صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

a serious refutation of the charge; but the story was an old one, variously applied by Prynne, and other puritans, though never so injudiciously as in this invidious attack on Satan's sagacity.

Mr. Alleyn left behind him a diary of transactions, after the foundation of the college, which, in the following extract, as well as in many others that might be made, expresses his gratitude for the ability of doing good to those around him." June 6th, 1620, My wife and I acknowledged the fine at the Common Pleas, of all my lands to the college. Blessed be God that has lent us life to do it." #

On a vacancy in any department, two persons are chosen by the master and warden of the college, out of the parish from which the deccased was admitted: these draw lots, consisting of two pieces of paper, in one of which is written "God's Gift," which constitutes the successful candidate. The place of master is however an exception to the above mode. To this the warden succeeds; and he must take it on himself within twenty-four hours after the death of the former master, and must appoint the Monday fortnight for the election of his successor; at the conclusion of which they all receive the sacrament, in token of their unanimity; and the new warden provides a dinner for the whole college at his own expence.

Mr. Alleyn directed that the offices of master and warden should be confined to the blood and family of the found er;" but if the family should become, extinct, that those officers should be chosen from persons of the name of Alleyn, or Allen.

Before his decease the founder inconsiderately made an additional charge on the estate, towards the support of thirty poor persons, for whom he had erected habitations in the three parishes before-mentioned, and six junior chaunters for the chapel, forgetting that what he had once appropriated, as before stated, was no longer at his own disposal. This occa sioned an unfortunate litigation between the heads of the college and the officers of the three parishes, till it was at length settled in favour of the college; the thirty poor persons being excluded any participation in the college estate, but allowed the privilege of being the only candidates for admission at Dulwich.

On the death of one of the poor inhabitants, the furniture which he brought with him is sold, and the money being divided into twelve equal shares, is distributed among the survivors; the matron who has the care of the boys, having two shares for her portion. When the boys arrive at a proper age, they are either sent to the universities, or placed out apprentices. A premium of ten pounds is given with each of the latter; and if they behave well, they are presented with five pounds at the expiration of their ser

vitude.

The letters patent for the institution of the college bear date June 21, 1619; the deed of foundation September 13. in the same year; and the deed of uses April 24, 1620,

In the year 1686, Mr. William Cartwright, a celebrated comedian and bookseller in Holborn, gave to the college, by will, his collection of books, pictures, linen, and four hundred pounds in money; and in 1776, a legacy of three hundred pounds was left to the college by lady Falkland, which was placed in the public funds; and the interest is divided among the poor brethren and sisters, according to the will of the donor.

The college contains a small library of books, chiefly the productions of our own language in the latter end of the sixteenth, and the beginning of the seventeenth centuries. Amongst these was a collection of old plays, which Mr. Garrick obtained of the college by an exchange of modern publications. The plays however are not withdrawn from the public use, having been since deposited in the British Museum. There is likewise a gallery of pictures, the gifts of several benefactors, and of others which were left by the founder. Some of them are valuable for their merit; some for their singularity; and others on account of their being authentic portraits of remarkable persons. Amongst these are, Henry prince of Wales, eldest son of king James I.; king Charles I. and his queen Henrietta Maria; James duke of York; a portrait said to be that of queen Elizabeth, but the authenticity of it is not ascertained. At the upper end of the gallery is a collection of

portraits

portraits of the monarchs of England, and their queens; among which is one of Anne Bolleyn, which is considered as genuine, but which by no means answers the idea of beauty usually annexed to this lady; it rather agrees with the ac count given of her by Saunders the Jesuit; who describes her as "lean-visaged, long-sided, gobber-toothed, and yel. low-complexioned." We quote from Dr. Fuller, who stands forth as her majesty's champion, and enters the lists in defence of her beauty; but as the former of these authors was a bigoted Catholic, and the latter a zealous Protestant, the one thought it incumbeut on him to degrade, and the other to exalt the character of this unfortunate lady. There is also a whole-length portrait of the founder; and another of James Alleyn, Esq. a cursitor baron, who held the office of master of the college several years, and founded an additional school at Dulwich, for the education of children. Mr. Cartwright's portrait is likewise amongst them, as is that of Burbage the actor, painted by himself. He was cotemporary with Shakespeare, and is said to have painted the only original picture of him now extant. Cartwright was the Falstaff of Charles the Second's time*.

Over the entrance into the college is a long Latin inscription, written by Mr. James Hume, descriptive of Mr. Alleyn's qualifications and benevolence.

6.770

DULWICH was celebrated a few years since for its me. Extra dicinal water, to which there was such a resort of company, plates that the master of the house, then called the Green Man, erected a handsome room for their accommodation. In this house was born the famous Miss ANN CATLEY +, an eminent vocal performer on the London theatres. The wells having fallen into disrepute, the house was occupied for some time by lord Thurlow, whilst his house at Knight's Hill was rebuilding. The fine walk opposite this house, through the woods, affords from its top a noble prospect: but this is much exceeded by that from a hill behind the house, under a tree, called The Oak of Honour, from a tradition that

* Ellis's Campagna of London.

↑ Afterwards the wife of general Lascelles.

queer

queen Elizabeth was used often to repose under it. Dulwich is thus celebrated by the Esculapian bard:

Or lose the world amid the silvan wilds

Of Dulwich, yet by barbarous arts unspoil'd.

The seat of the late lord Thurlow, called KNIGHT'S HILL, lies in the parish of Lambeth, between Dulwich and Norwood When his lordship purchased this estate of the duke of St. Alban's, there was only a farm-house upon it, which he new-fronted; building, at the same time, some additional apartments, His lordship afterwards took the whole down, and erected the present mansion, in a plain and simple style, under the direction of the late Mr. Holland, architect of Drury Lane Theatre. This house is the first that was finished throughout with the new invented cone flooring. The upper stories exhibit delightful views over Kent, Surrey, and the metropolis; and the Thames is discernible, in various parts, from Chelsea to Gravesend.

PECKHAM, another hamlet of. the parish of Camberwell, lies in the road to Greenwich. According to Domesday Book, it antiently belonged to Battersea, and the manor, which had been held by Alfred of Harold, was granted by William the Conqueror to his half-brother, Odo, bishop of Baieux, and held under him by the bishop of Lisieux. This was afterwards divided into the two manors of Bredinghurst and Basynges. They seem, however, to have been latterly consolidated and sold by Edward Eversfield, who had married the heiress of the family of Muschamp, to Sir Thomas Bond, in 1672. This gentleman rebuilt the manor house in a very handsome stile, but having been deeply engaged in the pernicious schemes of James II. he was obliged to leave the kingdom with his infatuated sovereign; and it was with great difficulty that the populace were hindered from destroying his mansion.

His son Sir Henry Bond, alienated the premises to Sir Thomas Trevor, afterwards lord chief justice, and a peer. Lord Trevor made it his occasional residence, and after his death it was purchased by various proprietors, and held of the king, as of his castle of Dover.

[graphic][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][subsumed]
« السابقةمتابعة »