e Grammar School is an analogous case.
Documents have recently been brought to light in the archives of the Dean
and Chapter of Lincoln, which prove that, acting for the Chancellor (who
was _ex officio_ "Magister Scholarum"), during a temporary vacancy of
that office, they appointed Masters to the grammar schools of Boston,
Partney, Horncastle, and elsewhere, in the year 1329; the Horncastle
Master, so appointed, being one John of Beverley. This mode of
appointment being exceptional, was only to be valid for one year; but the
Chancellorship continuing vacant, the Masters were confirmed in their
positions by the Dean and Chapter, in the following year 1330, and again
in 1331; and so on, in successive years. {106c}

Now this mode of appointment being only in lieu of appointment by the
Chancellor, while his office was in abeyance, it follows that these
schools were in existence, as public institutions under the Chancellor,
before the dates named. Although, therefore, we are unable to fix the
exact period of the school's existence, it may be satisfactory for
Horncastrians to know that, in addition to the various interesting
associations which we have already given as connected with the school,
there is proof that before Shakespeare had composed one of his immortal
plays, before Spenser had written a line of his _Faerie Queen_, before
Bacon had even thought of his _Advancement of Learning_, there had
existed a "seat of learning" in the small provincial town of Horncastle,
which had then attained to the respectable age of more than two
centuries.

We have been accustomed to consider the foundation of William of Wykeham,
at Winchester, in 1373, as one at least of our very oldest, but
Horncastle Grammar School may even be of still earlier date than that.
The oldest school of all is King's School, Canterbury, attributed to
Archbishop Theodore, A.D. 670, but which may probably be traced to St.
Augustine. St. Peter's School, York, is the next oldest.

Addendum II.

The Governors of the Grammar School are about to erect, in this year,
1908, new and more commodious premises for the school, in the grounds of
what is now called "The Chestnuts," near the west end of West Street.

CHAPTER VII.
WATSON'S FREE SCHOOL.

Next in importance to the Grammar School, and prior to the existence of
the two well appointed National Schools, Church and Wesleyan, possibly
even of greater utility than at present, is Watson's Free