II.

Clare Hall.

CHAPTER I.

HISTORY OF THE SITE AND OF THE FIRST BUILDINGS.

T has been already shewn that Clare Hall ranks historically as the third foundation in the University'; yet architecturally, the College as it stands, dates from the reign of Charles I.; and although the quadrangle was not completely closed in until the beginning of the 18th century, and has since suffered additions and changes in minor details, it possesses a unity of effect that leads most persons to imagine that it was built from a design completely made from the beginning. This is far from being the case, and as the building accounts are unusually complete, it will be found to present a most instructive and curious history of the changes. in architectural taste which took place during the eventful period of more than a century which passed away while it was step by step carried on to its present condition.

1 [See Historical Introduction.]

2 [When Professor Willis lectured before the Architectural Congress at Cambridge in 1860, he described Clare as "one of the most beautiful buildings, from its situation and general outline, that he could point out in the University. It had a homogeneous appearance, more like a palace than a College." His remarks on the Chapel were not so complimentary.]

But though the edifices that previously occupied the site have vanished, their history must detain us awhile. The site. was part of a certain property acquired by the University from Nigel de Thornton about 12701, and was "situated in a place called Mylnes Lane, neere St. John Zacharies Church," in the words of an old table, once in existence at Clare Hall, containing an account of its history. It was occupied by two messuages, and apparently extended, as at present, from Milne Street to the river. Richard de Badew's scholars were probably lodged in hostels that already occupied the ground. [These hostels are said to have been destroyed by fire about 13388, but on somewhat doubtful authority.] Caius' relates that after the second foundation in that year by Elizabeth de Burgo, Countess of Clare, "many excellent men lent a hand to the perfection of the building, which, like that of other Halls, was not begun and finished at once."

Little or nothing can now be recovered concerning the original College. We know that it possessed a Library, which was being built between 1420 and 1430, as the College Register records that William Wymbell, Master, contributed £3 for the glass of all the windows on the south side: and that his successors, Gull and Wilflet, gave or procured subscriptions for the fabric of the same. Mention is also made of a wall extending to the river bank [to which Wilflet contributed the lime: and of a "battlemented wall" (murus vatellatus), which is shewn in Hammond's map (fig. 3), next to King's College]".

1 See below, History of the Schools.

2 MSS. Baker, xxxviii. 253.

3 Fuller, 84. MSS. Cole, ii. 9.

4 Caius, Hist. Cant. Acad. i. 57.

5

[In the list of" Benefactores Collegii” (Register, p. 17) we find :

"Magister [Willelmus] Wymbyll [Master 1421]... soluit pro vitro omnium fenestrarum librarie ex parte meridionali et aliis iii li." He and others also gave "ad facturam camere proxime ad aulam trinitatis et muri vatellati x. marcas et ultra." "Magister Willelmus Gull magister collegii dedit ... iiij marcas ad fabricam librarie." Ibid. p. 18.

"Magister Willelmus Wilflete ... dedit fabrice noui muri ad ripam riuuli calcem quantum suffecit. Item procuravit ad edificium librarie de bonis Roberti Wright ... iiij marcas. Item dedit eidem de bonis Willelmi Fulburn cujus executor fuerat xx'. Item procuravit ad fabricam noui muri in toto a diversis Christi fidelibus ut patet in libro compotus eiusdem fabrice inceptae 2° nno administracionis sue." Ibid. p. 19.

(No sum is given.)

ון

In the Register quoted above there are a few historical memoranda. These inform us that

'On October 20, 1514, Edmund Natares' was elected and admitted to the Mastership of Clare Hall. In 1521, on the day after the festival of S. Dionisius [Oct. 9], being the night of the election of the Proctors, the Master's chamber and the College Treasury were burnt down, causing a great loss of money, evidences, and other property.

"In 1523 the kitchen was built, together with the chambers between it and the Hall, at the College expense; in 1524 the Hall and one of the Master's chambers were removed to the position they now occupy; in 1525 the whole building now belonging to the Master was erected at the expense of Dr Natares; in 1528 the building between the Master's chamber and the chapel was built at the expense of Magister Caumonde, Vicar of S. Peter's at Colchester, in whose honour we celebrate exequies on the 14th day after Easter; in 1535 the chapel itself was built, to the completion of which Magister Spicer, Rector of Clopton, contributed £95, in whose honour we celebrate exequies four times in the year. In the same year the party-wall was erected which leads from the west door of the Hall to the house by the river side."

This seems to complete the College for the time being: or rather, to have reinstated the parts damaged by the fire of 1521.

[It is curious that a tradition should have become current so early as the first half of the seventeenth century that there was no Chapel until after the fire of 1521. This is expressly stated by Fuller3: and even appears in a formal statement signed "The Master and Fellows of Clare-Hall," which was circulated about 1685 with the view of obtaining subscriptions towards the completion of the Hall. It is entitled

In the mastership of Thomas Stoyle (1466–1470) “factus est magnus caminus in coquina. Item fecit alium magnum caminum in Aula. Item fecit pavimentum in Aula. Item fecit ibidem nouam celaturam super altam mensam." Ibid. p. 39.]

