purpose. The license is dated the 1st of August 1879, and, after reciting the will of Sir William Laxton, under which the Company became possessed of the Grammar School, Schoolhouse, and Almshouse at Oundle, and also that the Company, for the improvement and benefit of such School, had purchased, without license, from time to time as opportunity occurred, land adjoining the school premises, and had also, on the retirement of the late Head Master, purchased from him two boarding-houses, and that it had been decided to erect a new School on the land so purchased to be used for a Classical School, and to continue the present school as a Modern School for sons of tradesmen, farmers, &c.; also that the number of boys in the School necessitated the acquisition of a permanent cricket and recreation ground, which the Company proposed to purchase (the plot offered to them being about thirty acres in extent), part of which would be available for additional Masters' residences should they be required in future; remitted and released to the Company all forfeitures, informations, suits, claims, and demands accruing to the Crown by reason of the Company's purchasing without license, and gave and granted to the Company license to hold in mortmain all the lands so purchased without license, and also to purchase the thirty acres before mentioned.

PART I.-RETURN H.

Is there vested in the Company, and how, whether by charter, statute, order of the Court of Aldermen, act of Common Council, or otherwise, any right of exercising superintendence over, or any duty or discretion to encourage in any way, and what, art, trade, or business? State the nature and local limits of such control. In what manner and to what extent is such control now exercised? If such control is not now exercised, state the circumstances under which its exercise has fallen into desuetude.

The ordinances of June 1386 begin by a receipt by the new Masters from the last Masters of a paper of ordinances, a chest with two keys and the brass weights. Mr. Ravenhill's translation then proceeds :

Also it was ordained at the same time that every person who keeps a spice shop shall be under the government of the said Masters for the time being, as well those who are not upon the Livery as those "who are, and in case any of them are found in default, that the Masters shall report their names at our next Common Congregation.

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"Also it was ordained at the same time that every "Liveryman belonging to the said Mystery wanting to assay any weights, great or small, shall come to the hotel of the Wardens for the time being, and cause his weights to be assayed there, and shall pay for each weight assayed, of half a hundred a halfpenny, and for every other small weight a "farthing.

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"Also it was ordained that all the trades of the City of London shall be lawfully ruled and governed "each of them in its nature in due manner, so that no falsehood, malpractice, or deceit be found in any manner of the same trades, for the honour of the worthy persons of the said trades, and for the general "advantage of the people: that of every occupation there be chosen and sworn four or six, more or less according as the occupation shall have occasion, which persons so chosen and sworn shall have full power lawfully to do and execute the same; and if any person of the said occupations be rebellious, contrarious, or disturbing, so that they cannot duly execute their "office, and is thereof found guilty, he shall, for the "first offence, be imprisoned for the space of ten days "and pay to the Commonalty for the contempt 10s. ; "for the second offence he shall be imprisoned for the space of twenty days, and pay to the Commonalty 208.; "and for the third offence he shall be imprisoned for "the space of thirty days, and shall pay to the Com"monalty 30s.; and for the fourth offence he shall "be imprisoned for the space of forty days, and shall pay to the Commonalty 408."

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It does not appear under what authority these ordinances were made. They refer apparently to all the trades of the City, and cannot therefore be

ordinances of the Grocers' Company only, even if the Company had power as a Company to interfere with persons not members of the body. It is to be noticed that by the stat. of 37 Edward III. 1363, c. 5, it had been enacted that "all artificers and people of "misteries shall each choose his own mistery before “next Candlemas," and that having so chosen it, shall henceforth use it, and no other.

This is the first record of any right or claim of the Company to exercise superintendence in the conduct of trade, and the authenticity of these ordinances is not clearly shown; but a few years afterwards, in 1394, the Grocers' Fraternity and certain Italian merchants presented a petition to the Corporation of London complaining of the unjust mode of garbling spices and other "sotill wares." It was thereupon ordered that such goods, if sold without being first cleansed by the appointed garbeller, should be forfeited, and the Grocers' Company were requested to recommend a member of their body to the Court of Aldermen to fill the office, and Thomas Halfmark was chosen and sworn accordingly.

