THE KING'S SCHOLA: 
 
 AND KING'S HALL 
 

 L I B R. A R. Y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UN IVLR.5ITY 
 
 Of ILLINOIS 
 
 C42. 
 
 C I^Zt.Eb 
 
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 Seal of King's Hall 
 

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 THE KING'S SCHOLARS 
 
 AND KING'S HALL. 
 
 Notes on the History of Kings Hall, 
 published on the six- hundredth anni- 
 versary of the writ of Edward II 
 establishing the Kings Scholars in the 
 University of Cambridge. 
 
 Printed Privately. 
 1917. 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2012 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://archive.org/details/kingsscholarskinOOball 
 
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 ,The Writ of Edward II, 7 July 1317 
 ^The Collegiate Movement at Oxford and Cambridge 
 '^Establishment of the King's Scholars, 13 17 . 
 
 Object of the Foundation .... 
 
 Connection with the Court .... 
 
 Scheme of the Foundation .... 
 
 Allowances and Emoluments : Robes and Beds 
 
 The Journey to York, 1319 . 
 
 Establishment of a Library, circ. 1325 
 
 Payment through Sheriff Unsatisfactory . 
 
 Edward II Recognized as Founder. Annual Exequies of 
 
 Commission of Enquiry, Edward III, 1332 
 
 Over-due Payments Settled, 1335 . 
 
 Purchase of King's Hall by Edward III, 1336 
 
 Charter of Establishment, 1337 
 
 Financial Position ...... 
 
 The House and the Assignment of Chambers 
 
 All Saints' Church used by the Society . 
 
 Purchase of Property Contiguous to the Hall, 134 
 
 Commission on Endowment and Statutes, 1342 
 
 Scheme of Endowment by Edward III . 
 
 College Chests for Loans to Students, 1349, 141 2 
 > The Black Death, 1349, 1360 
 i* Services of Powys to the House 
 '--] Inventory of Goods, 1361 — 62 
 
 Growth of the Library 
 
 Development, 1369 — 77 . 
 
 - Status of Early Scholars . 
 TNew Buildings Commenced 
 
 ty5 Confirmations of Previous Grants 
 __ Statutes of Richard II, 1380 . 
 I Knowledge of Scholastic Latin required for Admission 
 
 Commission of 1383 : the Warden Removed . 
 
 Bursars and Stewards. The College Seal 
 
 Customs of the House ..... 
 
 - Connection of the House with the Official Classes 
 Custom Introduced of Scholars Resigning in favour of New Scholars 
 
 J 377, 1399. J 4i 
 
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IV 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 Pensioners Admitted as a Favour . 
 
 The Library, Catalogue of, 1390 
 
 The Rebuilding of the College, 1375 — 1438 
 
 The Wardens, 1391 — 1448 
 
 The Inception of FitzHugh . 
 
 Henry VI, Gifts by, 1440 . 
 
 The Conduit Tapped, Arrangement Approved, 1441 
 
 Status of Scholars. Non-residence . 
 
 Audit by Exchequer Abandoned, 1446 . 
 
 Over-lordship of the provosts of Eton and King's Colleges, 1447 — 62 
 
 Provision of Robes Commuted for a Money Payment, 1448 
 
 Independence of King's Hall Restored, 1462 . 
 
 Connection with the Official Classes Increases 
 
 The Wardens, 1463 — 85 
 
 Plans for Extension . . .---•. 
 
 Erection of Chambers and the Great Gate 
 
 The Wardens, 1485 — 1546 .... 
 
 Donations by Members ..... 
 
 Inventories of Plate, Chapel Goods, Utensils, etc., 1478 — 79 
 
 Notices about Special Pieces of Plate 
 
 Loan to the King, 1524. 
 
 Revenue: Emoluments of Warden and Scholars, 1534 
 
 Public Lectures, 1535 
 
 The Act of 1544 
 
 Commission Appointed January 1546 
 
 Report of the Commissioners . 
 
 Report Presented to King, March 1546. 
 
 Henry VIII Decides to Found a New College at Cambridge 
 
 Scheme Drafted, April 1546 ..... 
 
 Site of the College to Include the Site of King's Hall 
 
 Area of Great Court of Trinity College Acquired and Enclosed 
 
 Cost of Proceedings May to Michaelmas, 1546 
 
 King's Hall Surrenders its Charters, 28 October 1546 
 
 King's Hall Dissolved, 17 December 1546 
 
 Trinity College Founded, 19 December 1546 
 
 Appendix I. Statutes of 1379 
 
 Appendix II. Expenses in the matter of the Appropriatio 
 
 Felmersham and Grendon, 1365- — 66. 
 Appendix III. Grant of the Patronage of King's Hall, 1447 
 Appendix IV. The King's Hall Account Books . 
 Appendix V. The Wardens, 1317 — 1546 
 
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 of 
 
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 Six hundred years ago, on 7 July 13 17, the anniversary 
 of his accession to the throne, Edward II issued a writ* 
 to the sheriff of Cambridgeshire directing him to pay out 
 of royal moneys in his hands the sums necessary for the 
 maintenance in the University of Cambridge of certain 
 scholars whom the king proposed to send there. From 
 these scholars in due course arose the medieval college of 
 King's Hall, whose courts and property were, on its sup- 
 pression in 1546, assigned to Trinity College. The history 
 of the site and buildings of King's Hall has been told once 
 for all by Willis and Clark in The Architectural History of 
 the University of Cambridge \, and to their account there is 
 nothing material to add. With that important exception, 
 the other salient features of the history of the King's 
 Scholars, and of King's Hall with brief references to its 
 buildings, are here shortly set out as far as the scanty 
 records now at our disposal permit. For information 
 about these records — and in particular about the King's 
 Hall Books — the writer of this sketch is greatly indebted 
 to friends who have freely put at his disposal their know- 
 ledge of the subject. Without such assistance this booklet 
 could not have been put together on its present lines. 
 
 At the beginning of the fourteenth century, one of 
 the urgent problems at Cambridge and Oxford was the 
 provision of homes and guidance for deserving secular 
 
 * It is printed in the Cambridge Documents, Published by the Royal Com- 
 missioners, London, 1852, vol. 1, pp. 66-67. This work is hereafter referred to 
 as Cambridge Documents. 
 
 I This work is hereafter referred to as Architectural History. 
 R. B. I 
 
2 KING'S HALL 
 
 students. The earliest foundation of this kind at the 
 universities was due to Walter de Merton who in 1264 
 made arrangements for the support of twenty scholars at 
 Oxford vel alibi ubi studium. vigere contigerit ; he purchased 
 property for them at Cambridge as well as at Oxford, but 
 in 1274 they definitely settled at the latter city. Merton's 
 foundation served as the model on which numerous colleges 
 were subsequently established at both universities. The 
 foundation of Merton was followed at Oxford by University 
 College in 1280 and by Balliol College in 1282, though in 
 both cases scholars of these Houses had been supported 
 by endowments at an earlier date ; and then, before the 
 middle of the fourteenth century, came the foundation of 
 Exeter College in 13 14, of Oriel College in 1326, and of 
 Queen's College in 1341. The same movement developed 
 more slowly in Cambridge. If we leave out the possible, 
 but speculative, connection of Merton with Cambridge, the 
 earliest attempt to solve the problem here was that made 
 by Hugh de Balsham, bishop of Ely, who provided for the 
 maintenance of monastic and secular students as two sides 
 of a single foundation. The arrangement worked badly, 
 and in 1284 the combination was dissolved and Peterhouse 
 founded for the displaced secular students. The King's 
 Scholars whose history we have to trace date from 1 3 1 7 ; 
 and subsequently in rapid succession followed the founda- 
 tion of Michael-House in 1324, University (later Clare) 
 Hall in 1326, King's Hall for the reception of the King's 
 Scholars in 1337, Pembroke Hall in 1347, Gonville Hall 
 in 1348, Trinity Hall in 1350, and Corpus Christi College 
 in 1352 : we need not continue the list further. 
 
 There may have been discussions before 131 7 on the 
 maintenance by the king of scholars at Cambridge, but the 
 writ of 7 July in that year is the earliest record of the royal 
 intentions on the subject. Two days later the first ten 
 scholars, with John de Baggeshot their warden, arrived in 
 
KING'S HALL 3 
 
 Cambridge, and took up their residence in a house hired 
 for them at the expense of the crown. More scholars 
 followed, and in or before 13 19 the number had risen to 
 thirty-two, which throughout their history remained the 
 normal number on the foundation. King's Hall was pur- 
 chased for them by Edward III in 1337, and was thence- 
 forward their permanent home. The names of all those 
 who are known to have been scholars from 13 17 to 1546 
 have been published in the first volume of the Admissions 
 to Trinity College*, and probably that record is almost 
 complete. 
 
 The object of the foundation was to provide a home for 
 students who entered the University with the object of 
 preparing themselves for future work in church and state, 
 and never in the history of the Society does there appear 
 to have been any desire for the scholars to take a prominent 
 part in academic work as such. The class of students 
 selected for admission, and the periods for which their 
 names were kept on the boards varied at different times, 
 but always we believe the primary object of the Society 
 was to train men for the service of the country : thus 
 we come across instances of leave of absence granted to 
 scholars to attend missions abroad, and in later times we 
 find some of the senior scholars engaged in public affairs 
 and constantly non-resident. 
 
 The connection of the scholars with the court was 
 always noticeable, and it is well at once to state this, for 
 it coloured all the history of King's Hall and differentiates 
 it from that of other collegiate foundations at Cambridge. 
 The warden was directly responsible to the king : the office 
 was in the personal gift of the reigning sovereign, and, 
 unless the appointment by letters patent specified otherwise, 
 was vacated by the demise of the crown. The scholars 
 were appointed by the king under the privy seal, but 
 
 * This work is hereafter referred to as Trinity Admissions. 
 
4 KING'S HALL 
 
 doubtless nominations were largely subject to the control 
 of the warden, and through him royal wishes in the matter 
 were made effective. We may assume that nominations 
 went by favour, and that there was no enquiry as to the 
 order of merit of candidates who were qualified for admis- 
 sion. 
 
 From the statutes given to the House in 1380, which 
 are set out below, it appears that, at any rate by then, 
 scholars on entry were required to be at least fourteen 
 years old, acquainted with Latin, and of sufficient know- 
 ledge and ability to pursue their studies in any faculty 
 selected for them by the warden. The educational course 
 was that enjoined by the University, and unless a scholar 
 died or left for any good reason the assumption, at any 
 rate at first, was that he remained in residence for some 
 years or until he obtained outside work or ecclesiastical 
 preferment. According to this scheme, the members were 
 of all ages from fourteen upwards, living a common life, 
 and practically forming one household. The senior scholars 
 occupied the position of fellows in modern times. Of the 
 customs and government of the House we shall speak later. 
 
 The warden and scholars were housed and maintained 
 at the royal expense. As we have already stated, they 
 lived for the first few years of their history in hired houses, 
 the rent being paid by the crown, but in and after 1337 
 they occupied collegiate buildings formally assigned to 
 them. The allowance for commons and maintenance was 
 calculated at /^d. a day (for a few years it was 3d.) for the 
 warden and 2d. a day for each scholar in residence, this for 
 the normal foundation required ^"103. 8s. \d. a year. At 
 first the allowance was paid by the sheriff of Cam- 
 bridgeshire from the proceeds of his bailiwick ; this 
 arrangement, however, proved unsatisfactory, and early 
 in the reign of Edward III the crown assigned to King's 
 Hall definite sources of income from which the expenses 
 
KING'S HALL 5 
 
 were met. Out of this income a common table was main- 
 tained, and each scholar was given, by way of pocket 
 money one noble (6s. 8d.) twice a year*, namely on 
 Assumption Day, 15 August, just before the Stourbridge 
 Fair, and at the Feast of the Conception, on 8 December, 
 presumably to facilitate purchases of things not provided 
 by the Society. For some years shoes were also given to 
 the scholars, but in time this custom was abandoned : there 
 is no doubt that the scholars in the later years of the 
 Hall came from a richer class than was the case at its 
 foundation, and perhaps this accounts for the cessation of 
 the provision of shoes. 
 
 The warden and scholars further received regularly 
 from the royal wardrobe gowns and fur, or their equiva- 
 lents in money. The warden had at first two sets of robes 
 a year, one trimmed or lined with fur for winter use and 
 the other with linen for summer use, but early in the 
 history of the Society he was given in lieu thereof a cash 
 payment of £5. 6s. Sd. a year, a sum not far short of 
 double the rental of the premises originally occupied by 
 the Society. This sum is still paid every year by the 
 Treasury to Trinity College. A set of robes seems to 
 have included a body-coat or tunic, a gown or tabard, a 
 hood, and perhaps breeches. Thus Simon de Bury, when 
 warden, received in 1325, for his robes a tunic, a long 
 tabard with budge, and a chaperon, that is a hood which 
 could be pulled over the head in lieu of a hat. Until 1448 
 the gowns and fur for the robes of the scholars were given 
 in kind, usually once a year at Christmas ; after that year 
 the scholars received a money payment instead of the robes. 
 The length of cloth given for a set of robes was about 
 7 ells, that is, if we take an ell as being 45 inches, about 
 
 * Though not material to our story, it may be interesting to note that there 
 is an entry in the account-books for 1522 that Mr Belt had received two bad 
 nobles which the College agreed to change if he demanded it. 
 
6 KING'S HALL 
 
 9 yards, but the width of the piece of cloth is not known. 
 At the distribution in 1337, thirty-five scholars received 
 252^ ells of cloth which gives on the average just over 
 9 yards of cloth for each scholar. At the distribution in 
 1330, forty-three scholars received between them 13 lengths 
 of cloth, 43 lambs' furs, and 5 hoods of white budge : from 
 this it would seem that a length or roll of cloth contained 
 about 30 yards. Budge was made from sheep's wool and 
 was used for the hoods of the legists or students of law : thus 
 Thomas Powys on 24 August 1330 when he began to read 
 law received 7 ells of cloth, fur for his coat and long 
 tabard, and a hood of white budge. Lambs' skins were 
 used for the hoods of students in the other faculties. Some- 
 times this gives an indication of the studies of the men. 
 Thus at the distribution in 1338, twenty-nine scholars 
 received gowns, tabards with fur, and lambskin hoods, 
 while five scholars received gowns, long tabards with fur, 
 and budge hoods, and one scholar, Richard de Wymondes- 
 low, received a robe as a doctor of laws. 
 
 In addition to this annual distribution of robes or 
 materials for robes, a scholar on first commencing residence 
 received, from the crown, robes and a bed. In a few 
 cases particulars are given: thus on 11 July 1326 Aymer 
 Symeon, on nomination to a scholarship, received a warrant 
 for 7 ells of blue cloth and a lamb's skin to provide a gown 
 and fur of the suite of the King's Scholars, and in 1330 
 Henry de Chesterfield, on nomination to a scholarship, 
 received for his bed, 8 ells of canvas, 12 ells of linen, 
 and a bed-coverlet of worsted; while in 1331, Simon de 
 Bury, on appointment as warden, received for a bed "suit- 
 able for his estate," 21 ells of linen cloth, 12 ells of canvas, 
 and a pillow of green worsted. 
 
 The Society began its corporate life in 1317. A little 
 more than two years later, on 7 December 13 19, the warden 
 and scholars were ordered to spend the coming Christmas 
 
KING'S HALL 7 
 
 with the court, then at York. The details of the journey 
 have been printed, and form an interesting record of the 
 method and cost of travelling in medieval times. It will 
 suffice here to say that for the purpose of the journey the 
 Society was divided into two sections both of which started 
 from Cambridge on 20 December. One party, comprising 
 the warden and six of the scholars, went on horse-back and 
 arrived at York on Christmas eve ; they paid £1. 3s. ^d. for 
 the hire in Cambridge of seven hackneys, and were allowed 
 lod. a day for each member of the party for travelling 
 expenses. The remaining twenty-six scholars travelled 
 under the care of one of their number, John de Aston, and 
 their journey occupied nine days : they took with them 
 y\ rolls of red cloth which had cost no less than £21. 2s. 6d., 
 21 lambs' skins and 6 budge skins which together had cost 
 £3. igs. 6d. They spent the first two days in travelling 
 by boat to Spalding ; the next day they went, some on 
 horse-back and some in carts, to Boston ; the next two 
 days were occupied in going by boat to Lincoln where they 
 spent Christmas-day ; on 26 December they went by boat 
 to Torksey. and thence on 27 and 28 December by boat 
 to York. 
 
 The cost of the journey of the twenty-six scholars came 
 to £4. 5 j. 8^d. made up as follows : — On 20 December, 
 hire of boats $s. od., porterage 2d., bread is. yd., beer 
 2S. od., herrings is. od., hard fish and codlings is. A.d., fuel 
 and candles /\d. ; total us. $d. On 21 December, porter- 
 age 2d., bread is. ^d., beer 2s. 2d., herrings is. yd., 
 cheese 3d., fuel and candles $\d., beds &d. ; total 6s. S^d. 
 On 22 December, hire of carts 2s. od., hire of hackneys 
 3s. od., bread is. 4^., beer is. nd., herrings 2s. 3d., fuel 
 and candles 5^., beds Sd. ; total us. yd. On 23 December, 
 hire of boat 55. od., straw \d., porterage 2d., bread is. 6d., 
 beer 2s. yd., meat 2s. \d., hens is. 6%d., fuel and candles 
 6d. ; total 13s. n%d. On 24 December, porterage 3d., 
 
8 KING'S HALL 
 
 bread is. 2d., beer 2s. od., herrings 2s. id., eels gd., fuel 
 and candles 6\d., beds Sd ; total Js. $±d. On 25 De- 
 cember, bread is. /\.d., beer 2s. id., meat 2.y. 3d., hens is. i^af., 
 fuel and candles y\d., beds 8^/. ; total 8s. o%d. On 26 De- 
 cember, hire of boats 2s. &d., porterage 3d., bread is. 8d., 
 beer 2s. 3d., meat 2.?. i^., eggs yd., fuel and candles 4^., 
 beds 8d. ; total 10s. 6d. On 27 December, hire of boat 
 6s. od., porterage 2d., bread is. yd., beer 2s. 6d., meat 
 is. lod. ; total 125'. id. On 28 December, porterage 2d., 
 bread is. od., beer is. $d., herrings is. <\d. ; total 35. nd. 
 The total for the nine days was £^. $s. 8±d., and this was 
 repaid to the warden from the royal exchequer on 31 De- 
 cember. 
 
 There are no records of the expenses of the Society 
 during the time the members were at York ; but pre- 
 sumably while there they were treated as members of the 
 royal household. Their visit, however, was not devoid of 
 incident, since a warrant was issued against at least one of 
 them for having joined with the prior of the preaching 
 friars of Pontefract in an assault on a certain William 
 Hardy. The lad was left behind at York and there dis- 
 appears from our history. Two other members of the 
 House were also left in the city, of whom probably at least 
 one was concerned in this disturbance. One new boy was 
 admitted at York. These changes reduced the numbers 
 to thirty-one. Of these, twenty-one came back to Cam- 
 bridge on 20 January, while the warden and the remaining 
 nine scholars arrived on 9 February, and from these dates 
 their stipends in Cambridge during the Lent Term 1320* 
 were reckoned. 
 
 We are told that at some time after 1321 Edward II 
 gave the Society certain books of the laws and canons, from 
 which we may infer the establishment or existence of a 
 
 * All the dates here given are reckoned in the modern style, taking the 
 year as beginning on i January. 
 
KING'S HALL 9 
 
 library for the use of the scholars — a valuable institution 
 when books were so rare: later, perhaps in 1332, these 
 books were taken away by his mother who claimed them 
 as her property. Save for this incident, we have little or 
 no information as to whether or how the founder in- 
 terested himself in the Society. 
 
 The original arrangement was that the sheriff was, 
 at intervals, to pay the warden the sums due for the 
 maintenance of the scholars and get receipts showing the 
 number of men in residence throughout the period covered 
 by the payment. This worked badly, for the sheriff had 
 insufficient moneys to meet all the claims on the royal 
 moneys in his hands. Those who did not continually press 
 their claims were not paid, and to get the money due to 
 him the warden had frequently to go to the king to get 
 letters to the sheriff ordering him to pay up. This arrange- 
 ment continued, however, through the reign of Edward II. 
 
 It is said that it was the intention of Edward II to 
 build a College for the reception of his scholars* and to 
 incorporate them, but, if so, his plans miscarried, and from 
 a writ of 14 December 1326 it would seem that towards 
 the end of his reign the payments by the sheriff to the 
 scholars had fallen into arrear. There is, however, no 
 doubt that Edward II was regarded in the medieval 
 University as the founder of King's Hall. Thus until 
 the dissolution of the House it celebrated each year on 
 27 December in its chapel or parish church his exequies 
 as founder, and similarly the University celebrated them 
 on 5 May in its church f. 
 
 * C. H. Cooper, Memorials of Cambridge, Cambridge, 1861, vol. II, p. 194. 
 This work is hereafter referred to as Cooper's Memorials. 
 
 f Singulis annis quinto die Mali sero et in crastino in ?nane conveniant 
 universi regent es in ecclesia Beatae Mariae ibidem celebraturi pro anima domini 
 regis Edvardi de Carnarvan fundatoris Aulae Regiae istius imiversitatis 
 devotas exequias cum toto officio mortuorum expleturi (from the ancient statute 
 De Exequiis) ; see Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 405. 
 
io KING'S HALL 
 
 Edward III, who ascended the throne in January 1327, 
 took throughout his reign a warm interest in his father's 
 foundation at Cambridge, and his name is inseparably 
 associated with the history of King's Hall which he pro- 
 vided as the permanent home of the King's Scholars. 
 
 In October 1332, the king gave the scholars £10 as 
 compensation for the loss* of the books taken from them 
 by his mother. Earlier in this year, on 2 April, he 
 appointed commissioners to remove from the Society those 
 members who were unfit to pursue the university course, 
 as also those who were sufficiently beneficed f . We do not 
 know what was the result of this enquiry, but the warden, 
 John de Langetoft, must have been held to blame, for on 
 9 November 1333 he was replaced by Thomas Powys who 
 held the office until his death in 1361. 
 
 At this time there were still constant pecuniary diffi- 
 culties owing to the fact that the funds in the hands of the 
 sheriff were insufficient for the proper endowment of the 
 scholars. Various writs for the payment of arrears due 
 to them were issued, but finally, on 26 January 1335 the 
 Royal Exchequer was ordered to pay £40 for wages to the 
 Society — the sheriff not having enough out of the issues 
 of his bailiwick J. Probably this cleared matters up to date. 
 
 In 1336, the question of giving the Society a permanent 
 home of its own was taken in hand. On 28 October of 
 that year the king purchased from Robert de Croyland, 
 rector of Oundle, a large house built on the ground now 
 occupied by the walks and grass plot in front of the chapel 
 of Trinity College. It has been suggested that this was 
 the house that had been previously hired for the scholars 
 (at a rent of 5 marks, that is, £$. 6s. Sd. a year) and was 
 
 * Cooper's Memorials, vol. II, p. 194. 
 
 f Cambridge Documents, vol. 1, p. 9; Rymer's Foedera, London, 1704-1735, 
 vol. 11, pp. ii, 831. 
 
