RELIGIOUS HOUSES In 1409 Alexander Thelyk, the master, ob- tained the sanction of Pope Gregory XII to appropriate to the mastership, to be held in con- junction with it, one other benefice with cure of souls ; but on condition that in that event he was not to receive his stipend of 50J. over and above the benefit of the church of Rushworth. The petition to the pope set forth that it had been the intention of the founder to endow this college (for a master and five chaplains) much better, but that he had died before this could be accomplished, and that the master had to dis- charge much hospitality as the college was near a great road. The bishop of Norwich's assent being given, Alexander was presented, in 1414, to the rectory of Larling by the fellows, and held it with the mastership till his death. This arrangement, however, broke down ; for, though the fellows of the college of Rushworth continued to present to the rectory of Larling until their dissolution, no subsequent master was appointed thereto. In 1387 Richard II granted licence to the college for a further endowment up to the annual value of forty marks ; and on i July, 1389, leave was given to Anne, wife of the late Sir Robert Wingfield, Sir John Hevenyngham, Sir William Calthorp, William Berdwell, and Henry Spelman, to assign the manors of Rushworth and Larling, of the annual value of j^22, in part satisfaction of the forty marks.' In 1485 Lady Anne Wingfield, heiress of Gonville, who died in i 500, re-settled the manors of Rushworth and Larling on the college, with further augmentation of the endowment, for her soul's health and that of her three husbands.'^ Two chantry priests or additional fellows were appointed, to be termed Dame Anne's priests, to sing ' for the wele of her soule, and her husbandes, and anncestres, and kynnesfolkes soules, and for all those for whiche she was mooste specially bounden to pray.' By indenture of 1490 with this benefactress the master and fellows were bound to support five children, called Dame Anne's children, to be nominated in turns by the master and fellows. Their duty was to wait on the fellows, for which they were to be taught the service of God in the church. These five chil- dren, who lived in the college, and eight other poor children, were to be taught by one of the two chantry priests, who was always to be ' well studyd and lernyd in gramer.' As each child came to the age of eighteen he was to be removed and another appointed. An indenture of 1 501, by the executors of ' Dame Anne Lady Scrop,' ' Pat. 13 Ric. II, pt. ii, m. 19. ' Anne de Herling, daughter and heiress of Sir Robert de Herling by Joan, daughter and heiress of John Gonville, was married three times ; firstly, to Sir William Chamberlain ; secondly, to Sir Robert Wingfield ; and, thirdly, to John Lord Scroop of Bolton. increased the children in the college from five to seven. By his will of 1492, William Halliday, the senior fellow, left certain lands to the college to keep the south porch of the church in repair. He also gave a good stone house in Rushworth to the college to be used as a gildhall (for the gild of St. John Baptist) or as a hostelry for guests when there was not room for them at any time in the college. George Windham, last master, and five chap- lains or fellows, subscribed to the royal supremacy on 25 August, 1534.' According to the Valor of the following year the rectory of Rushworth was worth 1 09;. lo^d. a year, and the manors of Rushworth, Bretten- ham, Larling, and Elveden (Suffolk), ;^84 9;. i^d. The clear annual value of the college was
- ^85 15J. o^d. Among the outgoings was the
sum of J IS. 8d. for the feeding and clothing of seven boys (Dame Anne's), and 20s. as stipend for the priest who instructed them. George Windham, the last master, was arch- deacon of Norwich from 1528 until his death in 1543, and was also precentor of St. Paul's, London, from 1531 to 1543. The college was surrendered on 6 December, 1541, by Windham and three of the fellows,^ and the whole possessions were at once granted to Henry, earl of Surrey.' Masters of Rushworth College '^ John Gadwyt Nicholas de Wrotham, 1349 Hugh Herbert, 1351 Thomas de Wattone, 1354 Thomas Heyward, 1364 Thomas Le Mey, 1371 Robert de Asschele, 1374 Robert de Wortham, 1376 Robert Carter, 138 1 Alexander Thelyk, 1385 Edmund Cooper, 1 42 1 Thomas Sygo, 1436 Robert Crask, 1443 John Wurlych, 1443 Edmund Coupere, 1444 Ralph Beauford, 1446 Lawrence Gerard, 1450 Henry Costesey, 1472' John Bulman, 1483 John Brennys, 1508 John Purfett Edward Anson, 1526 George Windham, 1529 ' De/i. Keeper's Rep. vii, App. 2, p. 104.
- Ibid, viii, App. 2, p. 39.
' Pat. Hen. VIII, pt. vii, m. 3.
- The following is the list of masters given by Dr.
Bennet, checked in most cases and slightly corrected by the episcopal registers. ' Henry Costesey was elected master of Gonville Hall, Cambridge, in 1475. 459
