420 TRTTEO GRAMMAR SCHOOL. 



at my command, viz: that given by Polwhele, an old Truro 

 Grammar School boy, who was probably one of Carlisle's chief 

 informants. 



It should, perhaps, be premised that some trace exists of an 

 early school-master in Truro, a predecessor in occupation, if not 

 in appointment, of that John Hodge who was buried in 1600, 

 and who usually heads the lists of the Masters of the Truro 

 Grammar School. For this information I am indebted to my 

 kinsman, Mr. H. Michell Whitley, who kindly transcribed for 

 me as follows : — 



Chantry Certificate of 13 Feb., 4th Edward VI (1550). 



" The Towne of Trerewe where are inhowse lynge {i.e. com- 

 municants) people VI A Stipendary in the pishe church of 

 Trerewe of the benyvolence of the Mayer and burges of the said 

 Towne to fynde a p'st for ever to Mynystir in the pish churche 

 and to keep a scole there— Sir Eichard ffose prest Incumbent 

 and Scolemaster there of the age of £0 yeres hath for his 

 salarye vi 1 ' xiii s iiij d * The lands belonging to the Corporation 

 of the value of ix 11 with vi 11 xiij s iiij d for the stipend of the 

 foresaid Incubent and Scolemaster — Ornaments, plate, Jewelles 

 to the same none."t 



Now it is well known that, down to the very eve of the 

 Reformation, the education of the better sort was in the hands 

 of the clergy, as it was afterwards, to a considerable extent, in 

 the hands of such fine old Cornish families as the Grenvilles of 

 Stow. " The families of Bishops were the chief seminaries of 

 learning " — and the Bishop himself was originally the chief, if 

 not the only, teacher of his Cathedral School. Hence it is not 

 surprising to find Fosse described as both " prest " and " scole- 

 master," nor to learn that the school at Bodmin was in the 

 churchyard ; or to find more than one headmaster of the Truro 

 Grammar School buried in or near the church of St. Mary's. 

 One of the Boscawen family (Hugh), though not a cleric, 



* " The last prebend in the Church of Truro we " — The funds were probably 

 derived from some old Chantry. 



f In the roll of fees paid to members of suppressed chantries (2nd and 3rd 

 Mary), the name of Eichard Fosse occurs as the " last prebend in the Church of 

 Trurowe" as receiving a pension of .£6. In the list of Rectors of St. Mary's, 

 his name comes between those of Nicholas Wenmouth, 1546, and William Dawson, 

 1588. Fosse was therefore probably the first person who was both Rector of 

 St. Mary's and Head Master of the Truro Grammar Schooi, 