In 1447 Henry VI. granted to the Company the exclusive privilege of garbling in all places throughout England except the City of London. The grant is in the following terms:

Considering how much it will be for the general good and advantage of all the subjects of our Kingdom of England that all sort of spices and "Merchandises as well Annis, Cummin, Wormseed, Wax, Allum, Kermes as Pepper, Ginger, Cloves, Mace, Cinamon, Rhubarb, Scammony, Spikenard, Turpentine, Senna, Almonds, Dates, Rosin, Treacle, "Electuaries, Syrups, Waters, Oils, Ointments, Plaisters, Powders, and all Conserves and Con"fections as Green Ginger, Succade, Cardamums and "all sorts of Merchandises, Spices, and Druggs in anywise belonging to Medicines, and whatsoever "shall by sufficient Officers skilled in the premises of this kind, whom we are pleased to depute and appoint, duly and justly to supervise, garbell, search, examine and prove, to the purpose and intent that none of our subjects aforesaid may in future be deprived of benefit in buying any of the aforesaid "Merchandises, Spices, and Druggs, nor by the buying "of these kind be in anywise hurt in their bodily "health. Whereas it so appears, as is alledged, that Merchandises, Spices, and Druggs of the sort above mentioned, for defect of Officers of this kind, are "not duly supervised, garbelled, searched, examined "and duly proved, but are daily sold to our said subjects not at all cleansed, garbelled, and searched, "to the manifest deceipt and hurt of our subjects in "this behalf. Therefore for a due and just remedy

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to be thereupon had, We of our special favour "have ordained, constituted, and appointed our be"loved William Wetnale, Richard Hakedy, and Thomas "Gibbes, Wardens of the Mystery of Grocers of our City of London, to garbell all these kinds of Spices and Merchandises above specified and mentioned, in whatsoever hands they can find them, as "well in the towns of Southampton and Sandwich, as in all other places within our said Kingdom, as "well within Liberties as without (our City afore"said only excepted). To have and occupy the "aforesaid business for ever by themselves and their

garbling. And further of our abundant favour we "have made, ordained, constituted, and appointed the "aforesaid William, Richard, and Thomas to supervise, "search, examine and prove all the spices, druggs, and merchandise above specified and mentioned whatso ever belonging to Medicines in whatsoever hands they can find them within the City, Towns, and places "aforesaid as well within Liberties as without. To "have and exercise the said business for ever by them. selves and their successors, Wardens of the Mystery "aforesaid; or by their Deputies who thereto by the same Wardens, with the general consent of the said Mystery, from time to time shall be chosen ; giving "and granting to the said Wardens and their Successors for ever full license, power, and authority

"to garbell, supervise, search, examine and prove all "sorts of merchandises, spices, and druggs in manner "and form aforesaid above recited. And furthermore "of our more abundant Grace, We have granted that if any Merchant or other person, Native or Foreigner, "within our Kingdom aforesaid shall in future expose "to sale any of the Merchandises, Spices, and Druggs "aforesaid, by the aforesaid Wardens or their successors, or their deputies in manner aforesaid not supervised, garbelled, searched, examined, and proved, that then "the said Merchandise, Spices, and Druggs, so by the " said Wardens and their Successors or their Deputies not supervised, garbelled, searched, examined or proved, "shall immediately become forfeited to us and our

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Successors. And that the aforesaid Wardens and "their Successors or their Deputies, and each of them, have full power and authority to seize the said forfeiture to the use of us, our heirs and successors; ' and to make due execution in that behalf. And that "the said Wardens and their Successors shall answer "to us, our heirs and successors, annually in our Exchequer at Westminster, concerning all these kinds "of Forfeitures to us for the causes aforesaid belong

ing which shall become due. And that the said "Wardens and their Successors for their care and "diligence in this behalf shall have and receive to "the use of the Mystery aforesaid one half of all the "forfeitures belonging to us, our heirs and successors, " for the causes aforesaid, as often as they shall happen. "And that for the said half part they shall have an "allowance in their annual account at our said **Exchequer."

It would also seem that according to the privileges and ancient usages of the Company the Wardens had power to enter the warehouses and shops of all grocers, druggists, confectioners, tobacconists, and tobaccocutters, to prevent adulteration, and assay weights. The following instances of the Company's interference in matters of trade were found, among others, in the records :

As early as 1456 a fine was inflicted on one John Ayshfelde "for makynge of untrewe powder gynger, cynamon, and sawnders."

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In 1561 the books show that "bags and remnantes of certeyne evil and naynte pepper were ordered to be conveyed over sea to be sold, and the dust of "the "evil pepper syrnamed gynger was to be burned.

