with the paterne by Saturday nexte*. And soe Croydon, this vii of

I commit you to God.
Marche, 1596.

Your's as his owne,

SAMUELL FINCHE.

I understand by your letters, you remember to sende monie.

VII. To his assuered and verie lovinge friend Mr. Wormeall at Lambith.

Mr Wormeall with my verie heartie commendacons, I send you heare inclosed an accompte of the voluntarie charge his Gr. hath bene at

*The following directions were sent by way of answer from Mr Wormall.

For the foregate of the Hospital at Croydon.

f

The Armes over the doore must be without helmet and mantelling; and must be the armes of the See of Canterbury, viz. the Pall in pale with the nowe Archbishoppe's armes; and the yeare of the Lord under them, viz. 1597. Over the said armes a free-stone square, with theis words in great letters. viz. SANCTÆ TRINITATI SACR. On the bare places over the gate, called (as I think) the ashler, this sentence following to be written in great capital letters, viz:--

Pro. 28. QUI DAT PAUPERI, NON INDIGEBIT.

this yeare in repayringe the chappell of Croydon churche, which is nexte to his mannor there. I sende you also a note of the whole charge his Gr. hath bene at about the same both last yeare and this. For the accompte I thought good not to make it with the accompt of the Hospitall, because the worke ys'dyvers; albeit I have more monie of his Gr. in my hands then this cometh to. For the note, I sende yt because his Gr. may know what the whole charge ys, that he hath bene at that way, and I may tell you, for that Mr. Wellar told me, that Robert Jones movinge my L. Admirall about his contribucon to the repaire of our churche, he shoulde ask what my L. of Canterburie gave: soe I acquainted Mr. Wellar with my L. his charge, to see if his Gr. example will draw on anie other. Moreover, I pray you shew his Gr. that mother Dyble, one of his Gr. pore in his hospitall, ys dead thys laste nighte her allowance of iis. a week ceaseth albeit Margaret her daughter is in good hope to supplie her mother's romthe, at leaste for her abydinge there, which (as I tell her), I cannot promise her, until I knowe his Gr. pleasure. Thus I cease to troble you anie farther. From Croydon, this xviiith. day of November, 1600.

Yours as his own,
SAMUEL FINCHE.

To these very curious letters upon so interesting a subject may not be improperly subjoined the names of the Chaplains of Archbishop Whitgift's Hospital, from its foundation.

1600 Ambrose Brydges 1601 John Ireland

1606 Robert Davies* 1616 William Nicholson

1029 John Webbe
1651 Thomas Gray
1668 William Crowe

1675 John Shepherd +

Robert Davis was deprived of his situation as the schoolmaster in 1616.

+ Under this gentleman, Oldham the poet, was three years an usher. This ingenious young man (son of a nonconforming minister, who at the time of the usurpation was Rector of Shipton, in Gloucestershire) was born August the 9th, 1653, became a member of Edmund Hall, Oxford; A. B. 1674; and in, or about 1675, became usher to the Freeschool at Croydon. In this situation, some of his poetry having been handed about, he was honoured with a visit by the Earls of Rochester and Dorset, Sir Charles Sedley, and other persons of distinction. Mr. Shepherd, the head-master, was not a little surprized at this visit, and would have taken the honour of it to himself, but was soon convinced that he had neither wit nor learning enough to make a party in such company. In 1678, Oldham was tutor to the son of Judge Thurland, and in 1681, to a son of Sir William Hickes. By the advice of Sir William, and the assistance of Dr. Lower, he applied for about a year to the study of physic; but poetry being predominant in his mind, he hastened to London, where, unfortunately, he became a perfect votary of

1681. John Cæsar

1711. Henry Mills*

the bottle, yet without sinking into the debauchery of his contemporary wits. As he was of a disposition very different from that of his father, the character of the old Parson at the end of his works, is supposed to be designed for him. He was patronized by the Earl of Kingston, who would have made him his chaplain, if he would have qualified himself. He lived with the Earl, however, till his death, which was occasioned by the small pox, Dec. 9, 1683. He was particularly esteemed by Dryden, who has done him great justice in "Verses to his memory." His works have been frequently printed in one volume 8vo: in 1722 in 2 vols. 12mo. with the Author's life; and very lately, under the inspection of Capt. Thompson, in 3 vols. 12mo.

* Mr. Mills in the Bangorian controversy, distinguished himself as an opponent to Dr. Hoadley in the most disgraceful part of that once important dispute. The Bishop, who resided on his living at Streatham, had received into his family Francis De La Pillonniere, a converted Jesuit, who had formerly been usher of the school at Croydon, to instruct his children. This circumstance was noticed by Dr. Snape in the following manner. "Before you are so free then in casting reproaches upon others as papishly affected, you would do well to put away the Jesuit whom you entertain in your family, your intimate companion and confident. A Jesuit he certainly was (and your Lordship is not ignorant of it) and if he has given you any satisfaction that he has renounced the Romish errors, he has given the world none. His putting on the air of a Free-thinker is so far from being a proof of his conversion, that it is to me a sure evidence of the contrary, and gives me the same impression as if I saw him officiating at High Mass." A second letter to the Bishop of Bangor in

1742 Samuel Stavely

1752 John Taylor Lamb

vindication of the former, by Andrew Snape, D. D. This charge produced an answer by Pillonniere, with a preface by the Bishop; and that again a reply by Dr. Snape in vindication of himself, in which Mr. Mills's name was introduced as criminating the quandum Jesuit. Each of these replies encreased in virulence; and the latter was answered in a pamphlet, entitled, "a Reply to Dr. Snape's vindication of a passage in his second letter to the Bishop of Bangor relating to Mr. Pillonniere, wherein a full answer is also given to Mr. Mills and all his other evidences, by F. De La Pillonniere. To which is prefixed a letter to Dr. Snape from the Lord Bishop of Bangor;" 8vo. To this Mr. Mills answered in a pamphlet, called, "a Full Answer to Mr. Pillonniere's reply to Dr. Snape, and to the Bishop of Bangor's Preface, so far as it relates to Mr. Mills: in which the evidences given to Dr. Snape are justified, the Bishop of Bangor's objections answered, Mr. Pillonniere's pretended facts disproved, and base forgery is detected; as likewise the true reasons of such malicious dissenters' proceedings against Mr. Mills. The whole supported by ample testimonies of gentlemen, clergy, and many others. In a Letter to the Lord Bishop of Bangor, by H. Mills, A. M. to which is prefixed a Letter to his Lordship, by Dr. Snape." 8vo. A third pamphlet, by Pillonniere, and Bishop Hoadley, seems to have closed this illiberal controversy. Mr. Mills was of Trinity College, Oxford, where he took the degree of A. M. June 25, 1698. By his pamphlet we find that he was appointed Rector of Dinder and Prebendary of Wells, about the year 1700; and that he served the cure of Pilton, and chapelry of North Wootton, and was master of the School at Wells. About the year 1711he came to Croydon, and afterwards was presented to the living of Mestham, one of the Archbishop's peculiars, in the