th are of the clergy. The hall of the
gild was used for a school-room. In the glass of the windows was
painted the figure of Edmund Lord Ferrers; who, marrying, about 350
years ago, the heiress of the house of Birmingham, resided upon the
manor, and seems to have been a benefactor to the gild, with his arms,
empaling Belknap; and also, those of Stafford, of Grafton, of
Birmingham, and Bryon.

The gild stood at that time at a distance from the town, surrounded with
inclosures; the highway to Hales Owen, now New-street, running by the
north. No house could be nearer than those in the High-street.

The first erection, wood and plaister, which had stood about 320 years,
was taken down in 1707, to make way for the present flat building. In
1756, a set of urns were placed upon the parapet, which give relief to
that stiff air, so hurtful to the view: at the same time, the front was
_intended_ to have been decorated, by erecting half a dozen dreadful
pillars, like so many over-grown giants marshalled in battalia, to guard
the entrance, which the boys wish to shun; and, being sufficiently
tarnished with Birmingham smoak, may become dangerous to pregnancy. Had
the wings of this building fallen two or three yards back, and the line
of the street been preserved by a light palisade, it would have risen in
the scale of beauty, and removed the gloomy aspect of the area.

The tower is in a good taste, except being rather too narrow in the
base, and is ornamented with a sleepy figure of the donor, Edward the
Sixth, dressed in a royal mantle, with the ensigns of the Garter;
holding a bible and sceptre.

The lands that support this foundation, and were in the reign of Henry
the Eighth, valued at thirty-one pounds per annum, are now, by the
advance of landed property, the reduction of money, and the increase of
commerce, about 600_l_.

The present governors of this royal donation are

John Whateley, _bailiff_,
_Rev_. Charles Newling,
Abraham Spooner, _esq_;
Thomas Russell,
John Ash, _M.D._
Richard Rabone,
Francis Goodall,
Francis Parrott, _esq_;
William Russell, _esq_;
John Cope, _dead_,
Thomas Hurd,
Thomas Westley,
Wm. John Banner,
Thomas Salt,
William Holden,
Thomas Carless,
John Ward,
Edward Palmer, _esq_;
Francis Coales,
AND
Robert Coales.

[Illustration: _Charity School_.]

Over this nursery of science p