THE OLDER CHARITIES OF PLYMOUTH. 
39 
Twelves," in Catherine Street, a small Almshouse "Behind the 
Twelves," belonging to the Guardians, and the " New Church." 
When, in 1868, the Guildhall site had to be cleared, and the 
Church Alley Almshouses removed, an arrangement was made by 
which the New Church Almshouse was rebuilt; and the Alms- 
houses of the Corporation and the Guardians now form one block, 
with additional accommodation. This, if somewhat tardily, may be 
held to have partially atoned for the old misdeeds. 1 
EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENTS. 
The misreading of a date by one original investigator, has caused 
the foundation of the Grammar School to be antedated sixty years, 
and assigned to the reign of Henry VII. instead of that of Eliza- 
beth. "Always verify your quotations" was Dr. Routh's dying 
advice to his friends; and the historical enquirer who does not test 
his materials whenever possible by the original documents is guilty 
of something more than mere carelessness. It was, then, in 1561, 
and not in 1501, as was hastily thought from the indistinctness of 
the third figure in the date, that the Corporation of Plymouth 
founded the Grammar School, by private subscription. I quote 
the formal entry in the White Book, with the list of subscribers : 
xiiij Die July 1561. 
In the guilhaile w* thassent of John Eliott Maio r w l the more pt e of the 
xij and xxiiij^ ther assembled it was determyned concluded and vtterlie 
agreed vpon that one Thorns Brooke should supplie thoffice and function of a 
teacher or Scholem r w l in this towne so longe as he therin shall decentlye 
behave hym selfe and in consideracion of an annuall stipend of x 1 ' quarterly to 
be paid by the receivo r he the said Scholem r shall freelye teache all the 
children native and inhabitaunt w* w l in the Towne and that he also for his 
lodginge and refuge shall hawe to his owne vse the chambers over the almes 
howsse chapell and the said chapell for his scholehowsse and that he shall 
teache no other but gramer and writinge. Itm ther it was by thassents 
aforsaid fullie agreed that all suche psons whose names be herin ingrossed as 
hawe given anye some or somes of moneye toward and for the stipend afor- 
sayd shall for nonpayment of such somes of moneye as they of ther mere 
good willes hawe gyven toward the vse aforsayd be Distreyned and Distrein- 
able for the same. 
1 Jory's Almshouses at Coxside do not fall within the scope of this paper, 
as they were founded in 1702. They were erected for twelve widows, and 
endowed with various properties ; and are managed by a body of trustees. 
Col. Joseph Jory the founder, was a native of Plymouth, and gave the town 
its largest mace. 
