Page:The religious life of King Henry VI.djvu/63

Rh sons of the great English families and of the lesser gentry of the country to share in the Christian education provided for his scholars.

It is easy to understand the King's intention from the document still preserved, known from its opening words as "the Kynge's own devyse." This is a statement of his original intentions for his colleges of Eton and Cambridge. At the former the church was planned on the most magnificent scale and was to be ornamented in the most lavish manner. Besides the High Altar there were to be at least four others. There were also to be images of the Holy Trinity, of St. Anne, St. Andrew, St. Clement, etc., and a large representation of the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady known as "Our Lady of Eton"; and this became in time the object of great popular veneration.

There can be no sort of doubt that the primary object of the pious founder was to secure the service of God in the church. For the maintenance of this with fitting decorum he founded his college of priests, consisting of a Provost, ten Fellows, and ten Chaplains. Besides these he instituted ten clerks skilled in Church music and sixteen choristers under