SCHOOLS 



canonry to the chapter's nominee in sixty days he was to be fined 5 and the collation for that 

 turn was to pass to the archbishop of Canterbury. If the canon of Highley fell ill or was absent 

 with the dean's leave (which was not to be for more than thirty days in any year) he was to find a 

 substitute ' who well and sufficiently and gratis shall instruct and inform the grammar scholars 

 (gramaticoi) and others coming to our school of Chichester for the sake of learning.' If the pre- 

 bendary 'ceased to teach and inform boys and grammar scholars' for forty days he was to be fined 

 ^2, and if he ceased for three months the canonry and prebend were to become ipso facto vacant. 



The prebendary was to celebrate the bishop's obit on the anniversary of his death, paying to 

 the dean and chapter by 9 a.m. on that day 2is. 8d. to be distributed, 2dd. to the dean, a shilling 

 to every canon residentiary, a shilling to the prebendary himself, 8d. to each vicar of the higher 

 grade, 6d. to each priest-vicar of the lower grade, and to other secular clerks in that grade 4^., a 

 penny to each of the eight choristers, and so on, ' and for wax burning round the tomb 2s.' The 

 prebendary was also to say a requiem mass for the bishop every Friday, unless it happened to be 

 Good Friday or Christmas Day. 



The school hours were severe. 



Also we will decree and ordain that in summer time the grammar scholars and others coming to 

 our Grammar School for the sake of learning be every week day (diebus profestis) in our Grammar 

 School aforesaid at 5 o'clock or a little after, in winter before 6 o'clock, and afterwards when peal has 

 gone for the morrow mass in St. George's chapel in the cathedral we will that all and singular the 

 grammar and other scholars be present at the same morrow mass, or at least at the elevation of the 

 body of Christ, and then quietly and orderly (pacifice bonesteque) return to the Grammar School, and 

 when they have all re-entered the school the canon and prebendary shall immediately begin and with 

 all the scholars in turn fully say the Psalm ' God have mercy on us ' with ' Glory be to the Father ' 

 ' Kyrie Eleison ' ' Our Father ' ' Hail Mary ' ' And lead us not ' etc. the scholars answering ' But 

 deliver us from evil ' ' Rise, Lord and help us ' and the prayer ' Lord, holy father almighty, everlasting 

 God ' and ' Bless we the Lord.' Every night before the departure of the scholars from the school after 

 singing an anthem of the most blessed Virgin Mary they shall say either side by turns the psalm ' De 

 profundis ' and the canon is to say ' And lead us not ' with the prayer ; and at the end, while we are 

 alive, ' Direct we beseech thee Lord, thy servant ' and when we have paid the debt of nature the prayer 

 ' God who amongst the successors of the apostles ' with our proper name inserted. 



The scholars were to be present at his obit and requiem mass and ' those having knowledge for 

 the purpose to say two and two the " exequias " for our soul and the souls of our father and mother 

 and all our benefactors, and all the faithful departed, the rest saying the Lord's Prayer, the Angelic 

 Salutation and the De Profundis.' When mass was finished the master was to enter the chapel and 

 the scholars ranged in twos outside it on either side were to begin the De Profundis and finish 

 the psalm with the prayers ' God who amongst the successors of the apostles ' and ' God of the 

 faithful.' 



The school was to be a free grammar school. 



The canon and prebendary on the days seasons and hours convenient opportune customary and 

 fitting shall diligently sufficiently well and eloquently freely and gratis teach instruct inform and 

 chastise grammarians and others whomsoever coming to our school for the sake of learning, on no 

 account by reason thereof or in any other way taking from the same scholars or their parents or 

 friends any sums of money or accepting gifts or other offerings, except thanks given and bestowed 

 on him. 



If he was negligent or took any gifts he was after a second warning by the dean and chapter to be 

 fined lOf., and on a third warning to be deprived by the dean and chapter and another appointed 

 in his place. The prebendary was to keep the school building in repair. He was on no account 

 to let or set to farm or grant gratis ' our grammar school or any chambers or any part of the 

 same to laymen or secular persons, except the great cellar if that can be done without scandal or 

 inconvenience to the scholars of our grammar school.' 



This last proviso is interesting, as it shows that the school then was the same as the school 

 now, situate at the corner of the bishop's garden. It is a stone building with a great cellar 

 underneath it, above which is the schoolhouse, with a fourteenth-century arch in it, showing 

 that it was much older than Story's time, and was no doubt the schoolhouse in which Thomas 

 Romsey taught. 



About 1830 Prebendary Webber gutted the whole building, which originally consisted of the 

 great cellar and one story over it. In carrying out this work the turret vaulting of the cellar was 

 destroyed, and, by raising the roof, in place of one story three were made. All the northern part 

 towards West Street was rebuilt, and this portion was cut off from the rest of the building by a 

 brick wall which extends from the basement to the roof. The topmost story was used by Mr. Webber 

 as the schoolroom, the next was a dormitory, and below this was a washing room. The great cellar 

 was lengthened 20 ft. After Mr. Webber's resignation of the prebend in 1840, the next prebendary 



43 



