years; an increase to thirteen, fourteen, and sixteen pence, when wheat shall happen to be at the high price of two shillings a bushel, and no further: also, every Christmas, eight yards of cloth, about one shilling and nine pence the yard, the price limited for the warden, fellows, and chaplains; the colour not to be white or black, russet or green ; and this he is to have made into a decent robe, reaching to his heels, with a hood; the robe to be trimmed with fur, for which he is allotted three shillings and four pence. They are all inhibited from selling, pawning, or giving away their livery within five years from the time of their receiving it. The stipend for teaching is ten pounds; and the whole salary, consisting of several articles, is now thirty-eight pounds, eleven shillings, and two pence! The warden, Robert Thurbern, a student in medicine, but in orders, with the fellows of the college, appointed Waynflete to fill this useful and honourable, if not lucrative, station, on its being vacated by Thomas Alwin; and he began to Budden, p. 57. He cites Willeus Epig. Parker, Harpsfield, and p. 58. Registr. Coll.-Collier, Birch, Ayliffe's Ancient and Present State of the University, vol. i. p. 363. teach teach in 1429, the year after the decease of Leilont, whose New Grammar he probably introduced there, and afterwards at Eton. SECT. II. IN the following year, 1430, a William Waynflete, as appears from the episcopal register of Lincoln, was presented by the convent of Bardney to the vicarage of Skendleby in that county, void by resignation; and among the monks there, about the same time, was one named John Waynflete, who became abbot in 1435. This person Willis "presumes was a near rela"tion of the magnificent, founder of Mag"dalen college," and that the living was obtained by his interest. "This I mention," he continues, "because it may perhaps inti"mate the rise of this great man, and what 66 e was probably his first preferment." From the coincidence of names it is likely that this William and John Waynflete were townsmen; but the identity of this William and our bishop is at least problematical; and the author seems not apprised that the Registr. Coll. Winton. Waynflett in Extract. d Registr. Fleming. Institut. fol. 34. 14 June. founder founder of Magdalen college already occupied a post not consistent with the duties of a remote vicarage, and on which, as on its basis, the fabric of his future fortune was about to be raised. Bishop Waynflete has been likewise mentioned as a member or canons of the church of Wells from the year 1433; and the register then supplies a William Waynflete presbyter, presented by Theobald Gorges, knight, to the church of Wroxhale. But this was a different person, as Wroxhale was given in 1436 to one of the canons on his death. Moreover, Master William Waynflete was presented to Cheddesey in Somersetshire, by a duchess of Suffolk', in 1469; and it has been remarked as not so clear, how he came to hold that living after his advancement to the prelacy. But this person soon resigned, and was plainly not the bishop, whose style was no longer Master W. W.; k 'Godwin ad fin. Joh. de Whethamstede, p. 689. 8 H. Wharton Anglia S. vol. i. p. 318. An. 1433. 17th May, 1433, is the date of the first institution; 18th No. vember, 1436, of the second. i Registr. Stafford, presented June 2d. * Sepulchral Mon. C nor nor does it appear that bishop Waynflete was ever preferred in that diocese. SECT. III. THE bishop of Winchester was now Henry Beaufort, uncle and some time preceptor of king Henry VI., who had been translated from Lincoln to this see on the vacancy made in 1404 by bishop Wykeham'. From him Waynflete received the only ecclesiastical preferment he ever enjoyed, or that has been hitherto discovered with certainty, excepting Skendleby, if he was indeed vicar there, and his bishopric. Upon the hill about a mile east of the city of Winchester were lately to be seen the ruins of an hospital dedicated to the blessed Mary Magdalen, the patroness of lepers, and of the numerous buildings in England once appropriated, as this was principally, to their reception. By whom it was erected and endowed is not known, but it subsisted before the time of king Edward I. It was designed for one priest, who was master or governor, and for nine poor men and women, called the brethren and sisters, " to remain there Anglia S. vol.i. p. 318. Budden, p. 59. " and " and continue for ever to pray for the souls "of the founders, and all chrysten souls"." It had a chapel, with a chantry. One of the masters, who held a prebend in the cathedral, is mentioned as living in the hospital". It was valued, in the 26th of Hen. VIII., at forty-two pounds sixteen shillings the whole, and at sixteen pounds sixteen shillings and two pence the clear produce. The stipend annexed to the mastership and chantry consisted of four of the larger portions in the hospital, which we have been recently told P would amount at that æra to nine pounds twelve shillings, that is at least to one hundred pounds now. Hist. and Antiq. of Winton, vol. ii. p. 164, 167, 171. Tanner Notit. Mon. p. 168. Bishop Beaufort collated to it in 1409. In the instrument in his Register it is called "Domus eleemosynaria sive Hospitalis "S. M. Magd. et Cantaria in eodem."- "Custodiam sive regi"men hospitalis, et cantariam in eodem, cum quatuor de porcio"nibus majoribus in hospitali predicto, committimus." P Hist. of Winton, vol. ii. p. 171. Bishop Fleetwood (Chronicon Pretiosum) has proved 40s. in the reign of Henry VI. to have been equal to £12 in that of queen Anne. The value of money has continued to fall since his time. It has been calculated that what was equivalent to 12 then, was about sixty years after he wrote become equivalent to £20; and this proportion must be now increased. See Blackstone Comment. A freehold of forty shillings a-year would furnish with proper Industry all the necessaries of life, & Hen. VI. |