tion of discipline and good conduct amongst scholars," pro- CHAP. I vided they neither detracted from, nor interfered with, the royal statutes: all other statutes and customs which were contrary to them, were declared to be abrogated and rescinded. the period of "The period of the necessary regency of masters of arts Extension of was extended to five years, after which they became, ipso reeucy. facto, non-regents. No provision was made in the statutes. for any dispensation from this law. lor's court ings to be the civil law. The constitution and general jurisdiction of the courts of The chancelthe chancellor and commissary were not materially altered from the provisions of the ancient charters and statutes. Causes in which a master of arts or superior graduate was concerned were reserved to the first; all others (including those which arose at Midsummer and Sturbridge fairs) were left to the latter. The proceedings of the chancellor's court were directed to be governed by the principles of the civil law; Its promed. and they were also required to be prompt and expeditions, and, if possible, to be determined within three days, omni juris solemnitate remota. An appeal might be made within two days from the decision of the chancellor to the univer- chance Hor's sity, the appellant being required to lodge his complaint, within three days afterwards, with one of the proctors, and to deposit 20s., which he forfeited if he failed in his appeal or if he neglected to prosecute it, after delegates had been assigned. Three at least, and at most five, delegates were nominated by the caput and the two proctors, whose names were submitted to the regents and non-regents for their ap probation. If the list was rejected once, one or more names might be changed, and the revised list submitted to them again after three such changes and rejections, the final nomination of the list was left with its original framers. 'The chancellor was authorised to punish all members of the university (ignavos, graŝsatores, rei suae dissipatores, contumaces nec obedientes) whether undergraduates or graduates, 1 Dyer (Privileges, etc. 11 447) comments on the preamble to the statutes as characterised by the most anthoritative, imperial style, in Powers of the inhing de chancy for in linquent the univer sity. TAIL with suspension from their degrees, imprisonment, or any light punishment, by his sole authority; but he could not expel a scholar or student, or imprison a doctor or head of a house, without the concurrence of the major part of the heads of houses'.' The unsparing censure directed against Whitgift by not a few writers, as the chief instigator of the policy which ultimately drove the Puritan party into open rupture with both Church and State, is hardly borne out by the evidence at this period. Within a few weeks after the new statutes had come into operation, we find one of the most able and zealous members of the party in Cambridge giving expression to his opinion of their merits in a letter to Cecil, which when compared with the sycophantic tone of most of such appeals in those days, is remarkable for its candour and boldness. The writer was a fellow of Christ's college, named Elward Dering, the same who afterwards pleaded on behalf of Cartwright with Cecil, a scholar who, though prematurely lost to learning, lived long enough to produce among his contemporaries the impression that, to rare attainments and distinguished virtues, he added the possession of unusual original powers. Parker, much as he disapproved his Puritanism, speaks of him as reported to be the most learned man in England', and singled him out for the onerous task of refuting the ponderous and malignant treatise of Nicholas Sander, de Visibili Monarchia Ecclesiae. The letter which Dering now addressed to Cecil is distinguished, like many of the manifestos of the early Puritans, for its courage rather than its discretion. He flatly upbraids the chancellor with having sent unrighteous statutes' to Cambridge, and prays 1 O'servations, pp. 51-53. Parker Corresp., p. 413. Strype (Lafe of Parker, bk. iv, c. 16) underards Parker to be speaking sarcas tmly, which I rather doubt; but it is ent that the archbishop was dis ant:stel with what he saw of Dering's rly to Sinler, in which he says nch childishness appeared.' Iartholomew Clerk and Ackworth appear to have answered Sander more to Parker's satisfaction. See tion of the houses that his eyes may be opened to the true state of affairs. CHAP. IIL The doctors and heads of houses are denounced as 'doing much hurt to better men than themselves.' Perne, Harvey, Caius, Hawford, and Ithell are described as 'al ither enemies ms descrip unto God's gospel, or so faint professors, that they do littel heats of good in the churche.' Mey and Chaderton exhibit 'small constancio ether in ther life or in ther religion.' It is, however, deserving of note that in referring to Whitgift, he speaks of him as a man whom I have lovyd'.' 