Royal Institute Of British Architects.

John Hampton , ivhile William Lyndc ivas made clerk of the works . Mr . Papworth also incidentally mentioned that the celebrated Bishop Alcock was for man } ' years comptroller to Henry VII . ; and that Abbot Islip being appointed receiver of the money for tho works at Westminster Abbey , had been called superintendent ofthe works . About 1531 . the title of surveyor became common .

About lolO eleven ofthe members of the Mercers' Company were appointed the surveyors of St . Paul's school , by Dean Colct ; but the duties were not ivhat AVO should gather from the name , because they had reference to the estates of the school , and might more properly be called by us , receivers , trustees , or treasurers . In 1 ( 180 , hoivever , ( our Grand Master ) Sir Christopher Wren , aud two others , were called supervisors of the building of which AVren

was the architect . Previous to this , hoivever , ( our Grand Master ) Inigo Jones , had held the office of surveyor of the Icing ' s works . About 1750 the surveyor-general ' s duties at the Tower of London were in no way connected with architecture , but consisted in seeing that the stores of war ivere properly preserved , and branded with the broad arrow . Those evidences Mr . Papworth adduced , shelving that many of these designations miht mean simplthe fact

g y of some courtier or favourite being provided ivith au office , and did not necessarily imply he was a skilful architect . In the earlier instances , the fee was the one or two shillings per day , as granted to Wykeham , and that the term supervisor had been translated architect or surveyor without sufficient distinction . Having traced these offices dou-n to Wren , Mr . Papworth reverted to TVykeham , shewing the powers granted to him for

impressing Masons and artificers—his leave to cut timber—to provide carpenters—and hold courts of trespass . All of which , he contended , were the province of the steward ; and in support of it quoted Shakspeare , Henry VIII ., Act 1 , Sc . 2 ; and 2 Henry IV ., Act 1 , Sc . 8 , to prove that surveyor and steward might at that time CA ' CII he considered synonymous . From Wykeham ' s will , lie proved the use of the terms supervisor and paymaster ,

and inferred that Wykeham was not , therefore , entitled to the rank of architect . He alluded to the want of sufficient authority of . any notice being had of Wykeham until his tivcnty-third year . In 1350 AVykeham ivas appointed supervisor Of the works of Windsor Castle , and in 1359 constable and supervisor of the same , in ivhich year , it is said , he advised Edward III . to pull down and rebuild the castle ; and adduced a notice that the cost , ivas defrayed from the ransoms of David , King of Scotland , and John , King of France , who were prisoners together at Windsor , and who gave the advice to rebuild . He also alluded to Wykeham ' s

bearing of a clierron in his arms , stating that it had been said to be a common device for those who had been connected AA'ith building , but expressed his belief that it ivas given to those who rose from obscurity , like Wykeham , and that Wykeham ' s family name was Longe , of Wickham , in the county of . Hampshire . Iii the paper the reader alluded to Wykeham's supposed share in the supervision of the erection of Quecnborough Castle in 1350 , and Winchester

College , r-Tciv College .. and Winchester Cathedral , and mentioned the Master Alason , William dc Winford , as being probably employed upon them all . From 1 : 161—8 Wykeham held the office of AA ' arden of the Forest on this side of Trent , and he ivas ordained an acolyte during this time ; Mr . Papworth holding that the appointment of supervisor was to provide him Avith a stated salary . He also doubted that Wykeham had been

a Freemason , though he is alleged to have been Grand Master from 1357 to 1377 , as he , supposed the secrets in those days connected with the fraternity , were , as he understood them to be , operative or constructive secrets ; and mentioned a German bishop having been killed by a Alaster Mason for having induced his son to reveal , to tlle bishop , the secret art of the Masons . He also doubted W 3 'keliam ' s having been a Mason , for he believed that the

Muster Masons were generally the architects of the buildings they were employed upon , and Master William Wynford Avas appointed in Wykeham ' s will to carry on the works at Winchester , and his portrait was still in . being in one of the Avindows of Winchester College , along with those of the super ¦ visor , carpenter , and glass painter . The same William do Winford is described as a Mason in an early writ , having the poiver to retain divers for dc Ycvele

masons sending abroad . Henry , also a mason , ivas so employed ; and smiths and carpenters were also collected . Mr . Papworth therefore conjectured Wykeham employed Winford as the architect , he being the founder only . Mr . Papworth then proceeded to notice the sacristan's office mentioned in connection ivith architecture , also the master of the works . He defined their duties , and referred to John Wheathampstead , Abbot of St . Albans , ivho instituted such an officer . Ihe master mason also came in for a cursory notice , showing that at lork he was to be paid by the sacrist , while at Snlislmry ' there 1

was a regular master of works . Mr . Papworth did not pursue this subject further , as he had before stated that the master mason and the Freemason would proA'c matter for another time , but he quoted the statute of Henry VI .. so well known to our fraternity , on the confederation of Masons in their Chapters or Lodges . He was also inclined to doubt that Sir Reginald Bray ivas an architect , and quoted records to shoiv that a succentor ivas also enstos

of York Minster , who , as keeper ofthe fabric , was recorded in St . Michael-le-Belfrey at York as clerk of St . Peter ' s works , i . c , York Minster ; and there were three instances to show that those of tho former designation appropriated the title of the latter . Down to so late as the time of G . M . Inigo Jones , in 1610 , the designation of the king ' s architect was clerk of the works , ivhich was subsequently changed for surveyor , and G . M . Sir

