by Morant, and make interesting reading. Perhaps the most significant in view of the School's status, is that (item 10) making provision for 16 free scholars, which ordered that the Schoolmaster, "shall have most care to instruct and profit the same free Scholars, and to preferr them in places and formes in the Schoole according to their capacitys and learning." There were to be 60 scholars in all, and if that number should happen to be exceeded the necessary adjustment was to be made at the cost of paying scholars and not of foundation scholars. The master was to be "of a sound and good religion," and was to lead the scholars in lengthy prayers daily, to conduct them to church every Sunday, "and on the Monday morning following to examine (them) how they have profited by the Sermon" (item 3). Mr. Nowell's Catechism was to be read each week, and examinations in it held. This continued until 1844 (Lib. Sch. Col.). The hours were long, from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. and from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. In winter, and starting at 6 a.m. in summer (March 1st to October 20th); and during these hours all such scholars as were "reasonably able" were to speak only in Latin or Greek. There were "monitors," bearing a terrible responsibility, for they were charged "to find fault, if any false Latin shall be spoken, and to correct the said false Latin spoken by their fellows." The schoolmaster was to be assisted by an usher of his own appointment.
Watson held his post as master for little more than a year longer, and then was succeeded by Samuel Harsnett, a Colcestrian, who later became Archbishop of York. Harsnett was born in St. Botolph's Parish in 1561, and probably was educated at the School. He came in 1587 to take the post of master with very weighty recommendations, but followed "the painful trade of teaching" only for a year and a half, when he returned to Cambridge. He became successively Bishop of Chichester (1609) and of Norwich (1619), his further preferment being arrested owing to his unpopularity with the Puritan sect. In 1628, however, he was promoted to the see of York, an appointment which he retained till his death in 1631. He is buried in Chigwell Church, where he had been vicar (1597-1605), and where there is a magnificant brass over his tomb.
Of the next master, Bentley, Morant says that it was "impossible for any man to have ampler testimonials, or greater recommendations than he had," but we know nothing of the School's life under his rule. His successor, Kemp, was master for almost 40 years, and at his death left the nucleus of a school library, to which later additions were made. In 1620 the Borough Chamberlain paid, as appears from the Corporation Accounts:
" to Mr. Kemp for three books, videlicet,
A Cooper's Dixonary 0 14 0 Ride's Dixonary 0 8 6 Nomen Claters 0 3 8for carredge of them from London, 6d."
