academies. A man might think that, however much the quality of the
teaching varied in various free schools, the nominal curriculum would
be fairly uniform.

As to the teacher, a good endowment would be apt to attract a capable
man. What was the endowment of Stratford School? It was derived
from the bequest of Thomas Jolyffe (died 1482), a bequest of lands in
Stratford and Dodwell, and before the Reformation the Brethren of the
Guild were "to find a priest fit and able in knowledge to teach
grammar freely to all scholars coming to him, taking nothing for
their teaching . . . " "The Founder's liberal endowment made it
possible to secure an income for the Master by deed. Under the
Reformation, Somerset's Commission found that the School Master had
10 pounds yearly by patent; the school was well conducted, and was
not confiscated." {50a}

Baconians can compare the yearly 20 pounds (the salary in 1570-6,
which then went much further than it does now) with the incomes of
other masters of Grammar Schools, and thereby find out if the Head-
Master was very cheap. Mr. Elton (who knew his subject intimately)
calls the provision "liberal." The Head-Master of Westminster had 20
pounds and a house.

As to the method of teaching, it was colloquial; questions were asked
and answered in Latin. This method, according to Dr. Rouse of Perse
School, brings boys on much more rapidly than does our current
fashion, as may readily be imagined; but experts vary in opinion.
The method, I conceive, should give a pupil a vocabulary. Lilly's
Latin Grammar was universally used, and was learned by rote, as by
George Borrow, in the last century. See Lavengro for details.