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Benham, William, 1831-1910

"Old St. Paul's Cathedral"

He was a rich man, and in 1509 he employed much of his
wealth--about L40,000 present value--in the foundation of St. Paul's
School. He wrote some simple precepts for the guidance of masters and
scholars, and drew up prayers and an English version of the Creed. He
appointed William Lilly first master, and called on Linacre to write
a Latin grammar. The school became famous; it was burnt down in the
Fire, rebuilt in 1670, and removed to Hammersmith in 1884. It is not
to be wondered at that many of the churchmen of the day regarded Colet
as a most dangerous innovator. Complaints were made to Archbishop
Warham that he was favouring the Lollards, which was absolutely
untrue. He would in all probability, had he lived, have been found
on the same side as More and Fisher, that is, intensely desirous to
preserve the Church and its doctrines, but to cleanse it from the foul
scandals, the sloth, greed, immorality, which were patent to all
the world. There was a meeting of Convocation in February, 1512, to
consider how to extirpate the Lollard heresy which was reviving.


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