 \ Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 10. 
 
KING'S HALL n 
 
 thus already in their occupation : this is possible but it 
 cannot now be proved or disproved, though the ascription 
 to Edward II of the title of founder of King's Hall and not 
 merely of the King's Scholars strengthens the view that the 
 house occupied by the scholars in his reign was that later 
 known as King's Hall. The site was bounded on the east 
 by the tenements of Edmund de Walsingham and William 
 atte Cunduit, situated in the High Street (now known as 
 Trinity Street), which have since been replaced by the 
 Great Gate and adjoining buildings ; on the west by an 
 open landing place or wharf known as the corn-hythe ; and 
 on the south by a narrow lane, called later the King's 
 Childer Lane, which ran to the river from the High Street 
 passing to the south of the present Great Gate*. 
 
 By letters patentf, dated 7 October 1337, the king, to 
 the honour of God, the Virgin Mother, and all the Saints, 
 and for the weal of the souls of his father, himself, his wife, 
 his children, and his forefathers, established in perpetuity 
 in the University a College of a warden and thirty-two 
 scholars (who had been maintained there by his father), 
 and for their reception gave them and their successors for 
 ever in free pure and perpetual alms the house he had 
 purchased for that purpose. On the 16th of October he 
 wrote to the Pope asking him to confirm the foundation f ; 
 and in November 1343 the bishop, prior, and chapter of 
 Ely approved it. 
 
 This charter for a Hall of Scholars maintained by the 
 king's alms in the University of Cambridge, supplemented 
 as we shall see later by arrangements for the endowment 
 of the Society, definitely established King's Hall on a 
 permanent basis as a College in the University. None the 
 less the technical claim of Edward II to be regarded as 
 
 * The boundaries are shown in the map given in the Architectural History, 
 vol. IV, plan 23. 
 
 I Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 1 1 . 
 
12 KING'S HALL 
 
 its founder was unchallenged in the medieval university. 
 The title is however given to Edward III in some of the 
 medieval letters patent and in a few of the King's Hall 
 books, and his arms were properly placed on the gateways 
 or other buildings of the College, where shields bearing 
 them may still be seen. His services to the House seem 
 to us to justify his description as its founder, but neither in 
 King's Hall nor in the University were his exequies cele- 
 brated. The inscription on the Great Gate of Edvardius 
 Tertius Fundator Aule Regis was not put up before the 
 seventeenth century. 
 
 Edward III directed* that the sums due for commons 
 should be paid by the sheriff regularly under penalty of 
 arrest for failure to do so ; but later, as mentioned below, 
 the system was superseded by one of fixed payments 
 charged on various public bodies. 
 
 The financial position of the College, after taking 
 possession of the house purchased for it, is known to us 
 year by year. Henceforth the external income of the 
 Society, received or collected by the warden, was paid into 
 a Common Chest which was managed by six Guardians 
 (later termed Stewards) appointed for the purpose from 
 among the scholars, and all expenses were charged on 
 this chest. We possess the account books | kept by the 
 guardians from 1337 to 1544. Until 1446 the evidence 
 justifying the receipt of the endowment for maintenance 
 was submitted annually to the Exchequer (to 1340 by the 
 sheriff, and subsequently by the warden), and the account 
 books kept by the guardians contain only rough notes of 
 sums received and of the expenditure, with occasional 
 references to individual scholars; but in and after 1446, 
 
 * "The warden and scholars having complained that their studies were 
 constantly interrupted by having to make personally applications to the king 
 for their wages, the sheriff is ordered to pay the same and to be liable to arrest 
 if he fails." Calendar of Patent Rolls, 24 February 1338, p. 20. 
 
 f On these account books, see below, Appendix IV. 
 
KING'S HALL 13 
 
 when the independent audit by the Exchequer was given 
 up, the books were kept in fuller form, the names of the 
 scholars being given, with statements of sums due to or 
 from each scholar. We may conveniently defer for the 
 moment mention of such incidents of college life as are 
 revealed by these books. Before 1446, the Exchequer 
 and Wardrobe accounts usually supply the names of the 
 scholars and some information about their doings*. 
 
 The house bought from Robert de Croyland, in which 
 the scholars were located, was built round three sides of 
 a square, the centre block standing near and parallel to the 
 present chapel and the two projecting wings extending 
 beyond the path which now runs from the Great Gate to 
 the Lodge. It was in two storeys, of wood, and thatched. 
 The public rooms and offices were in the centre block. 
 The assignment of rooms to the scholars then in residence 
 has been published more than oncef. The warden had 
 two rooms ; the other students were located in the remain- 
 ing chambers — of which those on the ground floor were 
 known as celars and those on the upper floor as solars. 
 
 The house was in the parish of All Saints in Jewry, 
 and, until 1485 when its own chapel was built, the Society 
 used the parish church, which then stood in the High 
 Street close to the College, for its services. In 1864, the 
 old church was pulled down — the site being now indicated 
 by a slender cross — and a new church built in a different 
 part of the parish. The bells were removed to the new 
 church, and if, as is said to be the case, one dates back to 
 the twelfth century, its call to worship must have been 
 familiar to every one who was at any time a member of 
 King's Hall. For its use of the church, the House was 
 accustomed to pay, as an offering to the vicar, a penny a 
 
 * Trinity Admissions, vol. I, pp. 79-82. 
 
 t Architectural History, vol. II, p. 431 ; Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, 
 pp. 94-95. 
 
H KING'S HALL 
 
 head for each scholar present at the festivals of All Saints, 
 Christmas, and Candlemas; and as late as 1546 it con- 
 tinued to give something each year for oblations, and to 
 make payments to the holy-water clerk and sacrist. A 
 charge of £1. i$s. \d. appears in the accounts every year 
 for the scholars in connection with the dirge said or sung at 
 this church in the service for the exequies of Edward II. 
 Whether this means a donation to the vicar or officiating 
 priests in the name of the scholars, or a division of this 
 sum among the scholars, or a fixed contribution to the 
 cost of the refection which followed the service is not clear. 
 Though all the scholars could be lodged in Robert de 
 Croyland's house, they had not much elbow room. It was, 
 however, from the beginning, intended to rebuild it to suit 
 the needs of the foundation, and on 20 March 1339 the 
 king issued letters patent* to the mayor of the town and 
 the warden to buy in the royal name all contiguous property 
 fit for its enlargement. Acting on this order, nearly all the 
 land between King's Childer Lane and St John's Hospital, 
 stretching from the High Street on the east to the river 
 on the west was purchased, and was conveyed to King's 
 Hall by letters patent, 17 January I34if. The king 
 also, 26 June 1349$, gave the Society leave to acquire 
 additional lands. Pending the rebuilding of the College, 
 various extensions and repairs were made, notably in 1338 
 the dining hall was lengthened by sixteen feet, and later, 
 in or before 1342, a block built on the south side 
 of the house between the two wings. The exterior 
 dimensions of the small quadrangle so formed were about 
 80 feet by 80 feet, and its interior dimensions about 50 feet 
 by 50 feet. Grants were made by the king towards the 
 cost of these alterations. This new block was required, as 
 
 * Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 12. 
 I Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 13. 
 % Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 17. 
 
KING'S HALL 15 
 
 thirty-six scholars were in residence in 1339 and 1342, and 
 no less than forty in 1346. Assignments of the rooms to 
 the scholars in residence in 1342 and 1344 are extant, and 
 the latter of these shows that some of the scholars were 
 then lodged in the house in the High Street which had 
 belonged to Edmund de Walsingham and had been acquired 
 in 1340. Another part of this house was fitted up in 1346 
 as a brewhouse*. 
 
 By letters patent f, 24 May 1342, the king appointed 
 a commission consisting of the lord chancellor, the lord 
 treasurer, the keeper of the privy seal, the steward of the 
 household, the master of the rolls, the king's confessor, and 
 the king's almoner to settle the question of the endowment 
 of the foundation, frame statutes for its government, and 
 secure to its members such liberties as had been granted to 
 the College of Chaplains at Stratford-on-Avon. Statutes 
 may have been issued under this order, but, if so, they 
 have not been preserved among the college records or those 
 of chancery ; if, however, they were not issued promptly, 
 we may perhaps account for the subsequent delay in this 
 matter, as well as for that in the rebuilding, by the advent 
 of the Black Death. We shall see later that statutes for 
 King's Hall were given in the next reign. 
 
 With the first matter raised by these letters, namely the 
 endowment, Edward III dealt himself. On 1 May 1340, he 
 had granted I the scholars a fixed sum of ^55 a year from 
 the Abbey of Waltham towards the sum of ^103. Ss. \d. 
 required annually for the maintenance of the Society if all 
 the members were in residence throughout the year, 
 leaving only the residue to be paid by the sheriff. He 
 now put on the Exchequer and other authorities the 
 
 * Architectural History, vol. 11, pp. 432-436. 
 
 f Cambridge Documents, vol. 1, p. 14 ; Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1340-1343, 
 p. 466. 
 
 % Cambridge Documents, vol. 1, p. 13. 
 
16 KING'S HALL 
 
 obligation to make annual payments to King's Hall 
 amounting in all to the sum required ; and later on 4 Feb- 
 ruary 1364 these contributions were replaced* by annual 
 payments of £53. 6j. Sd. charged on the Exchequer, of 
 £7. 10s. 8d. on Waltham Abbey, of ^22. 115. od. on 
 the Town of Scarborough, and of ^20. os. od. on the 
 Counties of Bedford and Buckingham. We gather from 
 various writs that payments of these sums were often 
 delayed, but henceforth the scholars knew what they 
 might expect, and sooner or later they got it. The pay- 
 ments from Scarborough and the two counties continue 
 to be made annually to Trinity College, though in the case 
 of Bedfordshire subject to a small deduction. 
 
 Edward III also provided sources of revenue for other 
 expenses of the House. He had already, on 12 March 
 1338, given the Society the rectory of Fakenham in 
 Norfolk, subject to the life interest of his mother ; and 
 on 25 July i342f he presented to it the rectories of Fel- 
 mersham in Bedforshire, Hintlesham in Suffolk, Grendon 
 in Northamptonshire, and St Mary's in Cambridge. The 
 scholars parted with Hintlesham on 12 July 1387 to John 
 Hadle of the manor of Hintlesham ; the other rectories 
 were retained and now belong to Trinity College. The 
 House usually farmed rectories it owned unless they were 
 in the immediate neighbourhood of Cambridge, and either 
 appointed a vicar with a stipend (as it did in the case of 
 Felmersham and Grendon) or arranged directly for the 
 clerical work of the parish (as it usually did in the case 
 of Great St Mary's in Cambridge). To these gifts of 
 
 * Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 23. The charge of ,£53. 6s. Sd. was 
 subsequently transferred to other authorities, see below, p. 42. 
 
 f Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 14. Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1340- 
 1343, p. 495. As an illustration of the trouble incurred in getting the appro- 
 priations approved, an account of the expenses of the College in the matter of 
 the appropriations of Felmersham and Grendon in 1365-66 (when these livings 
 became vacant) is printed below in Appendix II. 
 
KING'S HALL 17 
 
 advowsons the king added, on 5 July 1 35 1 , property at 
 Wendy, near Meldreth, in Cambridgeshire. 
 
 Before the middle of the fourteenth century there had 
 been established in the College a chest* used for the 
 purpose of making loans to scholars against the deposit 
 of goods such as plate or books — a common and useful 
 institution in medieval colleges. This King's Hall chest 
 was founded in 1349 by Thomas de Berkyng who had 
 been admitted in 1337 and died in 1349. Half a century 
 later a second chest was established by John Dunmore 
 (admitted in 1395 and died in 141 2) who left .£20 for the 
 purpose. There are a good many references in the ac- 
 count books to loans from these chests. The Society itself 
 borrowed from Berkyng's chest in 1389 when building its 
 new dining hall, taking ^26. 13^. ^d. in March and £^0 in 
 May, leaving only \os. in the chest. It borrowed from it 
 again in 1524 as mentioned later. 
 
 The first outbreak of the terrible epidemic known as 
 the Black Death occurred in 1349. Forty scholars were 
 then in residence and within five months (April to August 
 inclusive) sixteen of them died : the vacancies on the 
 normal foundation of thirty-two scholars were filled up 
 in the course of the year. Ten years later, in 1360, a 
 second outbreak of the disease occurred ; in four months 
 (June to September) the deaths of six scholars are noted, 
 and in the following five months the warden, Powys, and 
 two more scholars died. Powys had held the office of 
 warden for nearly twenty-eight years. He had seen the 
 Society raised from chronic financial embarrassment to 
 a prosperous position and firmly established in collegiate 
 buildings of its own. He must, one would think, have 
 been consulted by the king on most of the steps taken to 
 
 * Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, pp. 95, no. On the medieval use of loan 
 chests see Grace Book, A, Cambridge, 1897, Introduction by S. M. Leathes, 
 pp. xlii, xliii. 
 
 R. B, 2 
 
1 8 KING'S HALL 
 
 promote the prosperity of the House, and, if so, we may 
 reckon him no mean benefactor of the Society over which 
 he ruled for more than a quarter of a century. In his 
 lifetime he gave one or two books to the library, and he 
 left by will two more books to it. 
 
 The early account books are generally less informative 
 than those of later years, but the sheets for 1361-62 are 
 exceptionally interesting, as the guardians then in office 
 inserted therein an inventory of goods of the College in 
 their custody*. This inventory except for a few words 
 was in Latin. For some time it seems to have been in 
 constant use for checking purposes, and probably we have 
 now only parts of the original compilation, though the parts 
 that we have are complete. After mentioning a bequest of 
 land in Essex from Geoffrey de Dodenho, who had died on 
 13 August 1 36 1, and enumerating the titles and indicative 
 marks of some of the books in the College library, the 
 guardians gave the following lists of vessels in their 
 charge belonging to the Hall, the Pantry, the Kitchen, the 
 Bakehouse (which evidently includes the Brewhouse), 
 and the Larder : — 
 
 Belonging to the Hall. One large washing vessel with a . . . . Two 
 large basins, with two washing basins. 
 
 Belonging to the Pantry. Four tablecloths with two towels. Two 
 canvas napkins and two hand towels. Four silver cups, two with covers 
 and two without covers. One large and two small mazers. Three salt 
 cellars of pewter, two with covers and one without a cover. Seven candle- 
 sticks, five of pewter and two of wood. Eighteen silver spoons. One 
 cask and one chest for bread. Two small tubs for meat. One basin for 
 alms for the poor. One small tub to catch the drippings of ale. 
 
 Belonging to the Kitchen. Twelve new plates, twelve dishes, twelve 
 salt cellars and two chargers, all of pewter. Ten plates, nineteen dishes, 
 twenty-two salt cellars, and three chargers all of pewter and old. Four 
 copper pots, two large and two of medium size. Three small posnets. 
 
 * The inventory is dated 35 Edward III, i.e. 1361-62, but has been mis- 
 placed, and is bound up with the accounts for 1390-91 ; King's Hall Books, 
 vol. iv, p. 9, et seq. 
 
KING'S HALL 19 
 
 Five platters, one large and four of medium size. Two gridirons, one 
 large and one small. One carrying tray and two tripods. One iron hook. 
 Two spits and one broch. One large mortar and pestle, and one small 
 mortar. One flesh hook, one scummer, and one bread grater. One 
 tankard. One iron shovel for the small furnace. 
 
 Belonging to the Bakehouse [and Brewhouse\ One mash vat, one 
 cleansing vat, and one oil vat. Two bins for barley and corn. Two 
 mashing oars. Three cooling tubs, one leaden tap trough, and six brewing 
 cauldrons. Five casks, and seven small herring barrels. Two large wort 
 bowls and one lading dish. One funnel, one hair sieve, and one wooden 
 sieve. Eight sacks, four new, two old, and two other newer ones. Two 
 baskets, and one small basin. One kneading trough. One sifting tun. 
 One small basket cloth, and one canvas cloth for covering the vault. 
 Three sifting cloths. Two cowls with two cowl-staves. One new cowl, 
 one new sifting cloth. One small barrel for barm and yeast. One old 
 basin for barm. One bushell. 
 
 Belonging to the Larder. Two bins, one large and the other small. Five 
 small herring barrels. One small tub. Three verjuice barrels, two large 
 and one small. One trough for salting meat. One copper pot for oatmeal. 
 
 The reader will find it interesting to compare the above 
 lists with those for the year 1478-79, given later. We 
 infer from these inventories that, at the time they were 
 made, the Society was not wealthy. Probably the whole 
 of the sum allowed for maintenance was required for 
 the normal outgoings and there was little margin for 
 general expenses ; the appropriations of the advowsons of 
 Felmersham and Grendon were not yet completed ; and 
 the Society was too young to have received many gifts. 
 By 1366 the financial position of the College was much 
 stronger, and thenceforward the revenues of the House 
 were generally more than sufficient to meet the absolutely 
 necessary expenses. This accounts for the ambitious 
 schemes of building and extension which were undertaken 
 later. 
 
 In 1368 Edward III gave the society five works on 
 civil law under conditions embodied in a deed which was 
 printed by Cooper*. They were intended for the use of 
 
 * Cooper's Memorials, vol. II, p. 202. 
 
 2 — 2 
 
20 KING'S HALL 
 
 Walter de Herford as long as he was a scholar, and 
 afterwards for the use of other scholars of the House, but 
 they were not to be alienated or removed. This gift and 
 that of Powys show that the library was growing, and 
 we should infer the same from occasional notices in the 
 accounts of the cost of re-boarding books and providing 
 chains for them. It is clear that it was a valued possession 
 of the House. 
 
 In 1369, a third outbreak of the Black Death took place 
 and four scholars died. Subsequently the College more than 
 once suffered from similar outbreaks, but none on so big a 
 scale. About this time the College erected a new bake- 
 house and a granary. There are now, too, entries connected 
 with the planting of vines, and the care of the gardens on 
 the site of the present Bowling Green, as also about litigation 
 concerning a river wall which the Society had erected*. 
 These may be trivial details, but they reveal the House 
 as an active and vigorous corporation. Of other incidents 
 at this time the only record that has survived relates to 
 disputes in 1377 between the scholars of King's Hall 
 and those of Clare Hallf : the matter was taken before 
 the University, but the king intervened and at Easter 
 summoned both parties before his council " to whom 
 submitting themselves concord was established." 
 
 The scholars were appointed by letters under the privy 
 seal. In the course of time most of these documents have 
 been destroyed or lost, but those that are extant give some 
 information as to the social position of nominees to scholar- 
 ships. All the ten scholars sent to Cambridge on 7 July 
 1317 had been connected with the chapel-royal, and until 
 the close of the reign of Edward III a considerable pro- 
 portion of the scholars were described as petits clerks 
 de nostre chapelle. As time passed such entries became 
 
 * Architectural History, vol. II, p. 436. 
 t Cooper's Memorials, vol. II, p- 202. 
 
KING'S HALL 21 
 
 rarer. It is possible that the requirements from nominees 
 to scholarships of a working knowledge of Latin were less 
 rigorous in the early days of the king's scholars, but after 
 1380 such a knowledge was normally required. For some 
 of the lads drawn from this source, this was a stumbling- 
 block ; two or three such cases are mentioned later. In 
 general, boys from the chapel-royal resided continuously 
 but did not stay more than a few years, and there was 
 thus a constant succession of vacancies on the founda- 
 tion. 
 
 Besides the class of lads already mentioned, several of 
 the scholars in residence during the reigns of Edward II 
 and Edward III were connected with the superior servants 
 and lower officials of the court. Thus in Terry, brother 
 to John de Cologne, admitted in 1328, and William, son of 
 Roger de Cologne, admitted in 1355, we have members of 
 the Cologne family who filled various offices about the 
 court — the head of the family in England being the said 
 John who had been brought to London from Cologne by 
 Edward III as his armourer. So too William Goderich, 
 admitted in 1375, was the son of John Goderich, the king's 
 cook, and no doubt Simon and John Godrich, admitted 
 in 1 36 1, Robert Goderich, admitted in 1364, and Simon 
 Goderich, admitted in 1377, were related to him. Again we 
 find in 1319 mention of John and Thomas Griffon, in 1332 
 of William Griffon, and in 13 19 of Andrew Rosekin: we 
 may take it that these were related to some court officials, 
 for there are entries on the Pipe Rolls in 1327 of liveries 
 supplied to the wives of Andrew and John*. It is also 
 highly probably that Simon Brocas admitted in 1327 was 
 related to the Arnold Brocas and John Brocas who re- 
 spectively kept the horses of the king and the earl of 
 Cornwall. Other instances are Aymer Symeon admitted 
 in 1326 the son of the king's serjeant ; Geoffrey Lestrange, 
 
 * Trinity Admissions, vol. I, p. 87. 
 
22 KING'S HALL 
 
 admitted in his sixteenth year, 1347, the son of the king's 
 serjeant-at-arms; William Walkelate, admitted in 1350, 
 son of another serjeant-at-arms ; and Thomas Smith, 
 admitted in 1349, the son of the king's smith. The last- 
 mentioned student resided for eleven years, but was expelled 
 in 1360 for going off to the wars without the warden's 
 leave*. Towards the close of the fourteenth century, we 
 infer from the extant writs that nominations from this class 
 also became less common, though even into the sixteenth 
 century the names of scholars and court officials are some- 
 times identical, and it may be reasonably inferred that, 
 throughout the history of King's Hall, some boys of this 
 class were regularly nominated. 
 
 What became of scholars of this class after graduation ? 
 That is a question which we cannot answer definitely, but 
 all the information at our disposal justifies us in thinking 
 that normally such scholars on going out of residence 
 either took service in the court or were beneficed. At 
 this time it would seem that it was usual for a scholar 
 on going out of residence to take his name off the boards 
 of the House. 
 
 Most of the higher officials at court were unmarried 
 clerks, who could not have had sons of their own name 
 eligible for admission, but towards the end of the reign of 
 Edward III and during that of Richard II some of the 
 scholars of the House bear the same name as certain 
 officials who appear on the rolls of chancery of the time, 
 and it seems likely that the higher officers of the church 
 and state now began to seek nominations for their con- 
 nections and acquaintances. As instances we may mention 
 William de Walcote, nominated in 1352 at the request of 
 the queen mother; Robert de Lincoln, admitted in 1369, 
 cousin of Helmyng Leget, the governor of Windsor Castle; 
 Nicholas Mockyng, admitted in 1377, who notwithstanding 
 
 * Trinity Admissions, vol. I, p. 98. 
 
KING'S HALL 23 
 
 his tenure of many benefices* held his scholarship till his 
 death in 1424; and John Cacheroo, admitted in 1387, at 
 the request of the confessor to Robert de Vere, duke of 
 Ireland. Scholars drawn from this class became more 
 numerous as time went on. We note also the admission 
 in 1369 of Nicholas de Drayton and John de Kent: 
 these two nominees were already graduates and their 
 scholarships merely provided them with comfortable homes 
 when not engaged on outside work — perhaps that was 
 the intention of those who obtained their nominations. 
 Henceforth there were generally a few scholars of this 
 type, and their admissions testify to the growing connection 
 between the Society and the higher civil service of the 
 time. 
 
