 

 necessarie that it shulde continewe ; or else hit shal be a greate lose and discomoditie to all 

 the countrie there abouts, for that thcr is not any other Cramer Scole free, nether otherwise, 

 not by a grete distaunce, to have their childerne brought upp vertuouslie in lerninge. 



'This must be a mistake for the Berkeley arm*. ' Heref. Epis. Reg. Booth, fol. 64. 



1 C. A. Boase, Reg. of the Univ. of Ox/. 89. * Heref. Epis. Reg. Booth, fol. 1 70. 



* C. A. Boase, Reg. of the Univ. of Oxf. 59. * Heref. Epis. Reg. Booth, fol. 173. 

 ' C. A. Boase, Reg. of the Univ. of Oxf. ' Harl. MS. 60 1. fol. 12. 



A. F. Leach, Engl. Set. at the Reformation, 84. 



45 



