SCHOOLS 



Six months later, 24 May, 1512, Agnes Morley, as she is now called, made her will of lands 

 (ultima voluntas). 



As concerning the establysshing and orderyng of a Free Scoole in Southovere aforesaide, per- 

 petually to bee contynued, in maner and forme folowyng, that is to say, where as I, the forsaide 

 Agnes, late purchased joynctely w' other, to us, o' heires and o r assignes, of Edmunde Dudley an 

 annuell rent or annuitie of xx" by the yere, to bee recevyed and taken of and in his manor of Ham- 

 messey otherwise Hammes 9 next unto Lewes, 16 December, 1508 ; And also wher diverse persones 

 bee seased of and in a mesuage w l a gardeyn in Southovere aforesaide, lying next to the mylle called 

 Watergate, to my use and performacion of this my laste wille ; Inprimis, I will that the saide mesuage 

 and gardeyn w' thappurtenaunce shall serve for a scolemaister and an ussher there to dwelle in, to 

 teche grammer in the same forever ; Item, I will that the forsaide annuell rente or annuite of xx" shall 

 goo to the fyndyng of the saide scolemaister and ussher and other charges, as herafter it is more 

 playnely expressid. Item, I wille that the Prior of Lewes for the tyme beyng and all that herafter 

 shalbee Priors of the same place, shall contynually for ever have the nomynacon of the Scolemaister, 

 whiche shalbee a preest, able to teche grammer in the saide Freescole, if suche a preest canne bee 

 had, or els to put in a seculer man whiche ys able to teche grammer in'the meane tyme in his stede, 

 unto the tyme an able preest may bee provided to bee a maister of the saide Scole ; And the said 

 Prior at all tymes to appoynct hym, so beyng scolemaister of the said Scole, his rule and ordre as he 

 shall think most best for encresing of coonnyng 10 to the scolers ther beyng. Item, I will the saide 

 scolemaister shalhave yerely x", and the ussher c* for their stipend and wagies. Item, I will that the 

 forsaide scolemaister shalbee a preest able to teche grammer, having no cure of soule nor noone other 

 speciall lette " whereby he myght w'drawe his attendaunce frome the saide Scole. Item, I will that 

 the saide scolemaister as often as he ys disposed to say masse, that he shall say the same in the Chapell 

 of Sainct Erasmes within the churche of Sainct John Baptist of Southovere aforesaide, and to pray for 

 my soule and for all my frendes soules and for all theym that bee my feoffys, w' all other helping or 

 bering good wille to the maynteynyng of contynuance of the saide Freescole. 



The prior had power to put out the schoolmaster and usher for reasonable cause after 

 reasonable warning ; and the schoolmaster, on his side, had to give a quarter's notice before leaving. 

 ' Item, I will that the scolemaister shalhave the nomynacion of the ussher to teche grammer undre 

 hym, providing that the saide ussher bee able to teche grammer, and of vertuous lyving and of good 

 disposicion.' 



The school was to be a free school. 



Item, I will that the saide scolemaister and ussher shall teche the scolers freely w'oute anny thing 

 taking of theym or of their fryndes, otherwise than of their benevolence. The receyvor [of the 20 

 rent-charge was to] kepe an Obite yerely in the parrisshe churche of Southovere aforesaide uponne 

 Sayncte Erasmes Day, or within viij daies therof at the ferthest, to the value of I3/. 4^., for the welthe 

 of my soule and of all Christeyn soules. [He was to keep the house at Watergate,] the scolehouse and 

 the house that the scolemaister and the ussher dwellith in, and the closur aboute the same, well mayn- 

 teyned and repaired in all maner [and] condition. Item, I will that he shall see the Chapell of Sainct 

 Erasmes in the churche of Southovere aforesaide and the ornamentes of the same Chapell well repaired, 

 and wyne and wax, and all other thinges whiche ys necessary for a preest to syng with, to bee sufficiently 

 maynteyned and kepte, and to paye all suche costes and charges as shall requir or happen herafter for 

 the wryting or renewyng of newe feoffementes, as well of and in the forsaide mesuage and gardeyne 

 leying next to the mylle called Watergate with the appurtenaunce, which servyth for the scolemaister 

 and ussher to dwelle in and the scolehouse, as of and in the forsaide annuite or annuall rent of xx" to 

 bee receyved of and in the manor [of] Hammessey otherwise Hammes aforesaide. [He was to] geve 

 accompte to theym that shalbe kepers of the keyes of my cheste, whiche ys ordeyned and belongith for 

 the saide scole, of his charges and his allowaunce concernyng the premisses, and than the saide receyvor 

 to bee allowed xx 5 for his labor and besynes for a hole yere, suche money as ys remaynyng at his 

 accompte, over and above all the premisses observed and kept, that it bee putte into my forsaid cheste, 

 to thuse and store for the saide scole and other the premisses to bee performed. Item, I will that my 

 forsaide cheste shall stand in the parrishe churche of Southovere aforesaide, whiche cheste shalhave iij 

 diverse keyes, wherof I will the Prior of Lewes shalhave oone keye, the churchewardeynes of Southovere 

 for the tyme beyng shalhave an other key, and Thomas Puggislee thelder and his heires shalhave an 

 other keye. 



The testament and will were proved in the Prerogative Court, 25 October, 1512. 



We know nothing of the carrying out of the will or anything about the school or schoolmaster 

 until in the Subsidy Roll for 1543-4" we find in ' the Rape of Lewes '' the scolemaster there 

 taking stypend of temporall lands by the yere 10 ' assessed to the subsidy at 2os. The entry, if it 

 does not tell us who the schoolmaster was, at least shows the school was a going concern. 



Fortunately for the school, Agnes Morley had vested the school lands not in the priory of 

 Lewes but in an independent body of feoffees, or otherwise this school, like many others of which 



' i.e. Hamsey. 10 Cunning, i.e. learning. " i.e. hindrance. 



11 P.R.O. Lay Subs. 35 Hen. VIII, ^|. 



413 



