Catalogue description FOUNDATION OF WHITGIFT HOSPITAL

Papers concerning the foundation of the Hospital of the Holy Trinity at Croydon, Surrey, by Archbishop Whitgift, 1595-1603. They are as follows:

Statutes of the Hospital of the Holy Trinity at Croydon signed by Archbishop Whitgift, [1595]. A note by S.R. Maitland states that they were found by him 'in the MSS Room' and inserted at the front of the volume.

An outside wrapper consists of an undated copy of Whitgift's commission to visit the diocese of Chichester sede vacante, [31] January 1583 (Whitgift's Register, I, 350-1). An inner wrapper is endorsed 'A just reporte shewinge how the meanes that most encreased the greatest Annoiance in the Fleteditch that impoisoned the water of Theames hath ben and is most comended and maintained, and how the meanes that best preserved that ditch and the water of Theames and reformed the Annoiance hath ben and is most accused and condempned and procured to be discontinued, that the truthe from deceipt may be knowen and the cause ordered as may be for the most generall good of her Majestie, the Citie and all people'. A second endorsement reads 'The humble sute of the pore Curriers of London'.

A printed book label is attached and reads 'Quam Non-dividuae Triadis fundavit honori Whytgifti pietas Praesulis alma Scholam Huic Massingerus (tanti devotus Alumnus Patris) Cooperi dedicat istud opus, 1599'. (See F.G.H. Percy, History of Whitgift school, 1976, 46).

A copy of the statutes is at ff.211-221v. They are printed from this copy in A.C. Ducarel, Some account of the town, church and archiepiscopal palace of Croydon, 1783, appendix 135-48 (J. Nichols, ed., Bibliotheca topographica britannica, 1780-90, 11).

List of contents. Printed Ducarel, op.cit., appendix 38-9 (f.iir& suphyp;v).

Copy of letters patent for building the Hospital, with licence of mortmain, 22 November 1595. Printed Ducarel, op.cit., appendix 125-9 (ff.1-3v).

Copy of the deed of consecration of the chapel by Richard Bancroft, Bishop of London, 10 July 1599. Printed Ducarel, op.cit., appendix 149 (f.4r-v).

'Md. note of my charges abowte my hospitall at Croyden' by Whitgift, n.d. (f.5r-v).

Letters from Samuel Finche, Vicar of Croydon and overseer of the building of the Hospital, to Whitgift, 4 February 1597, and to Christopher Woormall, at Lambeth, 1597-[1600]. All are printed in Ducarel, op.cit., appendix 152-6, '153-4'(ff.6-10, 18-19, 226-7).

Note of terms agreed with William Buckminster and George Cooles, Sawyers, 1596 (f.10a).

Agreement with William Hyllarie, carpenter, and a note of payments made, January 1597 (f.10b).

Cover of a letter to Whitgift endorsed by him 'Towching Mr. Whitaker's for the Mastership of St. Jones' [William Whitaker, Master of St. John's College, Cambridge (1586)] (f.11).

Weekly accounts of Samuel Finche, Vicar of Croydon, for building the Hospital, school, and schoolmaster's house, 1597-1603, including (ff.185-207) accounts of payments to almsmen and to the schoolmaster (ff.12-17, 22-207).

Directions for inscription and arms over the gate, 1596 (ff.20-1).

Copy of opinion by Sir Edmund Anderson, chief justice of common pleas, and others, concerning the tenure by which Whitgift held the manor of Croydon from the Queen, n.d. Printed Ducarel, op.cit., appendix 148 (f.230).

Form of appointment of an almsman. Printed Ducarel, op.cit., appendix 150-1 (f.230v).

Copy of a release by Sir Francis Carew to Whitgift of quit rents in the manor of Norbury, n.d. (ff.230v-231).

Copy of the deed of foundation of the Hospital of the Holy Trinity at Croydon, 25 June 1599. Printed from the original by Ducarel, op.cit., appendix 130-4 (ff.231-3).

Note of lands bought from Francis Butler, n.d. (f.234).

Copy of a bond of Francis Butler to keep covenants, [2]1 August 1599 (f.235).

Note of lands purchased for Croydon Hospital, 37-43 Eliz.I (ff.235v-236).

Note of an annuity to Croydon Hospital, 1 January 1601 (f.237).

238 ff.