Christopher Wren was' appointed by the title of the surveyor of works and surveyor general . To prove that even this clerkship was not alivaj's conferred on an architect , Mr . Papworth cited the case of Chaucer , the poet , who ivas appointed a clerk of the works , and acted at Windsor Castle in 1389 . In 1367 he ivas the king ' s A'alet . In 1374 was comptroller ofthe staple ( wool ) , and in 1382 had also another comptrollersliiiven him . Having lost these

p g in certain commotions , he , as a king ' s favourite , was rewarded with a clerk of the work ' s place , which he only held for twenty months . In conclusion he stated the duties or one clerk of tho works , which showed him to have been a paymaster , for he found it recorded that if the Freemason did not pay his workmen properly , the clerk of the works should discharge their demands and deduct the same from the wages ofthe Freemason .

Fearing that we haA'e not done a tithe part of the justice to Mr . Wyatt Papworth that he deserves for the immense labour and research displayed on such an interesting but obscure subject , we find ive must curtail any comments of our OAA-II , as itis nothing but fair that the discussion AA'hich ensued should find a place in our columns .

After the reading of this interesting paper , the PBESIDENT said —• " He had heard with great pleasure tho instructive and erudite dissertation of Mr . AVyatt PapAvorth , upon a subject ivhich to architects was invested with more than ordinary interest . The subject ivas one of great importance for the profession to pursue , and he AA'as sure there were many gentlemen present ivho had , more or less , investigated it . He had himself done a little towards vindicating- the fame and genius of AVilliam . of AVykeham , and he was consequently a little disappointed at

tho estimate formed of him as the designer of the buildings he had founded by the lecturer . Born in humble circumstances , AVilliam oi : Wykeham succeeded in raising himself by successive steps to he , not only a high ecclesiastic , but to be the Lord Chancellor of the empire . Feeling strongly as he ( the chairman ) did upon the merits of AVilliam oi AVykeham , aud his claim to be considered uot only a great medkeval architect , but also as the originator of ivhat might be termed a neiv era in the art , he would like to hear what gentlemen present might have to

say in support of his title to those distinction . ? . It was , at all events , clear that if he did uot devise the buildings imputed to him , he Avas a person of such cultivated taste and accurate judgment as to encourage the arfc in others , and earn a reputation for himself AA'hich time could , not destroy . So versatile ivere his talents , that he appear . id to have discharged many public offices of great trust and responsibility . He was . made envoy to France , ami he was subsequently able , when master of the Cinque Ports , to design a plan for fortifying these places . . Such a man appeared to be wanted in the present day . In estimating the character and attainments of AA'illiam of AVvkeham , it was necessary to lu >

aiiu miud that , at the period in which he lived , ecclesiastics were the only learned men of the day ; and that , when they flourished , there were none of those brochures and pamphlets ivhich IIOAV teemed from tho press , to enlighten the multitude . Mr . AVyatt Papworth . appeared to have applied himself with great diligence to the subject of his paper : ho had pin-sued his researches oi-er seven or eight centuries , and hud thrown much additional light upon tin interesting and suggestii-o theme . " The KeA-. MACKEXZIE AVALCOTT warmly defended the claims of AViliiam

of AVykeham , not only to the credit of works in Winchester Cathedral and Qtieensborough Castle , but also to be the author of a neiv stylo of architecture in this country . He regretted that Mr . AVyatt Papworth should have called iu question , by ingenious and elaborate speculations ivhich he believed to bo founded upon an erroneous theory , the fame of a man who had done so much to elevate the profession of the architect . He ( Mr . AValcott ) kneiv of no profession which should be so jealous of the reputation of its members as that of the architect ; for if they did

not set their face against any attempts that might be made to underestimate their sen-ices , there ivould lie no knowing when somo speculative theorist might rise up and allocate the merit of their OAA-H designs to their pupils' room , or to their master mason . Sad , indeed , would bo tho day for their country and their age , AA'hen England would become indifferent to tho . reputation of her sons , or tire of hearing her Aristides called " The Just . " The lecturer , in attacking the claims of AVilliam of Wykeham , had lloivn at high game , but he ( Mr . AValcott ) was persuaded that there were many who ivould learn ivith regret that he had ventured to disparage the merits of one who had been to tliera in loco pa-reniii .