In March, 1711, on the motion of the mayor, Christopher Shuter, a gross of bottles of sherry was presented to Colston for his services; the wine cost £16 18s. 6d. He presented petitions during the session from Bristol in favour of keeping the navigation free between Hanham mills and Bristol (there was a bill then pending for making the Avon navigable from Bath to Hanham mills); also for power to raise a further sum of £1,200 for employing, educating and maintaining the poor of the city; also that the trade to Africa might be open to all her majesty's subjects (slavery was not abhorrent even to a good man); also sundry other petitions, but he was not one that wasted the time of the House by speechmaking.

In 1699, Mary Gray left money by will, £50, the profits, less 68. 8d., for a sermon for teaching fatherless children of Temple parish. Mr. John Gray afterwards supplemented the gift; he was a cousin of Colston, which fact probably induced the latter to take an interest in his native parish. (In the new schoolhouse, a building of good architectural character in Victoria street, is a tablet, with the following inscription: "On this endowed school for forty poor boys, by Mr. Edward Colston, in 1712, there was engrafted, in 1864, a national school, in accordance with a scheme sanctioned by his trustees, the Charity Commissioners, and the Committee of Council on Education, and new schools, with accommodation for 200 boys and 200 girls, were erected, with a good dwelling-house for the master, at a cost of £2,534 19s. 8d., of which there was contributed by the public £1,693 28. 2d.; the Committee of Privy Council, £541 178. 6d. ; the Society of Merchant Venturers, £200; the Diocesan Society, £100; and publicly opened on the 21st February, 1866, by the Right Reverend Bishop Anderson.-JOHN LONGMAN, Treasurer.")

It is necessary, however, that we take a retrospective view of some ten years' occurrences in connection with this school, ere Colston interested himself in it. The Rev. Arthur Bedford, the vicar of Temple, had taken a great interest in the school founded by the Grays, had collected subscriptions in the parish, and devoted the offertory to the purpose of erecting a Church school for the 232 poor children in the parish, of whom only three were provided for by the guardians. After a while, the parochial subscriptions being £35 per annum, Mr. Colston gave an additional £10 to make it perpetual. The children then met in Tucker's hall, for which a rent of £4 was paid. Then Colston wrote to Sir John Hawkins, "that he had determined, God willing, to settle an annuity, for the support of the school for ever, of £80, in clothing and educating forty poor boys." In 1710 Sir John Duddlestone, writing to Colston, ex

presses his great approbation at the progress made by the children; soon after which Colston writes to the trustees, that "as soon as the parish is in cash to build a school, I will take care to order money to pay for the purchase of the ground." Then occurred the election, in which Colston and Bedford, both conscientious men, took different sides. Colston's antipathy to Dissenters, his inability to recognise any good in men who differed from the Established Church, or to conceive it possible that any clergyman could sympathise with schismatics, was the weak point in his character. Bedford was a liberal-minded man; he could not support Colston, nor did he like to stay in Bristol to oppose his valued friend, so he went to Gloucester, where he voted for the two Whig candidates. This led to a rupture between the friends, which ended by Mr. Bedford resigning the vicarage in 1713. (See ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY, 146.) Colston never lost his good opinion of the late vicar, for we find him that year expressing his doubts as to whether the boys will be so well cared for by the new vicar as they were by his predecessor. In answer to a letter from the trustees, on February 13th, 1711, asking him to define the number of boys to be chosen from this school into the Hospital school, on St. Augustine's back, and the number of aged poor from Temple parish into his almshouse, in which they express a fear that the merchants who live in the richest parishes might, after his decease, prefer the poor of their own parish, to the injury of those living in poorer neighbourhoods, to prevent which they ask his leave to set up a table in the school that shall express his intention, he replies: "Whereas I have caused to be taken into my hospital on St. Augustine's back one hundred poor boys from the several parishes of the city, which I proportioned according to the lists given me by the churchwardens, out of an inclination to be equally assistant to them all, for which reason it is my desire that such method shall be still continued and perpetuated amongst them to the end that each parish may be partakers of the said charity, according to the number of their poor as it was at first given by me; but whereas at the said first admission there were taken in from Temple parish but eight boys, and since that time I have been credibly informed that the number of their poor is much increased by reason of the little trading there is in the said parish, which makes them want a further help; therefore, and because it was the place of my nativity, it is my will and desire that the said parish should enjoy the benefit thereof, in as full a degree as any other of the said city, and that in order thereto there should be at no time less than the aforesaid number of eight boys (if not ten) in my said hospital, and that so