66

2 [Dr Spicer bequeathed "100lib. sterlyng" on the condition, among others, that there should be "a Lampe brinnynge dayly for ever in ye Chapell...afore St Katheryn ther from seven a clok in ye mornyng till it be ten of the cloke aforenone ... And when [the Priest] hath sayd Masse to say De Profundis at my Towmbe ther"... MSS. Baker, ii. 74- His will is dated March 24, 24 Hen. viij.]

* [1. c. p. 86. He contradicts himself, however, in a subsequent passage, p. 132.] 4 [It is printed in the " Annotations to "The Right Notion of Honour: As it was delivered in a sermon before the King at Newmarket, Octob. 4, 1674." By Nath. Vincent, D.D., Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty, and Fellow of ClareHall in Cambridge. 4o. London, 1685. The following passage, also from the "Annotations," is important: "He [the author] had no other Motive to the Publica

"A General Address to all bountiful Encouragers of Religion and Learning, in the behalf of Clare-Hall in Cambridge: which remains half built, after all the endeavours of the Society for more than Forty years to finish it."

After narrating how the College had "been always unhappy, either in the Ruines or the Defects of its Building," the damage done to it on two occasions by fire, and the construction of a new College at the second foundation, the writer proceeds:

"But yet the most valuable part of a College, a Chappel, was wanting for above two hundred years; till the Society had by their good Husbandry saved so much Money as with the Gift of a hundred Pounds built one, with a fair Library over it.'

Several notices may however be traced which prove the contrary. The most important of these is the will of John de Donewych, Master, dated April 9, 1392. After directing that his body is to be buried in the Parish Church of S. John Baptist in Milnestrete, near the door on the south side, where a porch with an image of the Virgin over it is to be built at his expense, he bequeaths a complete set of the "Corpus Juris Civilis" to his College, on condition of their providing a priest to say mass for his soul for a whole year “in the Chapel of the said College, or in the Parish Church'."

There can be no doubt that the Church of S. John the Baptist was used by Clare Hall as a Chapel, as their ancient

tion of these Papers, neither did he need any other, than the desire of his honoured and worthy Collegues, to recommend in a printed Epistle, the present attempt to finish our fair Building; and our design of a College Hall, of which great convenience we have as yet no more than the bare Foundation." The following note is written by Dr Goddard (Master 1761-1781), opposite to Dr Vincent's name in the College Admission Book. "In 1674 he preached before the King at Newmarket in a long periwig and hollow sleeves, then the dress of a gentleman; which so scandalised even Charles 2d that he ordered the Duke of Monmouth, then Chancellor of the University, to put the statutes in execution relating to decency of apparel. On the death of Dr Dillingham (1678) he endeavoured to be made master by a mandamus, but was disappointed by the Society's chusing Dr Blyth before him before he could serve them with it. ... He died 1722." This story is repeated by Gough, British Topography, i. 230.]

1 [MSS. Baker, ii. 75. "Item lego Collegio totum Corpus Juris Civilis unius secte, ita quod Collegium statim post mortem meam inveniat unum Sacerdotem ad celebrand' divina in Capella dicti Collegii seu in Ecclesia paroch' pro anima mea ... per annum integrum."]

statutes' (1359) direct that their divine service is to be performed in their parish church; and that after its destruction the south chancel aisle of S. Edward's Church was built to

replace it. This aisle has subsequently been always called “ Clare-Hall_Aisle.” This will however shews distinctly that while the College had undoubtedly the right of using the Church of S. John Baptist, probably for the burial of their dead, they had likewise a Chapel of their own for their devotions within their precincts. Other proofs may however be adduced. When the Archbishop of Canterbury visited the University in 1401, he met the authorities of Clare Hall "in capella Collegiis." Between 1420 and 1430, John Pelham, Fellow, gave Nicolas de Lyra on the New Testament and the Psalms "to be chained for ever in the Chapel"." In 1452 and 1455 the College Chapel is mentioned as the place where masses for the souls of the foundress and benefactors are to be said. Moreover, there is a long list of "Ornamenta capelle" in the College Register written in an early hand of the fifteenth century. These ornaments consist principally of vestments, furniture, and plate, and indicate a richly endowed building. We learn incidentally from this list that there were three altars in it, but more precise indications of its extent, position, or arrangements, cannot be discovered.]

[The original position and arrangement of the College have fortunately been preserved to us in a plan', now in the College

1 Commiss. Docts. ii. 141. 4 Register, p. 18.

2 Borough Report, p. 18.

3 Fuller, p. 132.

5 [Translated by Mr H. T. Riley, Second Report of the Hist. MSS. Com. p. 110.] 6 The following extracts from the Register, pp. 11, 12, illustrate this part of the subject. The value of the articles is always set down after them.

Ornamenta altarium duorum inferiorum capelle de albo serico cum cortinis iiij li. j pannus aureus ad longitudinem summi altaris

Ornamenta sepulcri paschalis pretiosa viz. ij ad latera tecti sepulcri et ij pro finibus sepulcri et j pro basi sepulcri cum militibus. j fromtell et j pannus sericus

i cista communis in qua est sigillum commune et munimenta domus precium ciste x s. precium sigilli

v li.

xv li.

XX S.

.

"A book

Again in the list of "The Books of Divine Offices," Ibid, p. 9. of placebo and dirige on the north side of the chapel with a legend of S. Etheldreda"

ijs.

7 [This plan, which I owe to the kindness of the present Master, Dr Atkinson, was

VOL. I.

6