 In the closing years of the reign of Edward III to 
 whom the Society owed so much, it was able to begin the 
 long-intended rebuilding of its home on a comprehensive 
 plan — the whole of the area between the High Street, 
 King's Childer Lane, the river, and St John's Hospital 
 having been acquired in or before 1376. The new build- 
 ings took some fifty years to erect. They were not at first 
 pressed forward with much energy, and we may for the 
 moment defer describing them. 
 
 Richard II showed himself not less friendly to the 
 Society than his predecessor, and on 9 September 1377 
 he confirmed its endowments f. Later he transferred the 
 payment of £53. 6s. 8d. from the Exchequer to other 
 authorities |. Similar confirmations or re-grants of the 
 rights and privileges of King's Hall were made§ by 
 Henry IV and Henry V on 8 October 1399 and 5 April 
 
 * See Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, p. 105. The Mockings were wealthy 
 fishmongers in the city of London, owning considerable estates in Middlesex 
 and Kent. 
 
 \ Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 26. 
 
 % See below, p. 42. 
 
 § Cambridge Documents, vol. I, pp. 34, 37. 
 
24 KING'S HALL 
 
 141 3, shortly after their respective accessions. The 
 wording of the letters patents on these occasions suggests 
 that in the absence of such confirmation or re-grant the 
 property given to King's Hall might, on the death of 
 the sovereign, have been resumed by the crown. 
 
 On 5 March 1380, statutes* for the government of the 
 Hall were given by the king, and directed to be read 
 in public thrice a year. They are well worth study 
 for what they forbid as well as for what they order. 
 Some of the provisions are as follows : — Before admission 
 a student must have attained the age of at least fourteen 
 years, and have a sufficient knowledge of Latin and gram- 
 mar to qualify him for the study of logic or other subjects 
 selected by the warden. If idle and disobedient he was 
 to be expelled. Poverty was not required as a qualification 
 for membership, but a scholar vacated his office if he was 
 admitted to a benefice of the value of £6. 1 3s. \d. a year, 
 or became possessed of private property of the value of 
 £5 a year, or entered religion. Mass was to be said on 
 every Sunday for the souls of Edward II, Edward III, 
 and the Black Prince, and for the good estate of the 
 king and realm ; the scholars were required to attend 
 this in gowns of the king's livery. The statutes direct 
 that the scholars should have a common table ; they were 
 always to speak Latin or French. The numerous regu- 
 lations about the conduct and occupations of the students 
 suggest that those now admitted were accustomed to the 
 life of well-to-do lads and young men of the period. It 
 would seem that the warden, under his general powers, 
 could grant leave of non-residence, and perhaps in the case 
 of senior scholars holding small benefices it was expected 
 that such leave should be given. 
 
 The year 1383 is remarkable in the history of the 
 
 * They were first printed in Rymer's Foedera, London, 1 704-1 735, vol. vn, 
 pp. 239-243 : from which they are reprinted below in Appendix I. 
 
KING'S HALL 25 
 
 House for the admission of a boy, John Rauf, who was 
 far below the standard of learning required from scholars 
 when nominated. He came from the chapel-royal, and 
 there was in his case a special order that he should attend 
 first the school of grammar and language and then the 
 other faculties. However he resigned and left in January 
 1385, and the position of a lad who could not speak Latin 
 or French must have been uncomfortable in a Society 
 where the use of any other language was forbidden. This 
 is the only recorded case where a scholar-elect entered the 
 glomerel and not the arts or law schools. Two years 
 later, however, in 1385, three lads were admitted from 
 the chapel-royal nonobstant quils ne sont conforme en 
 gramere sicome Us devroient. In 1416 a somewhat similar 
 admission from the chapel-royal was made of one John 
 Hotoft, and in the following year there was admitted from 
 the chapel-royal one John Fisher ce quil nest nye tmcore 
 pleinement enformez en son gramer nonobstant* . The 
 notes suggest that the admissions were regarded as ex- 
 ceptional, and we may assume that normally nominees 
 to scholarships were fairly proficient in the Latin of the 
 schools. 
 
 In June 1383, the bishop of Ely was directed f to 
 visit the College and reform and correct various abuses 
 therein which had been reported to the king — the build- 
 ings having, it was said, fallen into decay, and books and 
 other goods been stolen. On the bishop's advice the 
 warden, Simon de Neylond, and six of the scholars were 
 removed from their offices | on 19 May 1385. It appears 
 from the account books that the warden and these scholars 
 were frequently absent from the House without leave. 
 Neylond's absence was the less excusable, since in the 
 
 * Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, pp. 107, 108, 115. 
 f Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1381-1385, p. 352. 
 % Trinity Admissions, vol. I, p. 107. 
 
26 KING'S HALL 
 
 letters patent appointing him there was a provision that 
 he should reside continuously for the good government of 
 the Society, the education of the scholars and the stimu- 
 lation of their studies ; and arrangements were authorised 
 for the transaction, during his tenure of the office, of 
 external business by a scholar instead of the warden*. 
 Neylond's predecessors had resided regularly. Several of 
 his successors followed his example and resided only at 
 irregular intervals, and the obvious consequence was that 
 in these cases the warden ceased to take an active share 
 in the government of the House. 
 
 After the removal of Simon de Neylond, the custom 
 was continued of making one of the guardians of the 
 chest responsible for external finance, and this scholar, 
 called prosecutor ad forinseca, became what would now- 
 a-days be called the senior bursar of King's Hall : he 
 received annually a stipend of 6s. 8d. and a cap allowance 
 of 2s. The other five guardians between them did the 
 work of internal administration which is now concentrated 
 in the hands of the junior bursar and steward of Trinity 
 College, and each received a stipend of 45. a year, with 
 a cap allowance of 2s. payable shortly before the Fair 
 at Stourbridge. The departments assigned to the five 
 guardians responsible for the internal administration of 
 the Hall were the kitchens, the bakehouse, the mill and 
 brewery, the buttery, the gardens and grounds, and the 
 control of the house-servants. How they divided the work 
 among themselves is not clear : probably it varied at differ- 
 ent times. Each of the five could act for any of the others. 
 After 1434 the senior bursar became an independent 
 officer and ceased to be reckoned as a guardian or steward 
 of the chest. 
 
 The statutes refer, as is to be expected, to the custody 
 of the Seal of the House. There are among the records 
 
 * Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1 377-1 381, p. 19. 
 
KING'S HALL 27 
 
 of King's Hall now in the possession of Trinity College 
 two or three impressions of this seal, but all are imperfect 
 and in bad condition. The best is one of 1387 which is 
 reproduced (actual size) as the frontispiece to this sketch. 
 In the middle of the impression, the king is represented 
 seated on a dais with Gothic canopy work over and on 
 each side of him. His left hand is extended and holds 
 the model of a building with a lofty lantern or spire. On 
 his right hand a clerk in a long gown is kneeling, and 
 perhaps doing homage. Below the dais are five figures, 
 the three middle ones standing and the figure on either 
 side of them kneeling. On the dexter side of the supports 
 of the Gothic canopy is a tree bearing a shield with the 
 arms of England. On the sinister side is a similar tree 
 bearing a shield with quarterings of France ancient and 
 England : from which we may infer that the seal was 
 made subsequent to 1336. The only part of the lettering 
 now legible is at the bottom and reads ...rium aule 
 
 The account books give details of the money received 
 and spent, but it is not easy to construct from them a 
 picture of life in College, or to draw up balance sheets. 
 It may however be useful to state some of the facts 
 brought out. 
 
 We may note at once that there is an almost entire 
 absence of any reference to education or learning. The 
 house was a hall of residence for lads sent by the court 
 to Cambridge for a university education, and its object 
 was the provision of a home for them. Originally the 
 management was entirely in the hands of the warden 
 who alone was responsible to the king, and constitutionally 
 this always remained his position. At first, and as long 
 as all the scholars were boys, the warden ruled absolutely, 
 disbursements as well as receipts passing through his 
 hands, or through those of the butler who sometimes 
 acted as his agent. 
 
28 KING'S HALL 
 
 Within a few years of the establishment of the scholars, 
 however, some of them were grown-up men, and there 
 was no difficulty in getting half-a-dozen (the guardians 
 or stewards) who were competent to manage the internal 
 affairs of the House. In and after 1337 the warden paid 
 all sums received by him into the common chest, and the 
 expenditure was left in the hands of its guardians. From 
 this arrangement a system of self-government soon arose, 
 and within half-a-century the internal affairs of the House 
 were entirely managed by the senior scholars with perhaps 
 a power of veto in the hands of the warden. With the 
 regular appointment of a prosecutor ad forinseca the 
 external affairs also fell largely into the hands of the 
 scholars, and finally the wardens ceased to concern them- 
 selves much with the daily administration of the College. 
 In the sixteenth century, indeed, we read of general 
 meeting of the scholars who apparently had, or were 
 allowed to assume, power to give directions on matters 
 affecting the whole House, so that in fact the Society 
 became a self-governing community. 
 
 The college money unappropriated to any special 
 purpose was kept in a bag called the sacculus primus. 
 Out of this the expenses of the House (food, repairs, 
 wages of the servants, and so on) were met. The groceries 
 and salted meat for the year were usually bought at Stour- 
 bridge Fair, but the guardians made contracts in advance 
 for the supply, when they were wanted, of things like corn, 
 malt, and wine. A considerable stock of timber, tiles, and 
 building materials was usually kept stored. Moneys to be 
 used for special purposes (as, for instance, for the plate 
 fund) were put in other bags. All the bags were kept in 
 the common chest*, and there are occasional notes of what 
 was contained in it. The methods employed for safety 
 may have been cumbersome but they seem to have been 
 
 * In 1479 we are told that the chest was kept over the porch. 
 
KING'S HALL 29 
 
 effective, and in only one instance* (in 1452) is there a note 
 of a theft or loss from this chest. Loans were sometimes 
 made out of the common chest (as well as out of the 
 special charitable chests) on the security of articles 
 deposited therein. 
 
 Before the end of the fourteenth century we find that 
 every scholar on commencing residence was required to 
 pay £1 to the plate fund, \d. for the College boat, and to 
 provide a breakfast to the Society at a cost oi £\ or more. 
 The total expense must have proved a very heavy tax 
 on a poor student, but perhaps he was allowed to work it 
 off by services in the garden or library, as there are a few 
 instances of payments to poor scholars for doing such work. 
 At a time when the river was the chief artery of traffic, the 
 possession of a well-equipped boat was most important — at 
 any rate one was always kept in good condition, and the 
 expense of maintaining it charged on the common chest. 
 The giving, on admission, of a breakfast or feast of some 
 kind was a natural custom in a medieval society, and seems 
 to have been generally enforced. There are only four 
 recorded cases of exceptions being allowed f : in 1410, in 
 lieu of the customary breakfast, Robert Gillot gave 20s. 
 towards the cost of the bakehouse then building; in 1430 
 John Lathum paid 20s. together with some gratuities to 
 the servants; and in 1439 and 1441 Thomas Stafford and 
 Richard Laverok gave lectures in their respective chambers. 
 It will be noticed that these exceptions are confined to a 
 period of some thirty years. In the sixteenth century the 
 charge for the entrance breakfast is called the entrance 
 fee ; perhaps by that time it had come to be paid in 
 money to the College. 
 
 The accounts of the later years contain lists of all sizings 
 or extras supplied to every scholar in residence. In these 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. X, p. 247. 
 
 f Kt7ig's Hall Books, vol. vm, p. 4 ; vol. IX, p. 185 ; vol. X, p. 1. 
 
3Q KING'S HALL 
 
 lists are notes of visits by strangers entertained at the 
 expense of the Society, but guests of the warden and of 
 individual scholars are not named. According to Fuller* 
 when Richard II summoned a parliament to meet at 
 Cambridge in 1383 apartments for him were prepared at 
 King's Hall "where all things were so conveniently con- 
 trived that the courtiers had all lodgings and offices by 
 themselves, without meeting with the scholars, save only in 
 the passage towards the kitchen." Finally the king stayed 
 at Barnwell Priory, but we may take the original selection 
 of King's Hall for his place of residence as evidence of 
 its importance. The College guests for the first century 
 of its existence are rarely mentioned, though by chance 
 we have a note of a visit by the earl of Suffolk in 1385 ; 
 among the more distinguished guests of a later period we 
 have mention of the bishop of Durham, chancellor, in 1420, 
 of Henry cardinal Beaufort in 1428, of Henry VI on 
 various occasions, of Henry VII in i486, of John Morton, 
 archbishop of Canterbury, in 1489-90, of Richard Fox, 
 bishop of Exeter, in 1 490-91, and of Lady Margaret 
 in 1504-057. Some of the wardens seem to have enter- 
 tained largely, but unfortunately we have no lists of their 
 visitors. Most people who came on business to the House 
 were put up as guests of the scholars and vails given to 
 their servants, for instance, in 1424 Thomas Ludham the 
 executor of Holme and in 1446 Bryan Roucliffe, a baron 
 of the exchequer, who assisted in arranging for the 
 abandonment of the Exchequer audit, were received at 
 the expense of the Society. 
 
 The chief college festivities every year were the com- 
 memoration of the founder, Edward of Carnarvon, celebrated 
 by a feast on Innocents' Day (the day following his exequies) 
 
 * History of the University, edition of 1840, p. 119. 
 
 f Kings Hall Books, vol. Ill, p. 243 ; vol. VI, p. 217 ; vol. vn, pp. 192, 
 222, 257 ; vol. xvni, p. 25 ; vol. XX, p. 205. 
 
KING'S HALL 31 
 
 and the feasts connected with the great festivals of the 
 church at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide. There are 
 also regular entries for the payment and entertainment of 
 mummers or actors, who visited the College at Candlemas 
 and two or three other times a year. In 1444 the queen's 
 mummers came and were given a dinner at the not ex- 
 pensive cost of 6d. ; in 1503 the " wayts " were paid for 
 coming on Innocents' Day; and in 1534-35 tne College 
 paid 2S. lid. to Braunden* the king's "jogular." These 
 examples are taken from the later history of the Hall 
 because the accounts are then set out in more detail, but 
 probably actors and singers came in the time of Richard 1 1 
 and Henry IV much as they did in that of Henry VIII. 
 
 We have already called attention to the change of 
 policy towards King's Hall on the part of the crown, 
 noticeable in the reign of Richard II, under which nomi- 
 nations to scholarships in King's Hall were commonly 
 given to relations of those who constituted what we may 
 call the higher civil service in church and state of the time. 
 This practice was continued by Henry IV and Henry V. 
 No doubt it was facilitated by the heavy entrance fees now 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. X, p. 176; vol. xx, p. 141 ; vol. xxv, p. 2. 
 Brandon was a good conjuror. He was specially celebrated for his trick of the 
 sympathetic portrait. In this, he placed a live pigeon among the spectators, or 
 at any rate not on the stage. He then drew a portrait of the bird, and on 
 stabbing the picture the bird fell down dead. It is not known what device he 
 used for the purpose ; to-day, with the use of electricity, it would be very 
 simple. This seems a very dangerous trick for a conjuring performance at that 
 time, and in later life Brandon gave it up. We have a list of the tricks 
 in vogue at performances such as this, in the sixteenth century. They 
 include the common decapitation trick, burning a card and then producing 
 it from a pocket of a spectator, changing money into counters and counters 
 into money, making a coin disappear and reappear elsewhere, tying a 
 knot and undoing it by magic words, turning wheat into flour at command, 
 burning a piece of string and making it whole again, pulling endless coils of 
 ribbon from the mouth, and so on ; see, for instance, Scot's Discouvrie of 
 
 Witchcraft wherein the conueiances of legerdemaine and juggling are 
 
 deciphered, London, 1584, pp. 321-352. No doubt with such a programme at 
 command Brandon gave an amusing performance. 
 
32 KING'S HALL 
 
 imposed on scholars elect, as also by the fact that after 
 1375 the wardens were usually closely connected with the 
 court. How was a nomination obtained to what by this 
 time was evidently a coveted post ? The problem is a most 
 fascinating one, but it is impossible to answer it definitely. 
 Henceforth, however, a fair proportion of the extant privy 
 seals, giving the nomination of boys, recite that one of the 
 then existing scholars is about to resign in favour of the 
 new scholar ; the earliest recorded instance of such a 
 statement occurs in 1386 when Henry Spicer resigned his 
 scholarship in favour of James de Walsingham. This 
 may have seemed at the time a trivial change of custom, 
 but the resulting tendency was to make the Society a close 
 corporation and strengthen its connection with the official 
 classes. In such a case did the retiring scholar receive 
 an inducement to resign ; just as an officer in the army 
 formerly received from his successor in the post a sum 
 of money ? The sale of posts and offices would be in 
 accord with medieval custom in some matters, but we 
 have no positive evidence and we must leave the problem 
 unsolved. Of those who vacated their scholarships some 
 left because promoted to benefices, some because they 
 entered religion, one (John Coo) because he went mad, 
 another (Robert Gillot) because he married, and a few 
 were removed or expelled, but in most cases we know only 
 that they died, left, or resigned. 
 
 Pensioners were occasionally admitted* as a matter of 
 favour, the earliest pensioner of whom we have a record 
 is one William Bardolf who entered in 1387. There were, 
 however, at several periods past scholars who continued, 
 by leave of the Society, to reside as pensioners. 
 
 We have already mentioned gifts to the library by 
 Edward III and Thomas Powys, and the (incomplete) 
 
 * The names of eleven or twelve are given in the Trinity Admissions, 
 vol. 1, pp. I34-I35- 
 
KING'S HALL 33 
 
 register of books in the library in 1361. There is a com- 
 plete catalogue* of the books in it in 1390. In this the 
 works are divided into six classes namely those in grammar 
 (10), dialectics (5), theology (5), civil law (52), canon law (17), 
 and medicine (18): in all 107 books. It is understood that 
 a monograph on the library of King's Hall is now being 
 written, and it is unnecessary to go here into further 
 details. 
 
 We pause to mention briefly the rebuilding of the 
 College which had commenced in 1375. The plan adopted 
 comprised the erection of a closed quadrangle with various 
 extensions. Of this court the west side (which contained 
 the common parlour), some 1 20 feet long, is still standing 
 and faces the Bowling Green. Each of the other three 
 sides, all since pulled down, was about 100 feet long on 
 the outside ; of these the north side stretched along the 
 boundary wall next to St John's Hospital and contained 
 the library, while the south side (which contained the 
 dining hall) may be said in a rough sort of way to have 
 covered the ground now occupied by the antechapel and 
 the path in front of it. One of the walls in the latter range 
 was used in the sixteenth century for the west wall of the 
 present chapel of Trinity College, and an old window in it 
 has been left in situ. The inner quadrangle of the court 
 was about 40 feet by 40 feet and was cloistered on the 
 north and west sides; this area, small as it was, was further 
 contracted by a block some 20 feet by 1 2 feet built in its 
 south-east corner, and an oratory projecting some 15 feet 
 by 1 5 feet into it from the middle of its western face, over 
 what is now the Junior Combination Room and was once 
 the Choir School. Outside this court two extensions were 
 built. The first of these was a continuation of its west side 
 for another 100 feet or so by a range of chambers stretching 
 southwards up to the present sundial in the Great Court 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. iv, pp. 3-5. 
 R. B. 3 
 
34 KING'S HALL 
 
 of Trinity. This range was terminated by an entrance 
 gateway (King Edward's Tower) facing Foul Lane which 
 then ran from the present Queen's Gate across what is now 
 the Great Court to King's Childer Lane. The south side 
 of the court was similarly extended for some 45 feet by a 
 range stretching eastwards. Ground plans of these blocks 
 have been published by Willis and Clark and by W. D. 
 Caroe. The buildings first erected were of brick or rubble 
 masonry, and tiled ; the later buildings were of stone taken 
 from a quarry at Cherryhinton which was acquired about 
 1420. We can gather the general effect from the existing 
 Clock Tower and the frontage to the Bowling Green, the 
 common parlour with its fire-place also remains and is 
 now used as the bursary. These works were finished 
 about 1438, and the old mansion of Robert de Croyland, 
 probably then in bad repair, was pulled down*. 
 
 Of these buildings the dining hall and certain chambers 
 were begun before 1377, and the kitchens before 1386; 
 these may have been finished by 1390. The new library, 
 with the contiguous chambers, and a wooden cloister were 
 begun in 141 7, and completed in 1421 ; the accounts for 
 1421-22 contain notes of charges for binding and arranging 
 the books. The oratory was commenced in 1420; in 
 1422-23 painted hangings for it were provided at a cost 
 of £1. 6s. 8d.; in 1424-26, in view of an approaching visit 
 by Henry VI, the room was wainscotted, and £4. 10s. od. 
 spent on the organ ; at Michaelmas 1428 cardinal Beaufort 
 used it and a breviary was repaired for him : no doubt it was 
 also used by Henry VI in October 1445 and at Easter 
 1447, when he visited the House. In 1468-69 a new 
 organ was bought for it ; the paintings in it were repaired 
 in 1467-71, and the organ in 1472-73. That is the last we 
 hear of it, and probably it was pulled down in 1485. The 
 library and oratory were on the first floor and opened on 
 
 * Architectural History, vol. II, pp. 436-447. 
 
KING'S HALL 35 
 
 to a gallery over the cloister which ran along the west 
 side of the court. In 1429 the common parlour was 
 finished and wainscotted. The King Edward Tower and 
 adjacent range of chambers were begun in 1426-27, and 
 took some ten years in building. A carved and painted 
 statue of the king, which must be taken to be the reigning 
 sovereign, Henry VI, was added to it in 1434-36 : that 
 the statue was of Henry VI is confirmed by the royal 
 shields on the tower, of which two bear the arms of 
 England, and two the arms of France and England 
 quarterly in the form used by Henry VI and not in that 
 used by Edward III. This Gateway faced Foul Lane and 
 provided the main entrance to the College from that side. 
 It was taken down and rebuilt in 1 599-1 600 in its present 
 position: the statue of Edward III now on it was then 
 put there by Nevile in place of that of Henry VI*, and 
 at the same time below it the arms of Trinity were added. 
 These buildings formed a striking architectural whole : they 
 bore witness to the wealth of King's Hall as also to the 
 generosity of its members, for numerous gifts from past 
 and present members for the extensions are recorded. 
 
 While these works were in progress, the College was 
 also enlarging the area available for future extensions. 
 In 141 7, 1430, and 1433, it acquired the land on the south 
 side of King's Childer Lane between High Street and 
 Foul Lane, and in the last-mentioned year it obtained 
 power to shut up and enclose this part of King's Childer 
 Lane. Various minor building operations were undertaken 
 at this period. 
 
 Holme who was warden from 14 17 to 1424 resided, 
 took an active part in the business of the House, and was 
 a considerable benefactor to the library. His generosity 
 
 * The authorities are quoted in the Architectural History, vol. II, pp. 446, 
 482, 515, but it is believed the statement there made about the first statue is 
 erroneous. 
 