In 1562 the Court made an order that "grocerie wares shall not be sold in the streetes, figges onlie excepted." And that the apothecaries, freemen of the Company, should not use or exercise any drugs, simple or compound, "or any other kynde or sortes of poticarie wares but such as shall be pure and perfyt "good."

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In 1571 Rauf King, a brother of the Company, "and "certain others, makers of comfytes," were charged before the Wardens for their misdemeanours in mingling starch with the sugar, and such other things "as be not tolerated nor suffered. And the said Rauf King having now in his place a good quantity of comfytes made with corse stuffe, and mingled as "aforesaid with starch and such like," it was ordered that the comfits should be put into a tub of water and so consumed and poured out; "and that every of the "comfytt makers shall be made to enter into Bonds in "201. that they shall not hereafter make any biskitts "but with cleare suger onely, nor make any comfytts "that shall be wrought upon seeds or any other thinges but with clear suger onlie."

In 1575, a license having been granted by the Queen to an Italian for the monopoly of the import and sale of salad oil and currants, the Wardens were ordered to draw up a bill pointing out how the same was prejudicial to the commerce of the City, and to exhibit the same to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with all speed.

On the 12th of April 1583, "The Company was now "called into the parlor and the ordinances were read "unto them, with straight admonition and warning given unto them to occupy good and wholesome wares, "and that they buy no wares ungarbelled, and also to "take the allowance of trett according to the old "order and custom of the Company."

In 1589 a warrant issued from the Lord Mayor to two grocers and a yeoman of the Cannel (officer of the markets) to search all markets and places in the City and Liberties for bad fruits and to bring offenders Q 8786.-VOL. 2

On the 7th Feb. 1616, Michael Eason having been convicted before the Court of Assistants, he being an apothecary and brother of the Company, of selling "divers sortes of defective Apothecarie wares, which, on trial, were found to be defective, corrupt, and "unwholesome for man's body," and it being farther proved "that he had sould and uttered the like wares to Mr. Lownes, the Prince his highness's apothecarie, "and others, and he alsoe being found very unfitt in making of compositions and confections, and insuf"ficient and unskillfull to deale therein, he is by the Court, in consideration of the great damage and "danger which might happen to the Companie by permitting such enormities, committed to the Poultrie Compter.' There are several instances of the Company proceeding to these extremities.

The Charter of 4 James I., 1607, provides as follows: "And further of our abundant Special Grace, and of our "certain knowledge and mere favour for the better rule and governance of such persons as now exercise or shall hereafter exercise the mystery of Grocers and "Art of Apothecaries or of any others within the said City of London or the suburbs thereof, or within "three miles of the said City, we have given, granted, "and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, "do give and grant to the aforesaid Wardens and "Commonalty of the mystery of Grocers of the City "of London and their successors, that the said Wardens "of the Mystery aforesaid, and their successors, for the "time being, in all future time for ever, may and shall "have supervision, correction, and governance of all "and singular persons carrying on, exercising, or using "the Mystery of Grocers and the Art of Apothecaries,

delinquents unduly or insufficiently carrying on or exercising the Mystery or Art of Grocer aforesaid, or art aforesaid of an Apothecary, and their offences according to their sound discretion and ordinances by "them and their successors so as aforesaid to be made ; "willing, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, firmly enjoining that they take and com"mand all and singular, the Mayor, Justices, Bailiffs, "Constables, and other our officers, ministers, and subjects whatsoever, that be aiding, assisting, and abetting "the aforesaid Wardens and Assistants of the Mystery "of Grocers of the City of London aforesaid, and every of them to do, enjoy, have, and execute all and singular things by us to the said Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery aforesaid, and their successors, by these our Letters Patent, granted, "and every part and parcel thereof."

"chises as the Wardens and Commonalty of the "Mystery of Grocers of the City of London, at any time before the 20th day of March, now last past, "have held, exercised, or enjoyed, or ought or should "have held, exercised or enjoyed, by reason or pretence "of any charter, letters patent, or grant of our prede66 cessors or any of them or of any other lawful right or "title notwithstanding they are not named or recited "in any other charter, letters patent, gift or grant "heretofore given or granted to the Wardens and

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Commonalty of the Mystery of the Grocers of the City of London by any of our predecessors or by any "other omission, thing, cause, or matter whatsoever to "the contrary notwithstanding."

