69. THE COLLEGE OF WYE
Henry VI on 27 February, 1432, granted
licence for John Kemp, archbishop of York, to
found the college of Sts. Gregory and Martin in
the parish of Wye, in which he had been born;
and for the master or provost and chaplains of
the college to acquire in mortmain lands, rents,
and churches to the value of 100 marks yearly,
and also to acquire the advowson of the vicarage
of Wye from the abbot of Battle, and to appropriate the vicarage. (fn. 1) The design was not carried
out at once, and on 28 March, 1439, in consideration of a deduction of £200 from a debt
owing to the archbishop, the king granted to him
the advowson and rectory of Newington by Hythe
with the grange of Brenzett and lands in
Newington and Broomhill, lately belonging to
the abbess of Guines in Artois, with licence for
him to grant the same to the master and chaplains of the college, when founded, and for them
to appropriate the church. (fn. 2)
The archbishop founded the college accordingly by the cemetery of the parish church, and
appointed Richard Ewan the first provost on
14 January, 1448. (fn. 3) The vicarage of Wye was
appropriated to the college by the archbishop of
Canterbury on 9 November, 1449; (fn. 4) and the
master and chaplains had licence in 1450 (fn. 5) to
acquire and appropriate the church of Boughton
Aluph, and in 1451 (fn. 6) to acquire lands and
rents in Canterbury, Wye, Boughton Aluph,
Crundale, Godmersham, Bethersden, and Postling. Edward IV in 1465 granted to them the
churches of Newington, Brenzett, and Broomhill,
formerly of the abbess of Guines. (fn. 7)
The prior of Christchurch made a visitation (fn. 8)
of the college during the vacancy of the archbishopric in 1454; when everything was found
in good order except for a hole in the churchyard wall and a few other trifling matters. The
statutes could not be produced, as. the copy
belonging to the college was still in London, but
they were explained to the visitor. The foundation consisted of a provost, two fellows, a
minister or parochial chaplain, seven choristers,
and two clerks. At each vacancy of the provostship the fellows submitted several names to the
abbot of Battle, who selected one; and no one
was eligible unless a doctor or scholar of theology
and a member of Merton College, Oxford.
Archbishop Warham made a visitation (fn. 9) of
the college on 25 September, 1511, when John
Goodhew was master and Thomas Rogers
fellow. Thomas Penycoke, curate, William
Gowlaw (a Scotchman), and Thomas Martin
also belonged to the house, as well as four clerks
and four choristers. The master showed his
letters of institution to the parish church of
Staplehurst, but Had no papal dispensation for
two incompatible benefices. He frequented in
a suspicious way the house of John Stephens of
Herne Hill in the deanery of Ospringe, and it
was noted that there were other charges against
him.
The oath of acknowledgement of the royal
supremacy was taken in December, 1534, by
Richard Waltare, provost, and three others. (fn. 10)
In the Valor of the next year the gross income
of the college was given as £125 15s. 4½d., and
the net income £93 2s. 0½d.; the deductions
including £3 6s. 8d. in payments to poor people,
and £3 3s. 4d. in obits for the founder and other
benefactors. (fn. 11)
The college was surrendered on 19 January,
1545, and an inventory of its goods was taken
on the same day, these being valued at £7 1s. 10d.,
besides a silver salt and its cover, weighing
18 oz. and valued at £3; ten silver spoons
weighing 8¼ oz. and valued at 27s. 6d., and
two old masers valued at 6s. 8d. The debts
owing to the college amounted to £21 6s. 11¼d.,
and it owed £51 6s. 2½d. to the king for firstfruits and tenths. Pensions of £26 13s. 4d. to
Edward Bowden, master, £6 each to William
Dodding and Thomas Sotheby, fellows, and
£10 to Richard Clyfton, master of the grammar
school, were given. (fn. 12)
The site and most of the possessions of the
college, including the manors of Perycourte and
Surrenden, and the rectory and advowson of the
vicarage of Broomhill, were sold on 13 March,
1545, for £200 to Walter Bucler, the queen's
secretary. (fn. 13)
Masters or Provosts of Wye
Richard Ewan, appointed 1448 (fn. 14)
Thomas Gauge, occurs 1450, (fn. 15) resigned 1462 (fn. 16)
Nicholas Wright, appointed 1462, (fn. 16) occurs 1470 (fn. 17)
John Goodhew, occurs 1511 (fn. 14)
Richard Waltare or Walker, occurs 1525, (fn. 17a) 1534, (fn. 14) 1535 (fn. 18)
Edward Bowden, surrendered 1545, (fn. 19) the last master.
The seal (fn. 20) of the college is a pointed oval
measuring 2⅜ in. by 1½ in. In two carved niches,
with heavy double canopies and tabernacle work
at the sides, on the left St. Gregory with triple
tiara, seated, lifting up the right hand in benediction, and holding in the left a cross or crosier;
on the right. St. Martin, seated, lifting up the
right hand in benediction and holding in the left
a pastoral staff. In base, under a round-headed
arch, between masonry, the master or provost,
three-quarter length, turned slightly to the left,
in prayer. Legend:—
[SIG]ILLŪ cÕE COLLEGH ScÕR GREGORII T MARTINI DE WY I cÃ.