his own private cost, to the amount of £600. This munificent intention he did not live to perform. He subscribed, however, towards beautifying the choir and laying the marble about the Communion table.

"For the augmentation of sixty small livings, Colston placed in the hands of the governors of Queen Anne's Bounty £6,000. His intention was communicated to them by Mr. Edwards. In reply, the governors state that they look upon the charity 'as so prudent and well placed,' that they desire Mr. Edwards to give the thanks of the board to the donor. 'So large is this benefaction, that after all his other immense sums given in charity, the name of Mr. Colston does stand highest amongst those who have added to the Queen's Bounty for augmenting the maintenance of the poorer clergy.

"With respect to the amount of this benefaction there is a tradition which, although unauthenticated, may be incidentally related. It has since Colston's time been applied to many succeeding philanthropists, as it has probably descended to him from some kind soul in ages far remote. It is related that a gentleman waited upon Colston for the purpose of soliciting aid in the augmentation of several small benefices. He explained the requirements, and warmly advocated the cause of the poorer clergy. Colston had just opened a letter when interrupted by his visitor, and deferred its perusal until the interview was over. After expressing his regret that he could not, in justice to the many claims upon his purse, do more in so excellent a cause, he presented the gratified agent with a cheque for £3,000. While yet speaking, Colston's eye was attracted by some words in the opened letter, and he begged to be excused while he read. The contents informed him of the destruction by fire of several large warehouses. These, conformable to Colston's views, had not been insured, and his loss was very considerable. He calmly handed the letter to his companion, saying, 'See how the Lord reproves his tardy steward; I had reserved that property for a charitable endowment after my decease.' He then requested the cheque to be returned, which he immediately destroyed, and writing another, said, as he placed it in the hands of his visitor, 'I have still something left, let me endeavour to make atonement while I have to give.' He had doubled the amount!

"Colston had now retired to his seat at Mortlake. Whatever had been the cause, if any had induced him to withdraw his attendance from the parish meetings, it was removed, and he resumed his place the 24th June, 1711. We find him in attendance during the two following years, and for the last time the 13th June, 1713."1 In December, 1715, he writes to Mr. Robert Earl :— 1 Tovey's Life of Edward Colston, 97-103.

"As to the accounts of both Houses, whensoever the hall shall think fit to send them, I expect and desire that they come in the same form that they last did — that being agreeable to the covenants between us; only I judge they ought to be signed by the master and the other gentlemen, our friends, that audit them, as hath been formerly done. been formerly done. And if the almshouse accounts were made debtor for the balance of the hospital, and that thereby evened, then at one view it would appear what was owing by the hall on both-but this last I submit to their thoughts, as I also do if the arrears may not be sooner got in.

"When you shall have duly considered of the placing out of some of the boys apprentices, and by so doing paying the money allotted for that purpose sooner than otherwise they ought to have done, and find that the hall hath been any ways damaged thereby, I will readily reimburse them of it by ordering the payment of it to them, for I would not have it charged in their accounts, that it may not be brought into a precedent for the future; and for that end it is my desire that no boy be taken in above such an age, as he may tarry in the house full seven years, without being a prejudice to his being bound out an apprentice afterwards, and that his or their parents be acquainted that no manner of allowance shall be made for that purpose, unless they shall complete the said time there, the which, peradventure, may make them not to misrepresent their ages, and thereby causing a breaking in on our agreed methods, which it is my desire should be punctually observed. "Sir, I am your humble servant,

"The accounts kept by the hall were probably not managed according to Colston's system; and the worthy baronet, who, it will be observed, was no grammarian, for the purpose of avoiding differences and saving trouble, suggests to Mr. Earl:-'If the accounts was made up in the manner within mentioned, it will please Mr. Colston, and be an ease to the hall, so is my opinion, that am, your humble servant, JOHN DUDDLESTONE.'