Towards the end of the seventeenth century the Company's right of garbelling fell into desuetude. The last mention of it is in 1687, when a Mr. Stuart, the City Garbeller, offered to purchase "the Company's "right in the garbling of spices and other garbleable 46 merchandise.' The Court, finding that from long disuse their privilege of appointment to that office was weakened, accepted a small fine of 50l. from Mr. Stuart for the office for life, and 208. a year.

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A solemn Minute of the Court of the 18th of August 1687 (see Part I., Return I.) speaks of the Company as a nursery of charities and seminary of good citizens," but omits all reference to a connection with trade.

The ordinances or byelaws of 1690 (see Part II., Return VI.) contain provisions that no person of the Fellowship shall knowingly buy or sell, utter, or expose for sale any perished, false, or counterfeit wares or commodities, under pain of forfeiture and penalties to the Wardens of the Company, and a similar provision against false beams and weights. Also a power for the Wardens or other members of the Company appointed by the Court of Assistants, as heretofore hath been used to view and assay all weights, beams, and powders, and to search, view, and assay all spices, drugs, grocery wares, and merchandises which are, or usually have been, or by law ought to be, garbled, and all wares, spices, drugs, confects, merchandises, and other things whatsoever of or belonging to the trade or mystery of a grocer, druggist, confectioner, tobacconist, tobacco-cutter, candler, and sugar-baker within the Cities of London and Westminster, and the Liberties thereof, and three miles compass of the City of London, to be sold, or which shall be exposed to sale by any person or persons whatsoever under the denomination of grocers, or any of the said other trades belonging to the said mystery, in order to reform and regulate all frauds, deceits, and abuses without injury or oppression to any. Also to take an account in writing of all defects, abuses, and frauds, as well in weights and balances, as also in goods and merchandises, to the intent that the same may be entered in the Company's books, and such fine or punishment may be imposed upon every such offender as by the Court of Assistants shall seem fit and reasonable, not exceeding in any one case 51. Fines are provided in the case of persons resisting search, and also of the Wardens or other persons refusing to make the search as directed by the Court of Assistants.

These provisions of the byelaws of 1690 are omitted in the byelaws of 1711, which are in most respects a repetition of the earlier ones. It has already been stated (Part I., Return F.) that all supervision of trade by the Company or the Wardens ceased after the Great Fire. Any attempt to recover the power of supervision, when, many years afterwards, the Company was in a position to exercise it, would have been rendered most difficult by the great development of trade and the impossibility of detecting fraud and adulteration without the aid of modern analysis.

A summary of the history of the Company in connection with the trade from which it takes its name will be found at the end of Part I., Return F.

PART I.-RETURN I.

A list of the Charities, eleemosynary, educational or otherwise, which are under the management of the Company, stating in each case the name of the founder, the date and nature of the benefaction, its original and its present value as regards both capital and income, and the purposes to which the funds have been applied for each of the last preceding ten years.

(1.) FREE GRAMMAR SCHOOL AND ALMSHOUSES AT OUNDLE, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE.

FOUNDED BY SIR WILLIAM LAXTON.

Sir William Laxton, Knight, by a codicil to his will, dated the 27th of July 1556, being minded to erect a Free Grammar School at Oundle, in the county of Northampton, to be kept in the house late called the Guild or Fraternity House of Oundle, the School to be called The Free Grammar School of Sir William Laxton, Knight and Alderman of London," with the