 3—2 
 
$6 KING'S HALL 
 
 and zeal in the matter of the rebuilding were generally 
 recognised, and on 20 May 1426, shortly after his death, 
 the Society took the exceptional step of ordering that 
 yearly on the vigil of St George the martyr, the scholars 
 should meet in the church of All Saints in Jewry, and 
 there celebrate his exequies with mass on the morrow. 
 His successors, FitzHugh and Cawdrey, 1424 to 1448, 
 took a prominent part in ecclesiastical matters in the 
 country and resided only irregularly. His predecessors, 
 Selby, Derham, and Stone, 1391 to 141 7, also played a 
 large part in public affairs: Selby being the intimate friend 
 of Richard II, Derham's influence with Henry IV being 
 so great that parliament passed an Act requiring his dis- 
 missal, and Stone being secretary to Henry V. Holme 
 and FitzHugh are described in the Memoriale as vires 
 nobiles. 
 
 There is, in the King's Hall Books for the year 1482- 
 83, a list of plate delivered to Mr Christopher for a 
 function — evidently an important function — connected with 
 "the inception" of Master FitzHugh. The only FitzHugh 
 known to have been a member of King's Hall is the 
 warden mentioned above, and at first reading it is natural 
 to suspect that the sheets on which the list is written may 
 have been misplaced in binding : this view however is not 
 tenable, for the list is in the same handwriting as other 
 entries in 1482-83 and is on paper of the same watermark 
 as the other sheets of the accounts of that year. But the 
 King's Hall Books show* that FitzHugh had, staying with 
 him as his guests, for three days in 1425 Mr Christopher 
 with Nicholas and his son, and as no one of the name of 
 Christopher appears at any time as a member of King's 
 Hall it seems to the writer of this booklet that we may 
 reasonably take the list as relating to plate handed out 
 by the stewards in connection with a refection given in 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. vil, p. 126. 
 
KING'S HALL 37 
 
 the College in 1425 at or soon after FitzHugh's admission 
 to the wardenship. It remains to consider whether the 
 names of Druell and Lowes which occur in the inventory 
 assist in fixing its date. The brothers John and Nicholas 
 Druell were scholars, John from 1428-29 to 1433 and 
 Nicholas from 1433 to 1453-54, and both held office in 
 the House. The words quod magister Druell seem to be 
 the beginning of a sentence of which the rest is missing, 
 and maybe it was written in the margin of the original 
 memorandum at some later period, and then got copied 
 into the text : in any case it must refer to something that 
 took place after 1425. The name of Loweys [Lowes] 
 appears in the account book of 1426-27, but probably the 
 entry in which reference is made to him has nothing to do 
 with the original memorandum, since it is written after the 
 receipt given for the plate. If we assign this list to the 
 year 1425, we must suppose that the stewards of 1482-83 
 copied it into their books from some old memorandum, 
 regarding it as worth preservation. 
 
 The list of plate*, provided by the stewards for the 
 inception of FitzHugh, is as follows: — 
 
 Delib^antar magistro Cristofre pro magistro ffitzhugh in Inceptzbwe sua. 
 In primis a gret standyng pece gilt with the cover w/t/2 a coluwbyne fioer 
 
 on the cover. 
 Item a gobelet writ//- a cover gilt with iii ymages on the botom. 
 Item a gilt standyng pece playn with the cover with a gilt roose on the 
 
 cover. 
 Item a gilt standyng pece with a cover with a silver roose on the cover. 
 Item a flatte pece gilt with cover pouderd with birdw and flourys. 
 Item a standyng pece parc&We gilt with the cover with iii angelic under the 
 
 fote. 
 Item a standyng pece swaged parcelle gilt with the cover quod magister 
 
 druell. 
 Item a standyng pece swaged parceWe g\\t...with the cover with a cer...gilt 
 
 on the cover. 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. xvi, p. 198. Letters put in italics indicate that 
 there are contractions in the original which have been written out in full. 
 
38 KING'S HALL 
 
 Item a standyng pece wz't/z a cover parcelle gilt wz't/z iii angellis under the 
 
 fote // da glorias deo writen abought the fote. 
 Item a standyng pece parcelle gilt with the cover with leemyng stenys gilt. 
 Item a standyng pece playne wz't/z the cover p«7-celle gilt wz't^t the 
 
 knoppe.... 
 Item a standyng pece with the cover pa^celle playne pa^celle pounced 
 
 knoppe.... 
 Item a lowe standyng pece with the cover pa^celle gilt with a white sheld 
 
 in the... with a chev^own & an .1. & a crowne. 
 Item iii silver quartz's pottz'i-. 
 Item i silver potte of a pottell. 
 Item vi bolles of oon facon the bordours gilt. 
 
 Magister xpofre induxit. 
 Item ii spyce plates with ye feett. Item a cov<??- payn for mr lowes. 
 
 The reign of Henry VI proved a critical period in the 
 history of the Hall. In the earlier part of his reign he 
 showed himself friendly, and on various occasions when 
 concerned with preparations for his new college he 
 enjoyed the hospitality of the Society. On 2 May 1440 
 he presented* the advowson of Chesterton to the scholars. 
 In the same year he gavef them JJ books which included 
 at least two that had been the property of King Henry V. 
 Fuller says that in all there were 120 volumes thus pre- 
 sented, but this is a mistake as we have the complete list 
 of the works given. At any rate it was a large addition to 
 the library. 
 
 In 1 44 1 the king pardoned the members their trespass 
 in acquiring a right to use the conduit without having first 
 obtained his permission. The conduit to which reference 
 is here made deserves a word or two in passing. It was 
 constructed by the Franciscans whose monastery was on 
 land now occupied by Sidney Sussex College. They pur- 
 chased in 1325 a strip of ground two feet wide stretching 
 from their House for rather over a mile to a spring situated 
 behind the ale-house on the Madingley Road known as 
 
 * Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 42. 
 
 f Ancient Kalendars of the Treasury of the Exchequer, vol. II, p. 155. 
 
KING'S HALL 39 
 
 the Man Loaded with Mischief, and below this strip in 
 1327 they laid a pipe to convey the water to their buildings : 
 this conduit ran along King's Childer Lane. 
 
 The upper part of King's Childer Lane was acquired 
 from the Town by King's Hall and enclosed in 1433, 
 and the Society thereupon asked the friars for leave to tap 
 the conduit. What followed is obscure, but by letters 
 patent*, 31 May 1441, the lane and aqueduct were con- 
 firmed to the scholars, and their trespass in obtaining them 
 without the royal consent was pardoned. It would seem 
 that the arrangement was that, subject to a payment of 
 los. a year by the Society to the friars, the aqueduct from 
 its source to King's Hall should belong jointly to the 
 friars and the scholars, the part within King's Hall to 
 the scholars, and the part from the High Street to the 
 monastery to the friars. The whole aqueduct was given 
 to Trinity College by Henry VIII in 1546, and the 
 College title to it has had statutory recognition. It feeds 
 the fountain in the Great Court, and still supplies the tap, 
 open to the use of the public, in the street on the south of 
 the Great Gate ; now it does not go beyond that point. 
 The use of the surface of the strip of land over the pipe has 
 been lost by centuries of adverse possession, but the right to 
 enter on the land and inspect and repair the pipe has been 
 preserved f. The observant pedestrian can note the track 
 of the aqueduct across fields by various small posts with 
 T. C. P. (Trinity Conduit Pipe) painted thereon. 
 
 By this time there seem to have been few scholars 
 admitted from the chapel-royal and not many from what 
 we may term the lower ranks of the civil service. The 
 College never had any special connection with the landed 
 families, and there was no reason why the king should have 
 used his patronage to assist lads from this class ; but that 
 
 * Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 43. 
 
 f Architectural History, vol. II, pp. 427-430. 
 
40 KING'S HALL 
 
 the students admitted belonged to the wealthier classes 
 is shown by their sizing bills and the fact that many of 
 them now had private servants of their own. From these 
 statements it seems a fair inference that the scholars 
 were generally related to members of the higher civil 
 service in church and state, or to leading professional men. 
 These students, after graduation, were likely to look for 
 careers in the civil service or church, and, though we 
 cannot speak definitely on the subject, it seems probable 
 that this became the custom. The connection of the 
 scholars with the civil service is illustrated by a grant 
 under the privy seal* in July 1429 of protection for 
 William Waynflete and William Egmanton, scholars of the 
 House, and others who were ordered to attend the warden 
 Robert FitzHugh on a mission to Rome undertaken on 
 behalf of the king. Holme had received leave in the 
 winter of 14 14-15 to attend a similar diplomatic mission 
 to France. 
 
 Early in the fifteenth century we find that a few of the 
 senior scholars (or to use the modern equivalent term, the 
 fellows) who had passed the regency were constantly absent 
 from College, and by the middle of that century about 
 half the senior scholars in this position resided only at 
 irregular intervals. Thus an examination of the books for 
 the two years 1439 to 1441 shows that, of the thirty-two 
 scholars, the junior half were in regular residence and no 
 doubt taking the normal academic course, but of the senior 
 half eight or nine were frequently absent except at the great 
 festivals. Probably such absences were due to clerical or 
 other official duties elsewhere, and to regularise the position 
 the statutory regulations about the vacation of scholarships 
 by holding benefices or possessing private property of a 
 certain value were often suspended by letters patent or 
 otherwise. 
 
 * P. C. Register, Henry VI, vol. ill, p. 347. 
 
KING'S HALL 41 
 
 It must not be assumed that non-residence of this kind 
 was an abuse of the endowment, or regarded as such, for 
 there is no reason to think that the senior scholars were 
 held to have more definite duties to the society than had 
 (say) a non-resident fellow to his College in the nineteenth 
 century, and it is certain that the practice of non-residence 
 had the approval of the crown and the warden. Non- 
 residents received their robes and their biannual pocket- 
 money, but had commons only when in residence : they 
 could retain their rooms in College, by leave of the 
 warden. Doubtless these men occupied positions in the 
 world where they would normally expect the services of their 
 own servants, and it is quite exceptional to find any scholars 
 of this type who had not private servants of their own. 
 Of course the increase in the average length of tenure of 
 the scholarships diminished the number of vacancies to be 
 filled annually, and this accounts for the small number of 
 new entries in later years. 
 
 The custom of granting scholars leave of non-residence 
 left many rooms in the Hall vacant, and probably this 
 explains the exceptional action taken in 1439-42 in allowing 
 Henry, the son and heir of the Earl of Huntingdon, and 
 his two bastard brothers to live in College as pensioners : 
 they were accompanied by an independent retinue of 
 servants. 
 
 In 1446 an important change in the relations of the 
 Society to the Exchequer was introduced. Until this 
 time the warden presented each year to the Exchequer 
 accounts showing the exact number of scholars resident 
 every day in the year, and produced the writs appointing new 
 scholars endorsed with details of the actual admissions *. 
 
 * An example of such an account, covering the period from 1 April 1349 to 
 1 March 1351, with a writ nominating to a scholarship Thomas de Wodeweston, 
 is printed in the Cambridge Documents, vol. 1, pp. 67-72. This scholar was 
 admitted 10 April 1349 and ten weeks later died of the Black Death. 
 
42 KING'S HALL 
 
 The warden, Cawdrey, now obtained for himself and his 
 successors a release from the necessity of presenting these 
 vouchers. Cawdrey had also allowed the payments for 
 the endowment of the Hall to get behindhand, but on 
 14 October 1446 orders were given that the arrears should 
 be paid*. Cawdrey was clerk to the king's council and 
 a baron of the Exchequer, and in virtue of the latter 
 office one of the auditors of the accounts. No doubt this 
 gave him influence in the matter. 
 
 The writ of release is dated 28 November 1446, and 
 may be worth summarizing f. It commences by stating 
 that Richard Cawdrey, being distrained for his account, 
 appeared on the morrow of Hilary by Brian Rouclyff his 
 attorney, and asked to be exonerated in virtue of a privy 
 seal produced of 28 November 1446, which after re- 
 citing I (1) a grant of 4 February 1364 of £53. 6s. Sd. 
 payable by the Exchequer, of £7. 10s. Sd. by the abbot of 
 Waltham, of ^22. 1 is. od. by the burgesses of Scarborough 
 paid for the manor of Walesgrave, and of £10. os. od. by 
 the sheriffs of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, for the 
 wages of ^d. a day for the warden and 2d. a day for each 
 of 32 scholars; (2) a grant of 9 September 1377 confirming 
 the above ; (3) a grant of 29 July 1378 ordering that in lieu 
 of the £53. 6s. Sd. out of the Exchequer, the scholars should 
 receive ^33. 6s. Sd. out of a pension paid by the abbot 
 of Sawtre so long as the pension was in the king's hands 
 owing to war with France, and ^20. os. od. of the prior 
 of Barnwell due for Chesterton; (4) a grant of 15 February 
 1 38 1, transferring the payment to the scholars of ^20. os. od. 
 from the prior of Barnwell to the burgesses of Scarborough ; 
 (5) a g rant of 5 April 14 1 3 by "the right victorious prince" 
 
 * Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 48. 
 
 f Lord Treasurer's Remembrancer Memoranda Roll, 25 Henry VI, Hilary. 
 Recorda 18. 
 
 J Cambridge Documents, vol. 1, pp. 23, 26, 27, 37. 
 
KING'S HALL 43 
 
 King Henry V, confirming the above : finally directs that the 
 warden be in future exonerated from rendering any account 
 of the sums received by him in virtue of such recited grants. 
 Accordingly henceforth the endowment for the maintenance 
 and commons of the Hall was paid direct to the warden, 
 who handed it to the stewards of the chest, and there 
 was no audit by an external authority. It was a natural 
 consequence of this change that subsequently the account 
 books should be kept more fully. This was the case, and 
 as time went on the form improved and became more 
 detailed*. 
 
 In 1447, King's Hall had to meet the most serious crisis 
 in its history. The power of the reigning sovereign in 
 controlling it was unquestioned, and its development had 
 taken place in accordance with the royal wishes. Nothing 
 had occurred to show that a change of policy was being 
 considered, but by letters patent f on 4 February 1447, 
 Henry VI divested the crown of the royal patronage in 
 connection with the Society, and gave the provosts of Eton 
 and King's colleges power to appoint the wardens and 
 scholars of King's Hall as and when vacancies occurred, 
 with the view of providing educational facilities for Etonians 
 at the University. On 24 January 1448, he further granted J 
 to the provosts power to make new statutes for King's 
 Hall, to enquire on oath touching the non-observance of 
 the statutes given by Richard II, and to correct and punish 
 (if necessary by expulsion) excesses, negligences, crimes, 
 and defects of the warden and scholars. The over-lord- 
 ship of Eton and King's Colleges commenced in 1447, 
 
 * For an analysis of the accounts for one of the later years see below, 
 Appendix IV. 
 
 f These letters do not appear in the Calendars of Patent Rolls, and as they 
 are not easily accessible they are printed in Appendix m below, together with 
 a copy of the oath imposed by the provosts on the wardens they appointed. 
 
 X Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 49 ; Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1446- 
 1452, p. 121. 
 
44 KING'S HALL 
 
 and was extended by the letters of 24 January 1448. It 
 did not however become really effective till 1452 and then 
 lasted for ten years till 1462. 
 
 On 26 February 1448 the payment of ^5. 6s. %d, for 
 the robes of the warden of King's Hall was ordered to 
 be made to the over- ruling provosts*. A few months later 
 the warden, Cawdrey, resigned his office, and the provosts 
 appointed Nicholas Ayscough in his place. 
 
 The allowances for robes from the wardrobe to the 
 scholars had at this time fallen into arrear, and this led to a 
 change in the practice. By an order f dated 19 November 
 1448, after reciting that the scholars had been accustomed 
 formerly to receive yearly at Christmas cloth and fur for 
 their habits of the value of £26. 135. \d., delivery of which 
 had been put off for two or three years, that by the statutes 
 of the Society each scholar on admission had taken oath to 
 appear in the king's livery according to his degree at 
 the mass celebrated weekly for the souls of the king, his 
 ancestors, and his heirs, and at certain scholastic acts, that 
 many scholars could not use the robes provided owing to 
 their age or bad condition, the king granted to the warden 
 and scholars of King's Hall the sum of £26. 13s. \d. a 
 year, as from the following Christmas, to provide vesture 
 at the discretion of the four senior scholars, being stewards 
 of the chest. Henceforth this money allowance was given 
 in lieu of the robes formerly given in kind : at first it was 
 paid from the Exchequer, but later by the abbey of Barn- 
 well out of its receipts from Chesterton. The College 
 surrendered it in 1542 as part of the price paid for the 
 advowsons of Arrington and Bottisham. 
 
 Exactly what action was proposed by the provosts of 
 Eton and King's Colleges under the sweeping powers 
 conferred on them we do not know: though very likely the 
 
 * Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 50. 
 
 \ Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1446-1452, p. 206. 
 
KING'S HALL 45 
 
 grant was regarded only as a piece of patronage, and there 
 is nothing in the records of King's Hall to suggest that 
 anything drastic was done. The right to fill the office of 
 warden and vacant scholarships was now in the hands of 
 the provosts, but the appointment in 1448 of Nicholas 
 Ayscough to the wardenship proved to be ineffective, 
 for the crown had, in 1446, granted the reversion to 
 Nicholas Close, who claimed the position. He was a 
 warden of the old type, and although a former fellow of 
 King's College, there is no reason to think that he facili- 
 tated the control of King's Hall by the provosts. He 
 does not seem to have resided regularly, nor could he 
 well have done so, for he was appointed bishop of Carlisle 
 in 1450, and translated to Coventry and Lichfield in 1452 
 in which year he died. 
 
 From 1447-48 to 1460-61 the entries of thirty-seven 
 scholars to King's Hall are recorded, presumably all 
 nominated by the provosts, but only twelve of these men 
 remained on the boards after 146 1. The next two ap- 
 pointments to the wardenship were made by the provosts. 
 The first of these wardens, Blakman, introduced some 
 scheme of reorganization which involved a division of 
 the Society into four classes, fellows, scholars, commoners, 
 and semi-commoners. Perhaps this only meant senior 
 scholars, junior scholars, college servants, and private 
 servants : at any rate the scheme, whatever it was, was 
 abandoned on Blakman's resignation in 1457, followed by 
 his entry into religion at Witham in Somersetshire. He 
 was succeeded in the wardenship by Scrope, who held 
 the office till 1463. 
 
 The independent rights and privileges of King's Hall 
 were restored by Edward IV by letters patent*, 3 February 
 1462, though the then warden, Scrope, was allowed to 
 
 * Cambridge Documents, vol. I, p. 57 ; Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1461-1487, 
 p. 103. 
 
46 KING'S HALL 
 
 continue in office: he did however resign in the following 
 year. The interesting outlined portrait on glass of 
 Richard, duke of York, the father of Edward IV, now 
 in the west oriel of the hall of Trinity College, is believed 
 to have come from King's Hall. It may perhaps mark 
 the regard felt by that Society for one whose defeat of 
 Henry VI had paved the way to the restoration of its 
 independence. 
 
 The right to appoint the warden and scholars was 
 valuable patronage, and its restoration to the crown must 
 have been welcome to many officials at court. Freed from 
 the extraneous control of the two provosts, King's Hall 
 now resumed, with the sanction of the authorities, its 
 position as a Society intimately connected with the higher 
 officials of church and court. Many of the senior scholars 
 were beneficed, and we gather from the account books that 
 henceforth nearly a third of the scholars were not in regular 
 residence, though most of these came up every year for 
 a few days. The connection with the official classes is 
 shown by the character of the appointments to the office 
 of warden. In 1463 St Just, the king's chaplain, was 
 appointed for life, with power to act by deputy. He was 
 succeeded in 1467 by Gunthorpe, the queen's secretary 
 and king's chaplain; on his resignation in 1473 tne office 
 was given to Roger Rotherham, who must have been a 
 kinsman of his contemporary and namesake, the archbishop 
 of York, for he bore the same arms. On the death of 
 Rotherham in 1473, the crown appointed to the post Bost, 
 confessor to Jane Shore and provost of Eton, who held 
 it till the death of Richard III in 1485. 
 
 With the recovery of its independence, the College took 
 up again its plans for extension*. In 1464 it began the 
 erection of a new chapel — capella nostra magna — stretching 
 from the end of the eastern range of chambers over the 
 
 * Architectural History, vol. II, pp. 449-451. 
 
KING'S HALL 47 
 
 site of the present chapel, but with its axis from west to 
 east inclined rather more to the south ; the building being 
 about ioo feet long and 30 feet broad, that is, roughly- 
 half the length of and the same breadth as the present 
 chapel of Trinity College. It was built of stones, 
 squared and supplied ready for use, which, according to 
 Caius, came from the large banqueting hall of the Cam- 
 bridge castle then being pulled down, and probably by 
 purchase from King's College to whom these materials had 
 been granted. It was wainscotted, and fitted with stalls 
 and carved woodwork ; the high altar, like that of the older 
 oratory, was of wood, and the interior walls above the 
 wainscotting were plastered and whitewashed ; the sum 
 spent on the fittings suggests that they were not elaborate. 
 The cost of the whole affair was heavy, and in 1489-90 the 
 Society agreed* that those fellows who were beneficed 
 should receive only every other year their Stourbridge 
 Fair nobles — the sums so saved to be devoted to the 
 building fund. The chapel was consecrated in 1498-99, 
 but probably was opened for service in 1485, when the 
 use of All Saints' Church was abandoned. 
 
 Academic societies rarely flourish in times of civil strife, 
 and the domestic wars of the fifteenth century must in a 
 special way have acted prejudicially on a college like King's 
 Hall, which was so closely connected with the higher civil 
 service of the time. With the accession of Henry VII, it 
 seemed as if more normal times were returning, but the 
 whole system of medieval education was then tottering to 
 its fall, and the Reformation and Renaissance necessarily 
 led to far-reaching changes. We note very briefly the 
 remaining incidents in the history of King's Hall. 
 
 First, we may mention the further building operations f. 
 In 1489 the Society built a block of chambers parallel to 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. xvm, p. 180. 
 
 ■j - Architectural History, vol. II, pp. 451-454. 
 
48 KING'S HALL 
 
 King's Childer Lane near the southern boundary of the 
 ground acquired between 141 7 and 1433, and in 1490-92 
 it added a porter's lodge, perhaps on the site of the present 
 Great Gate. Finally, in 15 18, it began the Great Gate 
 which now forms the principal entrance to Trinity College. 
 The lower part was finished and in use in 1524, but the 
 upper part was not completed till 1535. Considerable 
 contributions to the cost were made by individual members 
 of the Society. This Gate gave the entrance to the 
 College from the High Street. By a curious heraldic 
 blunder the architect put the supporters of the shield of 
 Edward IV, namely, two black bulls, to that of Edward III. 
 The statues on the Tower were added by Nevile early in 
 the seventeenth century. 
 
