Cambridge University Transactions During the Puritan Controversies of the 16th and 17th Centuries

Letter from the heads on a case of privilege

PAGE

. 262

Letter from the vice-chancellor to know what was to be done to

one Allesson, who had been imprisoned for nonconformity,

and who had afterwards conformed to the Church-service . 263

Letters of compliment and solicitation:

Sir Francis Bacon to the University

The University to Lord Cransfield

Letter to Sir Thomas Coventry

Petition of the town to be made a city

The University to Sir Francis Bacon, beseeching him to oppose
the petition of the town to be made a city.

The Bishop of Winchester to the University, forwarding the

royal directions for subscriptions to degrees, &c. .. .273

Further directions of the King for the University, confirming

the jurisdiction of the University, and ordering all the canons

of the Church to be observed according to the Book of Com-

mon Prayer; with directions for the proper performance of

Divine Service, for sermons on Easter-day, Christmas-day,

and Whit-Sunday; for taking the communion and the prac-

tice of catechising; for the prevention of any new lectures

or sermons in any parish of the town; for the exclusion

of women from the chapel of any college, &c.

Letters requesting favours, chiefly relating to the town's peti-

tion to be made a city :

The University to Lord Bacon, requesting him to become

their advocate.

Sir Francis Bacon to the University

The University to Sir Francis Bacon

The University to Lord Bacon, earnestly beseeching him

to oppose the town's petition (1617) .

The University to the King, humbly beseeching him to

reject the town's petition.

The University to the Bishop of Winchester, shewing the

evils that would result to the University if the petition

of the town were to be granted, since quiet and re-

tirement are essential for a successful prosecution of

study

. 285

The University to Lord Bacon, shewing how the arro-

gance and insolence of the towns-people would be in-

creased if these petitions were to be granted . . 287

The King to the University, stating his determination to

reject the town's petition.

288

Sir Henry Yelverton to the University, acknowledging

their congratulations, and expressing his sense of ob-

ligation to the University.

Lord Bacon to the University, thanking them for their
letter of approbation, and expressing his willingness
to serve them

The Bishop of Winchester to the University, expressing

PAGE

289

291

his obligations to, and his willingness to serve them . 291

1618. Case of Mr. Brownrigg, who had given offence by except-

ing against a book put forth by public authority; also by

raising these questions in a disputation at his chambers: 1,

whether a king, breaking fundamental laws, may be opposed;

and 2, what is to be thought of the nobles who opposed King

John, when he was making his land feudatory to the Pope?. 292

The king's forgiveness of Mr. Brownrigg, and restoration of

him to his degree .

Sir William Maynard to the University, requesting them to

petition the King for a commission to establish certain

ordinances

Sir John Argall to the University, thanking them for their

letter (1619)

Letter to the University, on a proposal to drain the fens

The University to Sir Robert Naunton, respecting the foregoing

proposal

The University to Sir George Calvert

Decree of the heads, that there are to be only three days of sus-
pension of lectures on the death of a gremial

The University to Sir R. Naunton, charging him to defend their
privileges

1622. The Privy-Council to the heads and professors, warning

the students of divinity against the doctrines of Paræus and

other Nestorians, and ordering all the books of Paræus which

are found in the libraries and studies of the University to be

publicly burnt

Order of the vice-chancellor against Paræus

Mr. Mead to Sir Martin Stutevile, informing him that the
commentaries of Paræus had been publicly burnt
Grace of the senate, to secure the privileges of the University
printer, with regulations for the purchase of books, and the
management of the University press

1622-1662. Extracts from the letters of Mr. Mead to Sir Mar-

tin Stutevile: Arminianism boldly preached by Mr. Lucy,

who afterwards obtains a grace for the degree of bachelor of

divinity (1622); increase of Jesuits; a suspected Jesuit ap-

prehended at Cambridge; censure and condemnation by the

University of Oxford of four propositions of Paræus on the

Romans; all doctors and masters at Oxford, and all bachelors

in law and physic, to subscribe the aforesaid censure, as well

as all who are to take any degree in that University; secret

election of Mr. Preston to the mastership of Emmanuel Col-

lege; doubt whether it would be proper to act a comedy called

Ignatius Loyola at Trinity College, as two Catholic ambas-

sadors were expected to be present; reception of the Spanish

and Brussels ambassadors; prayers stopped in King's chapel

on their arrival; the ambassadors admitted, with three others,

to the degree of master of arts; death of Dr. Pemberton;

the comedy acted subsequently in the presence of the King;

epigram on the King; Mr. Lucy created doctor; opposition

PAGE

King James I. to the heads, requiring a doctor's degree, by

royal mandate, for Mr. Preston, master of Emmanuel Col-

lege (1623).