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stipends for the schoolmaster and usher therein mentioned, and to have seven poor men perpetually to be found at Oundle, each of them to have weekly eightpence towards their maintenance and convenient lodg. ing, and free house room in the said guild or fraternity house; and having agreed with the Grocers' Company, and having set out to them certain of his lands and tenements in the City of London, as well for the payment of the stipends to the schoolmaster and usher, and for the poor men, as also for the reparation and maintenance of the said guild and fraternity house, devised and gave to the said Company and their successors all his messuages, lands, tenements, rents, and hereditaments situate in the parish of St. Swithin, at London Stone, and in Sherborne Lane, St. Nicholas' Lane, Abchurch Lane, Candlewick Street, and Eastcheap, or elsewhere in the City of London, which he purchased of Edward Weldon upon the condition and intent thereafter declared; that is to say, he willed that the said Company should make suit to the King's and Queen's Majesties, to obtain the said guild or fraternity house, and that the same being obtained should be employed for the school-house and the habitation of the said poor men, and that the said Company should provide an honest, virtuous, and learned schoolmaster, being a Master of Arts, to teach grammar freely within the said school-house to all such as should come thither to learn, and should provide an honest, learned person to be usher to teach the scholars under the said master; and that the said Company should yearly pay to the schoolmaster out of the rents and revenues of the premises aforesaid to them bequeathed for his stipend yearly 181., and to the usher 61. 13s. 4d. And he willed that the said Company should for ever, with the advice and consent of the vicar, churchwardens, and four of the best and honest parishioners of Oundle aforesaid, provide and appoint seven poor honest men, dwellers in Oundle, to be beadmen for him in the said house, and to have convenient lodging therein freely, and that the said Company should yearly pay out of the issues and revenues of the said premises to each of the said poor men 11. 148. 8d., being at the rate of eightpence weekly apiece; all the said payments to be made quarterly. And he also willed that the said Company should yearly pay to the vicar and churchwardens, and to four of the most ancient substantial and honest parishioners of Oundle, 11. 48. yearly to the intent that they should employ the same upon the reparation and maintenance of the said house as often as need should require. And he directed that the said School should be called the Free Grammar School of Sir William Laxton, Knight, and the schoolmaster, usher, and beadmen called the schoolmaster, usher, and beadmen of Sir William Laxton; and for lack of convenient time further to explain the erection aforesaid, he directed that all other things touching the crection and continuance of the said School should be considered and done as by the good discretion of his executrix and the overseers of his will should be thought convenient.

The Company took possession of the property devised by Sir William Laxton's will in 1573. At that time the rental amounted to 50l. per annum; other sums specified in the codicil to 387. per annum.

In 1686, as appears by the Inquisition (see Part I., Return E.), the property derived from Sir William Laxton by the Company consisted of eleven houses in Candlewick Street, two in Abchurch Lane, one in St. Nicholas Lane, one in Eastcheap, three in Sherborne Lane, four in St. Swithin's Lane, and five in Bush Lane, London. They yielded altogether an income of 1701. 138. 4d.

Prior to the year 1821 the school premises at Oundle were considerably enlarged by purchases made by the Company, to the amount of nearly 1,500l., for additional buildings and for a playground for the boys. Improvements were also made in the schoolmaster's house for The the purpose of enabling him to take boarders. sums expended in repairs and improvements between 1808 and 1820 amounted to more than 1,2001. exclusive of an annual sum of 5l. allowed for incidental repairs.

It appears that, before 1821, the Company had augmented the payments directed by Sir William Laxton to be made to the schoolmaster to 301., to the usher to 101., to the seven almsmen to 2s. each per week, and the same to a woman to attend them. In that year the annual sums paid in respect of the charity were as follows:

:

8. d.

100 0 0

104 O 0

0

10 0 0 500

269 0 0

In 1831 the Company founded two Exhibitions of 501. a year each, open to boys at the school, tenable for four years at Oxford or Cambridge; in 1851 a third Exhibition was founded, and in 1868 a fourth.

In 1843 an information was filed by the AttorneyGeneral, at the relation of several of the inhabitants of Oundle, seeking to have the whole increased rents of the property devised by Sir William Laxton to the Company applied to the charitable purposes stated in Sir William Laxton's will. The case is reported as The Attorney-General v. the Grocers' Company, in the 6th vol. of Mr. Beavan's Reports, p. 526. The Master of the Rolls, Lord Langdale, dismissed the information with costs. He said, in the course of his Judgment, "I cannot take into consideration that if it had been suggested to the testator, at the time he was making "his codicil, that the time might very likely come "when the revenues would greatly increase, and when "the fixed salary would be insufficient for the maintenance of the schoolmaster, he would have made provision for these cases. I have no right to do so. All I can do is to look at the words of his will for "the purpose of seeing what is the intention there declared, and if I find the intention there declared "to be such as not to affect the whole of the property, "but to direct the application of particular sums only "to the charity, I cannot extend it."

