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 120 HISTOEY OF BISHOP AUCKLAND. Auckland, in the County of Durham, and these their successors by name of governors of the goods, possessions, and reyentions of the Free Qrammar School of King James, in the Town of North Auckland, otherwise Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, we incorporate, as one body corporate and politic, by the same name to endure for ever. And really and fully, for us, our heirs and successors, we erect, create, ordain, make, constitute, and establish by these presents, that, by the same name of governors of the goods, possessions, and reventions of the Free Grammar School of King James, in the Town of North Auckland, otherwise Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, they may be known, called, and named, and have perpetual succession. And we further will and ordain, and by these presents for us, our heirs, and successors, grant to the aforesaid governors of the goods, possessions, and reventions of the Free Grammar School of King James, in the Town of North Auckland, otherwise Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, and to their successors, that they de cetera have for ever one common seal for transacting their business concerning the Free Grammar School aforesaid, according to the tenor and true meaning of these our letters patent ; and it is ordered that it may be lawful for them and their successors, at their discretion, to destroy, alter, and renew such seal, and that they and their successors, by the name of governors of the goods, possessions, and reventions of the Free Grammar School of King James, in the Town of North Auckland, otherwise Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, shall be persons fit, apt, and capable in law to hold, demand, and receive the manors, lands, tenements, meadows, pastures, feedings, reversions, services, reventions, possessions, annuities, and hereditaments, and also the goods and chattels whatsoever to them and their successors, of such persons, and of such annual value, and in such manner and form as in these our letters patent is afterwards mentioned and contained. And, also, to give, grant, release, and assign the same manors, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, and to do and perform all and singular otner acts and deeds in the aforesaid name, and that by the same name of governors of the goods, possessions, and reventions of the Free Grammar School of King James, in the Town of North Auckland, otherwise Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, it shall and may be lawful for them to plead and be impleaded, to answer and be answered imto, to defend and be defended in whatsoever courts and places, and before whatsoever judges, justiciaries, and whatsoever other persons and officers of us, our heirs and successors, in all and singular actions, suits, complaints, causes, matters, and demands whatsoever, of whatsoever kind, nature, condition, or sort they may be, in the same manner and form as others of the liege subjects of this our Kingdom, being persons fit and capable in law to plead and be impleaded, to answer and be answered unto, to defend and be defended, and that it shall and may be lawful for them to have, receive, ask for, possess, give, grant, and release. And we further will, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, grant that when, and as often as it shall happen, that any of the aforesaid modem governors shall die, or from the office of governor for any reasonable cause be expelled, that then, and so often as it shall so happen, it shall be lawful for the others of the then surviving, or continuing governors, and their successors, or the major part of them, to elect and nominate another person, or other fit persons whatsoever of good name and fame, residing and dwelling in the aforesaid parish, and of the full age of twenty-one years, to supply the place or places of such governor or governors so dying or expelled, and this from time to time, as the case shall so happen. And we further of our more ample special favour, and for promoting true learning, and of our own inclina- tion, do grant to the aforesaid governors of the goods, possessions, and reventions of the Free Grammar School of King James, in the Town of North Auckland, otherwise Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, and to their successors, that they, or the major part of them, may and shall have full power and authority to elect, nominate, and prefer one honest, learned, and discreet man, who shall be a Master of Arts, or at least a Bachelor of Arts, to, be hereafter the first and modem master and teacher of the same school, and one other learned, honest, and discreet man, to be hereafter the first and modem usher or underteacher of the same school, to continue in the aforesaid offices and places during the pleasure of the governors, or the major, part of them, and to teach and instmct the scholars of the same school in the Latin and Greek languages. And if it shall so happen that the master or usher of the said Free Grammar School, or either of them, so preferred, nominated, and chosen, shall die, or shall leave the aforesaid school, or place or places of master or usher of the said Free Gnunmar School, or for any just cause be removed or expelled, that always for ever hereafter, and so often as such case shall come to pass, the aforesaid governors of the goods, possessions, and reventions of the Free Grammar School of King James, in the Town of North Auckland, otherwise Bishop Auckland, in the County of Durham, and their successors, or the major part of them, shall and may have full power and authority to chuse, nominate, and prefer another honest, learned, and discreet man, being a Master of Arts, or at least a Bachelor of Arts, to be hereafter the master or teacher of the same school, and another honest, learned, and discreet man, to be hereafter the usher of that school, in the place or places of him or them so dying, leaving, retiring, removed, or expeUed. And we of our more abundant and special favour, have further given and granted, and by these presents for us, our heirs and successors, do give and grant to the aforesaid governors of the goods, possessions, and reventions of the aforesaid Gnunmar School of King James, in the Town of North Auckland, in the County of Durham, and their successors, special and free license, and lawful power, liberty, and authority to hold, ask for, receive, and possess to them and their successors for ever, for the perpetual sustaining and maintenance of the aforesaid Grammar School, the manors, messuages, lands, tenements, meadows, feedings, pastures, woods, underwoods, rents, reversions and services, and other hereditaments whatsoever, in our Kingdom of England, or elsewhere in our dominions, of the said Ann Swyfte, so that Digitized by Google