Cap. 37. force, and so caused it to be signifyed to the said regentes, because of the wordes in the statute, eligere tenebuntur. 5. This notwithstanding, the regentes continued still their former tumult, with laughinges, hemminges, hissinges, and clamorous speeches, violently keeping the doare as before against the said taxer elected; wherupon Mr. vice-chancellor first sending a beadle, and after coming downe twyse himself and commaunding them to departe from the doare and to take their places, they persisted still in their former obstinacye; insomuch as Mr. vice-chancellor sendinge againe the proctors unto the regentes, that if they would with quyetness now suffer the elected taxer to come in to be admitted, upon the nullitye herafter found of the nominacion, their should be also a nullitye of this admission; the which message notwithstandinge, they would not relent; so as Mr. vice-chancelor (re infecta) was faine to leave them, and to dismisse thassembly for that presente. And the congregacion being dissolved, and Mr. vice-chancelor stayeing the heades onely to have conference with them, the regentes refused to departe upon their commaundement untill they sawe himself and the heades goe downe before them, returninge answere by the beadle, that if they were to consult, they might goe downe to the consistorye. 6. In which their obstinacie they yet so continue (as hath bene found by some necessary graces propounded for the behoof of the University), that we cannot look for anything never so reasonable and necessary to passe the house. Which premisses wee humbly referre to your good lordships wise consideracion. LORD BURGHLEY TO THE UNIVERSITY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 57, art. 87.] The letter to the bodye of the Universitie of Cambridge, touching certein disorders committed in the regent house by the regentes towards the vice-chancellor, appointing them to bee brought to due punishment. AFTER my hartie commendacions: I have receaved with verie greate greife of mynde some understandinge of the late disorders hapened amonge you in your regent house, a place ordayned for publique assemblies and consultacions for the common and generall causes concerning the body of the Universitie, which I am sorrie to heare is turned through these late misdemeanors into a place of tumulte, in such sorte as, setting open force and violence aside, I knowe not what disorder could be more outrageous, and yet considering the circumstances, though force and vyolence be in all persons and places, yea in all causes, unlawfull, these your late proceadings, by opposinge yourselves to a publique magistrate in his place of civil jurisdiction, may seeme much more odious, which nether as chauncellor of the Universitie I may with my duty suffer in yow towardes my deputie, nor for a counselor to her majestie (from whom all authoritie is deryved) leave unprosecuted with such condigne punishment as so greate enormities have deserved. And therefore, as your chancellor, and by virtue of my office, I require you, the heades and governors of the colledges, that according to the greatnes of the faultes in the particulers who have bene either authors or actors therin, there may be such severitie used as the case requireth; and that you would be more respective of your domesticall discipline and the due execution of your locall statutes, your lache and reminissenes wherin may be partly the occasion of these so great enormities. And truly it is not the least parte of my greife to consider how by such heady and intemperat misdemeanors in yonge regentes, you do not only bring a matter of scandall and slaunder upon the whole University, wherof I have never hard the lyke, but give evil example thereby to such of the youth as for the most parte are committed to your governaunce and tuicion, to the just offence of theire parents, who have sent them thither for discipline and nurture sake as well as for learninge and instruction, and to your owne most just reproofe in givinge so evil example in publicke, whatsoever your private instruction be. And therefore as yt shall behove you, the heades and governors of houses, so I require and chardge you to represse by all you may these late inso lencies, and to see them punished with severitie, according to the greatnes and exorbitance thereof. That howsoever the same have happened, being nowe become notorious, there may be as good note taken of the due punishment inflicted upon the offenders, that others hereafter may be restrayned thereby from the like. And so referringe the further proceadinge therin to the good consideracion of you, the heades, wherof I desire to be advertised, and wherin you shalbe well assured of my best assistance, I comend myself right hartely unto you, etc. LORD BURGHLEY TO THE UNIVERSITY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 109, art. 39.] AFTER my very hartie comendacions: I am sorrie to heare that there should be founde anie persons so inordinate and unruly amonge you as I have bene lately informed some of that Universitie, specially being named regentes, have bene; especially that the gremialls of that your body should go aboute by manifest contempt of the magistrate present and open violence (a verie undue course, how just soever the cause pretended be) to maintaine their libertie, and worke there owne will by disturbinge the wonted and laudable peace of your publicke meetings. If these disordered attemptes should not be discreetely withstoode in the beginninge, yt is to be feared that in continuance of time they will breake forth into farther outrage, and breede that universall evil amonge your private companies which will not easely be cured; and therfore, knowinge by good experience how necessarie a thinge yt will be at the first to represse so daungerous insolencie, I thincke yt verie expedient, and do require that you the vice-chauncellour, together with the joynte assistantes of all the rest of the heades and governers of colledges within that Universitie, do un delayedly, upon the receipt hereof, call before you such noted persons as are knowne unto your selves, or may be proved by others to have bene the cheife exciters and principal authors of that late tumulte, and upon conviction so to proceade against the most notorious offendors, in censuring of them for the same, as by your statutes provided on that behalf lawfully maye be done; that by the exemplarye punishment of a few, all others may feare hereafter to fall into the like contempt and disobedience. And as you need not to doubt of my approbacion herin, so yf this moderate correction by yow devised shall do no good, you may be sure I wilbe ready, by meanes of some higher authority, farther to assist you to reforme these offendors in the case complayned, as shalbe requisite for the suppressinge of so unsufferable an abuse, the maintenance of peace, and supporte of good order amonge you; whereof I would wish every one of your selves to have cheife care both in the joynte publicke charge and your owne private government. And so, with my hartie comendacions, I bid you farewell, etc. PLAYS IN TRINITY COLLEGE. THE COLLEGE TO LORD BURGHLEY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 78, art. 16.] To the right honorable our verie singuler good lord, the lord OUR bounden dutie in most humble wise remembred: whereas we intend, for the exercise of yonge gentlemen and scholers in our colledge, to sett forth certaine comædies and one tragædie, there being in that tragædie sondry personages of greatest astate to be represented in auncient princely attire, which is no where to be had but within the office of the roabes at the Tower: it is our humble request your most honorable lordship woulde be pleased to graunte your lordships warrant unto the cheife officers there, that, upon sufficient securitie, we might be furnished from thence with such meete necessaries as are required; which favour we have fownde heretofore upon your good lordships like honorable warrant, that hath the rather embouldned us at this time. And so, cravinge pardon for this presumption, with remembrance of our dayly prayers unto God for the preservacion of your honours health, to his owne greate glory, we humbly take our leave. From Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge, 28° Januarii, 1594. Your honours most bounden ever to be commaunded, THOMAS NEVILE. GRE. MILNER. [From MS. Lansd. no. 79, art. 51.] To the right honorable our verie good lord, the lorde Burghley, lorde highe treasurer of England, and chauncellor of the Universitie of Cambridge, geave these. RIGHT honorable, our duties in most humble manner premised: your lordships longe continued favour towardes us in the defence of our libertyes imboldeneth us at this time to crave your lordships honorable helpe and protection in the behalf of one Richard Foxcrofte, master of art, and |