THOMAS BOLEYN.

Thomas Boleyn, seventh master (1454-1472), was a man of considerable social importance. He was a son of Jeffery Boleyn, of Sall, Norfolk; brother of Sir Jeffery, Sheriff and afterwards Lord Mayor of London; and great granduncle of the Queen of Henry VIII. We have no evidence of his having been a member of our college before his appointment as master. He was ordained deacon by the bishop of Ely, March 8, 1420-1; and priest by the bishop of Norwich in 1421, at which time he was a fellow of Trinity Hall. On May 7, 1434, he received the King's letters of protection for half a year, being then about to accompany Edmund Beaufort (father of Henry VII.) to the Council of Basle. He was rector of Hackford, Norfolk, 1436-7; prebendary of Hereford, 1441-7; prebendary of Wells, 1450-1, and sub-dean, 1451-71; and perhaps master of the college at Maidstone, 1458. He was one of the framers of the statutes of Queens' College (v. Searle, pp. 28, 35-he identifies him, I think wrongly, with the rector of Chelsea and prebendary of St Paul's, who appears to have died in 1451. See Hennessey's Novum Repertorium, p. 45). He probably died in 1471 or 1472, but his will has not been found.

He was the donor of one of the windows in the old dining-hall, viz. the first towards the east, facing the court.

In 1463 the first important addition to the volumes in the library was made by John Beverly, who gave no less than 15 books, valued at £40.

In 1472 Geoffrey Champney, former fellow, gave MSS. to the library and 40s. 'for the repair of the library or hall.' Perhaps the window mentioned as his gift was provided by this.

The following Pedigree will show Boleyn's family connections.

EDMUND SHERIFFE.

Edmund Sheriffe, eighth master (1472-1475), first appears as a prebendary of Lincoln Cathedral in 1458. Whether he had been a member of the college' before his election as master, and when and where he was ordained, I have not succeeded in determining. He was rector of Little Billing, Northants, 1461-71; and archdeacon of Stow, Lincs., 1471-77 (?).

Almost immediately after his election as master he began the work by which we have most reason to remember him, viz. the compiling of his Register or Evidences. This is a volume of transcripts of deeds, charters, &c., concerning our foundation; not a few of which have been lost since his time. Dr Caius depended largely upon this collection in composing his Annals, and it is probably to his care that we owe the preservation of it. On the first page is the entry 'Johannes Caius hunc librum vetustate dissolutum et neglectum colligari fecit cura sua atque refici, in vetustatis memoriam et futuri temporis exemplum, anno Dni 1564, mense Augusto.' Caius entered the college not much more than 50 years after Sheriffe's death, so it is possible that traditions of his rule may have reached the ear of our second founder. He describes him as 'custos probus et frugi vir.'

Dr Caius tells a curious story about the appointment of Sheriffe [he has apparently taken it directly from a note (not contemporary) at p. 192 of our earliest Computus book]. He says that Laurence Booth, LL.B., and afterwards bishop of Exeter, 'made no slight disturbance at Sheriffe's election, by striving for the mastership. He also most disgracefully made away with the best cup and the best piece of silver plate, together with as much money as he could scrape together.' It does not seem possible that either Laurence Booth or his brother John can have acted thus. It was John who was bishop of Exeter, and he had already been there seven years in 1472; whilst Laurence had then been fifteen years bishop of Durham. Each of them had already been chancellor of the University. Moreover neither of them had any connection with our college, so far as is known, or could therefore have indulged in plunder. There is so evidently some mistake in the account that it would not be recalled here but for the fact of its having been more than once published: e.g. in Mr Riley's report of the MSS. at Cambridge (App. to 2nd Report, 1871: he notices some of the discrepancies); and in Mullinger's History (1. p. 424), who draws a serious moral from it as to the risks of defalcation at the time".

He seems to have been in Cambridge in 1463, as Master Edmund Sheryff, chaplain, of Cambridge," obtained a pardon at Westminster for not appearing to answer Thomas Fordham touching a debt of 40s., Oct. 26, 1463 (Cal. of Pat. Rolls).

