breade in Sturbridge fayre, and they allowe the brewers to sell theire beare in Sturbridge ffayre time for xvjd. in every barrell of beare more than the pryce sett downe by usuall proclamacion. 7. Item, a man, by recognisance with two suertyes bounde to the goode behaviour, the recognisaunce forfeyted, the partye principall by the vice-chauncellour, or his deputie, committed to pryson for the penalltye of the bond, and the suertyes dischardged; and after the partye was released oute of sessions and the recognisaunce not certefyed. 8. Item, the maiour goinge aboute to represse misdemeanours offered by divers younge men of the Universitye, and to see the quenes peace keptt, was assalted and evel entreated by three or fowre schollers, and his gowne rent and spoiled, and some used lewde speaches to the maiour, and he put in danger of his lyf. And the schollers beinge complayned upon, answer was made by some Universitye officers that they could not amend it, for soe it hathe been and soe wilbe still. 9. Item, a forreyner keepinge open shopp, contrarye to the order of the towne and the lawes of the land, sent for before the maiour did promesse to shutt his wyndowes untill he might get leave; yet afterwardes, by the counsell of Mr. Smith, late bedle of the Universitie, he would not; whereupon the maiour comaunded a constable to shutt downe his wyndowes, which the constable did in quiet manner; yett that constable was presentlie, by the sayd Smithes meanes, committed to pryson by the vice-chauncellours deputye, and afterwardes was condempned xl by the sayd deputye for shuttinge downe those wyndowes, and might not be admitted a day to answer nor to reteyne counsell, nor to have a copye of the lybell. And that fforreyner was made a schollers servaunte onely to crosse the maiour, and to prevent the musters; as Mr. Smith, the late bedle of the Universitye, confessed. 10. Item, by composition betwene the towne and the Universitye, the maiour and the towne is to search leather, and to seize; yet lately one Palmer beinge searcher, and others, are sued for the seizinge of the leather forfeited, contrary to the composition, and that by Mr. Smith his procurement. 11. Item, the proctours at everye Sturbridge fayre usuallie receyve (colore officii) of everye grocer, soper, and such like, of some money, of some spyces, and other some wares, to the terryfyinge of the marchauntes to resorte thither. 12. Item, the taskers have of everye victualer in the faires and in the towne a certeine some of money for sufferinge them to sell wyne and to victuall, and for theire signes, and for breakinge the assize; and they make thereby a greate gaine; for there is in the towne and libertyes eight or nyne score victuallers oute of the ffaire tyme, and fewe or none of them lycensed accordinge to the statutes; and yf it be, it is very latelye. 13. Item, the commissarye and proctours in Sturbridge ffaire doe hold plee of informacions against strangers cominge to the ffaire with wares, upon the statute, for not beinge a prentize to the occupacion, and many other penall statutes which they use; and there the sayd strangers are condempned upon the statutes, and they deale soe hardlye in such like cases with marchauntes and others repairinge to the ffaire, that divers of the best sorte have drawne them selves from thence, and manie more will doe, to the greate hindrance of the burgesses, beinge owners of the ffayre, except spedye redresse be had therein. 14. Item, they priviledge divers graduates and others, to the nomber of eleaven score or thereaboutes, in the towne, usinge lay trades, as husbandrye, brewinge, and other trades, for theire onlie mainteynaunce, and dyvers wydowes, to defeate the quenes majestie of subsedy and other dueties. And the nomber of the previleged persons doth excede the subsedye men of the towne; and they will not permitt the landes of the schollers servauntes to be rated in the subsedye, and yet the statute of the subsedy is direct in that matter. 15. Item, they give lycense to divers yearelie for the killinge of ffleshe in Lent, and they taske greate ffynes for the same. 16. Item, althoughe they havinge livinge within the colledges incident to theire places, yet many buy and sell corne in these deare yeares and other tymes, and contract for marchaundize and usury to infinite somes, to the great hindrance and decaie of thinhabitauntes there. Item, these generall misdemeanours, besides manie outeragious particuler offences, are used and committed by the Universitie and pryviledged persons, whereof the maior, bayliffes, and burgesses humblie praie and desire refor macion. 13th November, 1596. LORD BURGHLEY TO THE VICE-CHANCELLOR. [From MS. Lansd. no. 103, art. 86.] Minutes to the vice-chancelour and University of Cambrige. AFTER my harty commendations: althowgh I as your chancellour am bownd and so alwaies have been disposed to assist and defend yow against all publicque wronges committed against anie your priviledges, so maie I not, with reason and other duetye, by cullour thereof, cumfort or favour your liberties to offend the maiour and cominalty ther of Cambrige, thereby not onelie doing wronge and procuring complaints to be made against yowe, but in sum sort, by misusing of your great liberties, to putt the same in danger to be forfeited and resumed; as if great enormities be found in anie subjectes havinge liberties, the prince ordenarelye owght to resume the liberties, and to committ the same to such as will use the same in good sort, to the benefitt of all hir subjectes. And this admonicion I am bold at this time to give yowe, uppon sum reports made unto mee of divers thinges, whereof the maiour and the comminaltye have informed mee, with intencion to have mee, by good advise and by the authoritie I have, to provide remedye thereof in charitable and peaceable manner, which I wishe yowe to regard as a matter reasonably by them required. And to the intent yow maie perceive sum part of theire complaintes, I doe send a memoriall of sum fewe of the same, conteined in this paper subscribed with my hand, which I think vearye necessary to be reformed, if the complaintes thereof be trewe, as is surmised and is offred to be proved, if hereafter the same be not remedied. And so wishing that as yowe and the towne are by corporacion two severall bodies, so yet, considering yowe are both derived under one head, which is the quenes majesty, I wishe yowe also to unite your selves under that head, by whose authoritie onely, under God, yowe have your powers for governement given for the benefitt of the common weale, and not for privat estimation or affection. 28 November, 1596. THE HEADS TO LORD BURGHLEY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 82, art. 39.] To the right honorable the lorde Burghley, lorde high treasurer of England, dd. RIGHT honorable: we receaved of late, togither with your honors letters, a schedule contayninge certayne articles of complaint exhibited by the maior and burgesses of the towne of Cambridge against us, the officers and others of the Universitie. In the one we finde and acknowledge your lordships usuall greate love towards us, more easelie seene of us all then can be dulye expressed with thankes of anie; and in the other the froward affection of our unkinde neighbours the townsmen, who beinge challenged for infringinge our accustomed priviledge (which all that have office amonge them have bene yearely sworne to maintayne), they have in their displeasure nowe againe renewed such ould complaintes as have bene answered to their shame oftentimes heretofore and are utterly untrue, the which this our present shorte and direct answer we hope well will justifie, if it may please your honor to vouchsafe the readinge thereof. And so in all bounden dutie yealdinge the humbliest thankes we can for your good lordships most wise and honorable order therin enjoyned, with our dayly hartie prayers unto God for the longe and prosperous preservation of your lordship to the greate good of this our Universitie, and no les benefitt of the whole realme, we humblie take our leave. Cambridge, this 10th of December, 1596. Your honors most highlie bounden allwayes, The answere of the Universitie of Cambridge unto certeine articles of complainte exhibited by the maiour and townsmen of Cambridge againste the sayed Universitie, unto the righte honorable the lord keeper, lord treasurer, and others. 1. They complaine that the Universitie justices never come to the quarter sessions within the towne, nether certyfye any recognizances, but determine thereof in theire private meeteings, nor will suffer any justice of the towne to awarde processe against ether scholer or scholers servante. 1. As toucheinge this article; ffyrste, wee do affirme it to |