"The following year, in October, a letter addressed to Sir John Duddlestone was received from Colston, and read to the hall. The contents refer to putting out apprentices from his school, and in phraseology partakes of the same business character as the preceding correspondence. This, as it does not portray any new feature, we withhold transcribing. It is different, however, with his next letter. We have ever seen him particularly sensitive on any infringement, or apparent disrespect to his position, or what he might have construed into unsanctioned interference, slight, or neglect. The acting without his council or approbation displeased and dis

A.D. 1718.

135

"Mortlake, 26th April, 1717. "Gentlemen, Governors of the Merchants' Hall, Yours of the 15th past and 5th present I received in due time, and with the latter your hall's accounts of my hospital and almshouse, which I have passed accordingly, and as to what relates to the former, notwithstanding I have empowered them to make choice of a schoolmaster and other officers requisite for my hospital; yet the common civility that is showed to all men, especially to those under my circumstances, would have prevented the surprise you express to have been at, for my resenting your too hasty proceedings in your election of a chief, before you had intimated to me your disapproval of the person recommended by me for that employment. But since my inclinations are rather to close than to widen a breach, I shall forbear to say anything further on that subject. Only I do hereby solemnly declare that I had not the least knowledge or intimation of Mr. Looker being a non-juror at the time I recommended him, nor yet till after you had made choice of Mr. Samuel Gardner, who I shall hope, and not doubt by the discharge of the trust reposed in him, will deserve the character you have given of him. I shall also acquiesce in what you write relating to myself; and, lastly, that you will have no objection to direct that this following clause be copied in your hall book, which I rather desire, because it will remain there on record.

"That I was not induced to endow my hospital only for the bare feeding of the one hundred boys that at present and in futurity are to inhabit there, but chiefly that they should be educated under such overseers and masters as will take care that they shall be bred up in the doctrine of our present Established Church of England. Therefore, I conjure you, as well all the present as future governors of your hall, that they take effectual care, as far as in them lieth, that the boys be so educated as aforesaid, and that none of them be afterwards placed out as apprentices to any men that be dissenters from the said communion, as they will be answerable for a breach of their trust at the last and great tribunal before which we must all appear.

"I am, your humble servant, "EDWARD COLSTON.' "Towards the 'seating and beautifying' All Saints church, Colston had given, in 1703, through Mr. Thomas Edwards, £100. In 1713 the low freestone tower was taken down, and the present dome was commenced building. It cost £589 10s. 3d., raised by voluntary contributions of the citizens-Colston himself gave £250

and an additional £100 for 'beautifying' the chancel. At a meeting of the common council, 16th January, 1716, 'a petition was laid before the house from Mr. Harcourt, minister, Isaac Taylor and Francis Gythers, churchwardens of All Saints, stating their having expended several hundred pounds in building a new tower, and that £800 would not be sufficient to mend the sidewalls, seats inside, and setting up the bells, conduit, and other things to be done in the church; all which, being for the glory and service of God, and for the honour of the city (the church being situate in so eminent and conspicuous a part of it), and praying the consideration of the house;-resolved, that £100 be paid the churchwardens towards accomplishing so pious and good a work.'