2 By an oversight he calls Booth Master of Gonville Hall.

HENRY COSTESSEY.

Henry Cossey, or Costessey,-doubtless so called from the name of his birthplace, near Norwich, was ninth master of the college, from 1475 to 1483. As in the case of one or two of his predecessors, we have no evidence of his having been connected with our college before he was chosen as master. He is of special interest in connection with Gonville's two principal foundations, as being the solitary known personal link between the colleges at Rushworth and Cambridge. He was probably born about the year 1418, as he was ordained deacon by the bishop of Norwich March 11, 1440-1; and priest April 14, 1441. His title for ordination was supplied by the hospital of St Giles, Norwich; but this (Vol. 1. 6) is no evidence whatever of his having been a member of that foundaHe became rector of Banham, Norf., 1452; of Bixton, 1472; and of Wilby, 1476; holding these livings until his death in 1483. He was appointed master of Rushworth College, on the election of the brethren, Feb. 27, 1471-2; and probably resided as much there as in Cambridge. A deed executed by him, in our Treasury, is dated at Rushworth, June 24, 1482. He died July 20, 1483; holding, at the time, the two masterships.

tion.

His rule in our college is marked by some important additions to the buildings, due to his own liberality and to his influence with wealthy Norwich citizens. Two separate donations seem to have been made during his lifetime. The first of these, probably in 1475, was for 240 marks (£160); he was associated in this with two Norwich aldermen, John Droll and Richard Brown. The second, in 1481, was made by Costessey, John Awbry, alderman of Norwich, and John Owdolf, clerk. By this £200 was given to the behoof and building of the college.' According to an early endorsement on the latter of these deeds the money was spent in building the north and south parts of Physwick Hostel (on the opposite side of the present Trinity Lane); the walls of the college gardens, the stable and fuel house (on the site of the present hall and kitchen); as also the hangings (picta vestimenta) of the hall and of the master's chambers, and linen cloths, &c., for the college table.

The college, in gratitude for these gifts, established an obit in his memory, with a mass of requiem, on the eve of the 11,000 virgins (i.e. on Oct. 21).

A bull (v. Appendix) was issued by Sixtus IV., June 1, 1481, allowing the monks of the Benedictine Priory of Norwich to study in Gonville Hall and Trinity Hall. This is supposed to restore the original directions of Bateman which had been set aside by Benedict XII. in favour of 'some other college,' i.e. of Buckingham College (now Magdalene), which was established for the Benedictines of England about 1428 (v. Willis-Clark, 1. xlix.). A reference to our early admissions will show that advantage was soon taken of this privilege.

The first important illustration of actual organic growth in the college occurred about this time by the foundation of a fellowship by Stephen Smith; who thus started the long roll of additional endowments which has gone on to our own day (see under Endowments).

JOHN BARLY.

John Barly, tenth master (1483-1504), was apparently a member of the college from the first. He graduated B.A. 1460-1; M.A. 1465-6; and D.D. 1475. He was rector of Barningham Winter, Norf., 1459-66; vicar of Mattishall, 1466–79; rector of Winterton, 1479; and rector of St Michael's Coslany, Norwich, 1501. The two latter he held till his death in 1504. He was a fellow of the college from 1466; presumably till his election to the mastership. During the last three years of his life he appears to have resided mostly at his rectory in Norwich, where he "rebuilt the parsonage house from the ground, wainscotted the chambers, glazed the windows, and gave to it much household stuff and many books (Brady MS. 707). The inventory is in our Treasury (x. 1. aa).

At Norwich he was evidently a personal friend of Robert Thorpe, the wealthy and generous Norwich merchant and alderman, who built the beautiful Lady Chapel of St Michael's Coslany, and founded a chantry there. Agnes, Robert Thorpe's widow, refers to Dr Barly in her will (P.C.C. 1503) as her 'curate,' in reference apparently to his holding the living of St Michael's. She appoints him supervisor of her will, and leaves him a small sum "for his laboure at the Dirige and my buriall."

