riously recorded. Wherefore, in tender care of the common weale of both these bodies, we humbly beseeche agayne and agayne your honourable advise and assistance to withstand the beginninges of theyr malignant purposes, shaminge to make (as they use to doe) any particuler or personall complayntes to your honour, whereof if it please yow to vouchsafe the hearinge, this bearer, one of the procters of thuniversity, cann deliver many just, greevous, and very fowle. So, most humbly recommendinge to your honourable wisdome the fatherly care of this your University, I beseech the Lord God longe to preserve your honour in happy dayes. Att Cambridge, this xxiijth of July, 1597. Your honors most bounden at commaundes alwayes, Jo. JEGON, vice-can. THE VICE-CHANCELLOR AND MAYOR TO LORD BURGHLEY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 84, art. 89.] To the righte honorable the lord Burghley, lord highe treasurer of Englande, geve these. OUR humble duties remembred to your good lordship: whereas, by your lordships lettres directed unto us, bearinge date the third of June last paste, it is signified that your lordship hathe had a petition delivered by one Richard Wilkinson, wherein he hathe informed your lordship that he beinge a fustian weaver in Stamforde was procured to come to Camebridge to sett the poore on worcke in that trade, and that uppon his comeinge thither there was an agreement made with him by the vice-chancellar and the maiors deputie then beinge that he should have a house rente free for his owne dwellinge, xxs a weeke stipend, satisfaccion for all losses, and a house provided for the pore to worcke in; and that, throughe defaulte of the twoe bodyes of the Universitie and the towne, noe performance Ne hathe bene of the cheifeste pointes of the saide agreement, whereby he pretendethe that he hathe bene and is greatelye dampnified. Maie it therefore please your lordship to understande that wee doe neither knowe our selves, neither coulde wee yet learne by diligente inquirie of others, that the abovesaide pretended agreement was at anie time consented unto by the bodies of the Universitie and towne, either by theire publicke suffrages, or by the seales of theire corporacions, nor that theire is anie private instrumente in writinge to testifie anie suche matter; whereuppon wee are verilie perswaded that the saide Wilkinson hathe noe juste cause to claime the performance of thaforesaide pretended agreemente of the Universitye and towne. vertheles the saide Wilkinson hathe bene permitted to dwell rente free in a house purchased by the Universitie and towne by the space of three yeres or thereaboutes, beinge of the yerelie valewe by estimacion of ixli or thereaboute, himselfe havinge done little or nothinge for the common good of the saide bodyes; which saide house, by mutuall consente of either corporacion, was determined to be sould for the provideinge of stocke and store to be imployed in a house of correccion boughte and erected by bothe the bodies above a yere paste. Whereuppon, in December laste, the saide Wilkinson beinge called before us and our assistantes, did consente that his owne brother and other twoe persons, one of the Universitie and another of the towne, shoulde be arbitrators betwene the saide bodyes and him selfe toucheinge his complaintes, and yelded to stand to theire awarde; which three persons by mutuall agreement set downe in writinge, yet extante to be seene, did awarde that the saide Wilkinson shoulde departe oute of the saide house at the ffeaste of Penthecoste nexte ffolloweinge, and should then at his departure receive from the saide twoe bodyes the summe of xvjli, which awarde the saide Wilkinson hathe since refused to stande unto. And whereas he as sumed before us to yelde upp the saide house at Midsomer last, he keepethe still possession of the same, which is soulde to others by mutuall consente of either corporacion under theire seales, to the greate prejudice and utter overthrowe of our good endevours to establishe the saide house of correccion for the punishemente of vagrante and ydle persons, and for settinge the pore on worcke in the saide towne. In consideracion whereof, our humble sute unto your lordship is, that wee maie, with your lordships good favor, remove the saide Wilkinson, and yelde up the quiett possession of the saide house to those that have boughte it, whoe thereuppon are to yelde and paie cxxli. for the same, which summe of monie is presentlye