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died at Buckden, in 1513, and was interred in Lincoln cathedral.*

Sir Richard Sutton, the friendly adviser of Bishop Smyth, was descended from the ancient family of the Suttons, of Sutton, near Macclesfield, in the county palatine of Chester. He practised as a barrister of the Inner Temple; and, in 1498, became a member of the privy council. He was, likewise, one of the governors of the Inner Temple, and steward of the monastery of Sion, near Brentford.† The precise period of his death is not known; but an annual commemoration of him is observed by the society of Brasen Nose on the Sunday after Michaelmas.

When the plan of the new college was duly concerted, the building was prosecuted with much alacrity under the inspection of Sir Richard, and the Society is supposed to have become permanent corporation in 1512. According to the charter, the establishment was to consist of a principal and sixty scholars, who were to be first instructed in sophistry, logic, and philosophy, and then in divinity. The original donations entirely proceeded from Bishop Smyth, though Sutton took an active part in carrying the wishes of the prelate into effect, and afterwards bestowed many valuable manors and other estates. In the year 1521, a complete revision of the statutes was undertaken by Sir Richard Sutton, the surviving founder, and the society was made to consist of a principal and twelve fellows. The brilliant example of the founders produced a generous emulation among their contemporaries, and through succeeding ages. Besides a list, much too extensive for insertion, of such benefactors as guided their bounty by the model of the original donors, there have been sums bequeathed by eminent persons for the foundation of lectureships in Philosophy, in Humanity, Hebrew, Greek, and Mathematics.

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His grave-stone, richly adorned with brass, was destroyed by the fanatics in the civil war; but a mural monument has been lately erected to his memory.

↑ While steward of this religious house he was at the expense of publishing splendid, and now very rare, book, intituled, "The Orcharde of Syon."

The buildings constructed by the two founders have, fortu nately, not undergone any material alterations, except such as were evidently conducive to improvement, though the strict line of architectural keeping has been carelessly violated in some subordinate particulars. The front is an extensive range, and possesses a sedate, massive, and commanding character. Over the chief entrance is a lofty tower in a style of highly-embellished but pure Gothic. On both sides of the gateway extends a long pile of building, three stories high, with a parapet; the eastern end of the chapel and a part of the library terminate the range at the southern end. The square tower of entrance is still the chief ornament of this front, but must have stood displayed with greater effect before the attic of the contiguous ranges was built in the reign of James I. Except the increase of height produced by that necessary addition, the chief part of the front remains as it was originally constructed. The buildings are principally comprised in a large quadrangle, and a smaller court towards the south. The former only is a part of the founder's design, and consists of a hall and ranges of apartments for students. In the centre of this quadrangle is placed a piece of sculpture, representing two male figures in violent contest. These figures were given to the College by Dr. Clarke of All Souls, and are believed to represent the murder of Abel by Cain. Over the outward door of the hall are two interesting busts, said to have been discovered in digging the foundation of the College. The first is that of Alfred, the presumed founder of the hall dismantled for the purpose of the new structure; and the other that of John Scotus Erigena, reported to have been the first lecturer in Alfred's building. These busts are small, but exquisitely expressive, and are in good preservation. The story concerning the manner of their discovery is not sufficiently authenticated for ready adoption; but the busts are evidently very ancient.

The court towards the south is chiefly occupied by the library and the chapel, both of which were built in the seventeenth century. It is conjectured that Sir Christopher

Wrea

Wren gave the plans for these structures when a very young man. The architecture of the whole court contains an unpleasing confusion of character. Gothic windows and battlements are opposed by pilasters, ornamented with classic capitals: and, in one instance, a pilaster, with a capital of the Corinthian order, is even surmounted by a modern pinnacle imitative of the Gothic.

Besides the quadrangle and court already noticed, there are apartments called the new buildings, calculated for the reception of seven students, and a handsome house facing the High-street, erected in 1770, for the residence of the principal.

