ELIZABETH

QUEEN OF ENGLAND FRANCE AND IRELAND DEFENDER OF THE FAITH

Whereas our beloved subjects dwelling within the town and parish of Hexham in our county of Northumberland moved by pious seal and because of their great loving kindness toward their native land and outstanding eagerness to promote good learning and especially the glory of God almighty and all-loving both particularly wish the teaching and instruction of the youth of the same town and parish and other towns and parishes adjacent and also desire to build and construct a Grammar School within the same town and parish of Hexham

And also to give allot and convey certain lands holdings incomes and other possessions for the support and maintenance of the same Grammar School

Wherefore they have most humbly entreated that we may see fit graciously to show and allow our royal permission and consent in that matter

Know that we for that particular care we have for the pious and liberal education of the youth of our realm and for the greatest good-will where which we encourage both good learning which is the greatest aid to the perception and elevation of virtue and religion and also the students and the study of good arts graciously assenting to this pious petition by our special grace in true knowledge unalloyed on behalf of our heirs and successors we wish grant and ordain that forever here after there shall exist and be a free Grammar School in Hexham aforesaid in the said county of Northumberland for the teaching education and instruction of boys and youths in grammar forever

Which shall be and shall be called the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the county of Northumberland

And that school in the name of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the county of Northumberland we raise up create found and establish firmly by these present

And that school shall be or can be of one master and one under-master or usher for them to teach their boys and youths according to the statutes declared below in these present

And that this intention and pious wish may be better and more surely effected and the goods chattels lands holdings incomes revenues and herediaments for the maintenance of the aforementioned school and school-master and usher hereafter allowed assigned and allotted may be better governed used order and controlled for the perpetual continuation of the same we wish allow and order on our behalf our heirs and successors by these present that hereafter there shall exist and be forever twelve discreet and honest men from the parish of Hexham aforesaid according to the regulation contained and declared in these our letters patent to be nominated chosen and assigned who shall be called the Governors of the lands possessions and revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the County of Northumberland

And to exercise and carry out this duty and office well and faithfully we have elected nominated assigned and appointed our well beloved John Ridley of Coastley gent in the aforesaid parish of Hexham Gabriel Blenkinsop of Greenridge gent of the same parish of Hexham Phillip Thirewell of Overardley gent of the aforesaid parish of Hexham John Swinburn of Blackhall gent of the aforesaid parish of Hexham Richard Carr Richard Gibson John Sparke Peter Bell Edward Gibson Gilbert Robson Robert Jackson and Thomas Liddell yeomen of the aforesaid parish of Hexham to be the first Governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the said free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the County of Northumberland to remain in the same office during their natural lives

Unless meanwhile for any reasonable they shall be removed or any one of them removed by the aforesaid Governors or the majority of the same

And further by our special grace and from our true knowledge and unreserved desire we wish and by these present on our behalf and our heirs and successors hereafter forever shall form and be one corporation and body politic on their own account in deed fact and name under the name of the Governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the county of Northumberland

And these under the same name of Governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the free Grammar school of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the county of Northumberland we incorporate and we set up create ordain make and constitute one corporation and body politic of the same to exist forever truly and in full on our behalf our heirs and successors and establish it firmly by those present

And that under the same name of Governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the county of Northumberland in all future times forever they shall be so called and named and they shall exist in succession without end

And that under the same name they shall be persons fit and proper and legally capable of acquiring receiving holding and possessing both goods and chattels and manors lands holdings meadows pastures incomes from pasturage rents and other hereditaments whatsoever both themselves and their successors and concerning any other person or any other persons for the support maintenance and relief of the school aforesaid and of the school-master and usher of the same school

We wish also and on our behalf our heirs an successors by these present we grant to the aforesaid Governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the county of Northumberland and their successors that they hereafter and for ever shall have a common seal to carry on their business or any particular concerning or touching it

And that the aforesaid Governors and their successors under the name of the Governors of the possessions an revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the County of Northumberland shall be able and have the power to engage and be engaged to defend and be defended to answer and be answered in all and every article complaint case suit and action whatsoever of any kind and nature whatever in whatever places and courts of us our heirs and successors and in the places and courts of any others whatsoever before any Justices and magistrates whatsoever within this realm of England or elsewhere

And to the doing managing and performing of these things and all and every deed and act they shall act or have the power and ability to act in the same manner as all the rest of our lieges being fit persons and capable in law within our selfsame realm of England within the courts and places appointed aforesaid and before all the Justices and magistrates aforesaid

And we wish and by these present on our behalf and our heirs and successors we allow the aforesaid Governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the county of Northumberland and their successors that whenever it shall happen that any one or more of the aforesaid present Governors as mentioned above in these present shall die or be removed from his office then and as often as it happens it shall be allowed to the remaining Governors surviving at that time or the majority of the same within one month after a death of this kind or the removal of one or more than one of these same Governors to choose and elect another suitable person or other suitable persons fearing God and of good name and report and being of the full age of twentyone years and dwelling within the aforesaid parish of Hexham in the place of such a person or persons thus dying or thus removed

And this shall be done as often as the case arises

And if these same Governors or those surviving them from time to time have not elected or nominated within one month following the death or removal of any one or more than one of the same Governors one or more successors to the office or place of Governors thus dying or removed from office as mentioned above according to the true intention of these our letters patent