to be imployed and laide out for a cheife parte of the stocke and store that is provided for the maintenaunce and continuance of the saide house of correction, and for settinge the pore on worcke, accordinge to the actes of parliamente in that case provided. Thus, with our hartie prayers to almightie God for the happie continuance of your good estate, wee humblie take our leave. At Cambridge, this iiijth of Auguste, 1597. Your honours moste bounden, JOHN JEGON, vice-can. THE HEADS TO LORD BURGHLEY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 84, art. 90.] To the right honorable the lord Burghley, lord high treasurer of Englande, geve these. RIGHT honorable our singuler good lord: whereas, not longe since, in way of answere and defence of our selves, we were bolde to acquaint your honour in generall with injuries done to this Universitie by the mayour of Cambridge and his assistantes of the towne, which hitherto we did for beare to urge, in hope of reformation at home by mutuall conference of both bodies amonge ourselves; may it please your honor to understande, that since that tyme we finde their attemptes to be more and more audacious and injurious unto us, and namelie in these particulars : 1. Five honest free burgesses are disfranchized for servinge the queene in our leete, and expreslie for presentinge ingrossers of corne. 2. One Tidswell, a burgesse, imprisoned by the vicechauncellour in case of execution, is enlarged without satisfaction of the debte. 3. Notoriouse lewde persones, by consent of the vicechauncellour and heades, thrust out from servinge the Universitie officers, for abusinge some cheife men of the towne, and for corrupt dealinge under their maisters, are made officers and free burgesses of their bodie, to nourishe (as we suppose) occasion of dislike and contention betwene us. 4. One Slegge arrested the vice-chauncellour unjustlie, viz. for the deliverie of a prisoner whoe was knowen to be dismissed before the writt served. 5. The maior and burgesses doe use foule and revileinge speeches to the face of cheife officers of the Universitie. Mr. maior called the proctor, in the execution of his office, varlett: Andrewes, a bayliffe, and Nicholson, a burgess, openlie in the consistorie (the vice-chauncellour and other assistantes sittinge there in place of justice), in expresse terms charged the vice-chauncellour to doe them wronge and injurie; and, lastlie, (which doeth most greeve us) the maior publiquelie, at twoe severall sessions of both bodies assembled in St. Maries churche, sclaundered your selfe, our most honorable chancellor, with injustice. Theise we take to be soe injurious to us and our governement, as that neither our oath to the statutes, nor due regard to your honour and this Universitie, may well endure them wherefore we humblie crave that your honour wilbe pleased eyther to reforme them by your high authoritie, or give us your honourable allowance and aide to deale with them here in such order as her majestie and her noble progenitors, by charter, have most gratiouslie indulted. Lastlie, whereas we have received diverse lettres from the right honourable lords of hir majesties privie counsell for reformation of ingrossers of corne, and thereupon have bin very carefull to enquire and amercie in our leete, or laweday, such offenders, accordinge to our charter and auncient custome; the townesmen offenders in that behalf are soe farr from reforminge them selves, as that not onlie they doe soe still, but alsoe take exceptiones against our proceedinges, threatninge indictments of præmunire, etc. Wherefore, for the better redresse hereof, we sende up a breif of the extracte of our last leete, with the presentments of the jurours, to informe your honour, accordinge to direction in your lettres; humblie prayinge your pleasure therein. And soe, most humblie recomendinge our service to your honourable comaundes, wee take our leave. At Cambridge, this 27 of September, 1597. Your honours most bounden ever, JOHN JEGON, vice-can. RIC. CLAYTON. THOMAS PRESTON. THOMAS NEVILE. EDMUND BARWELL. LAUR. CHADERTON. 1. As to the firste, their lieth a writte to be sued oute of the chauncerie to restore them to their libertie and ffraunchise of the towne againe; and to that end I have this morninge moved my lord keeper, whoe is willinge to graunt the same; and thincketh that yf my lord North wear accquainted therewith (to avoide all contradiction), his lordship would joyne in yt alsoe. |