This eminent institution was founded and endowed by Dr. John Colet, dean of , on the site of a more ancient seminary, that had been subordinate to the cathedral establishment; and was of the , celebrated by Fitz-Stephen, as of ancient dignity and privilege. Dugdale mentions a charter of the time of Henry the , by which the bishop Richard de Belmeis, granted to

Hugh, the schoolmaster, and his successor in that employment, the habitation of Durandus, at the corner of the turret, [that is the clochier, or bell-tower,] where William, dean of

St. Paul's

had placed him, by his the said bishop's command; together with the custody of the library belonging to the church.

a meadow at Fulham, with the tithes of Ilings and Madeley,

unto this school all the tithes arising from his demesnes at Fulham and Horsete.

Eis non solum grammatices, sed etiam virtutis magister?

The present foundation was commenced in the year , and completed about years afterwards, by dean Colet, whose piety induced him to consecrate it to the honour of the child Jesus, (

Christ Jesu in pueritia

his blessed mother Mary!

that in the then clerical state of the metropolis, the monarch could have made a better choice. Learned, benevolent, pious, exemplary in the performance of his duty, and equally so for the regularity of his life, the people, who daily experienced his munificence, idolized the dean; consequently his death,

was a subject of general lamentation.

Whilst Dr. Colet was at Oxford, he became acquainted with the learned Erasmus, and to the arguments employed by these friends against the subtle distinctions of the old school-men, and to the boldness with which they canvassed the abuses of the Catholic hierarchy, the Reformation was much indebted for its advancement; so much so indeed, that the bishop and vicars of his own church, would gladly have consigned the dean to

the stake and martyrdom,

the complete [Christian] philosopher, and capable of the most rigid self-denial, a conqueror of himself, another Socrates: though inclined by nature to love, luxury, somnolency, fond of wine and levity, avaricious and high-spirited, he yet mastered all those propensities through a mental conviction of the pernicious consequences attending their indulgence, so effectually, that he was chaste, abstemious, an early riser, temperate, grave, generous, and meek, even to the bearing of reproof from his own servant.

In the

Life of dean Colet,

Upon the death of his father, when, by right of inheritance he

was possessed of a good sum of money; lest the keeping of it should corrupt his mind, and turn it too much toward the world, he laid out a great part of it in building a new school in the church-yard of

St. Paul's

, dedicated to the child Jesus: a magnificent fabric; to which he added

two

dwelling houses for the

two

several masters: and to them he allotted ample salaries, that they might teach a certain number of boys, free, and for the sake of charity. He divided the school into

four

apartments. The

first

, viz. the porch and entrance, is for catechumens, or the children to be instructed in the principles of religion; where no child is to be admitted but what can read and write. The

second

apartment is for the lower boys, to be taught by the

second

master or usher; the

third

for the upper forms, under the head master: which

two

parts of the school are divided by a curtain, to be drawn at pleasure. Over the master's chair is an image of the child Jesus, of admirable work, in the gesture of teaching: whom all the boys, going and coming, salute with a short hymn: and there is a representation of God the Father, saying

Hear ye him;

these words being written at my suggestion. The

fourth

, or last apartment, is a little chapel for divine service. The school has no corners, or hiding places; nothing like a cell or closet. The boys have their distinct forms, or benches,

one

above another. Every form holds

sixteen

; and he that is head, or captain of each form, has a little kind of desk by way of pre-eminence. They are not to admit all boys of course; but to choose them in according to their parts and capacities. The wise and sagacious founder saw that the greatest hopes and happiness of the commonwealth were in the training up children to good letters, and true religion, for which purpose he laid out an immense sum of money; and-after he had finished all, he left the perpetual care and oversight of the estate, not to the clergy; not to the bishop; not to the chapter; nor to any great minister at court, but amongst the married laymen, to the company of mercers, men of probity and reputation: (and when he was asked the reason of so committing the trust, he answered to this effect;) that there was no absolute certainty in human affairs; but for his part, he found less corruption in such a body of citizens, than in any other order or degree of mankind.

