to speak more fully hereafter; at present, we have only to CHAP. L note the fact that the colleges and halls in each university were now required collectively to support a public lecturer 'in any suche science or tonge as the Kynges majestie shall Institution assigne or appoynte,'-the lecture to be called 'King Henry Henry the the eight his lecture'.' of King Eighth's Jectureship from college funds bene iced universities Another measure, passed in the same year, served considerably to diminish the numbers of the residents in the university. Eight years before, parliament had been called upon to deal with a growing evil of the times,-the nonresidency of the clergy, and had enacted some stringent regulations. It had been ordered that a rector or vicar Number of should in no case absent himself from his cure for a whole cry at the month at a time, and that his absence in the aggregate throughout the year should be less than two months. An exception had however been made to these requirements in favour of those beneficed clergy who might be desirous of visiting the universities for the purpose of study, and of this exception many had taken advantage to an extent that called for renewed interference. Never perhaps, either before or since, has the social life of Oxford and Cambridge assumed so attractive a guise when compared with the conditions of life in other parts of the kingdom. They were centres not simply of learning and of intelligence, but also of gaiety and, too often, of dissipation,-features which, when weighed against the moral satisfaction resulting from the faithful discharge of laborious duty in a remote country parish, were often only too potent attractions. The academic authorities, accordingly, found themselves not a little embarrassed and perplexed by the large numbers of middle-aged clergymen who, without devoting any attention to study, 'ne,' as the Act of 1536 sternly adds, 'never entending,' flocked to the university there to pass their time in gossiping at the Dolphin, the Bull, or the White Horse, 'in idleness and in other pas times and indolent pleasures,' and to occupy the chambers and encroach on the "commodities" designed exclusively for "the relief and maintenance of poor scholars." On these un 1 Stat. 27 Hen. vi. c. 42. faithful shepherds, parliament, under Cromwell's inspiration, now imposed an effectual check: all over forty years of age were required forthwith to betake themselves to their cures, while those under that age were permitted to remain at the university only on condition that they gave satisfactory evidence of their studious designs by attendance at lectures and keeping in their own persons 'sophems, problems, disputacions, and other exercises of lernyng' and assuming the arduous functions of opponent or respondent in the schools'. In the same year, with the design apparently of replacing these pretended votaries of learning by a more genuine class, certain injunctions to the clergy required every beneficed crgyman whose emoluments from church property amounted to £100 yearly, to maintain a scholar at Oxford or Cambridge or at some grammar school, who, says the injunction, 'after they have profited in good learning may be partners of their patrons "cure" and charge as well in preaching, as otherwise in the execution of their offices, or may when need shall be, otherwise profit the commonwealth with their counsel and wislem'. It was in the year 1534-5 that the Scotch Reformer, Axander Alane, visited Cambridge. He had been invited. over to England by Cromwell and Cranmer, who hoped to secure in the disciple of Melanchthon and the approved antagonist of Cochlaeus an able champion of the doctrines. 1 Sat 28 Hen. VIII. c. 13; Cooper, Aver, 1 3×4; Wood-Gutch, 11 66. That this statute was directed at a mai and wrions abuse is evident frm the fact that similar require-- ta were laid down by the Convo• eď the province of Canterbury en of queen Mary. Wilkins, 16 7. Beron, in his Vessel ** Jay (Works, Pt. i. f. 15), says Lawa meman-leth tithes to be paid. mít x) at eanse That the mimuters would spend them in the of of the wurersity... or in -2 of links and dogs,' etc. bag, verily, but that there should stn Las house." kins, Cone, 111 811. Cooper, Annals, 1 386; Wood-Gutch, 1 66. Wood observes, The reason for this injunction was because the abbies and priories from whence exhibitions for poor scholars proceeded, were at this time dissolved, and thereupon many of those students that had not wherewith to subsist in the univer sity were forced to leave it and be take themselves to another course of life.' The injunction was re-enacted in 1517 under Edward v1. (Cooper, Ib. 11 16), *Whether these injunctions were duly observed 1 find not. I doubt by the license given to the clergy to take wives and the distrue tions in the king's reign, they were not observed.' (Wood Gutch, n1 86). ences at which they sought to uphold'. Alane appeared at Cambridge CHAPL as the king's scholar' expressly charged with the office of lecturing in the university on the Scriptures, and with the more direct design of instructing his hearers in the theology of the German Reformers. He entered at Queens' College, It's experiwhere, according to his own statement, he found congenial Cambridge. companionship,-jucundissimum sodalitium;' and we can well understand that the story of his youthful and stern experiences in the Scottish university, of his interviews with cardinal Beaton and the merciless prior of St Andrew's, his long incarceration in the noisome dungeon and romantic escape to Wittenberg, his intimacy with Melanchthon and not inglorious controversy with Cochlaeus, could hardly have failed to win for the Wanderer" more than ordinary sympathy and interest. He was however embarrassed by the non-receipt of the pension which