Note.- An apology is necessary for many inaccuracies in the punctuation, which occur principally in those sheets which were corrected in the absence of the Writer.

PREFACE.

THE following Memoirs were originally undertaken solely with a view of making the Scholars of Ruthin School, and the Inhabitants of the Town and its vicinity, better acquainted with their Founder and Benefactor. The recent establishment of a Welsh Literary Society in the same place, among whose professed objects it is to illustrate the local History, was an additional stimulus to the task, and it is a satisfaction to the Writer thus to act in unison with that most respectable Institution. When the individuals are observed who first called this Society together, their well directed zeal must be attributed, in a great measure, to the liberal notions and portion of literature they imbibed in the Grammar School of Ruthin founded by the Dean, for whom they should preserve a well informed and grateful remembrance. Yet few particulars of his life seem to be known even in his birth-place, though in the Sacred Edifice his Monument attracts attention, and to him it is owing that not the poorest of her Sons is debarred the advantages of a liberal and Christian Education, and humble merit possesses the means of emerging from native obscurity. But there are other inducements for committing these Memoirs to the Press. Such men, though they acted too secondary a part in the great events of their day to find a place in the page of History, are, nevertheless, most useful subjects for Biography, being within the reach of general imitation. The period of the English Reformation abounded in characters of this description, and especially among the dignified and well beneficed Clergy, who, in a great measure, rescued the recently dissipated revenues of the Church, restoring them to their original purpose, and by creating or adding to the Funds of Colleges and Schools, did as much real service to their Country as those who in more eminent stations directed her Councils in furtherance of that happy event. Vain, in some measure, might have been our Reformation, if no charitable provision

had been made for securing a learned Clergy to be taken from all ranks in society. And it may be justly observed, that were even such humble attempts as the present to abound more generally than they do in every District of the Kingdom, and were these records to be collected into a single view, the work would be an honour to the English Church, and create an encreasing zeal for her preservation. Many of the Descendants of these men, who now exercise their talents to the confusion of that which their Fathers laboured to promote, might perhaps, from a natural pride in the deeds of their Ancestry, be checked in their career. Gratified in their researches, Antiquam exquirere matrem," they might be induced to relent and determine that the Church

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'Prima tulit quæ nos nunc ubere læto accipiet reduces.”

With respect to the Memoir of Bishop Goodman, his name, as far as it is at all remembered, being transmitted as that of a Papist, and therefore an enemy to the Church which raised him to dignity, it may be thought injudicious to recall him from oblivion. Still it must be observed, that a perusal of what is brought together in his account may possibly have the effect of raising him in the Reader's estimation. At all events, the attempt to do so, and to induce the Inhabitants of his birth-place to think as candidly of their Benefactor as circumstances will admit, should be well received by those who have so long submitted to benefit by his Charity. And even if it be thought a failure, his religious faith still appearing as objectionable as it has been reported, let that quality he so eminently possessed, which, built on Christian principles, is greater than faith, balance the account in his favour.

The sources of information are mentioned in the course of the narrative, nor is it supposed any other exist. None have been intentionally omitted. From the connexion of Dean Goodman with Cecil, the Burleigh MSS. deposited in the British Museum were suggested to the Writer, on consulting which, it appeared that Strype had extracted, in his Anuals and Lives of the Primates of Elizabeth's Reign, all the particulars relating to the subject, so that where that Historian is quoted the Burleigh Papers are implied. Cole's MSS. deposited in the same place, which he had prepared for an Athenæ Cartabrigienses, also occurred, but the Writer was informed

nothing new would there be found, as the Collector drew from no fresh sources. The same may be said of the Baker MSS. in the Library of St. John's College, Cambridge, collected for the same purpose as Cole's.

The Statutes of Ruthin School are given in the Appendix, because they are of general interest, describing the system of Classical Education existing at the period in which they were drawn, and also because they are so creditable to the scholarship of Dean Goodman who composed them. It may seem a deficiency that those of the Hospital are omitted, (though a faithful general account of their contents is given in the narrative) which is the case, not from any objection to making them known, but because they are not of the foregoing description, and to prevent the Book becoming too voluminous and expensive, thus defeating the intention of dedicating what profit might accrue from the Publication to the use of the twelve Poor Pensioners of the Dean's Hospital attached to the Wardenship.

The Goodman Pedigree, which is also to be found in the Appendix, will be received as an useful Document serving to illustrate the claim of various Families to a valuable piece of Church Preferment. For this the public are entirely indebted to the very friendly and indefatigable labour in behalf of the Writer of Miss A. LLlwyd, of Caerwys, which is equalled only by that of NICHOLAS CARLISLE, Esq. Secretary to the Society of Antiquaries, who supplied copious extracts from such Publications as were not readily accessible to one living out of the reach of a well furnished Library.

R. N.

CLOISTERS, RUTHIN,

FEB. 10th, 1825.