. 316

The petition of James Tabor, registrary of the University, to the
King, praying that some regulations may be made respecting
the manner and time of every graduate's subscription, and
that he may have some remuneration for the trouble of
keeping the book of the said subscriptions
The King refers the subject to the vice-chancellor and heads of
houses.
Regulations for subscription; fee to be paid to the registrary
Mr. Mead to Sir Martin Stutevile, advising him about a college
and tutor for Mr. John (Stutevile)

Graces of the senate: 1. That graces are to be read in two

congregations. 2. On the election of the father. 3. On doc-

tors of medicine who have graduated abroad

Royal letters relating to mandates, stating that whoever is ad-

mitted to a degree by royal mandate is to pay sufficient

caution for the exercises, &c. required by the statutes . 323

Grace of the senate, by which an annual sermon is to be preached

in commemoration of King James I. (1625).

Extracts from Mr. Mead's letters: death of Dr. Richardson ;

his will; doubts about the mastership: Mr. John's college-

fees; chambers for Mr. John and Mr. Higham; treatment

of pupils; accidents in the University; Sir Thomas Gran-

tham's son and heir drowned; Mr. Bloomfield, of Trinity

Hall, hangs himself in his chamber; a new fellow elected

in his place; no signs of the plague at Cambridge; death

by drowning; fear of the plague; Cambridge deserted;

321

324

the gates closed; provisions not allowed to be brought in;
advice about letter-writing.

Decrees of the heads: 1. Against the expensive and riotous

entertainments given by candidates after disputations. 2.

That no vagrants be admitted within the colleges, and that
women be especially excluded, except such married women
or widows of good characters, as are required to attend upon
the sick, or to wash the linen

The King to the chancellor, calling on him to reform the dis-
orders which had crept into the University (1626)
The chancellor to the heads, forwarding the King's complaint,
and suggesting remedies for the disorders of the University 336
Mr. Mead to Sir Martin Stutevile, informing him that Dr.
Prideaux, vice-chancellor of Oxford, had been sent for by
the parliament for mismanaging the election of Sir Thomas
Edmonds as member for Oxford .
From the same to the same, informing him that the Duke of
Buckingham had been elected chancellor; and of the con-
fusion and opposition to which the election gave rise
The Earl of Berkshire to Mr. Chester, of Trinity College, ex-
pressing his gratitude for the honour done to him in nomi-
nating him as a candidate for the chancellorship .
The Duke of Buckingham to the University, accepting the chan-
cellorship, and attributing the success of his election, not to
his own merits, but to the respect borne by the University
towards his deceased master James I. .
King Charles I. to the University, expressing his great satis-
faction at their choice of a chancellor

Extracts from Mr. Mead's letters: the King forbids the Com-

mons to send a letter to Cambridge to call on the heads and

others to give an account of their electing the duke; the

Earl of Berkshire's letter; the parliament exasperated at
the election, and considering it an act of rebellion, desired
to summon the Cambridge doctors; Dr. Eden defends the
conduct of the University; the Duke of Buckingham re-
wards Mr. Reading (who presented the result of the elec-
tion to him) with a chain worth 1007.; Sir Alexander Tem-
ple's motion, that the consideration of Arminianism in the
University be added to the heads of conference with the
lords; wonderful discovery in the maw of a codfish

Subscription of Mr. Fawcet before graduating in divinity

Extracts from Mr. Mead's letters; party spirit of the Duke of

Buckingham; books for Mr. M.'s pupil; death of Dr. Goslin;

Mr. Badgcraft elected master of Caius College; the election

objected to by the Duke of Buckingham; interference of the

King; Mr. Badgcraft unanimously elected by the fellows;
funeral of the vice-chancellor; a petition and testimonial
presented to the duke reminding him of his oath, &c.; Mr.
Higham does not pay his debts; the fish-book sent as a
new-year's gift to Lady Stutevile

Decrees of the heads: 1. That buffooneries and scurrilous jests

are not to be any longer permitted at the public disputations.

2. That the exercises for bachelor in divinity are to be per-

formed before the feast of St. Barnabas

. 351

Extracts from Mr. Mead's letters: difficulty of procuring cham-

bers; the chancellor visits the University, and attends at the

regent-house; Bishop Laud incorporated; new masters ad-

mitted; anecdote of the duke; Mr. Higham alters his bills

to deceive his father; arrangement for new chambers; the

new University library, &c.

. 353

Grace of the senate on the anatomy-lectures and the fees to be
paid for the continuance of them (1627)

A certificate presented to the Duke of Buckingham, touching

the houses and ground between Caius College and the

Regent Walk, whereon his grace intended to raise a public

library

Case of Mr. Edwards, who was committed to custody for having
preached the doctrine, that in case of doubt, any person,
whether servant, wife, son, or pupil, is not to go to his or
her carnal master, husband, father, or tutor for direction,
but to seek it from some man in whom the spirit of God
dwells, and who is renewed by grace
The certificate of the explanation subsequently given by Mr.
Edwards, respecting the meaning of his words

Extracts from Mr. Mead's letters: comedies at Trinity; the

King expected; bad accommodation at the anatomy-lec-

ture

Grace of the senate, on the calculation of the number of terms
to be kept for the M.A. degree, by bachelors admitted after
Ash-Wednesday