ST. JOHN^S C0LLEG;E. 691 The arms of this college are thus blazoned : Quarterly, France and England within a border gobonated, ar- gent and azure. ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE Owes its foundation to the lady Margaret, countess of Richmond and Derby, mother to King Henry the Seventh. This lady (though she lived not to put all her reli- gious designs in execution) left it ordered by her last will, that her executors should endeavour to obtain a proper license to convert an hospital of regular canons (then standing in the same place) into a college, by the ancient name of St. John the evangelist. This license was first granted by her grandson, king Henry the Eighth, dated 7th Aug. 1509, soon after which, viz. 20th Jan. 1510-11^7^ the old house was dissolved, and leave given to erect a college, to consist of a master, and fifty fellows and scholars, aut circa. This license was afterwards confirmed by a bull of pope Julius the Second, by virtue of which authorities the building of the new college was undertaken in the year 151 1 , and carried on successfully by the care and conduct of Robert Shorton, the first master. By the college then in being 1 mean only what is now the first court, the second and fairest being after- wards added mostly at the charge of Mary, countess of Shrewsbury, in the year 1602, as the case of the new library was, after that built at the charge of John Williams, bishop of Lincoln, lord keeper, in the year 1624. MASTERS. HoBKRT SiioRTox or Shihton, S.'JM*., was constituted 9th April i5i I. See Masters of Pembroke college. ^7 Statutes in MS. Harl. N" 7or,o. 4 I 2