 The Tudors continued the policy of making appoint- 
 ments to the wardenship from the higher officials of the 
 church and court. In 1485 Henry VII appointed to it 
 Urswyke, his almoner and former confidential agent in 
 Brittany, Flanders, and France, and in the following year 
 honoured the College with a visit. Urswyke resided only 
 occasionally and indeed was too much immersed in public 
 affairs — he went at different times as ambassador on special 
 missions to Scotland, France, Spain, Sicily, Rome, and 
 Burgundy — to have leisure for academic work. He 
 resigned in 1488 and was succeeded by John Blyth, the 
 king's chaplain and bishop of Salisbury, a relation of the 
 former warden, Roger Rotherham. John Blyth resigned 
 in 1498, and was followed in the office by his brother 
 Geoffrey, dean of York, and later bishop of Coventry and 
 Lichfield, and lord president of Wales. In 1504, during 
 his tenure of the wardenship, he was arrested on a charge 
 of high treason, and it is believed he was the only warden 
 of King's Hall or master of Trinity against whom such a 
 charge was made : happily he was acquitted. Geoffrey 
 Blyth resigned the office of warden in 1528 and was 
 
KING'S HALL 49 
 
 succeeded by his nephew who bore the same name : the 
 latter died in Cambridge in 1541 and was buried in All 
 Saints' Church. 
 
 Robert Bellamy, one of the earliest scholars to be 
 admitted after the College had recovered its independence, 
 resided in Cambridge for many years. In 1494 he gave 
 the Society £jo to found a lectureship in canon law ; this 
 is the earliest endowment of the kind mentioned in the 
 books of King's Hall. The money was invested in tene- 
 ments beyond the great bridge, and the first lectures under 
 the scheme were given by Ralph Cantrell in the Easter 
 term of 1503*. 
 
 That the House was regarded by its members as the 
 home of scholars is illustrated by the extent and value of the 
 books it owned, and the sums spent thereon. It is desirable 
 to mention this again, but, as we have already stated, its 
 library will ere long be treated in a separate monograph. 
 
 We may here add that we now constantly read of gifts 
 or legacies to the House from its members f. It was 
 a wealthy society as is shown by its ownership of plate 
 of which we get mention in the accounts of this time. 
 No doubt at earlier periods spare cash was often in- 
 vested in plate, which could be sold if and when occasion 
 required — a custom, common in medieval as well as later 
 times, which did not disappear until the rise of banks 
 in the eighteenth century — but the only specific references 
 to definite articles in the fourteenth century relate to 
 silver cups and spoons J. We have already mentioned 
 the plate fund to which every scholar contributed on his 
 admission. The accounts of this fund were kept separately 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. xx, p. 121. 
 
 t For instance, in 1452, the warden Close gave the Society three silver 
 salts, King's Hall Books, vol. xi, p. 261 ; see also Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, 
 under the years 1469-70, 1473-74, 1485-86, 1487-88, 1500-01, 1505-06, 1507-08, 
 1517-18, 1521-22, 1525-26. 
 
 % In 1361, see p. 18 above; in 1385, see King's Hall Books, vol. Ill, p. 151. 
 R. B. 4 
 
50 KING'S HALL 
 
 from those of the House, but unfortunately have not 
 been preserved. 
 
 In 1478-79, the five stewards (namely, Robert Rip- 
 lingham, John Radcliff, John Colin, Conand Somer, and 
 Lewis Kery, whose names are deserving of grateful re- 
 membrance) inserted in their account-book inventories of 
 what was in their custody in the plate-room, in the chapel, 
 in the buttery, in the kitchen, and in the bakery and 
 brewhouse. These lists seem to the writer of this booklet 
 so interesting that he ventures to publish them in full. It 
 must not be assumed that they cover all possessions of 
 King's Hall of the kind and, in particular, some of the 
 plate may have been in other hands or deposited as security 
 for loans, but probably the lists are nearly complete. Here 
 are the inventories* : — 
 
 Invezztariuzzz jocaliuw Collegii vulgarity nonncupatz' le Kyngishall co«- 
 fectu;« per magistros Ryplyngham Radclyff Colyn Somer & Kery 
 senescalleos dz'cri collegii pro anno Regni Regw Edwardi HIP' xvm . 
 
 In primxs ii spysplatw & fett langyng to the sam in party gyld wayng v xx 
 & xvi houncw. 
 
 Item a standdyng cop gyld with the cower to the sam wayng xxxi ouncw 
 & di. 
 
 Item a standyng cop gyld wz't/z the cover wayng xxix ouncw & di. 
 
 Item a standyng goblet cov^yd & gyld xxix ounczV & di. 
 
 Item a standyng cop wz't/z the cowr & gyld xvi ounczx & di & di quarter. 
 
 Item a standyng nout wz't/z the cov<?;' gyld xxvi ounc/y. 
 
 Item a standyng peyss with the cover in party gyld xxviii ouncw & di. 
 
 Item a standyng cop wz't/z the cower in party gyld xxx ouncw. 
 
 Item a standyng cop wz't/z the cover in party gyld xxiiii ounczV & di. 
 
 Item a standyng peyss coveryd in party gyld xii ouncz's & quarter. 
 
 Item a standyng peyss cowyd in party gyld xviii ouncis. 
 
 Item a lowe standyng cop cov<?/-yd in party gyld xxiiii ounczV & di. 
 
 Ite;;z vi lytell bouls gyld in the brynkys of a lyk makyng xlviii ouncz'.s'. 
 
 Item a flat peyss v ounczV and di & quarter & di quarts. 
 
 Item xiii sponyss of the wych on is all gyld xvi ouncz'5 & di fyla. 
 
 Item a sylwr pott xxviii ouncis. 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. XV, p. 255, et seq. Letters put in italics indicate 
 that there are contractions in the original which have been written out in full. 
 
KING'S HALL 51 
 
 Item a sylver pott xvii ouncw & di & quarter. 
 
 Item a sylver pott xviii ouncz'j. 
 
 Item a pott of syhw of a quart xvii ouncz'-f. A messynger. 
 
 Item a salt of sylver ix ouncis & quarter. 
 
 Item a cop standyd witA the cover enameld xvi ouncz's & di. 
 
 Item a standyng cop of sylver wit A the fout gyld ix ounc/5. 
 
 Item a goblett of sylw wz't/z the cover vi ouncis. 
 
 Item a cop poudert in the botoum & gyld vii ouncw and di. 
 
 Item a cop wz't/z the cover trassyd wz't/zin of on work viii ouncis & di. 
 
 Item a flat peys gyld wz't/z the cow?- & damafloum xiiii ouncis. 
 
 Item a cover trassyd wz't/zout iiii ouncz> & di quarter. 
 
 Item a holou peyss wz't/z outyn cover iiii ouncz> & di quarter. 
 
 Item a standyng peyss powsyd wz't/z out cow viii ouncw. 
 
 It<?#z a black gyld noutt wz't/z the cover all gyld xiiii ouncz> & di. 
 
 Item a standyng maser gyld wz't/z the cover & a byrrelston i the hed 
 
 vii ounczV. 
 Item vi trenchours of sylv«- the vergw gyld xi ouncz'^ di & quarter. 
 Item a maser witA a byr v ouncz's & quarter. 
 Item a maser vtitAoutt a byr iiii ouncz'.? & di quarter. 
 Item ix sylw- sponys vii ounczV & di. 
 
 Item a now [new] standyng peyss pounsyd wz't/z the cover xii ouncz'j & di. 
 Item i p In pro»ztuario. 
 Item i per saletz'j witA 1 cover the borders gyld y e ponderacon xix ounc« 
 
 &di. 
 It<?;;z 1 peys cowryd pounssyd witA the bordyrs gyld xx ounczx. 
 Item xxix spouns the pounderacon of thaym xxxii ouncz'j & di. 
 Item vii masers of on makyng the ponderacon xxxii ounczV. 
 Item v masers of on makyng xxxii ouncw & di. 
 Item iii gret masers of on makyng the ponderacon xvi ouncz'i. 
 [Marginal note] Summa viiiC ouncz'j. 
 
 ORNAME^TA CAPELLE 
 
 In orimls 1 grett messall. 
 
 Item a noc\er grett messall. 
 
 Item a noder letyll messall. 
 
 Item a antefon^r. 
 
 Item a nod^r antefon^r. 
 
 Item a gret legend. 
 
 Item a pourtous. 
 
 Item a nod^r bock of prayers & orysouns. 
 
 Item a schales [cAalice] gyld xix ouncis. 
 
 4—2 
 
52 KING'S HALL 
 
 Item a lytyll schales all gyld. 
 
 Item a schales of sylver in party gyld xiiii owncis & di. 
 
 Item ii creuetts in party gyld x ounczV & quarter. 
 
 Item ii creuetts of seylver i ouncis & di & quarter. 
 
 Item a paxbred gyld & enameld iii ounczV & di & di quarter. 
 
 Item a schyp of sylver. 
 
 Item i vestment of fustyan witk strypys ex dono magistri wyte. 
 
 Item ii corporals. 
 
 Item i vestment of sylk witk garters. 
 
 Item i super altar. 
 
 Item a vestment of blew velvet the orphrays gold & tyshewyd. 
 
 Item ii westmentw of velvet i of tawny & a oder blew & red bars witk 
 
 the orpharys of crymesyn & gren velvet checcyrwys. 
 Item iii vestmezztzV of i sort of red lyk damask witk small bars of tyssryd 
 
 & the orpharys also. 
 Item a vestment of redcloth of gold the orphara blew cloth of gold. 
 Item iii red copys of i sort lyk to damask & small flourys of gold. 
 Item a vestment syngyll ex dono Iacnett dowbyll di. 
 Item a peyss of blew damask of cloth of gold. 
 Item a cloth of gold of largh substans. 
 Item iii courtens of red sylk lyk to damask & Auter clothys of y e sam 
 
 colour witk Houris of gold witk a fryng of the sam. 
 Item a peyss of v yerdis cloth of tessew witk damask flourys. 
 Item ii auter clouthw of dyap<?nvork. 
 Item ii grett standyng candylstekw of laton. 
 
 IN PRCWTUARIO 
 
 In primis a bourd cloth of dyapurwork witk iii touels of the sam. 
 
 Item vi napkyns of dyapur-wark. 
 
 Item i per salttis witk i cover the borders gyld ye ponderacyon xix ouncw 
 
 & di. 
 Item i peys cov<?/yd pounssyd witk the borders gyld xx ouncw. 
 Item xxix spouns the pounderacion of thaym xxxii ounczV & di. 
 Item vii masers of on makyng the ponderacion xxxii ounczV. 
 Item v masers of i makyng the ponderacion xxxii ouncw & di. 
 Item iii grett masers of on makyng the ponderacion xvi ounczV. 
 Item iiii schauffyng dyschys of laton. 
 Item iii basyngs with iii lavers of laton. 
 Item vi candylstyckw of laton. 
 Item vii salteseliers pewtur [in a different hand]. 
 
KING'S HALL 53 
 
 IN C0Q&7NA 
 
 In prt'mis vi gret potu's ever isthon gratt^r then oder. 
 
 Item iii less pottw & 1 caldron wi'tn 1 possnett. 
 
 Item i gret pan & viii smalyr pannys isthon gra.tter then oder. 
 
 Item iiii grett spyttys of 1 sortt. 
 
 Item ii spyttys of a noder sort. 
 
 Item iiii round spytt/j. 
 
 Item i brassyn morter. 
 
 Item ii rostyng cobbertw. 
 
 Item iii gyrdyryns to broil on. 
 
 Item i fryng pan. 
 
 Item iii bronderytu or treddys. 
 
 Item i gret dressyngknyff. 
 
 Item iiii cottyng knyfFys. 
 
 Item ii latton ladyls & ii scomers. 
 
 Item i sarssyng pan. 
 
 Item i bred grator. 
 
 Item ii ston morters wit/i the insterme^s. 
 
 Item i per musterd qwyrns cuw omnibus aliis adminiculis. 
 
 Item xxx nowe platters & xxxii nowe dyshys wzt// vi nowe saussers. 
 
 Itaw ii gret schargers old & xxii old platers vfi'tn xl smal dysschys. 
 
 Item xxiii sawssers. 
 
 Item iii grett bols & i less boll. 
 
 Item ii grett soussyng tobbzV & ii watyr tobbys vft't/i 1 payll. 
 
 IN PISTRINO & PANDOXATCi?/C 
 
 In praxis i grett led & i wort led mt/i the grout pan. 
 
 Item i grett massyng fat & i gylyng fat vtit/i xi kelers for wort. 
 
 Item i hors myln witk the nessescerys belongyng thertoo. 
 
 Item ix grett tonnyng tobbw. 
 
 Item i boultyn ark & i kneddyng troygh. 
 
 Item iii boultyn clothys & ii molddyng borddw vrttfi ii trostylhV. 
 
 Here are two other interesting lists*, though probably 
 most of the pieces mentioned therein are included in the 
 inventory given above. In December, 1500, the stewards 
 gave out the following plate for the Christmas feast : — a 
 standing cup with a gilt cover ; a gilt goblet with a cover ; 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. XIX, p. 403 ; vol. XX, p. 301. 
 
54 KING'S HALL 
 
 a cocoanut cup with a cover ; a gilt cup without a cover ; 
 four pieces parcel gilt without covers ; two salts parcel gilt 
 without covers ; three murras without covers ; one Hat 
 piece gilt without a cover. In 1501 the stewards gave out 
 for the feast held after the exequies of the founder : — two 
 basons with feet parcel gilt ; one standing piece gilt with 
 a cover gilt ; another standing piece gilt with a cover gilt ; 
 one flat piece gilt with a cover gilt ; another standing piece 
 parcel gilt with a cover ; one standing piece gilt without 
 a cover ; one not gilt with a cover ; one standing piece 
 parcel gilt without a cover. 
 
 We read also of gifts of new plate. For instance, in 
 1498 Dr Sokborn*, a scholar of the College, gave a cup 
 standing on three angels parcel gilt with a cover having 
 St Christopher on the top thereof: in 1540 the executor 
 of John Belfj*, the vice-warden gave a chalice "hole gylt" 
 and a mass book ; and in 1542 Haryson left a mazer to the 
 College : on receiving the Belt chalice the stewards sold 
 an old chalice weighing 9^ ounces for 35. Sd. an ounce J. 
 There are also references to plate deposited as security for 
 loans. Thus on 18 June 1524 the stewards repaid a loan 
 borrowed from Bourchier's chest in the University, and then 
 took back the bowls and vessels of silver which had been 
 pledged, and replaced them in the College Tower with 
 the valuables there kept. All the plate of King's Hall has 
 disappeared, and not a single piece remains in the pos- 
 session of Trinity College. 
 
 In 1524, the College lent the king ^roo. To get this, 
 it borrowed £36. 6s. &d. from the University chests of 
 St John and le Nele, for which it pledged certain of its 
 silver vessels, the unanimous consent of the vice-master, 
 
 * Trinity Admissions, vol. I, p. 126; King's Hall Books, vol. XIX, p. 205. 
 
 f Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, p. 129 ; King's Hall Books, vol. xxvi, October. 
 
 % In 1495 we have a note of a gilt chalice weighing 19 ounces with the 
 inscription Benedicta Sit Sancta Trinitasj King's Hall Books, vol. xvin, 
 last page. 
 
KING'S HALL 55 
 
 the stewards, and the fellows, having been first obtained*. 
 It also borrowed something for the purpose from its own 
 Berkyng and Dunmowe chests. Probably the balance was 
 provided out of the plate fundf, which on 12 October of 
 that year had in it no less than £100 in gold. It would 
 have been imprudent to take much from the common chest, 
 for it had on that day only £40 in it ; the balance in this 
 was, however, always at a low ebb after meeting the cost 
 of the purchases at Stourbridge Fair. 
 
 In 1534, we have an official estimate of the income 
 of the House, for by an Act J of that year the king was 
 granted the first year's income of fellowships in colleges in 
 the university, and the income of King's Hall was valued 
 for the purpose at ^211. 12s. S^d. According to the 
 return§ the emoluments of the warden were £S. js. \d., of 
 thirty-one fellows £5. 4^. od. each, of one junior fellow 
 £\. gs. od., and of the bible-clerk £2. 8s. od. The Act 
 was repealed in 1537. 
 
 By the royal directions in 1535, King's Hall was re- 
 quired (as also were other Colleges) to establish two daily 
 public lectures, one of Greek and the other of Hebrew : 
 the first lecturer thus appointed was Edmund Clyfton who 
 gave instruction in both subjects. This direction was a 
 corollary to the order of 1535, which had terminated the 
 medieval system of education in the University. It was 
 followed by an effort to purge the University of the presence 
 of idlers, and by the Act j| of 1536 all beneficed clergy in 
 Cambridge who were over forty years of age were re- 
 quired to return to their cures, and all under forty, to give 
 evidence of studious habits by regular attendance at lectures 
 
 * King's Hall Books, vol. xxm, p. 264. 
 
 \ Loans from this fund were occasionally authorised, see, for instance, the 
 King's Hall Books, vol. VI, p. 205. 
 % ib Henry VIII, cap. 3. 
 § Cooper's Memorials, vol. II, p. 208. 
 || 28 Henry VIII, cap. 13. 
 
56 KING'S HALL 
 
 and acts, but this cannot have affected a Society like 
 King's Hall. 
 
 At this time, the number of residents in College varied 
 greatly in different years; in 1541-42 about twenty 
 scholars seem to have been in regular residence; in 1542- 
 43 the numbers sank to twelve ; in the next year they rose 
 to seventeen or eighteen ; but approximately we may say 
 that at this time rather more than half the scholars were in 
 regular residence, and the others came up only occasionally. 
 
 In April 1542*, the king on the petition of the scholars 
 gave them the advowsons of Arrington and Bottisham in 
 Cambridgeshire in exchange for a rent of £4. 12s. ^d. to 
 be henceforth paid by the College to the Exchequer, and 
 an assignment to the crown of the sums of £j. 10s. Sd. 
 from Waltham Abbey and ^26. 13^. /[d. from Barnwell 
 received annually by the College. 
 
 The completion of the Great Gate in 1535 had made 
 the buildings of the royal foundation worthy of its history, 
 and its position in the University seemed well assured. 
 But fate and Henry VIII decided otherwise. In 1541 f, 
 on the wardenship becoming vacant the king appointed to it 
 his chaplain, John Redman, a man of affairs as well as a 
 courtier and a trusted adviser of the king. His appoint- 
 ment proved to be of great importance, for he took the 
 leading part in the events next to be related which led to 
 the foundation of a new college to which the buildings 
 and endowments of King's Hall were transferred. We 
 are fortunate in possessing first hand information on the 
 proceedings in the matter. 
 
 After the dissolution of the monastic houses anxiety 
 was felt in Cambridge and Oxford lest they should suffer 
 
 * Letters and Papers, Heiiry VI IT, vol. xvil, No. 380, p. 134. 
 
 t On 13 March, 1541, see Letters and Papers, Henry VIII, vol. XVI, p. 328. 
 The reference is given because in many books the appointment is said to have 
 been made in March 1542. 
 
KING'S HALL $7 
 
 a similar fate. The policy of the suppression of the two 
 universities and the confiscation of their property was 
 openly advocated by politicians at court, and naturally 
 great alarm was felt when in 1544 an Act* was passed 
 empowering the king to dissolve any college at either 
 university, and appropriate its possessions. 
 
 The universities were right in thinking that the danger 
 was pressing, for Parker has put on record the fact that 
 after the passing of the Act certain courtiers importunately 
 sued the king to have the possessions of both universities 
 surveyed, meaning afterwards to obtain the same on easy 
 terms. In these circumstances the Cambridge authorities, 
 says Strype, " looked about them and made all the friends 
 they could at court to save themselves." In particular 
 they urgently begged the aid of two of their professors, 
 John Cheke, then acting as tutor to the prince of Wales, 
 and Thomas Smith, then clerk to the queen's council. 
 Parker tells us that the London friends of the University, 
 among whom Smith and Cheke were doubtless conspicuous, 
 wisely took the line of welcoming an enquiry, but begged 
 the king to avoid the expense of a costly investigation. 
 Their representations were successful, and he issued a 
 commission! dated 16 January 1546 to Mathew Parker 
 (the vice-chancellor, and later archbishop of Canterbury), 
 John Redman (warden of King's Hall, chaplain to the king, 
 and later master of Trinity), and William Mey (president 
 of Queens', and later archbishop-elect of York) to report 
 to him on the revenues of the colleges and the numbers 
 of students sustained therewith. The commissioners were 
 capable and friendly. 
 
 The king must have been impatient to know the facts, 
 
 * 37 Henry VIII, cap. 4. 
 
 | State Papers, Domestic, 1546, vol. XXI, part i, no. 68. See also J. Lamb's 
 Documents, London, 1838, pp. 58-59 ; Correspondence of M. Parker, Cambridge, 
 1852, p. 34. 
 
58 KING'S HALL 
 
 for in less than a week, on 21 January, he ordered Parker 
 to come to Hampton Court with the report. Immediate 
 compliance was impossible, but the command may well have 
 stimulated the commissioners to act as rapidly as possible. 
 In fact they obtained the services of eleven clerks from the 
 Court of Augmentations in London, and at once set to 
 work to collect information. 
 
 The University was keenly alive to the risks it was 
 incurring. To placate the king, the Senate, on 13 February, 
 put all its belongings at his service, and when forwarding 
 a copy of the Grace to Sir William Paget it reminded him 
 of the value of the University to the State, and begged 
 his protection. At the same time it addressed the queen, 
 Katharine Parr, through Thomas Smith, imploring her 
 advocacy*. 
 
 The queen replied f on 26 February. After com- 
 plaining that they had written to her in Latin, though 
 they could equally well have expressed themselves in the 
 vulgar tongue, she discoursed at some length on their duties, 
 but finished by saying that, being confident that her wishes 
 in these respects would be fulfilled " I (according to your 
 " desires) have attempted my lord the King's Majesty, for 
 " the establishment of your livelihood and possessions : in 
 " which, notwithstanding his Majesty's property and interest, 
 "through the consent of the high court of parliament, his 
 " Highness being such a patron to good learning, doth 
 "tender you so much, that he will rather advance learning 
 " and erect new occasion thereof than [to] confound those 
 "your ancient and godly institutions, so that learning may 
 "hereafter justly ascribe her very original whole conserva- 
 tion and sure stay to our Sovereign Lord." This was 
 good news. 
 
 * State Papers, Domestic, 1546, vol. XXI, part i, nos. 203, 204. 
 t Ecclesiastical Memorials by J. Strype, Oxford, 1882, vol. XI, part i, 
 pp. 207-208 ; Correspondence of M. Parker, p. 36. 
 
KING'S HALL 59 
 
 By the end of February the commissioners had drawn up 
 a detailed report giving the information required*. In it, 
 it was stated f that the annual income of King's Hall was 
 ^214. os. 3d., the expenses ^263. 16.?. yd., and that there 
 were on its boards a master, twenty-five graduate fellows, 
 and seven undergraduate fellows. The income of Michael- 
 House was returned as ^141. 13s. \%d., and it was stated 
 that there were on its boards a master, eight fellows, and 
 three chaplains. The position of the latter college was 
 somewhat curious. It was a small clerical foundation 
 maintaining a master and eight clerks. Its buildings were 
 situated at the south-west corner of the Great Court, and 
 it owned a good deal of the adjoining property. It began 
 in 1544, presumably with the object of averting its de- 
 struction, to admit students resident elsewhere in the 
 university, and in a couple of years no less than forty- 
 eight students matriculated from the House ; the number 
 of admissions must have exceeded this, but what was 
 involved in such cases by admission is uncertain. 
 
