Shropshire Routes to Roots - Shropshire places - Wem
by Samuel Garbet
The orders and statutes prescribed, appointed, agreed, and concluded by the worshipful Thomas Adams, esq. late lord mayor of the city of London, and alderman, founder, and others the benefactors of the free school, in Wem, in the county of Salop, to be by the trustees, governors, and feoffees, and schoolmasters kept, and observed for ever, for the due ordering, and governing of the said school, March 4th, 1650.
It is ordered, and concluded, that the persons hereinafter named, that is to say, Rowland Hill, esq. Edward Astley, Thomas Barnes, the elder, Thomas Barnes, the younger, Richard Jebb, Thomas Jebb, John Adams, Samuel Smith, Thomas Lovekin, Richard Higginson, Richard Menlove, John Cartwright, John Sherrat, Robert Wilkinson, and Thos. Acherley, inhabitants within the parish of Wem aforesaid, being the full number of fifteen shall be enfeoffed of the lands, profits, and hereditiments, appertaining to the free schools, to them, their heirs, and assigns, upon trust and confidence, and to the intent, that they, their heirs, and assigns shall duly, and truly employ the issues and profits of the said lands, and premises, to and for the use of the said school, and encouragement of the masters thereof, and also perform these statutes, and articles following, which statutes, and articles are by the said founder, declared and committed unto the said trustees, willing and requiring, and with their mutual assent, charging them, their heirs, and assigns, who shall succeed them in the said trust from henceforth for ever hereafter, duly, truly, and effectually, to execute, perform, fulfil, and observe the same in every branch, clause, sentence, and meaning to the best of their skill and understanding; as they, and every of them shall answer, and yield an account at the day of judgement before almighty God, when he shall, and will with justice and equity, reward or punish the observance, or breach of such godly confidence and trust, with joy and pain, as the case shall require.
It is concluded, and agreed by the authority aforesaid, that the said free school at Wem shall be free for all men's children within the parish of Wem aforesaid, except of those parents, and their heirs, who being of ability, have not contributed towards the advancement of the said school; and except those persons and their heirs, who have promised any sum, or sums of money towards raising of a competent and comfortable maintainance for the masters of the said school, and do not pay in their promised, or subscribed sums at, or before the 26th day of March next, which shall be in the year 1651, to Mr. Samuel Smith, or Mr. Thomas Jebb, treasurers appointed for that purpose.
For the better knowledge of benefactors to the said school, and for the exciting of others to follow their laudable example in so pious a work, it is concluded that the names of all benefactors, with their several sums, places of abode, and titles, shall together, with these statutes, be fairly written, and set, or hanged up in a large frame in the said school, there to continue for ever, and for the better preservation, and observation of these things, it is farther agreed, that the benefactors' names, sums, titles, and places of abode, together with the statutes and other writings concerning the said school, shall be ingrossed in a fair large paper book, to be kept by the ministers and church wardens of the parish of Wem, together with the trustees and head masters of the said school; in the church of Wem, or any other place within the parish by them agreed upon; provided it be a chest or coffer, with four keys, to be kept one by the minister, one by the church wardens, one by the said master of the said school, and another by the trustees, which book is to be delivered by the person entrusted, at any meeting in the parish, if thereunto lawfully required.
The parent, or friend bringing any child to be admitted to the said school, shall present the said scholar to the master, and pay for his admission, 1s. 6d. at least, out of which, the head master shall give 6d. to the master of that school, into which the scholar is to be entered. And at the time of the ad mission, these statutes are to be read, or the sum thereof declared to the child's parent, or friend, that he, or they may promise his, or their care, so much as in him, or them lieth, for the observing thereof, and without such a promise, none shall be admitted.
The scholars that live within the town of Wem, and the under schoolmasters shall repair to school from the 25th March, to 29th September, by six of the clock in the morning; those in the several villages remote from the town, by seven at the farthest, at which time the head master shall also be there, From the 29th of September, to the 25th of March, those in the town of Wem, and the under masters shall be in school by seven o'clock, those in the villages, by eight, at which time the head master shall likewise be present. Their departure to dinner shall be at eleven, their return at one; and their departure in the afternoon shall be at five; unless the master shall think fit to permit those that come from the farthest villages, to depart sooner, because of the darkness of the season. The bell shall be rang both morning and afternoon, for them that reside in the town, to come to school.
For due observation of the schoolmasters in school time, they shall not be absent from their charge, if they be in health, the head master not above twenty days in one year, the under schoolmaster not above fifteen days in one year, at one, or several times without the consent of the trustees, or the greater part of them. Provided always that there be but one absent at a time. And if any urgent occasion, or cause, as sickness, shall inforce them to be absent, they shall cause their places to be supplied by sufficient deputies in their respective absences.
The head masters may grant the scholars leave to play one day in a fortnight, that is to say, twenty six whole days in the year; provided the masters do not let them play two whole days in one week. If any parishioner shell obtain leave of the master for the scholars to play, he shall give the master for the benefit of the school, 1s. and if a foreigner, 2s. The master is to give an account of the play-days, and the obtainers of them to the treasurer, which treasurer is to be one of the feoffees; and is to be elected at Easter, and to continue for one year, and then to give an account of his receipts and disbursements, unto time others of the feoffees, or the major part of them.
The school shall break up a week before the nativity of Christ, and on the Wednesday before Easter, and Whitsuntide; and the scholars are to return to school the 7th of January, unless it be on a Friday, or Saturday, and if it be then on the Monday following, and on the Monday after Easter and Whitsun-week.
Every morning at the repairing to school, prayer shall be used, and some part of the canonical scripture read, and in the evening in like-manner; and a psalm sung whenever the master shall think fit. And every scholar shall have bible, that all may receive benefit by these christian exercises.