In framing the statutes for the government and regulation of his school, Dr. Colet was exceedingly particular. He prefaced his instructions, by stating his ardent wish that the children should be brought up

in good manners and literature;

In the statutes, the dean defines the qualifications, &c. of the

be learned in pure Greek and Latin; and shall neither hold benefice with cure,

help to teach in the school.

He then directs, that

children of all nations and countries, indifferently, should be taught, to the number of

one hundred and fifty-three

,

The master to admit these children as they offered, but

first

to see that they can say the catechism, and also read and write competently; and to pay

4d.

for writing their name, which money the poor scholar that swept the school was to have. Thrice a day, viz. morning, noon, and evening, prostrate, to say the prayers contained in a table at the school. No tallow candles, but only wax to be used, no meat, drink, or bottles, to be brought; nor no breakfasts nor drinkings in the time of learning. That they have no remedies, (that is play days begged) under penalty of

twenty shillings

from the high master, except the king, and archbishop, or a bishop, present in his own person, desired it. The children every Childermas day go to Paul's church, and hear the child-bishop sermon, and after to be at the high mass, and each offer a penny to the child-bishop; and with them the masters and surveyors of the school. In general processions, when warned, they shall go

two

and

two

together, soberly; and not sing out, but say devoutly

seven

psalms with the litany. That if any child admitted here, go to any other school to learn there, such child for no man's suit be again received into the school. That

one

scholar shall preside on every form, and that the teaching commence at

seven

in the morning, continue till

eleven

, re-commence at

one

, and terminate for the day, at

five

; with prayers at morning, noon, and evening. The children to be taught always in good literature, both Latin and Greek, and good authors, such as have the very Roman eloquence joined with wisdom; especially Christian authors, that wrote their wisdom with clean and chaste Latin, either in verse or prose.

surveyors of the school,

let not the lands of the school but by the space of

five

years,

to guard and promote the foundation for ever, to the utmost of their ability, as they fear the just vengeance of the Deity for

neglecting it, and to make such other regulations, as time and circumstances might render necessary, with the advice and assistance of good-lettered and learned men.

The book concludes with the ordinary charges paid out yearly, viz.

To all this John Colet subscribed his hand thus:

The following is the account of the expenditure in , flee of extras, &c. from the report on public charities. The commissioners observe, that

it is obvious, that the present large and improving revenue, under a somewhat more economical system of management, would be adequate to the production of a far more extensive benefit than the mere instruction in classical learning of

153

scholars.

The annual rental of the tenements and lands (which lie chiefly in Buckinghamshire,) given by the munificent founder for the support of his school, amounted at th e period, of foundation to th e sum of and according to Dr. Knight, the dean estimated that when the yearly expenses of the school were defrayed, there would be an overplus of Since then, the revenues have experienced a vast increase, through the progressive augmentation in the value of property. Various subsequent donations have also been added to the original endowments; and independently of all other advantages, there are no fewer than exhibitions belonging to this seminary. The most valuable exhibition is given to the captain of the school, who leaves it annually at Easter; this is not confined to any particular college, and is tenable with any collegiate preferment, excepting a fellowship; it amounts to per annum, for years, and for each of the succeeding years.

The school described by Erasmus was consumed by the fire of London, in , and the late edifice was erected between that period and the year , at the charge of the mercers' company, under the particular direction of Robert Ware, esq. the warden. Though a singular building, it was not an unhandsome ; it formed a parallellogram, extending north and south, and consisted of a centre, which was properly the school, and wings; the north wing being appropriated to the use of the head master, and the south wing to the master; these wings, which included a number of convenient and elegant apartments, were of brick, with

Doce, disce, aut discede

Itendas animum studiis et rebus honestis

The present edifice has a front in Church-yard, and another in the . The principal facade is built with Bath stone. In the centre is a portico of considerable projection in stories. The lower consists of square pedestals, rusticated, and sustaining an architrave and frieze, the latter inscribed, .

