EMINENT ETONIANS. CHAPTER I. THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. The Founder-The Original Charter-State of Learning in England-The first BuildingsThe Charter, Statutes, and College Arms-First Members of the College take Possession -Life of King Henry the Sixth-William Waynflete-Archbishop RotherhamBishop West, Judge Conyngsby, &c. —Collegers and Oppidans-Master Paston at Eton -His Latin Verses, and his Letter to his Brother-Eton's Peril under Edward the Fourth-Saved by Provost Westbury-Was Henry the Seventh an Etonian ? FEW NEW periods of English history are so little inviting to a thoughtless reader as the reign of King Henry the Sixth. The first portion of it presents to our notice a series of defeats and humiliations abroad; the latter part supplies the confused narrative of a savage civil war at home. Yet, the personal character of the sovereign, whose reign was thus troubled and calamitous, is well deserving the attentive study of all, who esteem goodness more than greatness. And, when wearied with the ever recurring features of the rabble of crowned conquerors who fill so large a space in every historian's pages, the mind may gladly repose in the contemplation of the meek and much-suffering Henry of Windsor. He was the truest Christian gentleman that ever sat upon a throne. His way of life was neither sullied by cruelty, nor polluted by vice, nor debased by meanness. He bore without arrogance, and without repining, the extremes of good and evil fortune. He loved religion, wisdom, and mercy, with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his strength. He devoted himself earnestly and reverently to the high and princely task of diffusing the blessings of education among those who sometimes were his subjects, but whom he always cherished as his fellow-countrymen and his fellow-Christians. B The fact that Henry the Sixth was the founder of Eton College, is of itself, if carefully considered, sufficient to make his reign an epoch of national interest, not only to Etonians, who gratefully revere the "Piam Memoriam," but to all who bear in mind the influence which this great public school has exercised over the hundreds and thousands of Englishmen, whose education was received within her walls. For four centuries Eton has given this country a bright and unfailing supply of "men duly qualified to serve God in Church and State." She has for four centuries been the nursing mother and the shelter of statesmen, generals, philosophers, poets, orators, judges, and divines; of Пpoμaxo in every struggle for intellectual eminence, and in all the nobler conflicts of active life. I may be permitted to hope that the following recapitulation of the most distinguished of those who have received their education, or borne office within her walls, may serve as some slight memorial of honour to Eton. At any rate it will be a mark of one Etonian's grateful recollections. Our Royal Founder was born on the 6th of December, A.D. 1421. The 6th of December is the Saint's day of St. Nicholas, which was the cause of Henry's dedicating his Colleges to that Saint, as well as to the Blessed Virgin. On the last day of August, 1422, while yet an infant nine months old, he became, by the death of his father Henry the Fifth, King of England; and the death of Charles the Sixth of France, in the October of the next year, gave Henry the Sixth the title of King of France; the greater part of which country was then actually subject to the English dominion. Henry's childhood and early youth were chiefly passed at Windsor Castle, where he had been born. His uncles, during his infancy, held the regencies of England and France, while the personal care and education of the young king were entrusted to his great uncle, the Bishop of Winchester, better known by his subsequent title of Cardinal Beaufort. The terrific scene which Shakespeare has drawn of the Cardinal's death-bed (though wholly imaginary) has almost inseparably connected his name, in our minds, with the idea of the blackest guilt. But even if we believed the charges brought against him in other respects, we must admit that he fulfilled his duty towards his royal pupil with exemplary fidelity and care. The young king became a ripe and good scholar in all the learning of the age. With the acquisition of knowledge the love of knowledge increased in him; and the wish soon dawned of extending to others the intellectual benefits of which he was himself a partaker. The old chronicler, Hall, in speaking of the causes which led Henry the Sixth to found Eton College and King's College, Cambridge, says of him, "He was of a most liberal mind, and especially to such as loved good learning; and those whom he saw profiting in any virtuous science, he heartily forwarded and embraced." Still stronger in Henry's mind was the desire of marking his gratitude to God by founding and endowing some place of pious instruction and Christian worship. From "the stately brow of Windsor's height" he had often in boyhood gazed on the rich lowlands at its base, through which the Thames "wanders along its silver winding way." There, northward of the Castle on the opposite bank of the river, the little village of Eton, with its humble parish church, met his eye; and the sounds of devotion must often have been wafted thence at matins and at even-song to the ears of the devout king. It was on this spot that he resolved to found one of his intended Colleges; and no sooner had he taken on himself the government of his kingdom than he prepared to carry that resolution into effect. The first charter of foundation of Eton College was granted by Henry on the 11th of October, in the nineteenth year of his life and reign. The commencement of it deserves translation and perusal for the sake of the light which it throws on the primary objects and on the per sonal character of the founder : : " HENRY by the Grace of God, King of England and France and Lord of Ireland, to all to whom these Presents may come, Greeting. "The triumphant Church that reigns on high, whose head is the Eternal Father, and to which hosts of saints minister, while quires of angels sing the glory of its praise, hath appointed as its vicar upon earth the Church militant, which the only-begotten Son of the same God hath so united to himself in the bond of eternal love, that He hath deigned to name her His most beloved Spouse; and in accordance with the dignity of so great a name, He, as a true and most loving Spouse, hath endowed her with gifts of His grace so ample, that she is called and is the mother and the mistress of all who are born again in Christ; and she hath power as a mother over each of them; and all the faithful honour her with filial obedience as a mother and a ruler. And through this worthy consideration sainted princes in bygone time, and most particularly our progenitors, have so studied always to pay to that same most Holy Church the highest honour and devout veneration, that, besides many other glorious works of their virtues, their royal devotion has founded not only in this our kingdom of England, but also in divers foreign regions, hostels, halls, and other pious places, copiously established in affluence of goods and substance. Wherefore we also, who, as the same King of kings, through whom all kings reign, hath ordained, have now taken into our hands the government of both our kingdoms, have from the very commencement of our riper age, turned it in our mind and diligently considered how, or after what fashion, or by what kingly gift suited to the measure of our devotion, and according to the manner of our ancestors, we could do fitting honour to that our same most Holy Lady and Mother, so that He the great Spouse of the Church should also therein be well pleased. And at length, while we thought these things over with inmost meditation, it has become fixed in our heart to found a College in the parish church of Eton, near Wyndesore, not far from the place of our nativity, in honour and in aidance of that our Mother who is so great and so holy. Being unwilling therefore to extinguish so holy an inspiration of our thought, and desiring with our utmost means to please Him, in whose hand are the hearts of all princes, in order that He may the more graciously lighten our heart, so that we may hereafter direct all our royal actions more perfectly according to His good pleasure, and so fight beneath His banner in the present Church, that after serving the Church on earth, we, aided by His grace, may be thought worthy to triumph happily with the Church that is in heaven, We, by virtue of these presents, and with the consent of all interested therein, do found, erect and establish, to endure in all future time, to the praise, glory and honour of Him who suffered on the cross, to the exaltation of the most glorious Virgin Mary his mother, and to the support of the most Holy Church, His Spouse, as aforesaid, a College to be ruled and governed according to the tenor of these presents, consisting of and of the number of one provost and ten priests, four clerks and six chorister boys, who are to serve daily there in the celebration of divine worship, and of twenty-five poor and indigent |