are selected by the mayor and aldermen, and the master is allowed to take sixty pay scholars. Two foundations at Cambridge, in connexion with this school, were founded by Robert Lewis, in 1620, for which he left £100., which the master and fellows of St. John's College, Cambridge, paid to the corporation on condition of their paying an annuity of £7. towards the maintenance of a free scholar from this school. Ambrose Gilbert left property to found a fellowship and a scholarship, for the benefit of first, the Gilberts, then the Forkingtons, then Colchester school, lastly Orsett and Essex. In the foundation of four scholarships by R. Scrivener, this school is named.

The Blue Coat School, as it is called, for children of the church of England, was instituted in 1808 and 1809, by a subscription, and is still partly maintained by the same means; but it has from time to time acquired endowments and received legacies, the latter of which have been in many cases invested. In particular, William Naggs, in 1747 gave an estate of 26a. 2r. 23p. at Wickham St. Pauls, to educate and clothe four boys, and apprentice two annually; Sarah Edwards, in 1770, left £500 to clothe and maintain one boy and one girl; and Edward Snell, in 1786, left £240 for apprenticing poor boys. The income of the charity is £100. The children are educated in the National schools, with which the institution was connected in 1812, but they are clothed, and several are annually apprenticed. New schools are about to be erected.

Winsley's almshouses, in the Fingrinhoe-road, consisting of 18 tenements and a chapel, were founded by Alderman Arthur Winsley, by his will dated 1726, and endowed with Brick-house farm, Colchester, and Bocking-hall farm, in West Mersea. Brick-house farm was sold for barracks in 1805, and Barn-hall farm was purchased. The original number of almshouses was twelve, but by a decree of Chancery they have been increased to eighteen; the number of inmates, mostly decayed tradesmen, farmers, &c., or their daughters and wives, is 22, each of whom receives 6s. a week and coals. Kendall's almshouses may be called an offshoot of Winsley's, John Kendall, a benevolent quaker, and his wife, having originally founded them in 1791, for the widows of men who had dwelt in Winsley's, and who on the death of their husbands were compelled to quit. There have since been various benefactions and bequests. In 1804 the number of apartments was doubled, and they now consist of comfortable homes for 16 alms-women, who have 3s. a week each, and a chaldron of coals. The late Alderman Wire has bequeathed £500. to establish two additional houses.

Winnock's almshouses, in the same road, were erected by John Winnock, a baymaker, during his lifetime, about 1679, for six "ancient and orderly poor persons, who receive no alms or collection from any parish whatsoever." He endowed them with a rent-charge; and the ownership of the property afterwards came to the trustees. The institution has been increased by various gifts and bequests, and the number of inmates is now 16, the widows of decayed tradesmen, who receive a stipend of 3s. a week and coals. The Hospital of St. Mary Magdalene is properly an almshouse. It was originally founded for lepers in the reign of Henry I.; fell to the crown at the Reformation; and was re-founded by James I. for a master and five poor persons-the master to have the cure of souls of the parishioners. The hospital became dilapidated; and about 30

632

THE PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF ESSEX.

years ago a range of six new alms-houses was built on the site: the houses are occupied by widows, who have 52s. a year each and fagots; and the remainder of the proceeds of the property, which is considerable, goes to the master, as incumbent of the parish.

Once in 24 years the corporation receives £104. under the will of Sir Thomas White, who in 1556 left £2,000. to the corporation of Bristol to purchase an estate, and from the proceeds to pay £104. to 24 towns in annual succession-£100. of it to be lent in sums of from £25. to £100. to young free-men of honest fame, without interest, for ten years, and the £4. goes to the trustees. The fund now amounts to £475. which is applied according to the directions of the donor.-J.Daniel, in 1695, left a £10. rent-charge out of Hanging-pond field, to be applied, £3. to St. Peter, £3. to St. Giles, £2. to St. Botolph, and £2. to St. Mary-at-the-Walls, in the distribution of coals. St. Botolph and St. Giles have each £2. 12s. out of a farm at Goldhanger, left by an unknown donor.

In St. James's the poor have the dividends of £125. stock, left by Elizabeth Jacob, in 1801; and the dividends of £151. from a bequest of Susannah Hammant, in 1826.

In St. Leonard's, an acre of land from an unknown donor.

In All Saints', the dividends of £100. stock, left by William Goodwin, in 1828, for the repair of his tomb and the poor.

In St. Peter's, the dividends of £82. 15s. 2d. stock, left for the poor by John Moore, in 1809; and the dividends of £166. 13s. 4d., left by John Mills, in 1822.

In Lexden, a rent-charge of £5. 4s. left by Sir J. Swinnerton, in 1616, out of Chitts Hill farm, for distribution in bread; and £2. 10s. from Love's charity (before noticed).

In St. Nicholas are eight almshouses, occupied by widows, who receive 28. per week. There were originally four, founded in 1552, by Ralph Fynche, a brewer, who endowed them with a rent-charge of £6. 68. 8d. for "impotent and poore inhabitants, men or women, dwelling in the parish of St. Nicholas, and being of good name and fame." Legacies were subsequently received from Henry Dobby and Charles Great. About 25 years ago, in consequence of the receipt of £1,000. under the will of William Goodwin, the houses were rebuilt and increased to eight. William Goodwin had previously left the dividends of £262. 10s. stock to increase the stipends of the almspeople. John Pryor, also, in 1800, left the dividends of £500. stock, and the interest of £250., a part to be applied to these almshouses, a part to the minister of the Wesleyan chapel in Culver-street, for the distri bution of bread and other purposes.-The poor have also a rentcharge of 40s. left by George Wegg, in 1745.