 According to the return, the normal annual expenditure 
 of King's Hall at this time, if all the scholars resided, 
 required ^182. 18^. ^d. for the emoluments of the Society 
 (namely, £8. 13.?. \d. for the warden, £5. \os. od. for each 
 of twenty-five graduate fellows and £§. 55. od. for each 
 of seven undergraduate fellows); £52. 2s. od. for the 
 college servants (namely, the butler, barber, baker, brewer, 
 laundress, cook, under-cook, and the warden's servant) ; 
 £$. is. 4</. for the estate officers and quitrents ; £t>- l 9 s - 4^- 
 for the expenses of the chapel service and the bible-clerk ; 
 £5. os. od. for firing for the hall and kitchen ; £5. os. od. 
 for rushes for the hall ; £5. 10s. ^d. for the exequies of 
 the founder and the following refections ; ^29. is. \d. for 
 repairs and renewals ; and £\o for extraordinary expenses. 
 
 * Cambridge Documents, vol. I, pp. 105-294. 
 t Ibid. pp. 150-156. 
 
60 KING'S HALL 
 
 The commissioners in person presented to the king at 
 Hampton Court a brief summary of this report. We do 
 not know the date of this interview, but conjecturally it 
 may be put as being early in March. Parker has left* 
 in his own handwriting a full account of their reception 
 which is as follows : — Our summary, says he, was written 
 in book-form on a fair sheet of vellum, "which book the 
 " King diligently perused : and in a certain admiration said 
 "to certain of his lords which stood by, that he thought 
 "he had not in his realm so many persons so honestly 
 " maintained in living by so little land and rent. And 
 "where he asked of us what it meant that the most part 
 " of Colleges should seem to expend yearly more than 
 "their revenues amounted to, we answered that it rose 
 " partly of fines for leases and indentures of the farmers 
 " renewing their leases, partly of wood sales ; whereupon 
 " he said to the lords, that pity it were these lands should 
 "be altered to make them worse, at which words some 
 "were grieved, for that they disappointed lupos qttosdam 
 "Mantes. In fine, we sued to the King's Majesty to be so 
 "gracious lord, that he would favour us in the continuance 
 "of our possessions such as they were, and that no man 
 "by his grace's letters should require to permute with us 
 "to give us worse. He made answer and smiled, that he 
 "could not but write for his servants and others, doing the 
 "service for the realm in wars and other affairs, but he 
 " said he would put us to our choice whether we should 
 "gratify them or no, and bade us hold our own, for after 
 "his writing he would force us no further. With which 
 " words we were well armed, and so departed." 
 
 This important interview was followed by a rumour that 
 it was Henry's intention to found at Cambridge a new and 
 magnificent college to serve as an enduring record of his 
 interest in learning, and perhaps the University may have 
 
 * Correspondetice of M. Parker, pp. 35-36 ; J. Lamb's Documents, p. 59. 
 
KING'S HALL 61 
 
 taken the queen's letter as indicating what was coming. 
 It is believed that Henry had long entertained vague ideas 
 of the kind, but that the definite suggestion, which was 
 encouraged by the queen, originated with Redman, who, 
 as royal chaplain, had constant access to the king and 
 considerable influence with him. 
 
 A scheme containing a "first plott or proportion" for 
 the new College was prepared for the king by the Court of 
 Augmentations in London, and there can be no doubt that 
 this was worked out in collaboration with Redman. The 
 document is undated, but in a later hand it is added that 
 it was made Anno tf Hen. 8, and from internal evidence 
 we can fix the date as being in the early half of April 1546. 
 The total expenditure contemplated amounted to ,£1206 
 a year. It appears from it that it was already intended 
 that Redman should be the first master of the new College 
 when it was founded. 
 
 The preparations for Henry's proposed foundation 
 were made with extreme speed : a wise course in view 
 of his failing health and variable temper. It was decided 
 to take advantage of the Act of 1544 and suppress King's 
 Hall and Michael-House, using their grounds and ad- 
 joining property as the site of the new college. We 
 have no reference to the appointment of commissioners 
 for the business, though there is an allusion quoted later, 
 to receivers : perhaps the matter was left in the hands of 
 the officials of the Court of Augmentations. Redman was 
 the chief authority at Cambridge in the arrangements that 
 had to be made there. 
 
 It must have been in April, or early in May, 1546, 
 that the commissioners, or other officials concerned, took 
 possession of King's Hall and Michael-House and the 
 ground adjacent thereto. They at once made arrange- 
 ments to shut up Foul Lane which ran across the present 
 Great Court of Trinity College, to purchase such part 
 of that Court as did not belong to King's Hall and 
 
62 KING'S HALL 
 
 Michael- House, and to enclose the site. Stone and other 
 materials for the new work were taken from the church 
 and cloisters of the dissolved Franciscan monastery which 
 stood on the land now occupied by Sidney Sussex College, 
 and in a survey, dated 20 May 1546, those buildings 
 are described as having been already partially demolished 
 in order to provide "towards the building of the King's 
 Majesty's new College." 
 
 It is probable that during this time members of King's 
 Hall and Michael-House were in residence, and possibly 
 also some of the members-elect of Trinity College ; even as 
 late as 1548 the accounts of the College show extraordinary 
 payments for commons to former members of King's Hall 
 and Michael- House still in residence. The cost of the 
 maintenance of the House and the expenses of the altera- 
 tions must have been heavy, but in December 1546, the 
 Court of Augmentations was ordered* "to pay Dr Redman 
 " of your new College in Cambridge ^2000 towards the 
 " establishment and building of the same, and in recompense 
 " for revenues of their lands for a whole year ended Michael- 
 " mas last, because the rents were paid to your Majesty's 
 "receivers before they had out letters patent for their 
 "donation." We have no record of these expenses, but 
 we conjecture that this grant allowed a clean start to be 
 made from Michaelmas 1546. 
 
 The members of the new College entered into possession 
 of the buildings and began their academic life as members 
 of Trinity College about Michaelmas 1546. The surrender 
 of King's Hall and Michael- House to the king took place 
 on 28 October, and arrangements were then made to pension 
 the master and eight fellows of Michael-House and one 
 fellow of King's Hall. Redman was appointed master 
 of the new College. 
 
 The legal formalities connected with the surrender of 
 the properties of King's Hall and Michael-House took a 
 * State Papers, Domestic, 1546, no.^47 (25). 
 
KING'S HALL 63 
 
 considerable time, and were not completed till 17 December 
 
 1546. The letters patent founding the College and the 
 charter of dotation were signed a few days later*. The 
 actual endowment granted was valued at ,£1640 net a year, 
 which must have been deemed ample to provide for the 
 expenses and the maintenance of the House. In January 
 
 1547, the Court of Augmentations paidf Dr Redman ^590 
 "towards the exhibition of King's Scholars in Cambridge." 
 We take it that this was intended to cover the total 
 expenses of the House during the Michaelmas term, 1546 : 
 of these expenses we have no particulars, but the sum 
 granted was about one-third of the total intended income 
 of the House. 
 
 Thus was King's Hall dissolved on 17 December 1546, 
 but only to be merged in a new and nobler foundation. 
 The letters patent founding Trinity College state that 
 Henry, to the glory and honour of Almighty God and the 
 Holy and Undivided Trinity, for the amplification and 
 establishment of the Christian and true religion, the ex- 
 tirpation of heresy and false opinion, the increase and 
 continuance of divine learning and all kinds of godliness, 
 the knowledge of language, the education of youth in piety 
 virtue discipline and learning, the relief of the poor and 
 destitute, the prosperity of the Church of Christ, and the 
 common good and happiness of his kingdom and subjects, 
 founded and established a College of letters, sciences, 
 philosophy, godliness, and sacred theology, for all time to 
 endure. These are noble objects. All human institutions 
 are imperfect, but on the whole we look back with honour- 
 able pride on the way in which Trinity College has carried 
 out the intentions of its Founder. Stet Fortuna Domus. 
 
 * The charter of foundation, dated 19 December, and that of endowment, 
 dated 24 December, are printed at length in the Ca?nbridge Documents, vol. in, 
 pp. 365-410. 
 
 | C. H. Cooper, Annals of Cambridge, Cambridge, 1842, vol. 1, p. 452. 
 
64 KING'S HALL 
 
 Eppenfcrtx 1L 
 
 STATUTES OF KING'S HALL. 
 
 The following are the statutes given to King's Hall by 
 Richard II on 5 March 1380*, see above, page 24. 
 
 Pro Scolaribus Aulce Regis Cantebrigice, Ordinationes. 
 
 Rex Omnibus, ad quos &c. Salutem. 
 
 Etsi Rex Pacificus, pia consideratione, sibi Subditos Pudicos fore 
 disponat, Pacificos, ac Modestos ; effraenata tamen humanae Creaturae 
 fragilitas, ad malum naturaliter ab Adolescentia proclivis, abstinere 
 nesciens a Vetitis, faciliter labitur ad Delicta : unde necesse est ut ejus 
 Conatus, Legis oportunae suffragio, reprimantur; ide6que providi Patres 
 Leges & Constitutiones ediderunt, ut, Appetitu Noxio sub Juris Regula 
 coartato, ad obediendum Deo & ejus Mandatis, honeste vivere Homines 
 informentur. 
 
 Sane cum Dominus Edwardus, bonas Memorise, nuper Rex Anglice, 
 Avus noster, ad Honorem Dei, & pro salute Animse suas, ordinasset 
 quoddam Collegium, de uno Custode & Triginta & Duobus Scolaribus, 
 in Universitate Cantebrigiae, in quodam Manso, quod Aulam Scola- 
 rium Regis vocari fecit, perpetuis temporibus duraturum, 
 
 Nos, 
 
 Volentes ut in Aula praedicta Scolarium Vita & Conversatio quieta sit, 
 & Deo Grata, inspicientibusque placita, Pudicitias claritate Morumque 
 gravitate susfulta, 
 
 Regulam ac Normam Vivendi & Conversandi, in Societate Aulas 
 praedictae, sub eo qui sequitur Tenore, quousque inde aliud duxerimus 
 Ordinandum, Tradidimus Observandam, 
 
 Inprimis (videlicet) Statuimus & Ordinamus quod in Aula praedicta 
 Superior sit, qui Custodis nomine nuncupetur, Cui omnes, tam Scolares 
 ejusdem Aulae, quam eorum Famuli, in Licitis & Honestis ac Canonicis 
 Mandatis, Obediant & Intendant : 
 
 * Patent Roll, 3 Richard II, part 2, m 12. The text is printed from Rymer 
 who introduced capitals, brackets, and punctuation, but it has been collated 
 with the original roll and where erroneous corrected. The cb printed by Rymer 
 has been allowed to stand though the original always reads e. 
 
KING'S HALL 65 
 
 Custos verb Aulas praedictae, qui nunc est, vel qui pro tempore erit, 
 Juramentum praestet Corporale, quod Officium suum fideliter faciet in 
 Administratione & Regimine dictae Domus, 
 
 Item, qu6d praefati Custos & Scolares habeant Cistam communem, 
 cum Tribus Seruris firmatam : cujus una Clavis praefato Custodi, & Duae 
 aliae Claves Duobus Sociis, per Scolares praedictos singulis Annis ad hoc 
 eligendis, tradantur ; qui Senescalli Aulas prasdictas nuncupentur : 
 
 In qua verb Cista Sigillum Commune & Liber Expensarum dictae 
 Domus reponantur : 
 
 Singulisque Septimanis vel Quindenis (nisi ulterius differatur) praefatae 
 Expensae in dicto Libro inscribantur ; & nichil cum dicto Sigillo signetur, 
 nisi de Consensu Custodis & Majoris & sanioris partis Collegii. 
 
 Item, qu6d Cameras per Ordinationem Custodis assignentur, & in 
 eisdem Socii copulentur, ac ex causis rationabilibus, cum ipsi Custodi 
 videbitur expedire, de eisdem Cameris transferantur : 
 
 Singulis verb Diebus Dominicis (nisi ex causa in alium Diem diffe- 
 ratur) Scolares praedicti, in Villa prassentes, in eadem Secta, si talem 
 habeant, vestiti simul conveniant, Missam peculiarem pro Animabus 
 Dominorum Edwardi quondam Regis Anglice. Proavi nostri, ac Edwardi 
 nuper Regis Anglicz Avi nostri, necnon pro Anima Patris nostri, ac etiam 
 pro salubri Statu nostro & Regni nostri, devote facientes celebrari : eidem 
 etiam Missae prasfatus Custos, cum sibi Vacaverit, interesse teneatur; 
 nee liceat alicui dictorum Scolarium a dicta Missa, absque Licentia dicti 
 Custodis, aut ejus Vices gerentis, se absentare, excepta causa Infirmitatis. 
 
 Item, habeant praefati Custos & Scolares Mensam Communem, Horis 
 competentibus, simul Epulantes decenter & honeste : 
 
 Si qua verb verba inter se tunc proferant, secundum Ordinationem 
 & Moderationem dicti Custodis, seu ejus Vices gerentis, Latina Lingua 
 aut saltern Gallica tunc utantur : 
 
 Nullique Scolarium praedictorum seorsum, in Cameris Privatis, nisi 
 Custodis, seu ejus Locum tenentis, ipso absente, optenta. Licentia (Infir- 
 mitatis necessaria Causa, dumtaxat excepta) de Sumptibus seu Expensis 
 communibus dictae Domus Prandere aut Caenare prassumant : 
 
 Quantum verb ad Gentacula dictis Scolaribus ministranda, Ordinationem 
 dictorum Custodis & Senescallorum volumus observari : 
 
 Provideatque Custos praedictus, de Consensu dictorum Senescallorum, 
 Servientes, ad Obsequia & Servitia dictae Domus & Scolarium praedic- 
 torum necessarios, quibus de communi Salaria ministrentur ; ita qubd 
 Extravagantibus seu Extraordinariis Famulis Aula praedicta nullatenus 
 oneretur. 
 
 Statuimus, insuper, qubd omnes & singuli Scolares dictae Aulas 
 praefato Custodi, ac ejus Vices gerenti, ipso absente, in licitis, & honestis, 
 r. B. 5 
 
66 KING'S HALL 
 
 ac canonicis Mandatis, Honestatem Scolasticam, Utilitatem, seu Quietem 
 dictorum Scolarium & Domus praedictae concernentibus, Obedientes & 
 Intendentes existant ; praestito, super hoc, dicto Custodi, a singulis Scola- 
 ribus Aula? praedictae, Juramento Corporali : 
 
 Quddque Nullus Scolarium praedictorum impediat, seu per alium 
 impediri faciat, quominus Custos prasdictus Officium suum, in Adminis- 
 tratione & Regimine dictae Domus, libere valeat excercere : 
 
 Si quis verb Scolarium prsedictorum contrafecerit, nisi, ad Mandatum 
 dicti Custodis, a tali impedimento desistat, Trina vice Monitus, a per- 
 ceptione Exhibitionis nostra? in Aula praedicta, quousque a tali Impedi- 
 mento cessaverit, Custodis Judicio suspendatur. 
 
 Item, praefati Scolares Sustentationis beneficium in Aula praedicta 
 percipiant quamdiu erga Superiorem Obedienter, cum suis Sociis pacifice, 
 tollerabiliter, & modeste se gesserint, ac in Regimine sui moribus se 
 laudabiliter habuerint & honeste : 
 
 In Cameris verd praefati Scolares, absque Strepitu & Impedimento 
 Sociorum Studentium, conversentur, Studio diligenter Adhaerentes : 
 
 Nisi Infirmitas aut Senectus eos excusaverit, Scolas frequentent, 
 Lectiones ordinarias audiant, vel legant, prout Statuta exigunt Univer- 
 sitatis : 
 
 In quacumque Facultate, post Gramaticam, Studentes fuerint, ante- 
 quam inceperint in eadem, absque Ordinatione & Licentia Custodis, se 
 non transferant ad aliam Facultatem : 
 
 Bacularii ver6 cujuscumque Facultatis in Villa praesentes, Inceptori- 
 bus solummod6 exceptis, Repetitionibus Disputationibusque Publicis 
 Doctorum & Magistrorum suae Facultatis (sola Infirmitatis Causa, dum- 
 taxat excepta) in Habitu decenti, Interesse teneantur; nisi Custos pras- 
 dictus, aut ejus Vices gerens, ipso absente, eorum Absentiam habuerit 
 excusatam. 
 
 Item, Scolares praedicti Tabernas absque rationabili Causa, non excer- 
 ceant : 
 
 De Negotiationibus, alias Clericis de Jure Inhibitis, se non Intro- 
 mittant : 
 
 Canem, vel Canes, infra Mansum praedictum, nullo modo Retineant : 
 
 Praesentes in Villa, extra Mansum proprium, absque Causa rationabili, 
 & optenta Custodis, vel ejus Vices gerentis, Licentia, non pernoctent : 
 
 Extraneos vero vel Propinquos, ad morandum inter ipsos, absque 
 Licentia dicti Custodis, non introducant : 
 
 Garciones infra Mansum praedictum nullo modo retineant, nisi pro 
 eorum Expensis, singulis Septimanis, juxta Ordinationem Custodis, pro 
 tempore quo sic steterint, dictae Comitivae satisfaciant : 
 
 Extra Universitatem praedictam, absque dicti Custodis, aut ejus Vices 
 
KING'S HALL 67 
 
 gerentis, licentia, nullus dictorum Scolarium se absentetj si vera, de 
 Licentia Custodis, vel ejus Vices gerentis, aliquis Scolarium praedictorum 
 absens fuerit, extra Universitatem praedictam, pro sua Causa singulari, 
 statuimus qudd pro tempore, quo sic absens fuerit, nichil commodi ab 
 Aula praedicta, seu Custode Aulae praedictae, vendicare poterit aut debebit ; 
 Commodum ver6 hujusmodi Absentiae, seu hujusmodi Absentiarum, in 
 Reparationem & Emendationem Domorum Aulae praedictae integraliter 
 convertatur. 
 
 Hoc etiam de Scolaribus, Admittendis in Aulam praedictam, volumus 
 observari (videlicet) qu6d, virtute alicujus Mandati nostri, dicto Custodi 
 directi, seu imposterum dirigendi, ultra Numerum Scolarium, in Funda- 
 tione eorumdem taxatum, nullus de caetero admittatur, nisi in ipso 
 Mandato nostra, dicto Custodi sic dirigendo, pro aliquo Scolari sic Ad- 
 mittendo, etiam ultra Numerum praedictum, mentio fiat specialis : 
 
 Et qu6d Admittendus de caetero, infra Numerum praedictum, bonae 
 Conversationis sit, & honestae ^Etatis Quatuordecim Annorum vel ultra ; 
 de quo volumus qu6d prasfato Custodi, fidedignorum testimonio, fiat 
 fides ; quddque talis, sic Admittendus, in Regulis Gramaticalibus ita 
 sufficienter sit instructus, qu6d congrue in Arte dialectical, studere poterit, 
 seu in aliqua alia Facultate, ad quam praefatus Custos, post Examina- 
 tionem & Admissionem ejus, duxerit ilium Deputandum. 
 
 In arduis Negotiis & magnis dictae Domus praefatus Custos, sine Con- 
 sensu omnium Sociorum, vel majoris Partis eorum, nichil attemptet ; in 
 aliis ver6 Negotiis ejusdem Domus Custos prsedictus ordinet & disponat, 
 prout Utilitati Domus praedictae melius viderit expediri. 
 
 Item, Statuimus qu6d nullus Scolarium dictae Aulae Repasta privata, 
 de Sumptibus seu Expensis communibus dictae Domus, capere praesumat, 
 nisi qui sic acceperit, pro hujusmodi Repastis, secundum Ordinationem 
 dicti Custodis, plenarie satisfaciat Comitivae ; si quis ver6 Scolarium 
 praedictorum contrafecerit, aut Ordinationi dicti Custodis cum effectu 
 parere noluerit, Trina Monitione praemissa, a perceptione Exhibitionis 
 nostras in Domo praedicta, quousque parere voluerit, Custodis Judicio 
 Suspendatur. 
 
 Item, Statuimus si, per Custodem, facta Convocatione Scolarium 
 praedictorum in dicta Universitate tunc praesentium, contingat Aliquem 
 seu Aliquos de Scolaribus praedictis, per Custodem & Majorem Partem 
 Comitivae tunc praesentis, ad aliquod Officium, concernens Utilitatem 
 Communem Domus praedictae, seu ad aliaqua ipsius Domus Negotia 
 prosequenda, Eligi, Nominari, aut Deputari, qu6d non liceat sic Electo, 
 Nominato, aut Deputato, seu sic Electis, Nominatis, aut Deputatis, onus 
 Electionis, Nominationis, aut Deputationis hujusmodi, absque causa 
 rationabili, quam Custos prasdictus duxerit acceptare, quomodolibet Re- 
 
 5—2 
 
68 KING'S HALL 
 
 cusare : sumptibus sic prosecuturo, aut prosecuturis, Negotia Communia 
 dictae Domus de communi ministrandis ; hoc etiam Statuentes qu6d 
 quiscumque Scolarium praedictorum, sub forma praedicta, ad Officium 
 sic Electus fuerit, & per Custodem Admissus, Juramentum praestet Cor- 
 porale dicto Custodi, qu6d bene, & fideliter, ac diligenter, in Officio suo, 
 administrabit pro Commodo Communi Domus praedictae. 
 
 Item, Statuimus quod Senescalli Aulae praedictae, ac etiam Procura- 
 tores Ecclesiarum dicto Collegio appropriatarum, de Pecunia communi, 
 nichil disponant vel solvant, absque Licentia & Auctoritate dicti Custodis, 
 vel ejus Vices gerentis, ipso absente, & de Administratis per eosdem 
 Fidelem Compotum reddant dicto Custodi, saltern semel in Anno; & 
 super hoc pnefato Custodi corporale praestent Juramentum. 
 
 Item, qu6d, si quis Scolarium dictae Aulae Religionem intraverit : vel 
 de caetero Beneficium Ecclesiasticum, secundum verum valorem Annuum 
 Decern Marcarum effectualiter & pacifice fuerit Assecutus : vel in Tem- 
 poralibus Possessiones, Pensiones, aut Redditus, Centum Solidos, secun- 
 dum veram ^Estimationem, Annuatim valentes, adeptus fuerit ; statim, 
 post elapsum unius Anni : si vero Beneficium, sic adeptum, ad Valorem 
 Quadraginta Librarum annuatim se extendat, tunc statim, Anno minime 
 expectato, a dicta Aula penitus sit Exclusus : 
 
 IUud idem de eo, qui ab Aula praedicta, animo Studium deserendi, 
 recesserit, seu, in ipsa Domo manens, cessante causa rationabili, quam 
 Custos praedictus duxerit acceptare, studere neglexerit, nisi ad Monitionem 
 dicti Custodis se emendaverit, volumus observari. 
 
 Item, qu6d nullus Scolarium praedictorum, postquam Ignitegium 
 pulsatum fuerit apud Ecclesiam beatae Mariae in Villa, extra Mansum pro- 
 prium, absque causa rationabili, se absentet; & qu6d Portas praedicti 
 Mansi, per singulas noctes, Clavibus & Seruris firmentur & claudantur. 
 