Cromwell had promised but never paid'; while in his office of lecturer he soon found himself confronted by opposition of a kind which clearly attests not only the extent to which the university was still hostile to Lutheran doctrines, but also the boldness with which, notwithstanding the terrorism of its chancellor's rule, it could yet, at times, give expression to this feeling. He was lecturing on the Psalms, when, according to his own account, he appears to have been interrupted and challenged to defend the views which he maintained. He thereupon intimated his readiness to meet his antagonist in a formal disputation at the schools and named the hour and the day. At the appointed time he was in his place and found a 1 He was, says Prof. Lorimer, one of the first batch of students who were educated in the new College of St Leonard's, founded in 1512 by Prior John Hepburn.'...' He was fond of theological disputation, and soon acquired considerable reputa tion for his dialectical skill.' The Scottish Reformation, p. 30. Camerarins speaks of him as 'cupidus conflictus. Vitae Quatuor Reform. (ed. Neander) p. 79. 2 His name of Ales' or 'Alesius' was probably given him by Melunch thon, from the resemblance of his MS. Parker, exix, 215; Searle, The facts are given by Alane in CL considerable number of intending auditors assembled, but his antagonist failed to appear. The feeling excited against himself was however so strong that, as he avers, he went in fear of his life and was advised to appeal to the vicechancellor for protection. But Crayford, who then filled the office, shewed him so little sympathy, that Alane, king's scholar though he was, deemed it prudent to quit the university. He accordingly went to London and having resolved on entering the medical profession, there became the pupil of a Dr Nicholas, a physician of note at that time. It so happened that while Convocation was sitting in 1536, Cromwell met Alane in the streets of London, and, in the hpe of securing for the cause which he had at heart the services of an experienced controversialist, introduced him to the assembly. The discussion, which soon became of the warmest, resolved itself into the ancient dispute concerning Church doctrine as distinct from Scriptural authority, or, to quote the language of Alane himself, the grosse blasphemy of the unwritten worde.' Alane upheld the teaching of Melanchthon, although, in arguing concerning the definition of a sacrament, he did not disdain to appeal to the definitions. of Augustine, the Master of the Sentences, and Thomas Aquinas He was attacked by Stokesley and as warmly defended by Fox,-the poor fugitive from Cambridge and the wonder of the university' appearing in striking accord. For urged the assembly not to appeal to the doctors and schole writers' but to the Scriptures alone, and it is somewhat surprising to find him deliberately asserting that 'the Lay people do now know the Holy Scriptures better than t of us. Alane however conducted himself with more zal than discretion' and his intrusion was resented by me of the bishops. On the following day he received an intimation from Cranmer to this effect and accordingly did Bot present himself a second time. I must confess myself unable to maar in Dr Lorimer's statement, Alane divered his opinion *a fejual modesty and ability' The Scottish kief. p. 59). From Alane's own account it appears that he twice assumed a leading part in the debate, and was proceeding to do so a third time when Cromwell bade him be content for the ty me.' to speak more fully hereafter; at present, we have only to CHAP.L note the fact that the colleges and halls in each university were now required collectively to support a public lecturer 'in any suche science or tonge as the Kynges majestie shall Institution assigne or appoynte,'-the lecture to be called 'King Henry Henry the the eight his lecture'.' of King Eighth's Jectureship from college funds beneiced universities Another measure, passed in the same year, served considerably to diminish the numbers of the residents in the university. Eight years before, parliament had been called upon to deal with a growing evil of the times,-the nonresidency of the clergy, and had enacted some stringent regulations. It had been ordered that a rector or vicar Number of should in no case absent himself from his cure for a whole clergy at th month at a time, and that his absence in the aggregate throughout the year should be less than two months. An exception had however been made to these requirements in favour of those beneficed clergy who might be desirous of visiting the universities for the purpose of study, and of this exception many had taken advantage to an extent that called for renewed interference. Never perhaps, either before or since, has the social life of Oxford and Cambridge assumed so attractive a guise when compared with the conditions of life in other parts of the kingdom. They were centres not simply of learning and of intelligence, but also of gaiety and, too often, of dissipation,-features which, when weighed against the moral satisfaction resulting from the faithful discharge of laborious duty in a remote country parish, were often only too potent attractions. The academic authorities, accordingly, found themselves not a little embarrassed and perplexed by the large numbers of middle-aged clergymen who, without devoting any attention to study, 'ne,' as the Act of 1536 sternly adds, 'never entending,' flocked to the university there to pass their time in gossiping at the Dolphin, the Bull, or the White Horse, 'in idleness and in other pastimes and indolent pleasures,' and to occupy the chambers and encroach on the "commodities" designed exclusively for "the relief and maintenance of poor scholars." On these un 1 Stat. 27 Hen. VII. c. 42. |