In Holy Trinity parish there are ten of the almshouses, of which there are several in Colchester, said to have never been endowed, or if so, the endowment is now undiscoverable. These were built in Eld-lane, by Lady Darcy, who lived here in the time of Charles I. The parish has five acres of land; and the poor have a rent-charge of £3. left by Lady Creffield, in 1734.

END OF THE HISTORY OF THE BOROUGHS.

Prior to the 9th of Elizabeth the Sheriffs acted both for Essex and Herts. In that year a Sheriff was first appointed for Essex alone; but few of the present living families appear in the old list. In the 14th of that reign we find Sir Thos. Mildmay, Knight, of Moulsham, filled that office; 17th, Sir John Petre, of Writtle and Ingatestone; 35th, Humfrey Mildmay, Esq., of Danbury; 39th, Thomas Mildmay, Esq., of Moulsham.

James I.-1st, Sir Henry Maynard, Knight, of Little Easton; 13th, William Smijth, Esq., of Theydon Mount.

Charles I.-4th, Henry Mildmay, Esq., of Woodham Walter.

Charles II.—4th, Sir Thomas Abdy, Bart., of Kelvedon; 8th, John Sparrow,
Esq., of Great Maplestead; 16th, Sir Thomas Smijth, Bart., of Theydon
Mount; 19th, Stephen Soame, Esq., of Haydon; 32nd, Richard Barrett, Esq.
of Belhus: 33rd, Sir Edmund Smijth, Bart., of Hill Hall.
William and Mary.-2nd, John La Mott Honywood, Esq., of Marks Hall;
7th, Edward Bullock, Esq., of Faulk borne Hall; 11th, Samuel Wake, Esq.,
Anne.-2nd, Edward Bullock, Esq., of Faulkbourne; 5th, Dacre Barrett-
Lennard, Esq., of Belhus; 12th, Carew H. Mildmay, Esq., of Marks.
George II.—7th, Champion Branfill, Esq., of Upminster; 15th, O. Beauvoir,
Esq., of Downham; 17th, Thomas Ashhurst, Esq., of Hedingham Castle;
18th, Peter Du Cane, Esq., of Great Coggeshall: 20th, Nicholas Corsellis,
Esq., of Wyvenhoe; 23rd, John Tyrell, Esq., of Herongate; 31st, John
Henniker, Esq., of Dunmow; 33rd, Thomas Tower, Esq., of South Weald.
George III.-1st, Sir Charles Smyth, Bart., of Theydon; 4th, John Wilkes,
Esq., of Wenden Lofts; 5th, Sir William Mildmay, Bart.

The following have been Sheriffs during the present century :

1800. George Lee, Esq.

1801. John Archer Houblon, Esq.
1802. Robert Raikes, Esq.
1803. Stephen Fryer Gillum, Esq.
1804. William Palmer, Esq.
1805. James Reed, Esq.
1806. James Urmston, Esq.
1807. William Matthew Raikes, Esq.
1808. John Coggan, Esq., Wanstead
1809. J. R. Abdy, Esq.
1810. John Rigg, Esq.

|1832. J. T. Selwin, Esq., Down Hall, 1833. R. Birch Wolfe, Esq., Wood Hall 1834. J. Round, Esq., Danbury Park 1835. G. W. Gent, Esq., Moyns Park 1836. Wm. Whitaker Maitland, Esq. 1837. J. Bullock, Esq., Faulkbourne 1838. William Cotton, Esq., Walwoods 1839. J. F. Mills, Esq., Lexden Park 1810. C. T. Tower, Esq., Weald Hall 1841. John Archer Houblon, Esq. 1842. J.F.Fortescue, Esq. WrittleLodge 1811. Charles Smith, Esq., Suttons 1843. H. J. Conyers, Fq., Copt Hall 1812. Sir Robert Wigram, Bart. 1844. S. B. Brocket, Esq., Spains Hall 1813. R. J. Brassey, Esq., Great Ilford 1845. George Round, Esq., Colchester 1814. Robert Wilson, Esq.,Woodhouse 1846. J. H.Whiteman, Esq., the Grove 1815. L. Walford, Esq., Little Bardfield 1847. W.C. Marsh, Esq., Gaynes Park 1816. Nicholas Pearse, Esq., Loughton 1848. B. B. Colvin, Esq., Manghams 1817. John Hall, Esq., Woodford 1849. Onley Savill Onley, Esq., Stisted 1818. John T. Daubuz, Esq., Leyton 1850. T. B. Western, Esq., Felix Hall 1819. John Wilkes, Esq., Wenden Lofts 1851. W.P.Honywood, Esq., Marks H. 1820. Sir T. Neave, Bart., Dagnam Park 1852. Sir C. C. Smith, Bart., Suttons 1821. R. Westley Hall, Esq., Ilford 1853. J. G. Rebow, Esq., Wyvenhoe 1822. SirG.H.Smyth, Bart., Berechurch 1854. Thos. White, Esq., Wethersfield 1823. J. Joliffe Tufnell, Esq., Langleys 1855. J.Watlington Perry Watlington, 1824. Nathariel Garland, Esq., Ramsey Esq., Moor Hall

1825. P. Du Cane, Esq., Braxted Lodge 1856. Robert Hills, Esq., Colne Park 1826. F. Nassau, Esq., St. Osyth Priory 1857. J. F.Wright, Esq., Kelvedon Hall 1827. SirJ.Tyrell, Bart., Boreham House 1858. O.Hanbury, Esq., Holfield Grange 1828. Sir C. J. Smith, Bart., Suttons 1859. C. Russell, Esq., Upminster Hall 1829. Brise Pearse, Esq., Monkhams 1830. Capel Cure, Esq., Blake Hall 1831. William Davis, Esq., Leyton

1860. G. H. Errington, Esq., Colchester 1861. George Alan Lowndes, Esq., Barrington Hall