says that it was "owing to our having lost
that part of the Estate thus bequeathed us called Seely House Grove,
which was sued for and recovered a great while ago by some or other that
laid claim to it."

The farms in Hockley and Maldon are still in their possession and one of
them retains its name, Munde Bowers. Never more than six Scholarships a
year had been given and in 1718 the income was L31 a year. In 1890 there
were apparently two Carr Exhibitions of L50 a year each, while at the
present day there is one of L50 tenable for three years, but it is
possible that in a few years another Exhibition may be given
occasionally.

In 1619 the term of Christopher Shute's Headmastership drew to a close.
He resigned and his place was taken by the Rev. Robert Dockray. It
cannot be ascertained how long Shute had been Master, for the earliest
expenditure which is entered in the Minute-Book was in 1615 and therein:

Item: to Mr. Shute and Mr. Claphamson for
monie that was behind of their wages L1 17 4

This entry establishes the fact that one Christopher Shute was Master in
1615 and the receipts continue in his name for four years until 1619.
Tradition says that the Vicar and Master were one and the same person,
but there are certain difficulties in the way. In the first place the
Vicar was over seventy years of age, secondly there is no Grace Book or
extant contemporary writing or extract from the Parish Registers, in
which he is called both Vicar and Master. Thirdly, the Vicar's son,
Josias, is said to have been educated by his father, until he was of an
age to go to the Grammar School. On the other hand Shute may have
undertaken the work of the Master for a few years only and owing to some
especial necessity, which has not been recorded. Secondly there is no
record of any Christopher Shute, other than the Vicar, who in 1615 could
have acted as Master. Nathaniel Shute had a son Christopher, who was
later a Fellow of Christ's, Cambridge, but at this date he was still a
boy. Thirdly the signatures in the Minute-Book of both Master and Vicar
are very similar.

The year 1619 is the latest date at which the Vicar took any active part
in the advancement of the School and his work may be briefly summarised.
With Henry Tennant, he had petitioned Archbishop Piers for his assent to
the Statutes, which they had drawn up. In 1599 he had procured a
parchment-covered book, which he called "Liber Christopheri Shute