A bit of Eton College’s history

Extract from:

A History of Eton College, 1440-1875

by Sir H. C. Maxwell Lyte

Published in 1875

Pages 129 – 131

Sir Thomas Smith recovered his liberty after a short imprisonment, but only on disgorging a large sum of public money which he had embezzled. At Eton, he was treated with great deference. His predecessors and successors have been styled “Master Provost” or “Mr. Provost,” but the Fellows generally styled him simply “our Master.”

Several members of the College were not slow to follow the example of Sir Thomas Smith in taking to themselves wives, though it is difficult to see how they could justify so distinct a breach of the Statutes.

The dismissal of several Chaplains, who were no longer required for the celebration of solitary masses, may have provided rooms for the reception of women and children, the very thought of whom would have scandalized the pious Founder.

Barker, the Master, received a royal license in 1551, enabling him to retain his post, though he was avowedly married; but such proceedings were regarded with aversion by the severer portion of the community.

A married priest was considered capable of almost any enormity, and Barker had already come in for his share of abuse.

William Goldwyn wrote to Sir Thomas Smith on the 5th of May, 1549, to explain:

“Whereas ill reportt hathe byn that the scholmaster shuld be a Disepleyare Cardeare Riatore or Gameare nott applyeng his schole trewlye, that Reportt is manifestlye false, know he is none of that sortt. I can fynd no faught in hym butt (as I have honestly informed hym) he is sumwhat to gentle and gyvethe his scholears more licence, thane they have byn usid too before tyme, of the wiche thing evill tounges mey spred mutche matter and diffame witheoute care of ony good redresse. I trust ther be no suche in our companye.”

One of Barker’s pupils met with an untimely fate, which led to one of the few inquests that have ever been held within the Liberty of the College.

From the account of the proceedings on that occasion, it appears that one of the scholars named Robert Sacheverell was in the “pleyeng lease” about seven in the evening on the 29th of July, 1549, and there went to bathe at “le watring-place” with some of his companions.

While in the water, he was carried away by the stream to a place known as “le whirlpole,” and so disappeared.

The jurors, therefore, pronounced “that water execrable, and the cause of his death; on whose soul may God have mercy.”

This last sentence has a Catholic sound, but, in point of fact, the College authorities had followed the successive changes in matters of religion.

Sir Thomas Smith had been a supporter of the Reformation from his earliest years, and several of the Fellows shared his views.

The changes under Henry VIII had been chiefly political, but those under Edward VI extended to the services of the Church.

About a month after the election of Smith, the images at the high altar were pulled down and carted away; and the College lost no time in purchasing a book of the Homilies and a copy of the new Communion-book.

In 1551, the embroidered frontals of the other altars were sold, the Provost and such of the Fellows as wanted any, buying them for their own purposes.