A HISTORY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE 



This testimonial could not save the endowment of the school from con- 

 fiscation. On 22 June, 1548, it is noted: 



My lorde Protectors grace's pleasure is that Lewis Williams shall have in ferme the 

 premises, and therefore commandeth that a lease be made to hym of the same for 20 yeres 

 under the scale of the Courte of the Augmentation, yeldinge to the Kings Highness the 

 saide yerely rente, according to such order as other leases use to passe in the same courte : 

 Provided allweies that yf at any tyme after the sealinge of the said lease the said Lewis 

 Williams, his executors and assignes or any other for hym or them or in his or ther ryght, 

 shall, or doe expell or put out of any of the premisses any of the tenaunts or farmers having 

 estate by Indenture, untill suche tyme as theire estates therein shall be tried or adjudged to 

 be voyde in any of the king's Highnes courts having authoritie to hold plea of the same j 

 that then and from thenceforth the said lease to be voyde. 



The excessive tenderness thus shown to the tenants, who were not the 

 objects of the founder's bounty, while the general public was deprived of the 

 endowment given for its benefit, is a curious commentary on the policy of 

 Protector Somerset. 



The school, however, went on, as a note to Sterneholde's certificate 

 says ' the school is continued until further order (continuatur the schole 

 quousque}' The warrant of Sir Walter Mildmay and Robert Kelway 

 directing the continuance of the school and the payment of a sum repre- 

 senting the net rental of the confiscated lands of the chantry from the crown 

 revenues in Gloucestershire is not forthcoming. But the Ministers' Accounts 

 for 154950* show ji i 'paid in cash to Roger Forde, school master 

 (ludimagistro) of the grammar school founded by Greyndour's chauntry in the 

 parish church of Newland and for his wages or stipend so granted to him 

 during the king's pleasure ' by virtue (vigore) of the warrant signed by Walter 

 Mildmay, knight, a general surveyor of the Court of Augmentations and 

 revenues of the king's crown. The payment was continued* till 15534, 

 when it ceases, the Court of Augmentations having been abolished. As we 

 saw was the case also at Cirencester the payments were stopped unless and 

 until sued out again by way of a fresh grant in the Court of Exchequer. In 

 this case perhaps Ford died. The grant seems never to have been renewed. 



Whether the school had actually ceased before it was revived or newly 

 endowed half a century later is unknown. 



Some time before 1598 Edward Bell the elder had granted property on 

 trust for the payment of 10 yearly to a master teaching grammar in the 

 schoolhouse which he had begun, and 2 for repairs. By deed, 21 March, 

 1626-7, his son Edward Bell confirmed the grant. 



Alderman Whitson, of Bristol, by will dated 27 March, 1627, be- 

 queathed an annuity of 10 for increase of the schoolmaster's stipend, and 

 in 1724 John Symons, by will, left 100 to be invested in land for the 

 benefit of the school, provided that the master should be a layman and 

 following no other business, but when he should be in holy orders, the rents 

 should be divided among the almspeople ; but this direction has been 

 neglected, the master, who generally has been in orders, always receiving the 

 money. In 1650 ordinances were made for the school under which the 

 trustees were to be satisfied by the approval ' of learned men such as the 



1 P.R.O. Mins. Accts. 3-4 Edw. VI, No. 90. 



' Ibid. 4-5 Edw. VI, No. 90 ; 5-6 Edw. VI, No. 76 ; 1-2 Phil, and Mary ; Land Rev. Rec. Accts. 

 bdle. 28. 



416 