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they did what appears to me to have been perfectly right; but I cannot agree with the argument which "has been suggested to me, that this ought to be "considered as evidence that they thought themselves "under an obligation to do it. Though there was

In 1848 the Rev. J. F. Stansbury, D.D., was ap pointed head-master of the school, and from this time forward the annual expenditure on the School and Almshouses always exceeded 1,000l. In 1853 the Almshouses were rebuilt at a cost of about 2,000l., and in 1855 the present school-house at a cost of nearly 3,500l. In 1861 the Company founded six Scholarships at the School for sons of Freemen. In 1868 1007. a year was added to the master's stipend. In that year, and for some years following, the annual expenditure on the school was about 1,2007., and on the Almshouses 250l. In 1873 the Company purchased the "Three Tuns Inn," adjoining the School. 1876 Dr. Stansbury retired on a pension, and the Rev. Henry St. J. Reade, M.A., of University College, Oxford, was appointed head master. The Company purchased, improved, and put in thorough repair two of the boarding-houses at an expense of 5,000l. It was then decided, on the recommendation of the new head master, to divide the school into two branches, viz., (1) a First Grade Classical School, and (2) a Modern School for sons of farmers, tradesmen, &c. resident in Oundle or its vicinity. This necessitated increased accommodation, and a building was hired for the latter branch. The former is at present carried on in the school building, as improved by the Company, but this arrangement is temporary only. The Company are now erecting a building for the Classical School, with suitable class-rooms, &c., for 400 boys, and when this is completed the Modern School will be transferred to the building now occupied by the Classical School.

The increase of boys necessitated improved playgrounds, cricket-fields, &c.; and in 1879 the Company purchased, for 5,000l., thirty acres of land within five minutes' walk of the school. A portion of this will be converted into cricket and other recreation grounds for the use of the boys. Should additional masters' houses with boarding accommodation be required (which is very probable) there are sites on this land well suited for such purpose.

The plans approved by the Court of Assistants for the erection of the new school buildings provide, on the ground floor, for class-rooms on either side of the entrance, a private room for the head master, and a cloister or corridor at the back, with lavatories, &c.; and, on the first floor, class-rooms with under masters' room and a small library. The cost of the building will be about 12,000l. The Court contemplate hereafter the addition (if the increase of the number of boys should justify it) of a large hall and library, museum and laboratory, and additional class-rooms, at a further outlay of at least the same amount.

There were, at the end of Michaelmas term, 1880, in the Upper School 153 boys, and in the Lower School 38 boys: total 191. The numbers are steadily increasing.

The staff consists of the head master with eight assistant masters.

The head master's gross income is as follows:

But the salaries of the assistant masters and incidental expenses reduce this to about 1,000l. a year. A portion of the second master's salary, to the extent of 2501., is paid by the Company.

Besides the four University Exhibitions, and the six Laxton Scholarships already mentioned, the Company gives four open Scholarships of 471. 58. each, tenable at the school, and certain prizes. The head master's salary and capitation fees, the contribution to the second master's salary, prizes, examination fees, repairs, rent of Lower School house, and of cricket fields, and sanatorium, coals, subscription to National Schools, &c.

entail upon the Company the annual outlay of some 2,600., which, with the outlay upon the Almshouses of a further sum of 2401., and the retiring pension to Dr. Stansbury of 4001. a year, make a total expenditure of about 3,2501.

The Company's net rental from the property held by them under Sir William Laxton's will amounts to about 4,000l.

The Company's expenditure on capital account in connexion with Oundle School has exceeded 11,0001. within the last eight years, and there is a further prospective outlay of about 24,0007.

(B.) FREE SCHOOL IN WITNEY, OXFORDSHIRE, FOUNDED BY HENRY BOX, ESQ.

Henry Box, Citizen and Grocer of London, by his will made in after reciting that, out of a sincere intention of public good, he had, at his own proper costs and charges in his lifetime erected a large Free School, with a very fair house for one schoolmaster and one usher, standing upon two acres of ground, in Witney, in the county of Oxford, declared his intention to settle the said house and land, and 50l. per ann. charged on his lands at Longworth, Berks. And further declared that his intention was to have the same settled upon the four Wardens of the Fraternity of the Art or Mystery of Grocers of the City of London, for the maintenance of the said Free School, schoolmaster, and usher.

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By an Act of Parliament, 15 Charles II., entitled An Act for the settling of a Free School in Witney, in the county of Oxon, being erected and endowed by Henry Box, Citizen and Grocer of London, "deceased it was enacted that for ever thenceforth there should be in the town of Witney, in the county of Oxon, one Free Grammar School for education and instruction of children and youth, to be called the Free Grammar School of the Foundation of Henry Box, and that there should be one master and one usher of the

said school, and that the four Wardens of the Company of Grocers should be governors of the revenues and possessions of the Grammar School, and they were for that purpose incorporated by the name of the Governors of the Free Grammar School of Witney, in the county of Oxon, of the foundation of Henry Box, and of the possessions and revenues thereof; and that Mary Box, relict of the said Henry Box, might ordain statutes, constitutions, and ordinances touching the said schoolmaster, usher, and scholars. And that the Provost of Oriel College, in Oxford, and four of the senior Fellows there for the time being, or any three of them (whereof the said Provost to be one), should be, and were thereby appointed, Visitors of the said school for ever; who were thereby required from time to time to act, do, execute, and perform all and every matter and thing whatsoever fitting, usual, and requisite in that behalf.

