TRINITY COLLEGE, Cambridge, was founded by king Henry VIH., in 1546, upon the site, and partly out of the revenues of several inure ancient foundations. The names of these were Killg'S hall, Michael house, Fyswicke's hostel, Hovinge inn, Gregory's, Margaret's, Catherine's, Gerard's, and Tyler's hostels. Of these, the first two aserve special mention. King's hall (A ala .regis) was so called after its founder, Edward III., whose father, Edward II., had maintained 32 scholars, called king's scholars, but had died before completing his intentions. 'the hall was founded in 1337. The minister's stipend was 4d., and that of each scholar 2d. per day, with two robes at Christmas. The revenues of King's hall at the time of its surrender to Henry VIII. amounted to L'214 per annum.
Michael house was founded 1321 A.D. by Hervey D. Stanton, who was chancellor of the exchequer to E lward II. lie dedicated his college to the Trinity. the Virgin Mary. St. Michael the archangel, and All Saints. When Henry VIII. united these smaller foundations into the one great college. henceforth called TRINITY COLLEGE, besides other endowments, he added the estates of 27 dissolved monasteries, which made up the gross revenues to about £1703 per annum. Queer Mary ad(1011 very largely to these benefac tions, and provided for 20 additional scholars, 13 poor scholars or sizars, 4 chaplains, and a choir. Queen Elizabeth gave to time college a new set of statutes, by which the col lege was governed until the reign of queen Victoria, when these statutes were revised. Subsequently, under the Cambridge university commission (1859-60), new statutes have again been given, by which several important changes have been introduced. Such fel lows as fill the olfl7;e of bursar, tutor, or lecturer in the college, or professor in the uni versity. are exempt from the necessity of taking holy orders, which must otherwise ho done by all fellows within seven years of taking the degree of the of arts. Marriage also is permitted to fellows in a few exceptionareases. and to the chaplains and librarian.
The master of the college must be in holy orders, and time appointment is in the gift of the crown. The following are some of the more eminent names in the list of masters: John Whitgift, who was raised to time see of Worcester; Thomas Nevile, dean of Canter bury. who built the greater part of the cloistered court known by his name; he died 1615. To Dr. Barrow, who was made master in 1672, the college owes the finishing of Nevile's court, and the erection of the library, for which the designs were furnished by sir Christopher Wren The famous Dr.•Bentley was master from 1700 to 1742. The late William Whewell was one of the most distinguished men that this college has pro. duced, and one of the best of its masters. He was a munificent benefactor to the col lege, to which he added one new court daring his life; and at his death bequeathed his large fortune to the building of another, and to the founding of a professorship of inter national law. See WnEwELL To these may be appended the following few names of popular interest, with the dates of their death: lord Bacon, 1626; sir Edward Coke, 1634; Cowley, the poet, 1637; lord William Russell, executed 1683; John Dryden, 1701; Samuel Pepys, the diarist, .,.703; sir IsA.Ac NEWTON, 1727; Richard Porson, 1808: lord Macaulay, 1859. Of living men, it will not be invidious to select only the names of Alfred Tennyson, the laureate, and prof. II. A. J. Munro, editor of Lucretius.
The foundation now consists of a master, 60 fellows, and 74 scholars. The present master is the rev. William Hepworth Thompson, D.D.
With the exception of the hall and the library, the college buildings are not of any architectural pretensions. The statue of Newton by Roubiliae, in the ante-chapel. is one of the finest modern statues.—See Cooper's Annals and Memorials of Cambridge; Dyer's History; and the University Calendar. The judges when on circuit have the right of being entertained at this c011ege.