The Hall is spacious and lofty, with a handsome bay win dow at the upper end, in which are two ancient portraits of the founders. The fire-place, which is conspicuously appropriate, was bestowed by Lord Curzon in 1760. Previously to that period the hall was warmed in the ancient fashion, by a fire in the centre. Two busts of the founders are likewise preserved in the hall; and several portraits ornament the walls, among which must be noticed that of Mrs. Joyce Frankland, a liberal benefactress, who resided principally at the Ryehouse in Hertfordshire, and died at the latter part of the sixteenth century. The portrait is well painted and it is remarkable that she is represented with a watch in her hand, which has a metal front, like the hunting-watches of the present day. The name of this lady is mentioned in the common grace after dinner regularly spoken in the hall.

The library constructed by the founders stood on the north side of the great quadrangle. In 1663 this building was converted into chambers, and the present library was erected. In the original design there were cloisters beneath the new structure, but these have been since filled up and formed into apartments. The highly-ornamented interior, as it now appears, was arranged by Wyat, in 1780; and it is worth observing, that, up to this epoch, the books were chained to the shelves. Among the valuable works preserved in this library are the books collected by the erudite Wasse, of whom it was said by Bentley, "when I

am

am dead, Wasse will be the most learned man in England.” These books are enriched by the manuscript notes of the original collector, and were presented by Dr. Yarborough.

The present Chapel, which was begun in 1656, is partly com posed of materials brought from the ancient chapel of St. Mary's College, in which Erasmus studied. The eastern window was executed by Pearson, from drawings by Mortimer. The altar is richly decorated; and the ceiling of wood is a skilful imitation of Gothic stone-work. On a first view, the spectator is involuntarily charmed with an air of decent grace and modest elegance which appears to pervade the whole interior; yet, when he examines separately the objects which have gratified him in combination, he laments to find that he has been pleased through a meretricious medium. All order is set at defiance; and the Gothic and classic manners are mingled with most fantastical freedom.

In the anti-chapel is a good bust of Dr. Shippen, a late principal.

Among other eminent men to whom it has imparted the edu cation which enabled them to attain future honours, Brasennose numbers, Caldwell, president of the College of Physicians; Fox, the martyrologist. This zealous writer, however, removed to Magdalen. Sir John Savile, Baron of the Exchequer ; Sir John Spelman; Brerewood, first professor of astronomy in Gresham College: Humphrey Lloyd, the Welch historian; Sampson Erdeswick, the Staffordshire antiquary; the Lord Chancellor Egerton; Sir James Ley, afterwards Earl of Marlborough; Burton, author of the Anatomy of Melancholy, a writer whose learning is unquestionable, whatever may be the opinion respecting his pretensions to wit; John Prince, author of the Worthies of Devon; Thomas Church, rector of the parish in which Lord Bolingbroke resided, and who was honoured with the degree of D. D. by diploma, for his answer to the sceptical writings of that nobleman. The Rev. John Watson, author of the History of Halifax.

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In addition to these respectable names, Brasen Nose has pro duced fifteen prelates. Elias Ashmole, the Berkshire historian, entered of this college in advanced life; and the late Rev. John Whitaker, author of the History of Manchester, continued here about twelve months, after which he was elected scholar of Corpus.

The singular name by which this college is distinguished necessarily excites curiosity. It appears that, in the early prevalence of establishments for study, some of the places in which the scholars assembled derived an appellation from circumstances of the most trivial local description, and others gained names from particulars which exposed them to satirical or jocose obser vations. Of this latter kind was a very ancient hall which had a large brasen face on the door, probably to answer the purpose of a knocker. This hall formed one part of the buildings reduced by the founders of the present college, and Little University Hall, the supposed foundation of Alfred, formed another. The founders were desirous of preserving the memory of both, and they bestowed on the new structure the name of the King's Hall, and College of Brasen Nose. The allusion to King Alfred has faded from notice, and the latter term now prevails alone. Over the chief gateway of the college is still placed a brasen human face, with a nose extravagantly large.

The society now consists of a principal, twenty fellows, thirtytwo scholars, and fifteen exhibitioners.

CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE

owes its foundation to Richard Fox, Bishop of Winchester, who was born, towards the end of the reign of Henry VI. at Ropesley, near Grantham, in Lincolnshire, and was placed, at a proper age, at Magdalen College; but, being obliged to retire from Oxford by the prevalence of one of those pestilential diseases then so frequent, he repaired to the University of Cambridge. He docs

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