The story is composed of columns of the Corinthian order, from the temple of the Sybils, sustaining an entablature, the frieze enriched with festoons of foliage hanging from the horns of bulls skulls, and the whole surmounted by a pediment. At the back of the portico on the ground floor, are columns of the Doric order, the intercolumniations filled with screens of trellis work in iron, the ground floor being intended for a play ground; in the story are lofty windows, corresponding with the intercolumniations, a circular cupola, lighted by lateral windows, rises above the roof at the back of the portico; the remainder of the design is made in height into stories, the lower story rusticated and containing entrances and windows, and the upper stories having also windows: an entablature continued from the portico and a blocking course completes the elevation; each extremity of the front is marked by a slight projection, decorated with half columns between antae, the entablature breaking over these portions. The back part in the , is built of brick, with stone dressings; it is made into a centre with wings; the lower story of the

The school is divided into classes, or forms; on the lowest of which the children are taught the rudiments of languages, and are thence advanced according to their proficiency to the other forms, till they reach the , or highest. At this period, they are generally good grammarians and orators, and well instructed in the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew, and sometimes in the Oriental languages. The most proficient scholars are those sent to the University, under the exhibitions before-mentioned, which are of different values from to , and , or upwards, annually. Soon after Easter, every year, a grand examination is made, which occupies days, on the last of which the seniors of the class make recitations in Greek, Latin, English, &c. previous to their entrance into some college. A small library is attached to the school, which has been principally formed with books presented by the different gentlemen educated here. Though the worthy dean lived only years after he had commenced this foundation, he had the pleasure of seeing his establishment flourish in such a considerable degree, that the great sir Thomas More, in a letter which he sent to him, compared the school

to the wooden horse of Troy, out of which the Grecians issued to surprise the city;

out of this your school, many have come that have subverted and overthrown all ignorance and rudeness.

Among the eminent men who received their education in this school, were sir Anthony Denny, privy counsellor to Henry VIII. Sir William Paget, lord Beaudesert, privy counsellor to successive princes, died . Sir Edward North, lord North, privy counsellor to successive princes, died . John Leland, the eminent antiquary. William Whitaker, D. D. regius professor of divinity in Cambridge, the champion for the Protestant religion against cardinal Bellarmine. William Camden, author of the

Britannia,

Commentary on Antonius's Itinerary,

Paradise Lost.

Windsor, . Sir Thomas Davies, lord mayor of London, whose knowledge was so universal, that he was able to converse with foreign ambassadors, in their several languages. Humphrey Gower, D. D. master of College, and Margaret professor of divinity in Cambridge, died . Robert Nelson, esq. the pious author of the Companion to the Festivals and Fasts. Dr. Thomas Tooke, the famous master of the grammar school at Bishop's Stortford, where he died in . Charles, duke of Manchester, died . John, duke of Marlborough, the great general. Dr. George Hooper, bishop of Bath and Wells. Dr. Samuel Bradford, bishop of Bristol. Dr. John Long, bishop of Norwich. The right hon. Spencer Compton, speaker of the . Thomas Bentley, LL.D. of Trinity College, Cambridge, the celebrated critic. James, earl of Derby. Roger Gale, esq. rev. Charles Gale, Samuel Gale, esq. all eminent antiquaries. Rev. Dr. Gregg, master of Clare Hall, Cambridge. Rev. James Johnson, LL. D. chancellor of Ely. Algernon, earl of Montrath. Charles, earl of Orrery, the enlightened philosopher. Rev. John Strype, editor of Stow's History of London, and other valuable works in English history. Dr. Edmund Halley, the great astronomer. Sir Frederic Thesiger. Admiral, sir Thomas Trowbridge, of the lords of the Admiralty (the brave associate of Nelson) who is supposed to have been lost at sea. Thomas Taylor, esq. the platonic philosopher.

The high master of school was the famous grammarian William Lilly, partly editor of the

Latin Grammar,

[] Dug. Hist. St. Paul's. pp. 9, 10.

[] Mal. Lond. vol. ii. p. 185.