 Item, qu6d nullus dictorum Scolarium, infra Universitatem praedictam, 
 indies vel consuetudinarie, Basilardum portet, seu aliquem alium Cul- 
 tellum, statui Clericorum Indecentem. 
 
 Item, qu6d nullus Scolarium praedictorum Arcu, Fistula, aut Balista 
 infra Mansum prasdictum uti praesumat, nee alio quocumque Ludo Scola- 
 ribus Inhonesto, aut Collegio nostro Dampnoso vel Nocivo. 
 
 Item, qu6d nullus dictorum Scolarium, contra Honestatem Cleri- 
 calem, Sotularibus utatur Rostratis, post unius Mensis decursum, a 
 tempore notitiae istius Statuti sibi communicandae. 
 
 Item, quod quilibet Scolarium praedictorum, de Liberatura sua, sibi 
 fieri faciat Robam Talarem, decentem & honestam pro Statu Clericali : 
 &, si Bacularius fuerit, Robam cum Tabardo, Gradui suo competentem, 
 de praedicta liberatura, sibi faciat ordinari. 
 
 Statuimus insuper, qu6d Custos Aulae praedictae, qui nunc est, & qui 
 
KING'S HALL 69 
 
 pro tempore fuerit, praesens in eadem, Sustentationem sive Alimenta- 
 tionem percipiat cotidianam, pro se & Famulo suo, in Aula praedicta, de 
 Sumptibus seu Expensis communibus dictae Domus, eodem modo quo 
 alii Custodes ejusdem Aulas, Prasdecessores sui, melius percipere con- 
 sueverunt. 
 
 Item, qu6d Senescalli, singulis Annis eligendi, in Aula praedicta, ad 
 Regimen Expensarum Commensalium, postquam Electi fuerint, & per 
 Custodem Admissi, Juramentum prasstent Corporale dicto Custodi, quod 
 circa eorum Officia diligentiam adhibebunt : &, secundum eorum Possi- 
 bilitatem, unanimiter adjuvabunt qubd Expensse Commensales singulorum 
 Scolarium, singulis Septimanis, summam Quatuordecim Denariorum nul- 
 latenus excedant; 
 
 Illis Septimanis exceptis, in quibus Festa Principalia vel etiam Majora 
 Duplicia contigerit evenire ; necnon illis exceptis, in quibus, pro honore 
 Collegii conservando, vel etiam ratione Parcitatis & Caristiae Victualium, 
 Custos praedictus, aut ejus Vices gerens, ipso absente, aliter duxerit fore 
 statuendum. 
 
 Item, Statuimus qu6d, quamdiu & quotiens Custos praedictus, ratione 
 Officii Custodis, de Vadiis receptis nomine Scolarium praedictorum Com- 
 potum ad Scaccarium nostrum reddere teneatur, tamdiu & totiens Ex- 
 pensae, per ipsum Custodem rationabiliter factae, circa dictum Compotum 
 fideliter reddendum, eidem Custodi de Communi ministrentur ac fideliter 
 allocentur : 
 
 Hoc etiam Statuentes quod Custos praedictus, super felici Regimine 
 Aulas praedictas, dictorumque Scolarium, pro majore parte Anni inibi 
 trahat Moram ; nisi ex causa rationabili ipsum abesse contigerit : & quod 
 aliquis Scolaris Aulas praedictae, de communi Assensu ipsorum Custodis & 
 Scolarium deputandus, ut Locum tenens ipsius Custodis, ad Negotia 
 Forinseca, dictam Aulam tangentia, prosequenda & expedienda sit in- 
 tendens. 
 
 Item, qu6d quilibet Scolarium praedictorum, dum in Universitate 
 praedicta praesens extiterit, in Tribus Processionibus generalibus, quae 
 fiunt per Universitatem, pro Statu Universalis Ecclesiae, atque Regis, 
 & Regni, in Liberatura sua, secundum exigentiam sui Status, decenter & 
 honeste intersit ; excepta causa. Infirmitatis, vel nisi Custos praedictus, aut 
 ejus Locum tenens, ipsius Absentiam habuerit excusatam. 
 
 Qu6d, si aliquis dictorum Scolarium in Studio non proficiat, cessante 
 causa rationabili, quam Custos praedictus duxerit acceptare, vel Rixosus, 
 Vagabundus, aut Criminosus, seu Temerarius in alium etiam quam Custo- 
 dem Percursor extiterit, in primo Transgressu notabili, de quo per Testes 
 idoneos, aut alio modo legitimo, coram dicto Custode, assidentibus secum 
 Sex de Majoribus Gradu dictae Domus Sociis, summarie fuerit Convictus, 
 tunc per eosdem corrigatur & puniatur Poena Suspensionis a perceptione 
 
70 KING'S HALL 
 
 Exliibitionis nostrae in Domo praedicta, per certum tempus, juxta Arbi- 
 trium eorumdem, secundum Qualitatem & Quantitatem Delicti moderan- 
 dum : in secundo Transgressu Poena Duplicetur : in Tertio Transgressu 
 Triplicetur : in Quarto vero Transgressu Quadruplicetur ; vel, si Incor- 
 rigibilis videatur, tunc, judicio Custodis & majoris & sanioris partis 
 Scolarium praedictorum, a dicta. Domo totaliter ammoveatur : 
 
 Si quis ver6 Scolarium praedictorum, Ausu temerario, adversum Custo- 
 dem dictae Aulse, animo ei Nocendi, Cultellum extraxerit, aut in ipsum 
 Custodem (quod absit) manus injecerit violentas, seu quociimque alio 
 modo illicito dicto Custodi nocere ac Dampnum corporale ei infligere 
 conatus fuerit, aut fieri procuraverit per se vel per alium, siquidem de 
 hujusmodi Delicto, nequiter perpetrato, etiam per Unicum Testem 
 Fidelem, una. cum Juramento Custodis, liquidb constiterit, Statuimus 
 qu6d pro hujusmodi Commisso taliter Delinquens, ab omni Emolumento 
 Aulas praedictae, ipso facto, pro perpetuo sit Privatus. 
 
 Item, hoc pro Articulo Regulae duximus interserendum, qu6d, si con- 
 tingat aliquem de Scolaribus dictae Aulse, in forma praedicta, ex Culpa sua, 
 a dicta Domo ammoveri, pro Restitutione impetranda, ad Nos per se, vel 
 per alium, preces porrigendo, ulterius non instabit; &, ad istum Arti- 
 culum fideliter observandum, Scolares praedicti specialiter jurentur, ac 
 etiam, de caetero, quilibet Admittendus, in suo Ingressu, specialiter juretur. 
 
 Si autem inter Scolares praedictos aliqua Dissensio fuerit suborta, nisi 
 inter se, Sociis Mediantibus, infra Triduum poterit sedari, tunc Custos 
 praedictus, cum Sex Sociis dictae Domus, Majoribus Gradu ex praesen- 
 tibus, pro Concordia in hac parte facienda, secundum quod eis videbitur 
 secundum Deum & Justitiam faciendum, disponere & ordinare procuret ; 
 &, quod ipse Custos prsefato modo duxerit ordinandum, absque contra- 
 dictione observetur : qu6d, si Pars alterutra hujusmodi Ordinationi parere 
 neglexerit, a Perceptione cujuscumque Emolumenti in dicta Domo, quo- 
 usque parere voluerit hujusmodi Ordinationi, penitiis Excludatur. 
 
 Statuimus insuper qu6d quilibet Scolaris dictae Aulas praefato Custodi 
 Juramentum praestet corporale, qu6d Praemissa Statuta omnia & singula, 
 bene, & fideliter, ac, pro Posse suo, effectualiter observabit, ac etiam 
 juvabit, quatinus in eo est, ut debita fiat Executio praedictorum Statu- 
 torum contra Transgressores eorumdem ; & hoc idem Juramentum qui- 
 libet Scolaris, de caetero admittendus, Custodi dictae Aulse, in primo suo 
 Ingressu, praestabit. 
 
 Volumus etiam qu6d ista Statuta, Trina. vice, singulis Annis, ut eorum 
 notitia plenius habeatur, inter Scolares Aulae praedictae publice perlegantur 
 
 In cujus &c. 
 
 Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium quinto die Martii. 
 
 Per Breve de Privato Sigillo. 
 
KING'S HALL 71 
 
 &ppentit.T fi. 
 
 EXPENSES IN THE MATTER OF THE APPROPRIATIONS 
 OF FELMERSHAM AND GRENDON, 1365-1366. 
 
 The advowsons of Felmersham and Grendon were 
 given to King's Hall in 1342 with leave to appropriate 
 them, that is, to take the incomes of the rectories and 
 provide for the clerical duties — the rights of the existing 
 incumbents being preserved. The living of Felmersham 
 did not become vacant till 1362, and probably Grendon 
 became vacant about the same time ; no doubt the College 
 then presented, and made some arrangement with the 
 nominees pending the formal appropriations. The fol- 
 lowing paper deals with the expenses (amounting to 
 £16. 15s. <$\d.) of the agents of the College in 1365-66 
 in securing these appropriations. 
 
 In primis for the expenses of Richard de Barowe and a servant with two 
 hired horses going from Cambridge to London to obtain the king's 
 letters of Privy Seal to the bishop of Lincoln for the forwarding of the 
 appropriation of the aforesaid churches and returning thence — 7 days. 
 
 15J. 4d. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the aforesaid Richard and a servant with two 
 hired horses going from Cambridge to Lincoln to present such letters 
 to the bishop and to get an answer thereupon and returning thence to 
 Cambridge — 8 days. 17$. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the aforesaid Richard and a servant with two 
 hired horses from Cambridge to Chartesy to take the answer of the 
 king's letters, staying there and returning to Cambridge — 7 days. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the aforesaid Richard from Cambridge with two 
 hired horses to Windsor to obtain new royal letters again to the 
 bishop, staying there and returning to Cambridge — 6 days. 
 
 1 3.5-. $d. 
 
72 KING'S HALL 
 
 Item for the expenses of the aforesaid Richard and servant with two hired 
 horses from Cambridge to the bishop's manor called Stoweparc to 
 present the king's letters to him, who promised that on his next 
 coming to Lincoln he would forward everything that lay in his power 
 to forward, staying there and returning thence to Cambridge — 7 days. 
 
 1 4 s. 2d. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the aforesaid Richard and servant with two hired 
 horses from Cambridge to the bishop's manor of Lidington, staying 
 there and enquiring as to the bishop's passage towards Lincoln, 
 beseeching also his good will for the forwarding of the aforesaid, and 
 returning thence to Cambridge- — 5 days. 9^. 3*/. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the aforesaid Richard and servant with two hired 
 horses from Cambridge in following the bishop at a distance towards 
 Lincoln for the aforesaid business, to no purpose as he could not 
 catch him in the aforesaid town of Lincoln, staying in those parts 
 and returning thence to Cambridge — 6 days. 12s. Sd. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the aforesaid Richard and servant with two hired 
 horses going from Cambridge to London to obtain new letters from 
 the king and from London to Lidington to present the same letters 
 for the forwarding of the aforesaid business and returning thence to 
 Cambridge — 12 days. 20s. nd. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and his servant with two hired horses 
 seeking the bishop at Lidington for the forwarding of the aforesaid 
 and asking for the execution and carrying out of the king's letters, 
 staying there and returning thence to Cambridge— 5 days. 
 
 8s. tod. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and his servant with two hired horses 
 to the bishop at Netelham by Lincoln where he assigned us a day 
 whereon to be present in the Chapter house of Lincoln, staying there 
 and returning thence to Cambridge — 7 days. 14s. lod. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and his servant with two hired horses 
 appearing on the said day assigned by the bishop in the chapter 
 house at Lincoln on which day, the warden appearing at the aforesaid 
 day and place, the bishop excused himself for not being able to 
 forward the business on account of the absence of his brethren and 
 council, and thence he returned to Cambridge — 7 days. 15^. 2d. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and his servant with two hired horses 
 to the king at Windsor to obtain letters of privy seal to the bishop 
 that within a certain day named in the writ he would forward the 
 business or indicate reasonable causes for his delay to the king, and 
 he returned thence — 6 days. 12s. Sd. 
 
KING'S HALL 73 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and his servant with two hired horses 
 from Cambridge to the bishop's manor of Louth Park to present the 
 same letters sealed with the privy seal, where he assigned to me 
 another final (fieremptoriatn) day, at Lincoln on which day he 
 promised that he would be in no wise deficient in reverence to the 
 king and his letters, staying there and returning thence to Cambridge — 
 8 days. 17s. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden with two hired horses to Lincoln 
 to appear on the final day assigned by the bishop when on learning 
 the reasons for the appropriation the members of the chapter gave 
 their consent to the appropriation of the aforesaid churches, staying 
 there and returning thence to Cambridge — 12 days. 21s. \id. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden with two hired horses to the bishop 
 at Lidington to obtain letters of enquiry, for enquiry to be made 
 as to the true value of the benefice and portions assigned according 
 to a moderate estimate and not more, returning thence to present to 
 the archdeacon the letters of enquiry directed to him by the bishop, 
 obtaining a day to be assigned for making the enquiry after all should 
 have been called who were interested in being called on that behalf, 
 staying there and returning to Cambridge — 12 days. 19s. lod. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and a notary and his servant with 
 three hired horses at Felmersham on the day the enquiry was made, 
 to see that the enquiry was made in due form and that the fruits 
 of the benefices should not be estimated beyond their true value 
 to the prejudice of the king and of his College and in entertaining 
 the archdeacon, rectors, vicars and others present interested in the 
 enquiry — 3 days. 24J. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and his servant with two hired horses 
 from Cambridge to the king at Windsor to obtain royal letters to the 
 bishop to shew due favour that the vicars' portions should be fixed 
 according to a moderate estimate and not beyond a third part of the 
 benefice, and thence he went to the bishop at Lidington to present 
 these letters, staying there and thence he returned to Cambridge. 
 
 us. $\d. 
 
 Item paid to the bishop's clerks who wrote the appropriation and the form 
 thereof and made copies and wrote the bonds with regard to the 
 yearly pension assigned to the bishop and for the work of other clerks 
 who assisted in these appropriations and the composition thereof. 
 
 26s. Sd. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and his servant with two hired horses 
 from Cambridge to the chapter of Lincoln to get the seal of the 
 chapter affixed to the appropriation and for making the bonds to the 
 
74 KING'S HALL 
 
 chapter for the yearly pension and for the writing and copying of the 
 same and returning thence to Cambridge — 12 days. jjs. 2d. 
 
 Item for the work of the chapter clerks writing the bonds and for the 
 registration of the appropriation and the bonds. \2>s. 
 
 Item for the expenses of the warden and servant with two hired horses 
 from Cambridge to the king at Sheen to take the reply concerning 
 the carrying out of the aforesaid, staying there and returning thence 
 to Cambridge — 6 days. us. a,d. 
 
KING'S HALL 75 
 
 &ppentrix ffif. 
 
 GRANT OF THE PATRONAGE OF KING'S HALL, (1447)- 
 
 The Grant of 4 February 1447 by Henry VI to the 
 Provosts of Eton and King's Colleges of the right to appoint 
 the warden and scholars of King's Hall is as follows. The 
 original grant and the form of the oaths given below are in 
 the muniment room of King's College. 
 
 Henricus dei gracia Rex Anglie et Francie et dominus Hibernie omnibus 
 ad quos presentes litere pervenerint salutem. Sciatis quod de gracia 
 nostra speciali et ex mero motu et certa sciencia nostris concessimus 
 dilectis nobis in Christo preposito et scolaribus collegii nostri regalis 
 beate Marie et Sancti Nicholai de Cantabrigia ac preposito et collegio 
 nostro regali beate Marie de Eton juxta Windesoram in comitatu 
 Bukingham tam donacionem et collacionem custodie Aule nostre 
 vocate ' the Kinges halle ' in universitate nostra Cantabrigie quam 
 donacionem presentacionem et collacionem quorumcumque scolarium 
 ejusdem aule ; Habendum et tenendum tam donacionem et colla- 
 cionem custodie predicte aule immediate post mortem Ricardi 
 Coudray clerici jam habentis ex concessione nostra custodiam illam 
 vel quamcito eadem custodia per resignacionem seu cessionem vel 
 aliquo alio modo quocumque vacare contigerit quam nominacionem 
 presentacionem et collacionem scolarium predictorum prefatis pre- 
 posito et scolaribus dicti collegii nostri beate marie et Sancti Nicholai 
 de Cantebrigia et successoribus suis ac prefatis preposito et collegio 
 nostro beate Marie de Eton predicta et successoribus suis secundum 
 quosdam modos formas et ordinaciones inde inter eos conficiendos, 
 in liberam puram et perpetuam elemosinam imperpetuum. Statuto 
 de terris et tenementis ad manum mortuam non ponendis edito, 
 eo eciam quod expressa mencio de vero valore annuo premissorum 
 vel eorum alicujus aut de aliis domis sive concessionibus per nos 
 prefatis preposito et scolaribus et successoribus suis aut prefatis 
 preposito et collegio et successoribus suis ante hec tempora factis 
 in presentibus minime facta existit aut quibuscumque statutis ordi- 
 nacionibus sive actibus ante hec tempora factis ordinatis seu provisis 
 
76 KING'S HALL 
 
 in aliquo non obstantibus. In cujus rei testimonium has literas 
 nostras fieri fecimus patentes. Teste me ipso apud Westmonasterium 
 vicesimo quarto die Februarii anno regni nostri vicesimo quinto. 
 per ipsum Regem et de data predicta auctoritate parliament! 
 
 dupplicatur. Wymbyssh. 
 
 The wardens of King's Hall appointed under this grant 
 by the Provosts of Eton and King's Colleges were required 
 to take the following oath : — 
 
 Ego N juro per hec sacra dei evangelia per me corporaliter tacta quod 
 prepositis collegiorum regalium de Cantebrigia & Etona qui nunc 
 sunt & qui pro temporibus futuris erunt obediens ero quo ad omnia 
 concernencia visitaciones collegii sive aule Regis Cantebrigie Necnon 
 injunctiones licitas et honestas per eosdem prepositos ordinandas 
 Et quod non sciam aliquod dampnum dictis collegiis aut eorum 
 alteri evenire quin id pro posse meo impediam vel adminus eis aut 
 earum alteri sine dilacione innotescam. 
 
 Item quod omnes personas per alterum dictorum prepositorum qui nunc 
 sunt et qui pro futuris temporibus erunt alterius vicibus aule regie 
 in Cantebrigia presentandas ac ut in scolares vel socios ejusdem 
 admittant absque examinacione sive contradiccione quacumque 
 debite admittam et non alias personas per alium vel alios presentatas 
 admittam quovismodo et eas ad statuta dicte aule Regie edita Et 
 per dictos prepositos qui nunc sunt et qui pro futuris temporibus 
 erunt edenda in omnibus fideliter tenebo debite et observabo sicut 
 me Deus adjuvet et sancta hec evangelia Dei. 
 
KING'S HALL 77 
 
 gtppcntit.T IV. 
 
 THE KING'S HALL ACCOUNT BOOKS. 
 
 The accounts kept by the guardians or stewards of the 
 common chest of King's Hall cover the income and 
 expenditure of the Society which passed through their 
 hands from Michaelmas 1337 onwards. Save for one 
 or two missing years, the accounts run continuously to 
 Michaelmas 1544. 
 
 The earlier books are little more than rough notes of 
 sums received and of the expenditure classified under a few 
 heads, and the writing, with the exception of the headings, 
 is often so crabbed and contracted as to make the reading 
 somewhat difficult. The books were better kept as time 
 went on and, after 1446 when the audit by the Exchequer 
 was abandoned, they present a fairly complete account of 
 the financial doings of the College, though this does not 
 mean that it is possible from them to draw up yearly 
 balance sheets. 
 
 For a long time the different items of the accounts 
 were jotted down casually wherever there happened to 
 be room on a page, but as the form got stereotyped it 
 became customary to buy beforehand a book of sufficient 
 size for a year's accounts, and to get headings engrossed 
 by one of the scholars who usually was paid sixpence for 
 doing it. Of course it was not possible to estimate the 
 exact space required for each subject, hence it frequently 
 happened that an account had to be carried over to any 
 page where there happened to be room. The pages are 
 about 1 2 inches long and 8-|- inches broad. 
 
 As new sources of revenue were acquired by the 
 College new headings were introduced into the books. 
 
78 KING'S HALL 
 
 For instance the income of Great St Mary's in Cambridge, 
 after its appropriation, was collected by the College and 
 not farmed out. It brought in a certain revenue, so a 
 few lines are devoted every year to an account of income 
 from this source, expenses incurred in connection with it, 
 and the net sum available from this source for the common 
 chest. In cases like this there is, in these books, a mass 
 of material which has yet to be investigated by those 
 interested in the histories of the parishes mentioned. 
 
 The yearly books seem to have remained as separate 
 quires or booklets until they were bound in their present 
 form, which probably was done towards the end of the 
 seventeenth century. As a rule each account was origin- 
 ally dated only on the outside front page. In many cases 
 this page in course of time became loose and disappeared ; 
 in other cases, when the accounts were arranged for 
 binding, this loose page was assigned to the wrong quire 
 with the result that the account was put out of place by 
 many years. The difficulty thus caused of dating an 
 individual account is often increased by the fact that some 
 of the books were annotated or completed some time after 
 the years to which they belong : for instance, we find 
 references in 1461 to the bishop of Carlisle, meaning 
 Scrope, who was then warden, but who did not become 
 bishop of Carlisle till after he had ceased to be warden. 
 
 To illustrate the form of the accounts a detailed 
 description of the accounts for one year is given, and 
 in order to secure the mention of all material subjects 
 treated in any of the accounts, one of the later years of 
 the College has been selected, namely, that running from 
 Michaelmas 1525 to Michaelmas 1526, in which the 
 accounts are orderly and exceptionally intelligible. 
 
 On the first page of the accounts for this year are, as 
 is usual in these accounts, the date, the names of the 
 stewards, and a memorandum of the anticipated income. 
 
KING'S HALL 79 
 
 There is generally a note at the beginning of the accounts 
 that the cost of the paper for them and of writing the 
 headings was 6d. each, but in this particular year this 
 statement is omitted. 
 
 The account goes on to say that at Michaelmas there 
 ought to be received from the burgesses of Scarborough, 
 £^2. 1 is. od. ; from the monastery of Sawtre, ^33. 6s. Sd. ; 
 from the sheriffs of Beds and Bucks, ^20. os. od. ; and 
 from the Abbot of Waltham, £y. 10s. Sd. : these sums 
 made up the original endowment of ^103. 8s. <\d. 
 
 The account continues with a record of the pensions and 
 fixed rents due to the College, saying that there ought also 
 to be received at Michaelmas, from the priory of Barnwell, 
 ^26. iy. i\d. : at the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, from 
 the rectory of Felmersham, £19. os. od. ; from the rectory 
 of Grendon, £1 2. os. od. ; and from the chapel of Pavenham, 
 £$. 10s. od. : and at Candlemas and St Peter's Chains, 
 from the rectory of Chesterton, £37. os. od. : the sum total 
 of this additional income was ,£135. 10s. od. There were 
 also due at Christmas, from Felmersham either a boar 
 or 6s. Sd. in lieu thereof, and from Pavenham a boar. 
 Property in the hands of the Society was dealt with in 
 a later part of the account. 
 
