master ship ▁of ▁Ton bridge ▁School ▁in ▁Kent , ▁but ▁was ▁appointed ▁head - master ▁of ▁Mer chant ▁T ay l ors ' ▁School ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁July ▁ 1 6 6 1 . ▁He ▁was ▁very ▁successful ▁in ▁this ▁position ▁until ▁the ▁ag itation ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁alleg ed ▁pop ish ▁plot . ▁He ▁was ▁charged ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 6 8 1 ▁with ▁certain ▁pass ages ▁that ▁' s av oured ▁strongly ▁of ▁pop ery ' ▁in ▁a ▁' Comment ▁on ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁C ate ch ism ,' ▁written ▁for ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁his ▁sch ol ars . ▁The ▁grand ▁j ury ▁of ▁London ▁presented ▁a ▁compla int ▁to ▁the ▁Mer chant ▁T ay l ors ' ▁Company ▁respect ing ▁the ▁religious ▁do ctr ines ▁taught ▁in ▁their ▁school . ▁His ▁principal ▁oppon ent ▁was ▁John ▁O wen , ▁who ▁succeeded ▁in ▁obtain ing ▁Go ad ' s ▁place ▁for ▁his ▁nep hew , ▁John ▁Hart cl iffe . ▁After ▁hearing ▁Go ad ' s ▁defence ▁the ▁company ▁decided ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁April ▁ 1 6 8 1 ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁' pop ish ly ▁and ▁err one ously ▁affected .' ▁He ▁was ▁dismiss ed , ▁but ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁his ▁past ▁services ▁they ▁voted ▁him ▁a ▁gr atu ity . ▁Go ad ' s ▁friends ▁protest ed ▁against ▁his ▁dismiss al ▁as ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁a ▁fact ious ▁party . ▁ ▁He ▁now ▁took ▁a ▁house ▁in ▁Pic c ad illy , ▁and ▁opened