or two, but in as many as shall utter any thinge, thoughe in never so good sort, contrarie to the lykinge of a fewe. Wherin I pray your lordship to pardone me for my griefe, bycause it toucheth me soe nere. For althoughe I have not, neither doe I purpose to teach any thinge but the truth, and that without the offense of any, either state or statute, yet having to deale in so many matters of controversie with the papistes, I may peradventure bee at sometymes mistaken, and so either compelled to offensive retractation, or expelled the Universitie. But this being now a commen mischiefe, I must bee content to undergoe with others, and will endeavour to escape, as well as God shall directe mee. But if further it come to passe, as of late hath bene bruted amongst us, and by secrete report upon some ground is brought to me, that some amongst us attempt to procure a generall visitation, then I may easilie forsee what is to bee looked for hereafter. A visitation (I know) in Cambridge is verie requisite, if such commissioners were appointed as wold in dede carefully reforme abuses, which are too many amongst us: but cause there is to feare, that this visitation would rather serve to root out such as speake against disorders, then to remove the disorders themselves, and that it wold be used as an instrument to pull up moe good plants then weedes. If this plott goe forward (as I am uncertaine) I humbly desire your lordship but only to examine throughly the causes and partes therof, and to bee enformed from hence what good or harme may arise therby to the Universitie. Having heard some inkling of suche a matter, and knowing the importance therof, I thought it my part ether to forewarne your lordship therof aforehand, or els, thoughe lately, yet (I hope) in tyme to make some intercession, that things may be caried with indifferencie, and this good Universitie may enjoy that peace and tranquillitie which thus long it hath enjoyed under your lordship, to Gods glory and encrease of religion and learning. And

thus I humbly take my leave, beseaching the Godd of heaven to blesse your lordship with much honor and long liffe. From St. Johns Colledge in Cambridge, Feb. 3, 1589. Your honors to use in the Lord,

WILLIAM WHITAKER.

DISPUTES IN THE UNIVERSITY.

THE VICE-CHANCELLOR TO LORD BURGHLEY.

[From MS. Lansd. no. 62, art. 42.]

To the righte honorable my singuler good lord, the lord Burghley, lorde highe treasurer of England, and chauncellour of the University of Cambridge.

RIGHTE honorable, I was in good hope that it shoulde not have bene nedefull to have trobled youer lordshipp with anie vewe of the particuler disorders of the Universitie of Cambridge since my late comeinge unto that place, which I houlde there under your honor. But so it is, that findinge no end of some mens forwardnes there, in troblinge the good quiet of that place, and beinge of my selfe most loathe to take anie other course in the restraineinge thereof then shall stande well with youer lordships good likeinge, for that your lordships present estate (as I do perceave) doth as yet very necessarily forbid the hope of any personall accesse unto youer honor, I have thus thoughte meete, by a true reporte of the particulers here inclosed, most humblie to crave your lordships most honourable direction therein, as shall seme meetest unto youer wisedome; moste entirely desyreinge the Lord God so to blesse youer honour with the recoverie of youer former goode healthe, as the weale publicke of this land may still receave the fruites thereof, and the churche of God the continuance

of that benefitt it hath longe fownde by your lordships most honourable care, in the preservation of that her nurcery of leareninge, whereof (under her majestie) it hath pleased him to make youer lordship the cheife. At London, this sixte of Februarie, 1589.

Your lordships unworthy deputye
most dutifully bownd,

THOMAS PREston.

Firste, in that little intermitted time before mine eleccion to the place of vice-chauncellour, it was by some plotted that Mr. Bettes the proctour shoulde take upon him the controwleing of my predecessours sentence againste Mr. Johnson, by the inhibitinge of Mr. Dr. Barwell to proceede in thexecution thereof; the which thinge, notwithstandinge my said predecessors expresse commaundement to the contrarie, the said proctor toke upon him to execute, thoughe there were nether statute, custome, nor anie example to warrant the same.

The next devise was at the time of the eleccion ymmediately succeadinge, to proceade to a choise of delegates, upon Mr. Johnsons appeale, whereunto they offered names of men meerely partiall, as can be very well proved; in which they had suerlie prevayled (notwithstandinge the Universitie was then withoute a heade or governour for the orderinge of anie such accion), had not the gravitie and wisedome of some persons then present, (as I thincke) for shame, stayed them, and by expresse wordes forbidden there proceadinge.

