[42.] This College is said to have been founded in the year 872, by Alfred the Great. It was restored by William of Durham, said to have been Archdeacon of Durham; but respecting whom little authentic information has been preserved, except that he was Rector of Wearmouth in that county, and that he died in 1249, bequeathing a sum of money to provide a permanent endowment for the maintenance of a certain number of “Masters.” The first purchase with this bequest was made in 1253, and the first Statutes are dated 1280.— Oxford Univ. Calendar, 1865, p. 167.

[43.] I refer to the modernized edition published by Charles Knight in two volumes.

[44.] Other well-born men, in the Ath. Cant., then connected with the University, or supposed to be, were,

1504

Sir Roger Ormston, knight, died. Had been High Steward of theUniversity.

1504

Sir John Mordaunt, High Steward.

1478

George Fitzhugh, 4th son of Henry lord Fitzhugh, admittedB.A.

1488

Robert Leyburn, born of a knightly family, Fellow ofPembroke-hall, and proctor.

1457

John Argentine, of an ancient and knightly family, was electedfrom Eton to King’s.

1504

Robert Fairfax, of an ancient family in Yorkshire, took thedegree of Mus. Doc.

1496

Christopher Baynbrigg, of a good family at Hilton, near Appleby,educated at and Provost of Queen’s, Oxford, incorporated ofCambridge.

1517

Sir Wm. Fyndern, knight, died, and was a benefactor to ClareHall, in which it is supposed he had been educated.

1481

Robert Rede, of an ancient Northumbrian family, was sometime ofBuckingham College, and the Fellow of King’s-hall (?), and was autumnreader at Lincoln’s Inn in 1481.

ab. 1460

Marmaduke Constable, son of Sir Robert Constable, knight,believed to have been educated at Cambridge.

So, Edward Stafford, heir of Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham,is also believed to have been educated at Cambridge, because his fatherwas a munificent patron of the University, constantly maintaining, orassisting to maintain, scholars therein.

So, Thomas Howard, son of Sir John Howard, knight, and afterwardsDuke of Norfolk, who defeated the Scots at Flodden, is believed,&c.

1484

John Skelton, the poet, probably of an ancient Cumberlandfamily.

1520?

Henry Howard, son of Lord Thomas Howard, ultimately Duke ofNorfolk. Nothing is known as to the place of his education. If it wereeither of the English Universities, the presumption is in favour ofCambridge.

The only tradesman’s son mentioned is,
1504

Sir Richard Empson, son of Peter Empson, a sieve-maker,High-Steward.

[45.] Whitgift himself, born 1530, was educated at St. Anthony’s school, then sent back to his father in the country, and sent up to Cambridge in 1548 or 1549.

[46.] No proof of this is given.

[47.] Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, son and heir of Thomas Duke of Norfolk, ‘was for a time student in Cardinal Coll. as the constant tradition has been among us.’ p. 153, col. 1.

[48.] Andrew Borde, who writes himself Andreas Perforatus, was born, as it seems, at Pevensey, commonly called Pensey [now Pemsey], in Sussex, and not unlikely educated in Wykeham’s school near to Winchester, brought up at Oxford (as he saith in his Introduction to Knowledge, cap. 35), p. 170, col. 2, and note.

[49.] See Mat. Paris, p. 665, though he speaks there chiefly of monks* beyond sea.

* As appears from Wood’s Fasti Oxon.