136 EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENTS (IRELAND) COMMISSION.
APPENDIX B.
DOCUMENTS.
THE ERASMUS SMITH ENDOWMENTS,
See Deport, page iv.
No.
I.
(a).
Memorandum to accompany the Draft Schemf.
Origin and History of the Endowments.
The Endowments originated during the Common¬ wealth in the gift by Erasmus Smith, an Alderman of the City of London, of the revenues of certain forfeited lands in Ireland which, in consideration of certain payments made by Erasmus Smith, had been assigned to him.
Indenture dated December i, 1657.
The original instrument of foundation is an Inden¬ ture, dated December 1, 1657.
It gives to Trustees certain lands (1) to build and maintain five Grammar Schools m which the children of the poor tenants of Erasmus Smith, and the children of such as were poor or lived by their labour should be educated free ; (2) to provide out of the remainder of the rents and pro¬ fits the sum of £10 by the year for four years towards the maintenance at " the University of Trinity College near Dublin."
of such of the children of the tenants of Erasmus Smith who should be made fit for the University, and after them of other poor scholars selected by the Trustees, the pupils of the Schools having a preference; and (3) to apply the surplus of the rents and profits, when they should exceed the sum of Three Hundred Pounds by the year, to provide and maintain five Schools for teaching, speaking, and reading the English tongue ; the yearly salary of each Master or Mistress employed therein not to exceed £10 sterling.
The pupils of the Schools were to be catechised twice every week, once on some week clay, and also every Lord's day, in the Catechism published by the Westminster Assembly of Divines, which was to be provided by the Trustees for the children of poor tenants.
The Schoolmasters were to pray with the scholars twice every clay.
Among the Trustees were several Puritan divines and other clergymen, certain public officials, and four aldermen of the city of Dublin.
The Indenture con¬ tained a direction to the Trustees to obtain within seven years a licence under the Great Seal of England, or an Act of Parliament, to be a Corporation in per¬ petual succession, and reserved power to Erasmus Smith and his heirs to re-enter the lands devised, in the event of failure to obtain such licence or Act of Parliament.
Petition to Commissioners under Act of Settle¬
ment.
After the Restoration, the Trustees, by a petition to the Commissioners under the Act of Settlement, dated January 29, 1665, prayed for an adjudication of their right and title to the lands granted by Erasmus Smith for charitable uses, and the Commissioners decreed that the Trustees were lawfully entitled to the lands for the several charitable uses expressed in the Indenture.
Letters Patent of November 3, 1667.
Two years subsequently, by Letters Patent, dated November 3, 1667, King Charles the Second granted the lands devifed by the Indenture to seven of the
original Trustees, until a Corporation should be established, for the following charitable uses — (1.)
To pay the Governors of Christ's Hospital.
London, the annual sum of one hundred pounds.
(2.)
To apply fifty pounds yearly in maintain¬ ing five schools for teaching poor children of both sexes to speak and write English in such place* in Ireland as Erasmus Smith should appoint.
(3.)
To apply one-fourth part of the remainder of the rents and profits derived from the lands in placing poor men's children as apprentices to-Protestant masters in Ireland, and, after the de¬ termination of certain leases, in clothing poor children, pupils of the Giainmar Schools.
(4.)
To buy or build three Schoolhouses and Masters residences, one in or near Galway, and two others in such parts of Ireland as Erasmir-Smith should nominate, or as the Trustees should think fit, and to pay to each Schoolmaster appointed by the Tinstees a yearly stipend of £66 13s.
id.
(5.)
To apply all the residue of the rents and profits in awarding Exhibitions, of not more than £8 in value, to poor students " of the University or College near Dublin " who had been educated iii the Schools, or, failing these, to other poor students in the University to be nominated by the Trustees, a preference being given to th" children of poor inhabitants of the lands oi Erasmus Smith.
It was further provided that upon the establish¬ ment of a Corporation to be called by the nam*' of "The Governors of the Schools founded by Erasmus Smith, Esquire," all the lands granted by the Letters Patent should be transferred tu the Corporation/ Charter of King Charles the Second.
In March, 1669, King Charles the Second, by Letters Patent, commonly called " The Charter of King Charles the Second," granted upon the petition of the founder, gave Erasmus Smith power to establish three Grammar Schools, one in the town of Drogheda, another in the town of Galway, and a third in the town of Tipperary, which were to be free Schools for twenty poor children, to be named by the Founder or by the Governors, and for all the children of the tenants of Erasmus Smith.
The course of instruction in the Schools was to be in writing and casting accounts, and the pupils, as far as they were capable, were to be instructed also in the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew tongues, and were to be fitted for the Uni¬ versity if they, their parents, or friends should so desire.
The Schoolmasters were to be appointed by Erasmus Smith during his life, and after his death, by the Governors.
They w^re to be approved hy the the Bishop or Archbishop of the Diocese " if they should wilb'ngly subscribe the two first canons of the Church of Ireland "
; and they were exempted from any visitation but that of the founder during his life) and after his death of the Governors.
Under the rules for the management of the schools approved by
