induce them to yeld to this, rather then ouer dutifull regard should seeme to be wantinge in the necessarie defense of this ouer charter, which so neerlie concernes us, ouer printar shall be ready at your lordships appointment to joine with them in the triall of his righte, upon anie accion that they shall bringe againste him. Suerlie yf this charter, so equable in it selfe, so commodious to the studentes of the Universitie, so beneficial to manie other subjectes of the realme, graunted by her majesties most noble father, ratyfied by the gratious bountie of her selfe, established by acte of parlament so manie yeres past, may not be thoughte suffycient againste there grauntes, so latelie obteined, wee know not upon what privilege wee may hereafter repose

ouer trust.

Wherefore once againe most humblie besechinge your good lordship to continue your honorable favour toward the Universytie, in preservinge the auncient and lawfull charters of the same, in all humble duetie wee recommend your lordship to the most blessed proteccion of the Allmightie. From Cambridge, the xvjth of July, 1591.

Your lordships daylie oratours humble
at commaundement,

R. SOME, procancell.
WILLIAM WHITAKER.

THO. BYNG.

THOMAS Legge.

THOMAS PRESTON.

LAUR. CHADERTON.

ROGERUS GOADE.

UMPHRY TYNDALL.

JO. DU PORT.

[The opinion of the University's council on this matter is pre

served in the same volume of the Lansdowne MSS.]

THE HEADS TO LORD BURGHLEY.

[From MS. Lansd. no. 69, art. 54.]

To the right honorable the lord Burghley, lord high treasurer of England, of her majesties most honorable pryvy counsaill, and chauncellour of the Universitie of Cambridge.

WHEN we consider (right honorable) the great and manifould blessinges God hathe bestowed and so longe contynued upon this our church and comen wealth under her majesties most happy government (wherof your honor, through your most wise counsaill and contynuall great care and travaile, hath ben a speciall instrument), as wee thanke and blesse the name of God for his singuler mercyes, do pray for the contynuance of theis happy daies, and by our prechings in our severall callinges and places do (according to our duties) move and stirr upp others to do the same; so ar wee bould (presuming uppon your honorable and Christian acceptacion of this our humble dutye) first to gratulate to your honor your owne particular great and happy blessinges, wherwith the Lord hathe many waies speciallie honored and adorned you above others, and namely in still contynuing your daies and lief to the good and comfort of this churche, though great personages (as wee see) one after another, lyke by course of nature to have outlyved, being cutt of by deathe, your honor, in a manner alone emongest the auncyent counsaillers, by Gods speciall providence and goodnes being yet preserved. In which respect, as wee hartelie thanke God for yow, praing for the prolonging still of your daies, so wee are also humble remembrancers unto your lordship that, God having thus reserved yow for the speciall good of this church and commen wealth, and now putt into your handes more oportunities then before. to do good therunto (by removing some great impedimentes that befour tyme might hinder your Christian and honorable intentions for the furtheraunce of the gospell, and the

defense and comfort of the trew professours therof), the papisticall adversaries in theis tymes havinge growen bould and daungerous to the state, diverse of the trew freindes and lovers of the gospell (thoughe tarying theim selves in dutifull and peaceable course, which we also best like), having tasted in some sort of more harde severitie then many knowen papistes (who in the meane tyme have ben in quiet untill now of late, and even insulted against the best professors), your owne tyme and lief (though wee hartelie wisshe and praye it maye be longe, even beyond the ordinarie course of nature) being uncertain how long or short it shalbe; while ye maye have this oportunitie to do good in the best causes (the Lord also having, by his wonderfull blessinges, heaped manie waies upon your head, so provoked you againe to regard and honour him and his gospell above all other thinges), yt would please your good lordship (as we doubt not but you do) to thinke seriouslie and deeplie of theis great and weightie occasions, and to go on forward with all Christian currage and cheerfullnes in the highe and great station wherin the Lord with so happy contynuance hath sett you. Our intent is, not to commend unto your lordships care eny causes or persons in particuler, or to move eny thing in generall, otherwyse then may stand with the present state established, and the peace of our Jerusalem, but within this limit and compasse to stirr upp your sincere mynde to go on speciallie in Gods cause against all impedimentes (if eny yet bee), assuredlie waiting for his blessing in gyving good successe, for which wee will hartelie praye, leaving the particuler occasions to do good (which are many) to your lordships owne wisdom, which doth farr better know theim; and wee trust in dew tyme the Lord, by your meanes, will worke and produce good effectes. Wee should do your lordship wrong, and much forget our duties, if wee should write as doubting of your readie and carefull

mynd for the generall furtheraunce of the course of trew religion by all good meanes, comforting the trewe affected, and repressing the undermyning malitious adversarie: (wherof ther is of late fresshe and wurthie publike testimonie throughe the whole land of that necessary good course against the commen enemy, and that by your honours speciall meanes, wise care, and godlie zeale; for which wee, with all lovers of the gospell, do hartelie praise God for yow). But heerunto yf yt might please your lordship, with like myndfull care, to add the further releeving and comforting the trew and peaceable professors of the gospell, as your wysdome best knoweth how, and as severall occasions now ar, or hereafter shalbe ministred, God thereby shall have much glory by the thankes gyving of many, your lordship trew Christian honor owtwardlie, and much inward peace and comfort to your hart in your happy ould age. Wee crave pardon of your lordship in this our boldnes, that wee rather then others have presumed to present unto your lordship this our poore unfeyned dutye, wherunto wee were the rather embouldened as being not only ministers of the word, but also members of that Universitie wherof your lordship is a most honorable head and patrone, and wee so tyed and bound by particuler duty and love to your honor, as wee would offer nothing to your consideration utherwise then from single hartes and dutifull myndes. And so trusting your lordship wyll accordinglie accept therof, wee do and shall in our prayers commend to Gods good grace and blessing both your lordship and the yssew of the cause. From Cambridge, the xxvij. of Februarye, 1591.

Your honors humble and bounden,

ROGER GOAde.

WILLM. WHITAKER.
EDMUND BARWELL.

LAUR. CHADErton.

AGAINST STAGE-PLAYS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE UNIVERSITY.

THE HEADS TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL.

[From MS. Lansd. no. 71, art. 83.]

The humble supplicacion of the vice-chauncellour and others of the governours of colledges within the University of Cambridge. To the right honorable ouer speciall good lords, the lords of her majesties most honorable privie counsell.

In most humble manner shewen unto youer honorable good lordships your daylie oratours the vice-chauncellour of the Universitie of Cambridge and the rest of the headdes of colleges theare: that whereas, aboute seaventene yeares since, informacion was given unto youer lordships touchinge the misdemenour of divers badd persons which, wandringe aboute the countrye under the colour of licenses for the makeinge of shewes, and playeinge of enterludes, and settinge furth of other vaine games and pastimes, did thereby allure very manie of ouer scholers from the good course of theire studies and usuall exercises for the increase of learninge; upon which informacion it pleased youer good lordships to addresse unto the vice-chauncellour and headdes of the said Universitie youer honors lettres, thereby fullie auctorisinge and streitlie chargeinge them and other justices of peace within fyve myles of Cambridge to represse such disorders, and not to suffer them to be put in use within that precinct (agreably to an auncient charter graunted unto us by that noble prince, Kinge Henry the Third, forbiddinge to be used heere amongst us other games of like nature); throughe which youer lordships honorable commaundement not only ouer younger sort of studentes weare the better ordered, but also the whole Universitie the les troubled for manie yeares after; yet so it is (yf it may please youer lordships), that now of late some evill-disposed persons,