Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/294

 174 ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS. burden, little in accordance with the original intention of the founders. We have not at present been able to point out any similar example of a grant by " way of pension or corrody," in Protestant times, conceded at the instance of the patron or founder in any Church establishment or royal foundation. The ancient " King's School," connected from early times with the Monas- tery of Westminster, had been founded and endowed anew by Elizabeth, in 1560, as a nursery for religion and orthodox literature ; and it is not easy to understand why the royal bounty could not be sufficiently extended to Camden, the Head Master of that Institution, without rendering him a pensioner at the table of his friend and neighbour, at the Deanery. The requisition, for which we are indebted to the kindness of Mr. Burtt, is conveyed in the following terms : — Trustie & welbeloved. Wheare we have of late used in some service [word erased] William Cambden Scholemaster there in such thing whereof by his travayle & study he hath attained the skill tr he ' so much to o'' goodliking and contentment as we may have occasion hereafter to employ him in the like wh'^'i to thend he may be [bothe thej redyer and better encouraged to attend we have bethought o^'selfe y*^ it were fitt he were set- tled in some place where he might be both neer to o'' calle & commadement & freed from [somewhat eased of] the care of living so as he might may w''' more liberty & freedome of mynde intend to such services as may be layd uppou him [And uppon consideration whereof] We have fond no place more meet for aunswerable to this o'' means then y*^ o^' Church of Westminster, where we have therefore thought good to place him & to require you the that uppon the receipt of these o'' Ires he ma}- be admitted to have his dyett & food [for himselfe] at the table of you the Dean [& Prebends] & for one servant among yo servants so to continew during his life, w'^'^ being no great breden to the Church & a matter tending to gi'atefy us [w^all well deserved off [at o'" hands by the] is in the long tyme & paynes he hath alredy sved there in teaching] we doe not doubt but you will easely conde- scend unto [& suffer him to enjoy. Notw^l'standing] xind doe require you for bis better assurance thereof & o'' satisfaction we doe require [you] to make a graunt thereof to him by writing under the Chapter seale as by way of pen- sion or corrody [to be holden] during his lyfe. And the same to send unto us to be delivered from us to him as a token of some part of y'" gratuity y"^ we mean towardes him. And we shall take it in thankefull part at yo'" handes. To y'' Dean of Westm'". 4 April 1594 for Mr Cambden. ' In jiriiiting tliis (lofuiiicnt, the words given in Italic .are erasures in tlie original; the words bracketed ;irc those siipiilied in the MS. as interlinear corrections or additions.