DULWICH COLLEGE, was founded and endowed in 1619, by Mr. William Alleyn, who named it, _The college of God’s gift_. This gentleman being a comedian and principal actor in many of Shakespear’s plays; once personating the devil, was said to be so terrified at the opinion of his seeing a real devil upon the stage, that he from that moment quitted the theatre, devoted the remainder of his life to religious exercises, and founded this college for a Master and Warden, who were always to be of the name of Alleyn, or Allen; with four Fellows, three of whom were to be divines, and the fourth an organist; and for six poor men, as many poor women, and twelve poor boys, to be educated in the college by one of the fellows as schoolmaster, and by another as usher. In his original endowments, he excluded all future benefactions to it, and constituted for visitors, the churchwardens of St. Botolph’s Bishopsgate, St. Giles’s Cripplegate, and St. Saviour’s Southwark; who, upon occasion, were to appeal to the Archbishop of Canterbury, before whom all the members were to be sworn at their admission. To this college belongs a chapel, in which the founder himself, who was several years Master, lies buried. The Master of this college is Lord of the manor, for a considerable extent of ground, and enjoys all the luxurious affluence and ease of the Prior of a monastery. Both he and the Warden, must be unmarried, and are for ever debarred the privilege of entering that state, on pain of being excluded the college; but as the Warden always succeeds upon the death of the Master, great interest is constantly made, by the unmarried men of the name of Allen, to obtain the post of Warden.
The original edifice is in the old taste; but part of it has been lately pulled down and rebuilt with greater elegance, out of what has been saved from the produce of the estate. The Master’s rooms are richly adorned with very noble old furniture, which he is obliged to purchase on his entering into that station; and for his use there is a library, to which every Master generally adds a number of books. The college is also accommodated with a very pleasant garden, adorned with walks, and a great profusion of fruit trees and flowers.