promised more, perhaps his whole library, publicly, in an assembly of the doctors and masters in the congregation-house, and often afterwards privately by their messengers; and had confirmed his donation, as they were assured, on testimony deserving credit, a little before his death. When that happened, they were unwilling to lose his valuable gift; they requested Waynflete to exert his power, at which they professed to rejoice, in their behalf, and to endeavour to obtain it for them from the king; not doubting but he, naturally disposed to be gracious, would be influenced by his intercession, and that of other good men, in their favour. They intimated that more promises had been made by the duke, about which it was better to be silent. Waynflete was not as yet a bishop. They celebrate his approved love for his Alma Mater; and their letter is remarkable for the affectionate terms in which it is conceived.

King Henry had resided at Queen's college Oxford with his uncle Beaufort, who, proud as he was, had deemed it not unworthy of his high birth and station, to instruct him with other boys as their schoolSee Appendix, No VIII.

master.

master. He had condescended to be styled the Founder of All Soulen college established by the munificence of Chichele for forty poor and indigent scholars, clerks, to pray for Henry V, the duke of Clarence, those who had perished in the war with France, and for the souls of all the faithful defunct b. He had bestowed on it the lands of some of the alien priories, which had been surrendered by the archbishop and clergy as a propitiatory offering to his father in 1414, when he was petitioned by parliament to seize their revenues. He is represented as ever friendly to Oxford, and we are told, that Waynflete endeavoured to persuade him to erect a college there: but he replied, “Ra"ther at Cambridge;" declaring his wish, if possible, to continue two universities in his kingdom.

If Waynflete did, indeed, at any time apply to Henry, as is related, and was un

h MSS. Tanner in Bibl. Bodl. N° 153, f. 1. " e quibus 24 ar"tium et sacrarum literarum, reliquos juris civilis atque canonici "studiis incumbere, &c."

i Stow, p. 956. A. Wood, vol. i. p. 224. Ayliffe, vol. i. p. 166. "Immo Cantabrigiæ potius, ut ita duas, si fieri possit, in reg« no academias habeam." Wake. Rex Platonicus, in marg. p. 68. Queen's college at Cambridge was founded by Margaret, his wife, 28 Hen. VI. 1449. Baker.

successful,

successful, his own liberal hand was speedily extended to relieve literate distress. In 1448, the year after his advancement to the mitre, he obtained the royal grant', dated the 6th of May, impowering him to found a hall, to be called after the blessed St. Mary Magdalen, for the study of divinity and philosophy, at Oxford; to consist of a president and fifty poor scholars, graduates; the number to be augmented or diminished in proportion to their revenues; and to confer on them a right to use a common seal. This was accompanied with a license for one hundred pounds a year in mortmain.

It was the care of John Godmanston, an esquire of Essex, who is styled by Budden" a great admirer of the fine arts, to procure a proper site for the intended edifice and society. An agreement was concluded on

1 See Appendix, N° IX. Mortmaynes, No 1. Index of Deeds. A. Wood, p. 187.

5to Nonas Maii. Budden, p. 67.

P.67, Johannes Godmanstonus ex ea nobilium nota qui "armigeri appellantur, bonarum artium summus admirator, fun"datorem sponte sua satis incitatum benigne etiam instigavit. Et "ne in alicno solo edificaret fundum pie est elargitus."

Waynflete collated Simon Godmanston, A. B. his chaplain, to the parish church of Nutshulling, May 6th, 1452. Registr. Wayn flete.

" S. Petrus in Oriente, N°11. Index of Deeds. A. Wood, p. 188, the

E

the 9th of June between him and Richard Vise, or Vyse, master, and the brethren of the hospital for the maintenance of poor and sick persons dedicated to St. John Baptist without the east gate, Oxford. They granted for a long term, all their lands and tenements inclosed by the way leading from the east gate to the street of St. John Baptist on the cast, and to Horse-mullane, afterwards Logic-lane, on the west; having the High-street on the north, and St. John's street, where is St. Alban-hall and Mertoncollege, on the south. Of these tenements, in number nine, some with small courts and gardens, the four principal were Bostar-hall, Hare-hall, Pencrych-hall, and Nightingalehall. The first was one hundred and thirtyfive feet long, and thirty-seven broad, and stood where afterwards was a house called the Scruple-office, in the High-street, on the west side of the Saracen's Head, now the Angel Inn. Hare-hall was seventy-five feet long, and sixty-six broad. They also let to him on the 20th Hare- or Nightingale-hall lane, three hundred and forty feet long, which they rented at two shillings a year of the mayor and corporation of Oxford.

• Vill. Oxon. No 3. Index.

The

The bishop on the first of August constituted Simon Godmanston his attorney, to take seisin in his name; and John Godmanston, having made over to him Bostar- and Hare-hall, with their gardens, immediately united these premises, under the name of St. Mary Magdalen-hall. By his charter of foundation, dated dated the 18th, John Hornley, bachelor of divinity, a man of eminence, was appointed president; and thirteen masters of arts, with seven bachelors, were nominated to commence the new society. Among the latter were Simon Godmanston, John Foreman and Richard Berne, or Barne, Bernes, Barnes, Bernys, Barnys, or Baronys. On the 29th the president received possession of the hall by his attorney. The remaining premises were delivered over to him in like manner in the following year by John Godmanston'. This person is mentioned by Budden, not only as a zealous promoter of the design, but as the pious donor of the site of the hall. I "Insignem illa tempestate virum." Budden.

A. Wood, p. 170. 190.

▾ S. Petrus in Oriente, N° 7. N° 24. N° 72. Cartæ Regis, &c, N° 50. 5. De Situ Coll. et Aulæ, N°1. N° 19. Index of Deeds.

• P. 67. E Registr. Coll.

"Johannes."

E 2

have