By an indenture dated the 19th of July 1670, after reciting that Mary Box had paid into the hands of the Wardens of the Grocers' Company the sum of 2861. in consideration of that sum paid to Ralph Box by the said Wardens, Ralph Box granted to the Wardens a rentcharge of 131. a year out of the said property in the parish of Longworth.

The application of the said sums of 50l. and 137. is declared to be as follows:

Hebrew should be taught free in the School to thirty scholars of the town of Witney, with preference to the poorest inhabitants. A writing and arithmetic master is to be appointed with a salary of 10. a year; the foundation boys to pay 1s., and the others 5s. a quarter for such instruction. The Visitors are to ascertain and certify the fitness of the persons nominated for the office of master or usher.

By subsequent ordinances made in 1805 by the Governors, with the approbation of the Visitors, every scholar, except a descendant of Henry Box, was required to pay to the master, besides the admission fee of 28. 6d., the sum of one guinea a quarter, and to the usher, for instruction in writing and arithmetic, 5s. a quarter.

The Rev. Henry Gregory took office as head master in 1834, when the pupils numbered nine. Upon his retirement in 1876 there was only one pupil. The Court of Assistants, after anxious consultation with the Charity Commissioners, decided that it would be undesirable to attempt to revive the Grammar School, but that there appeared to be a fair prospect of success for a middle-class day and boarding school, adapted to the requirements of the farmers and tradespeople of Witney and the neighbourhood. The School buildings were accordingly modernised and thoroughly renovated at an expense to the Company of about 1,500l. ; and, with the concurrence of the Charity Commissioners, Mr. Heel, of Stamford House, Witney (where he had a school of twenty boarders and seventeen day boys), was nominated head master.

Upon Mr. Heel's appointment it was understood that he was to receive the whole of the endowment, less 51., viz., 21. to the poor of Witney and 31. for the maintenance of the school buildings. Subsequently the Company, upon Mr. Heel's application, supplemented his statutory income by an annual capitation fee of 11. per boy.

In December 1878 Mr. Heel reported that he had in the School thirty boarders and twenty-three day boys. In the following December the numbers had decreased to twenty-seven boarders and twenty-two day boys, and, at the present time, there are but four boarders and fifteen day boys.

The falling off in the numbers is attributed by Mr. Heel to the depression of trade, but the Governors have not taken the same view of the matter, and Mr. Heel's resignation is now in the hands of the Court. The Court are now in communication with the Visitors as to the possibility of improving the school by the appointment of a graduate as head-master, in accordance with the statutes.

The sum received by the Company from the endow. ment of Witney school is 31. a year. The expenditure always exceeds this. The expenditure in 1877 was 433l., and in 1878 8621., but these amounts are principally on account of repairs.

(c). FREE SCHOOL AT COLWALL, HEREFORDSHIRE. FOUNDED BY HUMPHRY WALWYN.

Humphry Walwyn, by his will dated the 10th of December 1612, left the sum of 600l. to be bestowed in buying houses in the City of London, the rent of which he appointed to be paid as follows:-To the Company of Grocers 51. yearly, and two of the Wardens, with the Clerk, and some one learned man to be chosen by them once in three years to visit and examine the scholars at the school, which by his said will he appointed to be erected at Colwall, in the County of Hereford. To the parish of St. Martin Orgars 51., and the remainder of the rents of the houses to be purchased he gave for the teaching and maintaining a Free School in the parish of Colwall, in the county of Hereford, and directed that the poor children of that parish, and seven children of the parish of Little Malvern, of the poorest also in that parish, should be taught freely without payment of anything for their schooling; and also that those in the parish of Colwall which were able to pay should not pay above 10s. for their schooling in a year. He also directed that the Grocers' Company should choose the schoolmaster, and should have care that he be honest, learned, godly, and fit every way for instructing youth in learning, and in the fear of God; that the schoolmaster should observe that there be prayers in the school twice a day at the least, and that the Company should have power to remove him in case of