On the 27th of October Dr Goodenough deaf to all remonstrance, ventured to infringe upon the established usage off the school, by flogging a Sixth Fellow who had been shewn up for being intoxicated. In consequence of this it was unanimously agreed throughout the Town Boys that in order to bring him to a sense of misconduct and to cause him to redress the injury done to the Honour of the Sixth he should be hissed on his entering into School on the ensuing day. Circumstances which it is better to bury in oblivion than to mention, precluded us from carrying our resolution into effect; however having extorted a promise from Goodenough that he would never more inflict upon a sixth fellow similar punishment we were satisfied.
Charles Floyer Princeps Oppidanus
Further detail regarding this incident is provided in a letter from pupil Richard Dyott to his father General William Dyott:
‘Doctor Goodenough flogged a fellow in the sixth last Thursday which is not according to the rules of the school. He would not let his briches down of a long time but Goodenough said he might either do that or be expelled, so he flogged him and that is what Page never did, and he felt it so much as it was so much the more disgrace because he was so high up in the school; he seemed very much downcast all the evening, and Longlands, the usher of the house he boards at, called him into his room and talked to him about it till he went to bed. He never spoke a word but as the fellow that sleaps in his room thought; went to sleep directly but most likely not for when that fellow awoke about half past six saw some blood upon his pillow but he knew his nose bled frequently so he thought nothing was the matter. He got up at seven and called his companion but he never answered, so he went and touched him; his pillow was streaming with blood. He went and awoke his brother who went to the house keeper and she went to Longlands; he came up directly and found he had made an attempt to stab himself but hit the blow in his arm, besides that he cut his neck in three places which he did with a penknife and after that laid the knife under his pillow and feel down but luckily the bed clothes came up to the wound and stopped the bleeding or else he would certainly have died. Three doctors were sent for; he is getting rather better. This occasion very nearly caused a rebellion. We all hissed Goodenough which put him in a great passion.’