The master shall one day in every week, catechise the scholars in the principles of the christian religion. The day is to be referred to the master's discretion.
For the keeping of the school, and the entrance thereof sweet and clean, every scholar shall pay a penny per quarter, to the master, who shall appoint one to see it done accordingly.
The number of forms in the whole school under the chief and second masters, shall be six or seven at the most. And the scholars shall be instructed in such authors, and perform such exercises, as the masters, with the advice of the visitors; shall judge convenient for every form.
The under masters shall observe the directions of the head master in the teaching of the scholars under them, and for the good government of the school.
The school masters shall especially be careful of the demeanor and behaviour of the scholars, to prevent, amid suppress all swearing, cursing, and taking the name of God in vain, sabbath breaking, stealing, lying, filthy talking, gaming, tipling, drunkenness, quarrelling, and any other vice whatsoever; and once weekly shall keep general corrections, for the punishing of those that offend, in these, or any other offences appertaining to scholars.
If any scholar shall stubbornly refuse to submit himself to his master's obedience in these statutes, or any other which the master shall appoint, for the better disciplining of the school, and scholars, to the advancement of learning, and religion, or shall prove so corrupt in manners, that his example shall become hurtful, he shall be expelled from this school, and without manifest appearance of amendment and repentance, be never thereunto again admitted. If any scholar shall remove from this school to another, or absent himself from school without the master's leave first obtained, the space of fourteen days, except in case of sickness, the parent of such scholar shall pay for his re-admission, one shilling at least.
Whereas many inhabitants of ability within this parish are backward, and unwilling to contribute to this so good a work; and many not of ability at present to promote the same, yet in process of time, they, or their heirs may be found able and willing to advance the said school; and whereas many here after may come into the said parish, of ability; it is desired that such persons may he invited to con tribute to so good a work, for which purpose, the chief master and the trustees shall admit of the same in love, amid of such sum, or sums of money, as in discretion shall be thought fit according to their respective abilities, which sum, or sums of money are to be set forth at the discretion of trustees, for the advancement of the schoolmaster's stipends, and for the farther encouragement of them in their places and charges.
He shall be a man orthodox in religion, pious, and sober in conversation, and able to instuct in the latin and greek languages. Let him be tried by the visitors; and being approved of by them, let him be chosen, and instituted in the school by the feoffees, or the major part of them; and at his installing in the school, let the statutes be read unto him, and let him promise the observance of them; and let him give security, that if he shall afterwards prove scandalous in his life, negligent in his calling, or otherwise faulty in the breach of any of these statutes, and shall be adjudged by the major part of the said feoffees, he shall upon a quarter's warning, given in writing, under their hands, and left at the school, or his house, depart the school, and school-house, and give place to another to be chosen in such manner as hereinafter is expressed.
He shall be in like-manner a man orthodox in religion, of pious and sober conversation, learned, and able to instruct in the latin tongue, and some what in the greek, and to write a good legible hand. Let him be tried by the visitors and upper master, and be chosen also in manner as hereinafter followeth, and promise to be advised, and directed by the upper, or chief master, in the instruction of the children, both for the books which they shall learn, and method wherein he shall teach. And let him also give security to depart the school, if hereafter he shall prove scandalous, negligent, or faulty, as is provided before touching the upper, or chief master.
He shall be in like manner orthodox in religion, of pious and sober conversation, and able to teach the accidence. He shall write a good legible hand, and be approved and chosen by the feoffees, or major part of them, and also observe the advice and directions of the upper master. and be likewise liable to the rules and provisors, concerning his demeanor and expulsion, as are provided concerning the other masters.
For a constant supply of feoffees, for the managing of tile said school, in case of death, or removal, to inhabit out of the parish, when their number shall be less than nine survivors, and inhabiting in the said parish, the remaining part of them, or the major thereof, within one month after the death, or removal of such feoffee, or feoffees as aforesaid, shall elect, and choose some other substantial honest man, or men inhabiting within the parish; so that the full number of nine may be continued feoffees, or trustees, for the more effectual transacting the work of the said school, which is at all times to be managed by the major part of the feoffees, and at no time by less than five being the major part of the said nine, and the charge in the preamble is to be always read to the newly elected, who must promise with his, or their best endeavour to perform it, as is there expressed.
For a constant supply of schoolmasters in case of death, or voluntary departure, or removal for any of the causes before expressed, the feoffees, or visitors, or the major part of them shall within three months next after such death, removal, or voluntary departure, elect, and choose, with the consent of the founder, if he be then living, another schoolmaster qualified, and fitted for that employment. And in case the visitors, and feoffees, and their successors, or the major part of them do not appoint a school master within the aforesaid time, and space of three months next after the decease, departure, or removal of such schoolmaster as aforesaid, that then the minister of Wem, and the church-wardens, or the major part of them shall present, and commend a schoolmaster unto the founder and his heirs, who are first to approve of him, and so he is to be admitted according to, and under the rules, and provisors before prescribed.
That these things may be better for ever be observed to the glory of God, by the increase of godly learning, and virtuous behaviour, the school once every year at the least shall be visited, (viz.) the Tuesday before Ascension day, which is in the fourth week after Easter week, by the present parsons and ministers of Wem, Whitchurch, and Hodnet, and their respective successors, or two of them at least, together with the feoffees, and the successors, or the greatest part of them, who shall observe how the scholars profit, and what the masters and usher have done in keeping these orders. To which visitors, liberty is given to explain these statutes in any doubt that shall arise about them.
Thomas Adams.
Page created 7 September 2003 and last updated 22 June 2007
