PETER BARO TO LORD BURGHLEY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 82, art. 91.] Illustrissimo prudentissimoque viro, domino Guiliermo Cicilio, summo Angliæ thesaurario et academiæ Cantabrigiensis cancellario dignissimo. QUOD me, abhinc aliquot mensibus omni auxilio destitutum, tuo favore tutari volueris, illustrissime domine, jam egi et habeo gratias quantas possum maximas. Quoniam autem existimo eos qui mihi non ita benevolunt in me, quum renovanda erit mea ad prælegandi munus electio (quod sub finem Novembris, biennio scilicet tum exacto, fieri debet), aliquid molituros, nec sit præter te (Mecænas optime) ad quem potius confugere debeam, possim, aut velim, quam ad tuam unius dominationem, ab ea suppliciter peto, ut mihi, tum pro tua in literatos benevolentia, auxilio esse velis, quo in hoc prælegandi munere continuari possim hoc saltem biennio, ne cum aliqua famæ jactura, quorundam factione, ejectus videar. Meam autem de prædestinatione sententiam, ex qua hæc adversus me orta est invidia, ad te, mihi plurimum observande domine, mitto; rogans ut si eam per tua gravissima negotia perlegere possis, qualis sit ipse judices, et simne ego, propter eam, tuo favore eoque in tua academia munere indignus. Et tamen hac conditione mitto, ut si quid in ea falsi, (quod vix existimem, quum sit hæc plurium reformatarum ecclesiarum sententia) sed tamen si quid in ea falsi aut obscuri offenderit tua singularis eruditio, illud emendare, hoc vero explicare paratus sim: sin vero sit hæc sententia vera, humiliter per Deum immortalem precor, ut et tua pietas favere velit, tali enim certe indiget hæc veritas patrono, ne forte opprimatur. Nec tamen, si in hoc prælegandi munere confirmatus tua auctoritate fuerim, mihi propono hanc quæstionem pluribus cum ullius offensione agitare, sed parce et modeste, si quando locus id postularit, attingere; aut ab ea etiam penitus, si id tua dominatio ex academiæ utilitate fore judicet, abstinere, et de aliis theologiæ capitibus disserere. Itaque de me, illustrissime domine, pro tuo arbitrio statues; ego enim is sum, qui aut loqui aut tacere, te jubente, tam paratus sim, quam Deum optimum maximum oro, ut te, literatorum ac præcipue Cantabrigiensium tuorum præsidium, huic regno et ecclesiæ nobisque incoluLondini, 17 die Septemb. anno Domini mem conservet. 1596. Tuæ dominationis humillimus servus, P. BARO. DISPUTES WITH THE TOWN. THE MAYOR TO LORD BURGHLEY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 82, art. 36.] To the right honorable hys very good lord, the lord highe treasorer of England, one of hir majesties most honorable pryvy counsell. My bounden duty to your good lordshippe in most humble manner remembred: I have this vijth of October receyved your honorable lettres, datyd the first of this moneth, whereby I perceyve your lordship is enformed that I shold have uttered some malicious speeches to your prejudice and dishonour whereof, right honorable and my very good lord, for so I have alwayes found you, as my conscyence tellyth me that I am altogither guiltles, so I most humbly besech your honour to repute me, the rather for that my adversaryes (of what credytt soever they seeme to be) do therein now bewray their apparant malyce towardes me, that they, almost a full yere after eny communicacion had bitwixt them and me concernynge your honour, do lay to my charge such speeches as, if I had spoken, it had bene their But the Almighty dutyes to have discovered longe since. knoweth I never did in harte conceyve or in speche wittingly or willingly utter eny other then very greate honour in your good lordship, and much lesse wold so farre forgett my selfe as to utter open speech tendinge to the dishonour and discredit of your lordship. Also, where I am charged to have dealt frowardly against the state of the University, and to the infringment of my oath, I have such confidence in the right and truth of my cause, and in your good lordships upright and indifferent justice, that I wilbe ready when I shalbe called therunto to answere all that touchinge those matters can be objectyd against me; and withall to prove that, on the contrary parte, greate wronges have bene offered to the body whereof, by my office and oath, I am at this tyme to have espetiall care: nothinge doubtinge but