Then we wish that the Archbishop of York from time to time in office or if the same Archbishop is vacant then the Dean of the Cathedral Church from time to time in office together with the assent and consent of any two Governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the aforesaid County of Northumberland in office from time to time shall have the power and be able from time to time of electing and proposing another person of the age of twentyone years and dwelling in the aforesaid parish of Hexham in the place or places of a governor or governors aforesaid thus dying or removed

And this shall be done as often as the case arises

And furthermore we have granted and allowed and by these present by our special grace and in accord with our true knowledge and intent on behalf of ourselves our heirs and successors we grant and allow to the aforesaid Governors of the goods and possessions of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in the County of Northumberland and to their successors and the majority of them fully power ability and authority with the assent and consent of the Archbishop of York in office at the time or if the same Archbishop is vacant then with the assent and consent of the dean of the Cathedral Church of York in office at the time of nominating appointing and electing and that they shall have the power and ability of electing and appointing from time to time an honest learned and discreet man a Master of Arts at least to be made and to be the schoolmaster of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the County of Northumberland and a worthy and suitable man to be made and to be the undermaster of this same school

And that it be permitted and shall be permitted to the same Governors and their successors from time to time with the assent and consent of the Archbishop of York in office at the time or in the event of the same Archbishop being vacant the with the assent and consent of the Dean of the Cathedral Church of York in office at the time to remove derive and expel from their places and duties for any reasonable causes within their sound judgement these same schoolmaster and undermaster or either of them and to substitute and put in charge another or others in the places or places of the same schoolmaster and undermaster or one of them according to the intention of these present as seems best fitting to the same Governors and their successors or the majority of them together with the assent and consent of the aforesaid Archbishop of York in office for the time being or it the same See is vacant then with the assent and consent of the Dean of the Cathedral Church of York in office for the time being

And furthermore we wish and by these present on behalf of our heirs and successors we grant that the said Governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the County of Northumberland or the majority of them with assent and consent of the Archbishop of York on office at the time or if the said Archbishop is vacant then with the assent and consent of the Dean of the Cathedral Church of York in office at the time are able and have the power to make order and publish from time to time forever good suitable and healthy statutes and rules in writing concerning and touching the election nomination appointment dismissal removal direction and guidance of the schoolmaster undermaster and scholars in the aforesaid school for the proper control of the goods chattels possessions and revenues of this same school and the salaries and awards of the same schoolmaster and undermaster and all other essentials touching and concerning the same school

And these laws statues and regulations so laid down and ordained from time to time we wish grant and ordain by these present on our own behalf our heirs and successors shall be reservedly observed from time to time forever

Provided that these laws statues and regulations shall not be in opposition to or contrary to the laws statutes regulations or customs of our kingdom of England or in opposition or contrary to the command expressed and declared in these present

And furthermore by our special grace and true knowledge and intent we have granted and allowed and by these present on our behalf our heirs and successors we grant and allow to the aforesaid governors of the goods possessions and revenues of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the County of Northumberland and their successors special licence and free and granted power ability and authority to them and their successors forever holding seeking receiving and possessing for the purpose of the sustaining and maintaining the schoolmaster and undermaster aforesaid both as concerns our heirs and successors and any other persons whatsoever manors messuages lands holdings deeds titles rents as well as possessions revenues and hereditaments whatsoever within our kingdom of England or elsewhere within our dominions which are not held for our heirs or our successors immediately in chief or otherwise for military use provided that the same manors messuages lands holdings deeds tithes rents possessions revenues and hereditaments in total shall not exceed the clear annual value of £40 the statute of lands and holdings at mortmain or any other statute act ordinance or provision or any other reason cause or matter in any respect notwithstanding

We have granted and allowed and by these present on behalf of ourselves our heirs and successors we grant and allow to each and all our subjects special licence and full free and allowed power opportunity and authority that they the aforesaid governors of the free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth in Hexham in the County of Northumberland and their successors forever themselves or some or any of them shall have the power to grant concede sell bequeath and dispose of the manors messuages lands holdings tithes and other hereditaments which are not held for us our heirs and successors immediately in chief or for military use provided the aforesaid manors messuages lands holdings tithes rents and other hereditaments thus to be granted allowed sold bequeathed or disposed of by these same governors and their successors shall not exceed in total the clear annual value of £40 per annum the statute of lands and holdings held in mortmain or any other statute act ordinance or provision or any reason act or matter in any respect notwithstanding

And we wish and by these present we grant and allow that all expenses incomes revenues advantages and profits at any time of the aforesaid lands dwellings possessions hereditaments and tithes whatever hereafter given granted and assigned shall be allotted and used for the erection and building of the school aforesaid and for the maintenance and support of the schoolmaster and undermaster aforesaid from time to time and shall be for the maintenance and support of the same schoolmaster and undermaster and for the support of expenses and costs aforesaid and of each and any of them and not otherwise nor to any other purposes or ends whatever

We wish also and by these present we grant to the Governors and their successors that they may and shall have these our letters patent made and sealed in due order with our great seal of England free of fief or feoff either great or small in this our realm or elsewhere according to our custom and usage

And that express mention of the true annual value or of its permitted limit or of either of them or of the gifts or grants made through us or through any of our ancestors to the aforesaid Governors and their successors before this time and not mentioned in these present or by any statute act ordinance provision or restriction heretofore made published ordered or agreed or any other reason cause or matter notwithstanding

In Witness of this act we have caused these our letters patent to be published as I myself witness at Westminster in the Twentyninth day of June in the Fortyfirst Year of Our Reign