A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



Mitchell got them cheap. The inevitable informer, in this case Nicholas Jeff, ferreted them out, 

 got a grant from the crown as ' concealed lands,' and sold them to the lessees. After legal pro- 

 ceedings, eventually the lessees compromised with the trustees for perpetual rent-charges at the 

 rate of the then rents, ,8 8s. a year, and this is still the rent paid for these lands, whereas the 

 manor of Reigate and lands there are probably worth as many thousands or tens of thousands of 



pounds. 



Worse was to follow. The original Flower lands were let for the ancient and accustomed 

 rents of /6 13*. \d. In 1588 they were on lease for 33 years. The feoffees, to increase the 

 school income, sold the lands to Thomas Pelham for 80 down, at a perpetual rent-charge of 

 20 a year. That sum was, and is still, paid by the earl of Chichester, the descendant of this 

 Thomas Pelham. So the income of the school was irrevocably fixed at 28 8*. a year. The 

 endowment was sufficient at that time, but disastrously insufficient by the beginning of the eigh- 

 teenth century, and was the direct cause of its decay and conversion to lower uses. 



In the Vicar's Book 23 is a list of masters, Pye, Corbett, Muckligtone, Owen, Killingbeck, Jones, 

 Wildman 1580, Coachman, Smart, Kendall 1606; but no details about them. 



Corbett was no doubt Thomas Corbett, B. A. Oxon. 17 April, 1559, M.A. 1563^5 he is 

 found later holding benefices in Sussex. Muckligtone was probably Richard Muckleston who took 

 his B.A. degree at Oxford 1 1 February 1563-4. As for Owen, without a Christian name to help, 

 it is impossible to identify him among the scores of Welshmen of the name who crowded to Oxford 

 in Tudor times and, as they do now, stocked the country grammar schools. John Owen of 

 Anglesey, entered at Hart Hall in 1568, is among the multitude of Owens the most likely 

 identification. Killingbeck is undoubtedly Francis Killingbeck, B.A. Oxon. 1 8 November, 1569, 

 and afterwards rector of Poynings, near Brighton and Heathfield. To try to identify his successor 

 Jones, without even a Christian name, is to look for a needle in a bottle of hay. Wildman and 

 Coachman must be attributed to Cambridge. Smart is almost certainly William Smarte of Dorset 

 'plebeian,' who matriculated at Magdalen Hall 27 April 1598, aged 16, B.A. at Magdalen College 

 1602, and passed on to the vicarage of Wilmington, Sussex, in 1616. Kendall was Francis 

 Kendall of Derbyshire, 'gentleman ' who matriculated at University College at the age of 19 on 

 24 November, 1587. 



On 29 May, 24 1626, Edward Francis, M.A., was elected master. But on 5 July, 1627, he 

 was admonished by way of a first warning by the rector of Balcombe and vicar of Cuckfield 'for 

 his savage behaviour to the boys and errors in governing the school (pro sevitia sua in pueros et 

 erroribus in gubernando scholam).'' On 22 August he was a second time admonished. On 15 October 

 'a third admonition was given him, now he was ipso facto expelled (exclusui) and the school was 

 pronounced void, and we the undersigned thought that we should proceed to a new election.' 

 The signatures of Thomas Vicars, vicar of Cuckfield, Daniel Routhe, rector of Balcombe, Richard 

 Chaloner and John Warden follow. The same day James Sicklecroft, B.A., was elected 

 ' Schoolmaster of the Free Grammar School of Cuckfield ' and signed a 



promise that I will pcrforme the office of a good schoolmaster, that is, that I will with such 

 judgement and fittness teach the schollcrs grammar, that they shall be found ready and expert to 

 answer questions in those authors which they read, according to the rules of grammer ; and also I do 

 promise all such diligence to attend the place that I will increase this present number that is left 

 to the number of 20 schollers within the time of two yeares from my election, or els I will peaceably 

 surrender my place and leave it in the hands of the overseers. 



Sicklecroft presumably performed his promise and reached the prescribed tale of one score boys, 

 as he stayed for ten years. On 13 July, 1637, ' Mr. Browne ' was admitted schoolmaster and was 

 followed at unknown dates by James Rouse and Samuel Creed. 



Then came John Taylor. He was probably son of Richard Taylor, incumbent of Maresfield, 

 Sussex, and perhaps an 'old boy.' He had matriculated at Queen's College, Oxford, 15 October, 

 1624, aged 17, and became M.A. from Hart Hall, 7 July, 1631, and vicar of Sidlesham, Sussex, 

 in 1635. In 1675 the name of Hulton is recorded as master. 



In September, 1682, came Thomas Bysshe, undoubtedly an 'old boy,' son of Christopher 

 Bysshe of Cuckfield, 'plebeian,' who matriculated at St. John's College, Oxford, 9 July, 1677, and 

 took his B.A. from Oriel in 1681. He was rector of Tarring in 1698, and vicar of Eastbourne in 

 1704, when he retired from the mastership and for some obscure reason took his M.A. degree at 

 Christ's College, Cambridge, in the same year. 



On 1 6 October, 1 704, Philip Shore, son of John Shore of Hamsey, clerk, was appointed master. 

 He had matriculated at Merton at the age of 16, 21 March, 1693-4, B.A. 1697, M.A. 1701. 

 He was also vicar of Worthing from 1705, and on retirement in 1711 became vicar of 

 Woodmancote. 



"Fol. 42-6. " Vicar's Bk. 42. 



420 



