College of William and Mary - Colonial Echo Yearbook (Williamsburg, VA)

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memorp time being. On November 12, 1736, nearly 50 years later, the Virginia Gazette carried the following ar- ticle, On this day s ' en night, being the fifth day of November, the presi- dent, masters, and scholars of William and Mary College went, according to their annual custom, in a body to present his Honor in obedience to their charter. Mr. President delivered the verses to his Honor, and two of the young gentlemen spoke them. The royal endowment of the col- lege was strengthened by on act of the House of Burgesses. After much consideration, they decided that Middle Plantation (Williamsburg) would be the site of the new college. The buildings, designed by Sir Chris- topher Wren, were built between 1692 and 1700, when the first graduation ceremonies were held. In 1691, the college, along with Harvard, inherited the estate of Hon. Robert Boyle. From this the Brofferton estate in Yorkshire, England was bought and the Brofferton building was built on campus. Its purpose was to house Indian youths who came for the Revolution. Across from the Brofferton was the President ' s house, the founda- tions of which were laid in 1732. While occupied by French troops during the seige of Yorktown, the house was accidentally burned. Louis XVI rebuilt it and contributed six hundred valuable volumes to the college library. This picture of William and Wren Great Hall reminding college ' s namesakes. w The Capitol serves as a reminder of thfe greot amount of political activity that occurn Williamsburg during Colonial times. Co Colonial Williamsburg. m

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THE Prefcnt State O F VIRGINIA, AND THE college: Meljii eurs B Y rH A R T W E L I., c B L A I R, and IC H I L r O N. To which 15 a ' lJ ' ' ii The CHARTER for Ercaing the faid COLLEGE, granccJ by their Jatc MaieRies Kinj. , ' ,V i L L I A M i.a Queen MAR7 of tvti Glorious and Pious M ' jmory. I O N D N Printed for John W r a r, ar the Rof in St. PmiI ' s hurclyy.Dd, M.ucc vV ii. (rticc IS. 6d) The title page of o book by Rev. Jomes Barii depicts the college ' s charter. Courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. 3n toucf) toitf) a ( y Ithough not formally established C until 1693, William and Mary ' s roots date back as far as 1617. The primary objective for his newly con- ceived school was the education and conversion of the Indians. As a re- sult of this desire to save the In- dians, Sir Edwin Sandys together with other concerned Englishmen raised money for the establishment of an Indian college and the foundation of a seminary of learning for the English. Unfortunately, the same group the school sought to educate, destroyed its beginnings during the Great Massacre of 1622 where over 340 settlers were killed. It wasn ' t until 1660 that the Virginia Assembly voted that for the advance of learning, education of youth, supply of the ministry and promotion of piety, there be land taken upon purchase of a col ledge and free schoole. Ideas assumed a more concrete footing in 1691, when Rev. James Blair was sent to England to secure a charter for the college. The idea was well received by William and Mary but with Seymour, the Attorney-General, it was much more difficult. At that time, Eng- land was engaged in an expensive war and could not afford the necessary funds for a college in America. Rev. Blair explained that the college was to train men to become minis- ters of the Gospel, and that Virgin- ians as well as Englishmen had souls to save. Seymour seemed unmoved os he exclaimed, Souls! Damn your souls! Make tobacco! In spite of Seymour ' s obvious opposition, the King and Queen adhered to their promise and signed the charter on February 19th, 1693. The college ' s charter was based on the plan that the Church of Vir- ginia may be furnished with a semin- ary of ministers of the Gospel, and that the youth may be piously edu- cated in good letters and manners, and that the Christian religion may be propagated among the Western In- dians, to the glory of Almighty God. The charter further endowed the college with the whole and en- tire sum of one thousand nine hundred and eighty-five pounds, fourteen shillings and tenpence of good and lawful money of England, that has been raised out of the quit-rents of said colony, or a grand total {in current standards) of $4,010.19! The college was to gain further rev- enue by receiving a penny a pound on all tobacco exported from Virginia and Maryland. A grant of twenty thousand acres of land lying in the Pamunkey Neck, was given to the college, as well as the authority for the president and pro- fessors to select from among them- selves several representatives to the House of Burgesses. There was only one catch to the charter handed to the college. The college authorities were to pay to us and our successors two copies of Latin verse yearly on the fifth day of November at the house of the Gov- ernor or Lieutenant-Governor for the 8 HISTORY

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' ' ■ t down DOG. Street showb .,Ki -« - nioj, rimes. i ■ Bruton Parish coritinues to serve as a place of worship for Williamsburg residents. Habe times! Evcnin? Praver. Ls from all perils and J.int;crs 1 diy licivcnly -acc; protpcr Dt ' this night, i ' ov ilu lo c ot ' tlicni with all happind ' -, ; and thy only Son our Saviour Jcfus j brinu; them to thine c crl.ilUr. Chrirt. . ' Juic-n. , Kingdom, throuoh JclUb Chrift- T ; Chirs and Phiccs zubcrc ll y fing, here foll ' K- etb the Anthem. •: A Prayer for the King ' s ' Muiejfy. • LorcLjQpr hcavcnlv Fa- our Lord ' J iien. Prayer jor the Clergy and People. Al.m.ighty and cvcrlafting (iod, -vUk) itk H«-v« fk .4t n f 1 ' . -% . ■ ' ' , ' ■■ kfcowwf v ; Scnddounimon ' n u W ther, ' ' ftgh J? ' fe ;S i ;hoc, and JS et»; 0 - « » t- n .?. l; . ' ' ' ' r ™; % ions committed ' ' doftfrom thy throne behold all the dwellers upon earth; Moll thy favour to behold e« fj . , J h . i,, ,:,- 4 ! (J -c-6t and lb replenilhrow C4 U4i.y. iitj with the g of thy Holy Spi- 1 l att0flS xt rit, thatli mfy alway incline to y .kiiriif thy will. i walk in thy way: Endue -oSBC lcnteoullvAvirh heavenly gjji, ; s rant -fflSTin iri ijiiri health and Ct W long to live ; ' ' -U r e ngth e n h i n t hat he may ■ anqu i lh and ove i L ' omc al l h i a - onomie» ; and finally after this life, b e- nf a f attain evcrlalfing joy and feiieity, through Jcfus Chrilt our Lord. Amen. to their ( fjarge, the healthful Spirit of thy grace; and that they may truly oleale thee, continual Grant this, C) 1-ord, tor tlie honour of our Advocate and Media- tor, Jefus Chrili Anun. « A Prayer of S. Chryfortom. ALmighty God, who haft given us grace at this time itii one accord to make our common fupplications unto thee ; and dolt promile, that when two or three areg.uhered together in thy Name, thou w ilt grant their rei ucffs : Fulfil now, O I ,ord, the dellrcs and petitions of thy Icrvants, as may be moll «; . Prayer for the Royal Family, expedient for tliem ; ' granting ALmighty God, tiie foim- 1 us in this world knowledge of tain ot all goodnefs, we ' thy truth, and in the world to humbly bcfeech thee to blefs j come life everlalfing. Anhn. J,.: ' i ineil. • . . -- j zCnr. xiii. 14. ... ...the Princffs r ■ ■MIF ' ' . r rice of our F.nrd This page from a Bruton Parish Bible shows the use to which students put their religion. Courtesy of Colonial Williomsburg. 10 HISTORY