Part 3 (2/2)
The Salary of the President Mr. _James Blair_, has been lately ordered to be reduced from 150 to 100 _l. per Ann._
The Salary of the Fellows (one of which I have been several Years) is 80 _l. per Ann._ each, with 20 _s._ Entrance, and 20 _s._ a Year for Pupilage for each Scholar: The Payments are sometimes made in Current _Spanish Money_, and sometimes in _Sterling_ Bills.
The Nature of the Country scarce yet admits of a Possibility of reducing the _Collegians_ to the nice Methods of Life and Study observed in _Oxford_ and _Cambridge_; tho' by Degrees they may copy from thence many useful Customs and Const.i.tutions.
When the _College_ shall be compleatly finished, and Scholars.h.i.+ps founded, then is the Trust to be transferred from the _Trustees_ to the _President and Masters_; but at present it is managed by a certain Number of _Governors_ or _Visitors_, (one of which is chosen yearly _Rector_) appointed first by the _Trustees_, elected out of the princ.i.p.al and worthiest Inhabitants.
These appoint a Person, to whom they grant several Privileges and Allowances to board and lodge the Masters and Scholars at an extraordinary cheap Rate.
This Office is at present performed in the neatest and most regular and plentiful Manner, by _Mrs. Mary St.i.th_, a Gentlewoman of great Worth and Discretion, in good Favour with the Gentry, and great Esteem and Respect with the common People.
Great Pity it is, but the n.o.ble Design of this College met with more Friends to encourage, and Benefactors to advance, its flouris.h.i.+ng State.
One Happiness is, that it has always a _Chancellor_ in _England_, chosen by the _Governors_ or _Feoffees_; to whose Patronage and Direction it may have Recourse upon emergent Occasions.
The last _Chancellor_ was the late _Bishop of London_; and the present is his _Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury_.
The _Chancellor_ continues in that Office but seven Years; so that it may happen as soon as he has obtained a perfect Knowledge and Acquaintance with the Persons and Affairs belonging to the _College_, his Term is expired: Besides their Business in other momentous Affairs at Home may divert them, and the Distance of the Country may prevent them from obtaining true Notions, and exact Accounts of the Nature of the _Colony_ and the _College_; so that for these Reasons, they can't do for it the Good, which they otherwise might: For their better Information, and for Direction of all, in promoting Religion and Learning in this _Plantation_, I have made Publick this Account of _it_, and _its_ Inhabitants.
Fronting the _College_ at near its whole Breadth, is extended a n.o.ble Street mathematically streight (for the first Design of the Town's Form is changed to a much better) just three Quarters of a Mile in Length: At the other End of which stands the _Capitol_, a n.o.ble, beautiful, and commodious Pile as any of its Kind, built at the Cost of the _late Queen_, and by the Direction of the _Governor_.
In this is the _Secretary's Office_ with all the Courts of _Justice_ and _Law_, held in the same Form, and near the same Manner, as in _England_; except the _Ecclesiastical Courts_.
Here the _Governor_ and _twelve Counsellors_ sit as _Judges_, at the _General Courts_ in _April_ and _October_, whither Trials and Causes are removed from Courts, held at the Court-Houses Monthly in every County by a Bench of _Justices_ and a _County Clerk_.
Here are also held the _Oyer and Terminer Courts_, one in Summer, and the other in Winter, added by the Charity of the _late Queen_, for the Prevention of Prisoners lying in Gaol above a Quarter of a Year before their Trial.
Here are also held _Courts Martial_, by Judges appointed on Purpose, for the _Trial_ of _Pyrates_; likewise _Courts of Admiralty_, for the Trial of _s.h.i.+ps_ for illegal Trade.
The Building is in the Form of an =H= nearly; the _Secretary's Office_, and the _General Court_ taking up one Side below Stairs; the Middle being an handsom _Portico_ leading to the Clerk of the _a.s.sembly's_ Office, and _the House of Burgesses_ on the other Side; which last is not unlike the _House of Commons_.
In each Wing is a good Stair Case, one leading to the _Council Chamber_, where the _Governor_ and _Council_ sit in very great State, in Imitation of the _King and Council_, or the _Lord Chancellor_ and _House of Lords_.
Over the _Portico_ is a large Room where _Conferences_ are held, and _Prayers_ are read by the Chaplain to the General a.s.sembly; which Office I have had the Honour for some Years to perform. At one End of this is a Lobby, and near it is the _Clerk of the Council's Office_; and at the other End are several Chambers for the _Committees_ of _Claims_, _Privileges_, and _Elections_; and over all these are several good Offices for the _Receiver General_, for the _Auditor_, _Treasurer_, &c.
and upon the Middle is raised a lofty _Cupola_ with a large Clock.
The whole is surrounded with a neat _Area_, encompa.s.sed with a good Wall, and near it is a strong sweet _Prison_ for _Criminals_; and on the other Side of an open Court another for _Debtors_, when any are removed thither from other Prisons in each County; but such Prisoners are very rare, the Creditors being there generally very merciful, and the Laws so favourable for Debtors, that some esteem them too indulgent.
The Cause of my being so particular in describing the _Capitol_ is, because it is the best and most commodious Pile of its Kind that I have seen or heard of.
Because the _State House_, _James Town_, and the _College_ have been burnt down, therefore is prohibited in the _Capitol_ the Use of Fire, Candles, and Tobacco.
Parallel to the main Street mentioned is a Street on each Side of it, but neither quite so long nor broad; and at proper Distances are small cross Streets, for the Convenience of Communication.
Near the Middle stands the _Church_, which is a large strong Piece of Brickwork in the Form of a Cross, nicely regular and convenient, and adorned as the best Churches in _London_. This from the Parish is called _Bruton Church_, where I had the Favour of being Lecturer.
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