VI. To my very lovinge friende, Mr. Wormall at Lambith. With my verie hartie commendacons, &c. Rednap came hither this day; and assone as ever he came into the yarde, and sawe the bricks, his harte was deade; he went to them, and chose here one and there, and knockt on it and said," he hoped there war better to be founde in the Parke". To the parke we came, and there went from clampe to clampe, and here we founde and there some one or moe good, but not to the purpose of his owne expectation. Fain he woulde have excused himselfe, but his handie worke spake against him, and we ware soe rounde with him, that he burste out into teares, sayinge, "he was never the like served in anie worke; he was ashamde of it) he coulde not excuse it; yt was the wickednesse and deceitfulnesse of the yearth. And albeit he coulde not thoroughlie make amends, yet he could be contente to doe what lay in him, but not of that yearth". Well, then, to the lome pitts beyond Dubber's hill we came, neere Halinge-gate, where bricks had been made in tyme past). There he founde such moulde as contented him, and with much parlinge was contente to give my L. the makinge of fiftie thousande, and of x thousande for waste, (nothinge in comparison, but yet as much as we coulde get him to yealde unto) and to make L thousande more at the price he made for in the parke, having all necessaries founde him as he had in the parke. And there wood must be had of from the farme grounde, and water fetched in a carte from the other Halinge-gate. And these bricks shall be redie for us before Whitsontide. Onlie he requested his Gr. letters to Sir John Box (in whose worke he is) that he will be contente to spare him till he served our turne, which he knoweth he both may and will. And now all this may be accepted of, he lokes for present answere. Besides this, you shall receave of this bearer a paterne of the hospitall-gate from the Freemasons; and by this paterne, vewe may be taken, where his Gr. armes shall be placed, and where the dedication S. Trinitati. There is space one eache side for Vincit qui -patitur, &c. And for a enteringe stone of eache side, one with the armes of Woster, and the other what else is thought good. I pray you let the armes be drawen out in suche full proportion as his Gr. will have them, and the place sett down where, and the inscripcons what, that all things may be to his Gr. best likinge. And this must be returned with the paterne by Saturday nexte*. And soe I commit you to God. Croydon, this vii of 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. 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 knowe 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, untill 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 Dayies* 1616 William Nicholson 1029 John Webbe 1668 William Crowe 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 |