"On erecting the present tower, under the influence of a grateful feeling towards Colston, his crest of the dolphin and a pine apple were placed over the same as a vane; but with time the grateful feeling appears to have subsided, and to have given way to a sense of disappointment. Colston remained no longer to answer to the call of improvement, or the appeal of charity. He had left but a small bequest to the church in which his ashes and those of his sires reposed. Therefore, 16th May, 1728, the vestry resolved that the present vane should be taken down and a ball and cross substituted. The dolphin was of copper, and, with the pine apple, was ordered to be sold in 1729." 1

Being applied to by the rector of Chew Stoke for help, he writes 12th April, 1718 :-"Yours, of the 9th present, informs me that you have been endeavouring for these last two years to set up a school in Chew Stoke, and, in order thereto, have got up subscriptions to the value of £169, and are in hopes to make them £200, with which sum you propose to purchase £10 per annum in lands, in perpetuity, for the payment of a master to teach the boys therein to read, write and cypher, and also to be thoroughly instructed in our Church catechism.' The letter then proceeds to declare Colston's willingness to assist in so good a work, but that his inclination would be rather to do it by a certain sum for a term of years. In a subsequent letter, dated 13th May, 1718, Colston adverts to a communication which he had received from the same person, acquainting him with the further progress that had been made towards settling a charity school by purchasing a house, and that subscriptions had been received sufficient to pay for the same within £5, which Colston offers to contribute. Colston settled the annual sum of £5 on the school during his life and for twelve years after his decease.” 2

It will ever redound to the credit of Colston's christian character that his good works were done by him 1 Tovey's Life of Edward Colston, 108–9. 2 Ibid, 109.

while his vigour was unimpaired and his mind undecayed; it was no giving that which he could no longer possess, still less carry away. It was not the work of repentance, of remorse, but one of benevolence and love, spread over the many years of his lengthened pilgrimage of eighty-four years. As the end drew near, one after another of the ties that bound him to earth dropped away. His sister, Ann, who had lived with him for many years at Mortlake, then his tenderly-loved niece, Sarah, his nephew, Edward, and in 1720 his valued friend, the Rev. W. Jones, the clergyman whose ministry he attended, passed onward into the Spirit land. His own end seems to have been a gradual decay of nature. "An inward daily sinking; business is irksome, and thought wearies, but prayer is always welcome." Sight failed, and a kind friend and neighbour often came to read to him; "she proved a very helpful assistant to me in my indisposition," for which he left her a legacy of £100. And so, apparently without a relative present to close his eyes, the grand old

four poor men and women (or so many of them that are able) in my almshouse on St. Michael's hill, and only to the church-door of All Saints; likewise by the six poor old sailors that are kept at my charge in the Merchants' almshouse in the Marsh, and likewise by the forty poor boys in Temple parish that are clothed and otherwise provided for by me. To be drawn directly thither, so as it may be there in the close of the evening or the first part of the night; and my further desire is that at my interment the whole burial service of the Church, as

man passed, on October 11th, 1721, into the presence of his Lord, to be greeted with the "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Nine years before his death Colston had written directions for his funeral-"As to what relates to my funeral, I would not have the least pomp used at it, nor any gold rings given; only that my corpse shall be carried to Bristol in a hearse, and met at Lawford's gate, and accompanied from thence to All Saints church by all the boys in my hospital on St. Augustine's back, and by the six boys maintained by me in Queen Elizabeth's Hospital in College green, and also by the twenty

it is now appointed, may be decently read and performed. And that the money, that might have otherwise

been expended in gold rings, be laid out in new coats or gowns, stockings, shoes and caps for the six sailors; and the like (except caps) for so many of the men and women in my almshouse that shall accompany my corpse, as above, and are willing to wear them afterwards. And to signify that this is my desire, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of July, 1712.

(Signed)

EDWARD COLSTON. "My sister,

Ann Colston's corpse, is interred in Mortlake church, under the rail, on the south side of the Communion table. But since it was her desire that her bones should lie in the same grave where I shall be buried, and forasmuch as my intentions are that my corpse shall be carried into Bristol, and interred in All Saints' church, in the grave that belonged to my ancestors, my desire is that my said sister's bones should be taken up (if it be done by the authority of the minister, without the trouble of applying to the bishop of the diocese), and put into and carried down in the same coffin with my body; or if that cannot be conveniently done, then