CHAPTER IX.
THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.
The Schools of the Parish are at present a Boys', a Girls', and an Infants' School, in three Departments, and separated from each other by a considerable distance. The history of the original Endowed School may best be given by a Decree of the Court of the Duchy of Lancaster, dated June 25th, 1639. The case is given as between "Robert Smith and John Shirt, plaintiffs, and Arthur Bromley, defendant," the latter being the master at that time of the Free Grammar School at Pontefract, and receiving the emoluments originally intended for the Master of the Endowed School at Cawthorne.
The Decree is as follows: "Whereas the said Robert Smith and John Shirt for themselves and the rest of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Cawthorne have exhibited their Bill in this Court, thereby setting forth, that, by the bounty of King Edward the sixth or some other predecessor of His now Majesty, and upon a Commission for that purpose directed to Sir Walter Mildmay and Robert Keldway, Esq., secundo Edward sext., divers free schools were appointed in sundry places in England, and sundry stipends were allotted to be paid by His Majesty and his successors for the schoolmaster of the said Schools; and that among these his said Majesty appointed a Free Grammer Schoole should be maintained at Cawthorne aforesaid within the Honor of Pontefract; and that one Richard Wigfall should be first schoolmaster, and that he and his successors should have the yearly stipend of one hundred and four shillings paid by the Auditor of the Duchy of Lancaster, as by a Declaration of the said Commissioners shewing what schools were assigned within that Honor, on return of the said Commission, and remaining on record in this Court, may more fully appear; and that accordingly the said Richard Wigfall was schoolmaster there, and received the said Stipend from the said Auditor divers years, and died, and after him