The period of Barly's mastership was one of considerable advance in respect of both the buildings and the endowments of the college. These were very largely due to the generosity of one benevolent lady,--Elizabeth, then widow of Robert Clere (see under Endowments), -to whom Dr Caius refers, "hujus collegii mater atque nutrix prope dixerim." She completed the quadrangle of our Gonville Court, by building, mainly at her own charge and at a cost of £133. 6s. 8d. (Annals),— the east side, which had hitherto been left open. Barly himself contributed £55 towards completing the walls enclosing the college grounds.

The addition to the endowments was also very considerable, no less than three fellowships, and one scholarship, having been founded during this period. The fellowships were those of Elizabeth Clere (above), 1487; Lady Ann Scroop (died 1498); and Thomas Willows (1501). The scholarship was that of Willows (1501).

Two papal bulls were obtained in favour of the college, on one of which R. Parker (Skeletos) founds the conclusion that Gonville Hall was especially favoured by the popes, apparently out of honour to the memory of Bateman. The first of these was a licence concerning the chapel, dated May 25, 1500, which extends to Physwick Hostel the licence granted to Gonville Hall in 1393 by Boniface IX., permitting the students to attend service in the college chapel (see Appendix). The second is of considerable interest, as it does look like a special mark of favour. It is well known that Alexander VI., in 1503, licensed the University to send out annually twelve preachers into any diocese in the country (v. Cooper, Ann. 1. 260); but it does not seem to have been noticed that, about the same time, a special licence was granted to our college to send out two such preachers. I have given the document in full in the Appendix.

This may have been the outcome of the affection towards the college which Parker supposes to have been felt at Rome, but it looks more as if it were due to the private influence of one of the fellows. The Thomas Cabold to whom Cooper largely attributes the general licence, and who is referred to in our licence as eximius et magnificus vir, utriusque juris doctor, et in Basilica...papæ prefati primarius ordinarius,' and who signs (see under) as 'pro Anglis, Scotis, et Hibernicis, penitentiarius ordinarius,' was at that time a fellow of the college, and on a visit to Rome. As the licence is dated at the office of the Penitentiary, it certainly looks as if Cabold had secured this special favour for his own college. The third of these papal communications, of about the same date, is also of interest. Appeals to the visitors, and to the chancellor, are common enough in the history of colleges; but an appeal to the pope for the interpretation of a statute is, I think, very rare, especially at so late a date as this; in fact I cannot find evidence of any other. And the point to be decided here seems such a trifling one to send so far afield for a judgment. The enquiry was merely whether the statute of Bateman, which required the fellows to hold disputations three times a week in term time, was satisfied if they did this, not in person but through students of the college (per discipulos). This, they say, had always been their custom. In his reply (v. Appendix), dated Sept. 24, 1502, the pope gives his sanction to this practice. As Thomas Cabold is one of those who endorse the judgment, I cannot but think that occasion was taken of his presence at Rome, and of his dignified office there, to obtain a judgment which would not otherwise have been sought for.

No domestic event of importance seems to have happened beyond the occurrence of one of those numerous fires,-Fuller, in a well-known passage, has humorously expressed his wonder that they were not much more frequent,in 1498. There is an entry in the University accounts of 21d. "for wine and ale when the fire was at Gunwell Hall, spent by Mr Vicechancellor "-refreshment probably for those engaged in putting it out.

Barly's will, dated June 14, 1504, was proved (P.C.C.) Feb. 16, 1504-5. He desires to be buried in the chancel of St Michael's Coslany. The wills of his father, mother, and brother William (Vol. 1. 13) to be duly carried out. He leaves £10 to the parish church of Winterton; £5 to that of Somerton. Also 40s. for repairing the pavement towards St Michael's Coslany, 'vulgariter nuncupatum the Cokyhede.' The residue of his property to be laid out for the good of his own soul, and for the souls of his father, mother, and brothers. Executors: his brother Thomas, Edmund Stubb (Vol. 1. 12), Stephen Stalon, and Walter Stubb (1. 22).

About now, perhaps in consequence of the papal bull mentioned above, the presence of monks as pensioners in college becomes noticeable. In fact, from this date until the suppression of the monasteries, they form an important constituent element amongst the resident students.