 At the bottom of the first page there generally is a list 
 of freshmen with a statement as to whether each has paid 
 his 2 ay. ^d. for entrance and for the boat, but this year no 
 freshmen paid, so this statement is missing. 
 
 The second and third pages are taken up with a table 
 of contents — a very uncommon feature in these books. 
 
 Then follows a page of Expense Extravagantes, that is, 
 unclassified or incidental expenses, containing such varied 
 items as for one rake, 2d. ; fanning the wheat, 3d. ; barley 
 for the capons, /\.d. ; to the women of St Mary's Church 
 collecting for candles, i2d. ; for the expenses of Master 
 Baynbrigg at London for eleven days, 265. 8d. ; for cleaning 
 
80 KING'S HALL 
 
 the street, gd. ; to the friars minors for the conduit, ic\y. 
 Under this heading we often get incidental information 
 about life in College. In earlier years such miscellaneous 
 items were entered as part of the Common Expenditure of 
 the House. A typical page showing part of the Common 
 Expenditure in the year 1361-62 is here reproduced in 
 facsimile somewhat reduced in size. 
 
 Then follows an account of the moneys actually received 
 in the chest from the various sources each under its own 
 heading. Thus under the heading Recepciones de vice- 
 comite Bedfordie et Buckyngham, we find that the stewards 
 actually received — by the hands of Mr Nicholson, on 
 24 March £i, by the hands of Mr Baynbrigg at London 
 in the month of April £io, by the hands of Mr Baynbrigg 
 the 10 day of June from Mr Castell £j, making ^"18 in all, 
 and leaving £2 still due. When there were deductions to 
 be made these follow immediately. Thus after Recepciones 
 de Felmersham which ought to have been £19 and only 
 amounted to £10 we find in partial explanation thereof 
 Expense apud Felmersham, vicar's pension for two years, 
 265. Sd. 
 
 There were several sources of revenue which were not 
 farmed for fixed sums and therefore could not be included 
 in the estimate of income. For this year these were under 
 the headings : the church and manor of Chesterton ; the 
 church of St Mary in the Market Place, Cambridge ; College 
 tenements, bringing in about £4; Ripplingham's tenements, 
 in the hands of a bookbinder, at a rent of ys. 6d. ; glebe 
 land in the tenure of John Haywardine of Hynton (Cherry- 
 hinton) 2od.; Bellamy's tenements 'beyond the bridge to- 
 wards the Castle, and the close at Cherryhinton bought 
 from Joan Bery, now in tenure of James Fransheman, 
 bringing in about ,£10. 
 
 After this statement of income follows an account of the 
 expenditure under different headings : (i) repairs of the 
 
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 Common Expenditure, 1361-62 
 
KING'S HALL 81 
 
 College under the sub-headings of the chapel, the hall, 
 the rooms of the scholars, the store-rooms, the kitchen, the 
 cloister, and the library ; (ii) the garden ; (iii) the scholars' 
 offerings to All Saints' Church ; (iv) the pandoxatorium or 
 brewhouse which for this purpose included the mill ; (v) the 
 bakehouse ; (vi) commons — in this the rate of expenditure 
 for each scholar for each week in the year is set out. 
 
 This is followed by an account of sums due from 
 the warden and scholars for sizings, called in the earlier 
 books repasts, their names being written out in an engrossing 
 hand, and after the name of each two or three inches of 
 space left for his bill. The amount due from each seems 
 to have been posted up from day to day without any 
 particulars, so that after the name of each resident scholar 
 is a rough list of figures and a total. When a man left 
 during the year his name was scratched through. In the 
 earlier books his successor's name was written in the same 
 space, but in later books new arrivals are entered at the 
 end of the list. 
 
 After the scholars' names follows a heading Famulus 
 per comitivam : this man appears to have been originally 
 the only servant fed at the College expense. Following his 
 name is an account for 6d. a week headed repasta communia, 
 apparently sizings supplied at the cost of the College. 
 
 Then follows a space for food supplied to the private 
 servants of the warden and scholars. 
 
 Next are the accounts of stores bought : divided into 
 Compotus Speciartim or Groceries, namely, pepper, saffron, 
 cinnamon, cloves, mace, almonds, sandal-wood, large raisins, 
 small raisins, sugar, ginger, rice, dates, prunes, and honey ; 
 and Compotus Piscium Stauri, such as ling, salt fish of 
 various kinds, salted eels, etc. 
 
 Then comes a note of the profits from the sale of pigeons 
 from the dovecot, probably a misplaced entry. This is 
 followed by a statement of the payment to the brewer. 
 
 r. b. 6 
 
82 KING'S HALL 
 
 Next comes a statement of the cost of the Exequies 
 of the Founder, which at this period, with the ensuing 
 refections, usually cost between £5 and £6. 
 
 This is followed by notes of the cost of the purchases of 
 corn, barley, rushes for the floors, firing, faggots, and hay. 
 
 The next set of entries refer to agreements with traders 
 for the supply of such necessaries as corn, malt, and firing ; 
 and space is left for an account of non-perishable articles 
 bought such as timber, tiles, etc. 
 
 Next, the quarterly wages of the servants are set out, 
 namely, the butler 6s. 8d., the cook 6s. &d., the barber 
 6^. 2>d., the baker 6s. Sd., the brewer 6s. Sd., the lixa or 
 kitchen knave 4s., and the laundress 6s. Sd. 
 
 Then follows the cost of the distribution of nobles to 
 the scholars before Christmas and before Stourbridge Fair, 
 made at the feasts of the Conception and the Assumption 
 respectively. 
 
 Following these is an account of the stipends of the 
 stewards, each of whom had 45. a year and 2s. cap-money. 
 
 Next follows a space originally headed for liveries. In 
 this year this is not written up, and the space so gained 
 is filled with a list of purchases made at Stourbridge Fair. 
 The following five pages are devoted to money given in 
 lieu of liveries of gowns. 
 
 At the end of the accounts there are usually memoranda 
 of books, plate, and moneys, due from scholars — these were 
 altered or cancelled from time to time as circumstances 
 changed during the year, and the result is generally difficult 
 to read. In this year the account ends with three pages of 
 notes of debtors to the college, a page devoted to the state 
 of the chest, a statement about timber bought, details of 
 payments for commons during the Easter vacation, 
 miscellaneous memoranda, and finally a page devoted to 
 unclassified expenses. 
 
 This is a common form of account but it varied from 
 year to year in details. 
 
KING'S HALL 83 
 
 WARDENS OF THE KING'S SCHOLARS AND KING'S HALL*. 
 
 1 3 1 7- John de Baggeshot. 
 
 -1331. Simon de Bury. 
 
 1331-1333. John de Langetoft. 
 
 1 333-1 36 1. Thomas Powys. His arms, as given in 
 the Memoriale Collegii Trinitatis in the Library of Trinity 
 College were Or, a jamb erased in bend gules. 
 
 1 361-1363. John de Schropham. 
 
 1 363- 1 364. Nicholas de Di'ayton. There is a brief 
 note about Nicholas de Drayton in the Dictionary of 
 National Biography, vol. xvi. He was described in 1355 
 as a bachelor of civil law {Calendar of Papal Registers, 
 P- 3%7) j was nominated to a scholarship at King's Hall by 
 a writ under the great seal 3 April 1 360 ; and admitted on 
 4 May 1360 {Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, p. 101). His 
 appointment to the rectory of St Martin's in the Vintry, 
 London, was dated 26 August 1362, and confirmed by 
 the Pope on 9 July 1363 {Calendar of Papal Registers, 
 p. 399). He was appointed warden of King's Hall on 
 1 December 1363, but resigned on 2 December 1364 
 {Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, p. 102). He was a canon of 
 Hereford, and on 26 June 1377 appointed a baron of the 
 Exchequer {Calendar of Patent Rolls, p. 3). He died at 
 Rome in 1378 {Calendar of Papal Registers, p. 547). 
 
 1 364-1 375. Nicholas Roos. The crown in 1364 left to 
 the scholars the choice of their warden, and Nicholas Roos 
 was unanimously chosen. The election was confirmed by 
 
 * This list and most of the appended notes are founded on memoranda 
 kindly furnished by a former scholar of Trinity College, who has made a special 
 study of the subject. 
 
 6—2 
 
8 4 KING'S HALL 
 
 letters patent 2 December 1364 {Trinity Admissions, 
 vol. 1, p. 103). Roos held the office till his death on 
 24 September 1375 ; the executors of his will were Richard 
 Berwe, scholar and prosecutor ad forinseca of King's Hall, 
 and William de Mouton. 
 
 1 375-1 377. Richard Ronhale. Ronhale, like his pre- 
 decessor, was elected by the scholars and thereon appointed 
 warden by the crown, the letters patent stating that he was 
 to reside continuously and that Richard Bergh chaplain or 
 another was, as his deputy, to attend to the external 
 business of the House {Trinity Admissions, vol. 1, p. 138). 
 He vacated the office on the death of Edward III. 
 He was employed by Richard II on numerous missions 
 abroad: in 1384, to Picardy ; in 1388, to Calais, to nego- 
 tiate terms of peace, and to Scotland ; in 1 390, to Rome 
 and Scotland; in 1391, to Calais; in 1392, to Picardy 
 and Scotland ; in 1 393, abroad, to negotiate terms of peace, 
 and to Scotland; in 1395, three times to Picardy; and 
 again in 1396 to Picardy. From 1388 until his death he 
 was a master in chancery. He officiated as special com- 
 missioner from 1396 onwards to hear appeals from certain 
 courts and in particular from the court of chivalry : in these 
 commissions he is called LL.D. On 12 September 1396 
 he was presented to the living of Aldington, Kent ; on 
 26 January 1397 to a prebend in Southwell; he was also 
 rector of Cliffe-at-Hoo, Kent. He died in 1403. 
 
 1 377-1 385. Simon de Neylond. Simon de Neylond 
 was admitted as a scholar of the House on 25 April 1359, 
 and on 25 January 1372 letters patent were issued granting 
 him license of non-residence, a grant of ^20 a year, leave 
 to accept an ecclesiastical benefice of any amount, and 
 making him a member of the royal council : in these letters 
 he is described as bachelor of civil law and scholar of 
 King's Hall. The office of warden was offered to him 
 when Ronhale vacated it on the death of Edward III. 
 
KING'S HALL 85 
 
 He acted as warden from Michaelmas, and was formally- 
 appointed on 6 October 1377: in this appointment he is 
 called licentiate in civil law. He was removed from the 
 college by the bishop of Ely as stated above on page 25. 
 He was rector of St Michael's, Queenhythe, from 3 May 
 1 40 1 for many years. 
 
 1385-1391. Thomas de Hethersett. Thomas de 
 Hethersett who, in the letters of appointment is described 
 as LL. D., was appointed warden on 26 May 1385 : he 
 resigned the office on 10 January 1391. On 5 May 
 1389 he was made archdeacon of Sudbury, exchanged on 
 25 November 1398 to a prebend in Salisbury with Mau- 
 deleyn, who had been a scholar of King's Hall under him, 
 but exchanged back again a month later. On 18 December 
 1398 he was appointed rector of Hayes, Kent; but re- 
 signed towards the end of 1399- He vacated the arch- 
 deaconry in 141 2 and perhaps died in that year. His 
 arms, as given in the Memoriale were Sable, on a chevron 
 or three torteaux gules. 
 
 1 391-1398. Ralph Selby. Selby who succeeded 
 Hethersett was appointed by letters patent 10 January 
 1 39 1 : in them he is described as LL.D. He was closely 
 attached to the king, a man of considerable influence at 
 Court, and a constant attendant at the king's council. 
 In 1385 he was made a prebendary in York, and two 
 years later was appointed sub-dean of the chapter. On 
 24 October 1393 he was appointed a baron of the Ex- 
 chequer, and six days later was given a pension of 50 
 marks because of his work on the council. In 1392 he 
 was made archdeacon of Buckinghamshire. In 1396 he 
 was appointed one of the commissioners to hear appeals 
 from the court of chivalry ; and in the same year was made 
 prebendary of Netherbury in Salisbury. Towards the end 
 of Richard's reign Selby resigned all appointments and 
 entered religion at Westminster Abbey where he is buried. 
 
86 KING'S HALL 
 
 He died in 1420. There is some account of him in The 
 Monks of Westminster, by E. H. Pearce, London, 191 6, 
 pp. 34, 128. His arms, as given in the Memoriale, were 
 Per pale azure and gules, a tower or. 
 
 1 398-141 3. Richard Derham. Derham or Dereham, 
 described as B.D., succeeded Selby, being appointed by 
 letters patent on 6 October 1399 — he seems to have been 
 as much a favourite with the new king as his predecessor 
 was with Richard II. Derham must have been a scholar 
 of some repute for when in 1400 the emperor Manuel of 
 Constantinople, accompanied by a retinue, most of whom 
 were unversed in our tongue, came to London to seek 
 the aid of Henry IV, Derham was called on to preach to 
 them {London Epis. Reg. Tunstall, fo. 45 ; see also J. H. 
 Ramsay, Lancaster and York, Oxford, 1892, vol. 1, p. 27, 
 and the references there given). Derham was also a 
 politician of note, and in 1404, of four men required by 
 parliament to be dismissed from the court, he was one. 
 He continued to be warden until the death of Henry IV 
 on 21 March 141 3. Later he was reappointed, and what 
 else has to be said about him will be given in the next 
 paragraph but one. 
 
 141 3- 141 5. John Stone. By the death of Henry IV 
 the office of warden became vacant and the new king 
 Henry V at once offered it to his secretary, John Stone, 
 who was appointed on 23 March 1413. Stone held the 
 office for only two years, resigning on 5 June 141 5. His 
 arms, as given in the Memoriale, were Gules, three fieurs- 
 de-lys or, on a chief or three barrulets sable. 
 
 1415-1417. Richard Derham. On Stone's resigna- 
 tion Henry V reappointed Richard Derham (who had been 
 warden from 1398 to 14 13) to the post. Derham held it 
 until his death on 10 August 141 7; his executor was his 
 cousin Thomas Lucas, a former scholar of the college. 
 Derham is known to have held the following preferments : — 
 
KING'S HALL 87 
 
 the rectory of Middleton Chenduyt or Cheney in North- 
 amptonshire from 3 November 1400 to 1415 or later; 
 the prebend of St Stephen's Chapel, Westminster, from 
 3 June 1 40 1, this he gave up in 5 April 1402 when made 
 prebendary of Netherbury in Salisbury ; the deanery of 
 St Martin's from 26 February 1403 to 13 June 1415 ; the 
 rectory of St Botolph's Without, Aldersgate ; the arch- 
 deaconry of Norfolk from 2 September r4o6 to 141 5 or 
 later. His arms, as given in the Memoriale, were Azure, 
 a cross between four escallops argent. 
 
 14 1 7-1424. Richard Holme. Of Holme who suc- 
 ceeded Derham little is known. He is described in the 
 Memoriale as a vir nobilis, and must have been a person 
 of some importance, for in the winter of 1 414-15 he 
 accompanied a mission sent to France. He resigned his 
 scholarship on 17 May 141 7 in favour of his brother John. 
 As warden, he was popular, efficient, and generous. He 
 died on 22 March 1424 ; his executors were his brother 
 John, William Bryggham, and Thomas Ludham a former 
 scholar of the College. His arms, as given in the Memoriale, 
 were, Argent, a chevron azure within a bordure engrailed 
 sable. 
 
 1424-143 1. Robert FitzHugk. FitzHugh was ap- 
 pointed warden in 1424, was constantly non-resident, and 
 resigned on his appointment to the bishopric of London. 
 The chief incidents in his life are given in the Dictionary 
 of National Biography, vol. xix. He died in 1436. His 
 arms, as given in the Memoriale, were Azure, three 
 chevronels interlaced and a chief or. 
 
 1431-1448. Richard Cawdrey. On FitzHugh's re- 
 signation Cawdrey, clerk of the Council and a baron of the 
 Exchequer, was appointed to succeed him. His tenure 
 of these offices must, as stated in the text, have assisted him 
 in his action in freeing himself and his successors from 
 the necessity of accounting annually to the Exchequer for 
 
88 KING'S HALL 
 
 the exact sum due each year to the College for commons 
 and maintenance. He resigned the wardenship shortly- 
 after Henry VI had granted the over-lordship of the 
 House to the provosts of Eton and King's Colleges. He 
 was very much of a pluralist, and is known to have held 
 the following ecclesiastical preferments : — A prebend in 
 St Paul's, London, 1424, a prebend in York, 1424, a 
 prebend in Southwell, 1425 ; two prebends in Lincoln 
 at the same time being admitted to one in 1427 and to 
 the other in 1435 ; he was also archdeacon of Bedford 
 from 1423 to 143 1, archdeacon of Norwich from 1428 to 
 1452, and archdeacon of Lincoln from 143 1 to 1458, and 
 in addition held the deanery of St Martin's. He died 
 in 1458. His arms, as given in the Memoriale, were Per 
 pale gules and azure, three escallops argent. 
 
 1 448- 1 449. Nicholas Ayscough. The wardenship 
 vacant by the resignation of Cawdrey, was filled by the 
 appointment (by the provosts) of Ayscough, confessor to 
 Henry VI. He gave up the office in 1449, the appoint- 
 ment having been shown to be ineffective owing to a 
 previous grant by the crown of the reversion to the office. 
 Ayscough held the following preferments : the arch- 
 deaconry of Colchester, 1440 to 1448, the archdeaconry 
 of Exeter, 1448 to 1475, and a prebend in Exeter. His 
 arms, as given in the Memoriale, were Sable, a fess 
 between three asses heads couped argent. 
 
 1 449-1 45 2. Nicholas Close. Close succeeded to the 
 office of warden in virtue of a grant from the crown made 
 in 1446 : he held the office until his death in 1452. He 
 was an original fellow of King's College. He was arch- 
 deacon of Colchester from 1448 to 1450, bishop of Carlisle 
 from 1450 to 1452 ; and bishop of Coventry and Lichfield 
 from August 1452 to November of that year, when he died. 
 The chief incidents in his life are given in the Dictionary 
 of National Biography, vol. xi. His arms are there stated 
 
KING'S HALL 89 
 
 to have been Argent, on a chevron sable three passion- 
 nails argent, on a chief sable three roses argent. 
 
 1452-1457. John Blakman. On the death of Close, 
 Blakman or Blakeman was appointed by the provosts of 
 Eton and King's Colleges. He resigned the office on 
 11 July 1457. There is a brief notice of him in the 
 History of Eton College by H. C. Maxwell Lyte. 
 
 1457-1463. Richard Scrope. On Blakman's resigna- 
 tion the provosts appointed to the office William Town 
 who seems to have declined it, and on 1 1 December 
 1457 they appointed Scrope to succeed Blakman. On 
 the restoration of the independence of King's Hall by 
 Edward IV he confirmed Scrope in the appointment. 
 The latter resigned the office in December 1463, and 
 became bishop of Carlisle 5 June 1464. His arms, as 
 given in the Memoriale, were Azure, a bend or ; in sinister 
 chief an escallop or (for difference). 
 
 1 463- 1 467. Thomas St Just. On Scrope's resigna- 
 tion Edward IV appointed his chaplain, St Just, to the 
 vacant office. He held it until his death in December 1467. 
 
 1467-1473. John Gunthorpe. The next warden, 
 Gunthorpe, was one of the most distinguished prelate 
 statesmen of his day. He only resided occasionally in 
 King's Hall. The chief incidents of his life are given 
 in the Dictionary of National Biography, vol. xxm. He 
 died in 1498. 
 
 1 47 3- 1 47 7. Roger Rot her ham. Little is known of 
 the next warden, Rotherham, save that he was related to 
 his contemporary, the archbishop of York. He was a 
 prebendary of Leicester in 1472, archdeacon of Rochester 
 from 1471 to 1473, and of Leicester from 1473 to 1477. 
 He died in 1477. His arms, as given by Cooper in his 
 Athenae Cantabrigienses, vol. 1, p. 2, were Vert, three 
 bucks trippant argent. 
 
 1 477-1 485. Henry Bost. On the death of Rotherham, 
 
90 KING'S HALL 
 
 the crown gave the wardenship to Bost, provost of Eton 
 and confessor to Jane Shore. He was confirmed in his 
 position by Richard III, but vacated it on the death of 
 that sovereign, 30 October 1485. There is a notice of his 
 life in Cooper's Athenae Cantabrigienses, vol. 1, p. 5. He 
 died in 1503. His arms were either Argent, a fess gules 
 or Argent, a fess gules between three escutcheons each 
 charged with a maunch. (See Cooper, and the engraving 
 of Bost's brass in George Lipscomb's History of Bucking- 
 hamshire, London, 1847, vol. iv, p. 485.) 
 
 1485-1488. Christopher Urswyke. Henry VII ap- 
 pointed to the vacant wardenship Urswyke, a former 
 scholar of the House, and his trusted friend and agent. 
 Urswyke played a leading part in the political events of 
 his day. He resided only occasionally at King's Hall 
 and resigned his office in 1488 on his appointment to the 
 deanery of York. The chief incidents in his life are given 
 in the Dictionary of National Biography, vol. lviii. He 
 died in 1522. His arms, according to Cooper, Athenae 
 Cantabrigienses, vol. 1, p. 24, were Or, on a bend sable 
 three lozenges azure each charged with a saltire gules. 
 
 1488-1498. JohnBlyth. On the surrender of Urswyke, 
 the king appointed to the vacant wardenship his chaplain 
 John Blyth, a nephew of Thomas Rotherham, archbishop 
 of York. The chief incidents in the life of John Blyth 
 are given in the Dictionary of National Biography, vol. v. 
 He died in 1499. His arms are said by J. W. Clark to 
 have been Ermine, three stags statant gules. Cooper 
 in his Athenae Cantabrigienses, vol. 1, p. 40, gives them 
 in a somewhat different form. The Memoriale gives 
 entirely different arms : these may be rejected as erroneous. 
 
 1498-1528. Geoffrey Blyth. The crown, on the death 
 of John Blyth, appointed as his successor his brother 
 Geoffrey. The chief incidents in his life are given in the 
 Dictionary of National Biography, vol. v. He died in 
 
KING'S HALL 91 
 
 1530. He bore the same arms as his brother: they 
 appear on the Great Gate below those of Edward III. 
 
 1 528-1 541. Geoffrey Blyth the younger. On the sur- 
 render of the above-mentioned Geoffrey Blyth, the office 
 was offered to Geoffrey Blyth the younger, supposed to be 
 a nephew of the last warden. The chief incidents in his 
 life are given in the Dictionary of National Biography, 
 vol. v. He died in March 1541. 
 
 1 541-1546. John Redman. The new warden Redman, 
 was king's chaplain and a man of considerable influence 
 at court. The chief incidents of his life are given in the 
 Dictionary of National Biography, vol. xlvii. He held the 
 office until 1546 when he was made master of Trinity 
 College. He died in 1551 at the age of 52. His arms, 
 as given in the Memoriale, were Gules, three cushions 
 ermine tasselled or, in chief a mullet or (for difference). 
 
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