A History of Giggleswick School from its Foundation, 1499 to 1912

by Edward Allen Bell

STATUTES and Ordinaunces to be observed by the Governours, Master, Usher and Schollers of the Free Grammer Schole of Gygleswicke from tyme to tyme agreed on by the Governours of the sayd Schole together with the consent and approbacion of the moste Reverend Father in God, John, by Devyne permission, Archbyshoppe of Yorke, prymate of Englande and metropolitane, as followeth:—

For the Governours.

First the Governours to be chosen from tyme to tyme shall be men of true and sounde religion, fearinge God, and of honest Conversacion.

Secondly att their ordinacion to the said Schole they shall protest and sweare before the Vycar of Gygleswicke and the rest of the Governours of the said Schoole, to be true and faithefull towardes the said Schoole and the emolumentes and profytes belonginge to the same; and that they shall not att any time purloyne or take away any of the commodities of the same, whereby it mighte be impoverished or empayred in any respecte.

Thirdly if it fortune any of the said Governours att this tyme or att any tyme hereafter, to dwell or remove with there families out of the parishe aforesaid, or if any of them be convicte of any notorious cryme, that then and from thencefurth it shall and may be lawful for the rest of the said Governours, with the privitie and assent of the Archbysshoppe of Yorke for the tyme beinge, upon due proofe and examinacion of the matter or matters aforesaid, to electe into the office and roome of every one so removeinge, offendinge and convicted, a godly, discrete and sober person of the parishe aforesaid.

Fourthly the said Governours, or the more parte of them, shall every halfe yere once att the least, visitte the said Schoole, and there examyne the labours of the Master and Usher, and also the proceadinges of the said Schollers in good litterature, together with the observations of the Statutes of the Schole in that case provyded, to thende if any defaulte be proved in master, usher or scholler, they, with the privitie and assent of the Archbysshoppe of Yorke for the tyme beinge, may furthwith take order to redresse the same.

Fyftely if upon due admonicion twise gyven by the said Governours to the said Master, usher or scholler concernynge the violatinge and wilfull breakeinge of the Statutes of the said Schoole, they and every of them do not amend, that then and from thencefurth it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said Governours, with the privitie and assente of the Archbysshoppe of Yorke, for the tyme beinge, to deprive and depose the said master, usher or scholler so offendinge, and others to electe into there place, accordinge to the true meaninge of the letters Pattentes of the said Schoole in that case provided.

Sixtely the said Governours shall provyde from tyme to tyme that the ordinarie stipendes for the master and usher at there accustomed tymes be payd, and also shall take care that the Schoole house within and without be sufficiently repayred upon the emolumentes and profittes accrewinge and growinge to the said Schoole, neyther shall they make any wilfull waste of the said profittes, but be contente with a moderate allowaunce when they are occupyed about the busines of the said Schoole.

For the Master.

First the Scholemaster to be chosen from tyme to tyme, shall be a man fearinge God, of true religion and godlye conversacion, not gyven to diceinge, cardinge, or other unlawfull games, but beinge admitted to the chardge of the said schole, shall faithfully followe the same.