This not succeadinge, there third attempt was, before my repaire to Cambridge, by a tumultuous assemblie in the streates, to the number of fyftie or threescore persons, to have won proctour Bettes to the callinge of a congregacion, purposelie to further that appeale, utterlie withoute all warrant of statute or example, and had prevayled therein, had not the keies of the regent-house dore beene carefullie withhelde by Mr. Dr. Still and Tindale, who heard of and perceaved the violence they intended.

This prevented, there fourthe plott was, by a confederacie, to overturne the ordinarie proceadinge in all graces and grauntes in the schooles, and to this end did, withoute all regard ether of equity or conscience, combine themselves under there handes therein geaven to the staie of anie thinge that should be there propownded: as did verie well appeare by the deniall of Mr. Andrews to be doctour of

divinitie in the firste congregacion after my admission; and had still continued the same course, had they not then fownde them selves to weake by the repay reinge of diverse men to the scholes, to withstand there unrulines, as in that accion concerninge Mr. Andrews they did.

This course thus hindred, there fifte devise was, and is still continued, by a certaine libertie of speache in the pulpitt, ether to discorage the magistrate, as farr as by wordes they may, from the doeinge of his dutie in the repressinge of them, or by animatinge the younger sorte againste lawfull auctoritie, by the libertie and straungnes of there posicions, to bringe the governours there into contempte, beinge agreable to that course which hath bene latelie taken for the overthrowinge of the present estate, as your lordship better knoweth, and is the readie waie to confusion in that commen nurcerye of learninge, as ouer experience teacheth us.

To which purposes they do ordinarilie houlde and bowldlie geave oute in there publike sermons as followeth, viz.: That anie sentence geaven by a judge is to be examined of everie private man by the word of God.

That it deserveth no obedience yf by them it be not fownd to be thereunto agreable.

That the godlie and zealous in these times are ordinarilie persecuted by the authoritie of the superiors.

That the younge ones in Gods schole are not to be fainte or to be discouraged by such tirannie.

That the bewtie of ouer churche, in the governement thereof, is farr from that of the presbyterie, etc. in the time of the apostles, etc.

Whereupon, forasmuch as I take it to be verie apparent that all these hurtes and incumbrances do principallie rise from Mr. Johnsons complottinge with his associates: and that it must needes be confessed, I do not see how to provide for the greatnes of the inconveniences like to insue, unlesse by your honours wisdome we be therein releived; my most humble desire is, yt may please your good honour so regard us therein, as, by your honours meanes, we may finde how ether to stay or to remove the greatnes of so daungerous an evill from us; and am the boulder to conceave good comfort therein by that honourable reliefe which I do heare the Universitie of Oxford hath latelie receaved in the like case; wherewithal it may be your honour is not unacquainted; upon whose direccion, as towcheinge our particuler herein, both I and the rest of ouer bodie do most humblie crave we may wholie rely, with all most humble and dutifull submission.

DISPUTE WITH THE TOWN.

THE UNIVERSITY TO LORD BURGHLEY.

[From MS. Lansd. no. 62, art. 43.]

RIGHTE honorable and ouer singuler good lord: as we are not desirous at anie time to offer unto youer lordship matter of complainte, so are wee most hartely sory that wee are at this present constreyned thereto. Howbeit unles we shoulde willingely suffer a manifest breache of ouer auncient priviledges and liberties (for the due preservacion whereof every member of the University is strictlie bownde by corporall oathe), wee coulde not but acquainte youer lordship with a late accident which hath here fallen oute, the effect whereof, may it please your lordship to understand, as well by a breife of the fact conceived in writinge, which wee have transmitted herewith, as also more at lardge by the relacion of ouer messengers, Mr. Mowtlo and Mr. Stringer, the bearers of these, who are the more able to make faithefull report of every particuler for that they were present at the accion. Most humbly cravinge of your good lordship to vouchsaffe to afford us youer honorable proteccion no lesse at this time then youer lordship did in the very like case aboute fower yeres past; for the which we shall continue (as of duetie wee are bownde) your lordships dayly oratours, with ouer hartiest prayers unto the Allmightie, who alwaies have youer lordship in his most blessed tuicion. From Cambridge, the xiijth of Marche,