Enquiry into the present state and condition of Elizabeth college. [With] Five appendixes

tion and constitution; but in the course of their enquiries, they have found, that the one in St. Peter-Port was originally founded by Thomas Le Marquant and Jahennette Thelry his wife, on Easter day 1513, in the presence of the Bailiff and Jurats, and of the Parishioners assembled in the Town Parish Church; by the gift of a House and Garden, to hold and maintain the Schools in the "said House hereafter;" together with two quarters of wheat rent to the Master of the Schools to maintain and instruct them, and to make the Scholars perform certain devotions, (specified) for the souls of the donors, and of their friends and benefactors.

It does not appear whether the Schools alluded to in this act were those of the Town Parish alone, or of the Island generally; and the Sub-Committee have not learned by what authority act, the Parishes of Saint Sampson, the Valle, and St. Mary de Castro, were made partakers in this bounty, while the parishes of St. André and the Forest, were in like manner, as stated by the Dean, attached to the St Martin's School; and St. Saviour and Torteval, to that of St. Peter-du-Bois.

one she

In a commission of Queen Elizabeth, dated 11th March 1565, nine months and a half subsequent to the date of the issued for the erection of Elizabeth School, dated 25th May (preceeding) 1563, this clause appears, "and for further declaration of our good mind towards our new new (a) School in Guernsey, and "the better preparation of our youth in the said School; we have "ordained, and by these presents ordain, that one Osyas, who, as "we are informed, hath travailled in teaching our said youth at St. "Peter-Port, shall have yearly paid and delivered unto him, and "his Successors in that room, (b) twenty quarters wheat of our "new accrewed rents not yet sold; and also we give and grant by these presents, other twenty quarters of the same wheats yearly, towards the teaching of young children commonly called petites, at the Schools of St. Peter-du-Bois and St. Martins, to "be equally divided between the Teachers of the said Parishes "within our Isle of Guernsey."

The Sub-Committee with all deference to the Dean are disposed to consider this munificent act of Queen Elizabeth, rather as a Royal Endowment engrafted on existing Foundations ;-she expresses her good mind towards her new School of Guernsey, alluding to Elizabeth

(a) Alluding to Elizabeth School.-(6) Alluding to the Parish School.

College, newly erected for the Island at large and for which she was anxious the youth should be better prepared; and she then endows three pre-existing subordinate Schools with that view; particularising the services of the master employed in teaching the Town Youth, in the school founded by Thomas Le Marquant and his wife in 1515.

With respect to the School of St. Peter-du-Bois, the Sub-Committee have found, in a reply of the Royal Court to the Council upon a complaint forwarded against them by Lord Delawar, the Governor in 1761, on the plea of their having interfered in a Royal Foundation, the Court's declaration, that that school was not a Royal Foundation.

The Sub-Committee have no information on the subject of the St. Martin's School beyond what is contained in the Commission above quoted of the 11th March 1563. and which engrafted a Royal Endowment upon an existing Foundation, without specifying whether it were a Royal one or otherwise.

Here the Committee would remark in support of their proposition to connect the subordinate public schools with Elizabeth School, that Queen Elizabeth, when she endowed them, was of opinion that by encouraging them, the youth of the Island would be better prepared for her new Grammer-School.

In reference to the observations of the Sub-Committee in their report, regarding the spring and well formerly existing in the College fields, that the water might have been drawn off by the sinking of the lower well for the College Pump near the great gate; the Sub-Committee have since learned from the Dean, that such was the fact, and that he remembers that it took place during his temporary absence from the Island between the year 1775 and 1780.

T. F. DE HAVILLAND,

PRESIDENT.

FIVE APPENDIXES

TO THE

ENQUIRY

INTO

THE PRESENT STATE AND CONDITION

ELIZABETH COLLEGE.

INNN

GUERNSEY:

PRINTED BY N. MAUGER, PRINTER TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, BORDAGE-STREET, TOP OF FOUNTAIN-STREET.

CONTENTS OF THE APPENDIXES,