that, upon the hearinge of both partes, the frowardnes (if eny be) shalbe found to be in my accusers, or some of them, who very unjustly seeke to procure me your honors greate displeasure, to hevy for me to beare. Most humbly beseechinge your good lordship to reteyne a favorable opinion of me, accordinge to your accustomed clemency used to all, and I, accordinge to my bounden duty, wyll dayly pray to the everlyvinge God longe to preserve your good lordship in health and felicity. Your lordships most humble, ROBERT WALLIS, maior of Cambridg. THE VICE-CHANCELLOR TO LORD BURGHLEY. [From MS. Lansd. no. 82, art. 37.] To the right honorable the lorde Burghley, lorde highe treasurer of Englande, give these. RIGHT honorable my singuler good lorde: as I professe my selfe to have obteyned my best preferrmentes by your honorable favour, and in all my fortunes to have had your favourable assistance, so beinge nowe chosen vice-chancellour of the University, and so to be a pore deputy under your lordship, I most humbly crave the continuance of the same your greate favour to my selfe, and your lordships accustomed lovinge care over the sayde University; and the rather because (as wee lately presumed to acquainte your lordship) the maior and his brethren have attempted to infringe one of our aunciente and usuall customes. most humbly recommendinge my service to your lordships commaundes, I hartely pray God to graunte you longe life and many happy dayes. Corpus Christi Colledge in Cambridge, November 5o, 1596. So Your lordships in all duety most bounden ever, COMPLAINTS OF THE TOWN. [From MS. Lansd. no. 82, art. 38.] Injuryes and misdemeanours by the Universitie of Cambridge and the officers and ministers thereof offered and committed to the maior, baylyffes, and burgesses of the same towne generallie and particularlie. 1. Inprimis, aboute two yeares since, or thereaboutes, the lordes of her majesties most honnorable pryvye counsell sent a comission to all justices of peace for restrainte of corne and provision for the poore; and Mr. Clarke and Mr. Edmondes, justices of the peace and aldermen of the towne, dealinge with the badgers and corne in the markett, accordinge to the booke of articles sent from the right honnorable pryvie counsell, were forbidden in open markett to intermedle concerninge the sayd lettres and articles by one Mr. Bagfeild, then taxor of the Universitie of Cambridge, and his fellowe, to the justices greate disgrace and the hindraunce of hir majesties service. 2. Item, the Universitie justices, beinge eight or nyne in nomber, will never come to the quarter sessions of the peace or gaoll deliverye within the sayd towne, nor certefie any recognisaunces for alehowses or for the peace, and seldome for matters of ffelonye, but doe usuallye determyne those recognisaunces in theire pryvate metinges. Neither will they suffer any justice of the towne to awarde any processe against any scholler or schollers servauntes, allthoughe theire authoritye be equall in commission. 3. Item, yf any ffreeman deale in any matter contrarie to theire likinges, they will discommon that ffreeman, viz. make a lawe or ordinaunce, that noe scholler or person pryviledged shall buy or sell with any such ffreeman, upon a greate payne. 4. Item, the court in the consistorye of the Universitye is called by the Universitye men the townesmen scourge, and soe it is indede; for one Maninge, a ffreeman, spent in chardges of suyte fowerscore poundes against a scholler, viz. Mr. Norgate, and yet his cause not ended, beinge upon a bond. Allsoe, yf any judgement be given in theire court, they will allowe noe writt of error or other proces to remove any cause from them. 5. Item, for chaundlers, bakers, brewers, and victualers, the proctours and taskers are agreed withall at the begininge of the yeare, soe that some victualers, withoute restrainte, doe usuallye dresse more fleshe on a fastinge day at night then the best colledge doth dresse on any day in the weeke. The chaundlers, bakers, and brewers doe sell at theire owne pryces without restrainte, and these and all other victuallers doe pay, as it were, a common ffyne for all these abuses. 6. Item, the officers of the Universitye beinge clarkes of the markett doe tollerate the abatement of the assize of |