'But yet,' he continues, he is a man, and God hath suffred him to fall into greato infirmities. So froward a minde against Mr Cartwright, and other sutche, bewrayeth a cons ience that is full of sickness. His affections ruled him, and not his learning, when he framed his cogitations to get new statutes.' tent party tition the May, 15:2 It may be supposed that the representations of a single The males individual, pitched moreover in such a key, would not be pd to likely to prevail much with Cecil, but the discontent of the car: university did not fail, in due course, to find more effective expression. When it was proposed that the thanks of the university should be forwarded to the crown and to the chancellor for the enactment of the new statutes, the autho rities were unable to carry the vote, and both regents and non-regents now began to assemble in frequent conclave to discuss the most unpopular provisions of the new code and to prepare a grand remonstrance. A petition was drawn up, signed by no less than 134 members of the university, and that it represented the opinion of a highly intelligent section may be inferred from the fact that among those who 1 Brook in his Life of Cartwright (p. 67) somewhat disingenuously sup presses this testimony in Whitgift's favour. Strype, Life of Parker, Append. no. lxxviii. I observe by the way,' says Strype, of what masters he is silent; namely, of Pembroke Hall, who was Dr Fulke; of Magdalene, Dr Kelk; of St John's, Longworth or Shepherd; of Benet, Aldrich; of King's, Dr Goad. And these were Puritans, or fayereis of them.' Ibid. bk. iv, c. 16. It is to be noted 3 These facts rest upon the state- The names are painted in Lamb, TAIL attached their signatures were Richard Bancroft (afterwards archbishop of Canterbury), Richard Fletcher (afterwards bishop of London), Robert Bennett (afterwards bishop of Hereford), Godfrey Goldisburghe (afterwards bishop of Gloucester), Humphrey Tindal (afterwards dean of Ely, and president of Queens' college), Laurence Chaderton (afterwards master of Emmanuel college), Edmund Barwell (afterwards. inaster of Christ's college), Thomas Legge (afterwards master of Caius college), Edmund Hound (afterwards master of Catherine hall), John Bell (afterwards dean of Ely and master of Jesus college), and Richard Cosin (afterwards dean of the Arches'). All of these, however, appear to have been, at this time, under thirty years of age, and Parker and Cecil would probably recognise in the presence of their signatures little more than an expression of the feelings of a number of youthful regents smarting under the curtailment of their privileges and actuated by misplaced sympathies and excessive zeal, which were destined before long to cool down and die away. The points especially singled out for complaint in this petition were:-the new provisions relating to the election of the vice-chancellor, to the nomination and election. of the lecturers, bedells, and other officers, and to the election. of the caput;—the negative voice of masters of colleges, and the powers which they were to possess of interpreting the statutes, and of deciding upon the fitness of the proctors and taxors;-the open scrutinies, the order at the Commence men peradventure of preposterous affection might staie such graces as the wholl universitie knew worthie of preferment, and unles it was for that D. Pearne, Baker, and Ponie, weare sumtimes denied by the bodye to be in the head, we knowe no great reason of innovacion of so aunciente a custome, whereas now the head is both certaine for everie congregation and continuing the whole yeare, and most of the heade be masters of colleges; wherebie it falleth oute that nothinge can passe all the whole yeare whereof they mislike, or anie oue of them. Ibid. 11 289. ment, the prohibition of dispensations, and the general CHAP. IIL imperfection of the statutes. To this petition the Heads replied in a series of rejoinders the very heading of which breathed a somewhat defiant tone'. They represented the agitation in progress as chiefly caused by the intrigues of the two proctors, Beacon and Purefoy, who, in their irritation at the diminution in the prerogatives of their office, were, they alleged, sowing discontent among the young regents by means of false representations. To these rejoinders the regents again prepared a series of replies3. fers the da matter to Grindal and and The cares of office pressed too heavily upon Burghley (as Burghley re he must henceforth be designated) to permit of his perusing son of the these several documents and estimating the comparative value of the arguments therein contained. He was content to refer the whole dispute to the arbitration of Grindal and Sandys, with whom (at the instance of the Heads) Parker and Cox, bishop of Ely, were subsequently joined'. Their action was singularly prompt, for on the twenty-seventh of May they summoned the contending parties to appear before them at Westminster, and their final decision was communicated to Burghley in the following letter, on the thirty-first of the same month": 'TO LORD BURLEY, the arbitra 'Your honor requested us two archbishops, the bishop of London Decision of and the bishop of Elye, to peruse the bill of complainte of the young tors, Parker, men against their elders, masters of colleages, &c. 'We have deliberatelie conferred their objections, awnswers, and replies, which we now send to your lordship herewith, besides that hearde both the parties challenging the one the other at full: In fyne, we An Answere to the pretensed grieffes of certayne of the Bodie of the Universitie for the necessarie and profitable Alteration of certayne Priviledges and Customs greatlie abused by Divers of the foresaid Bodie, the which be reformed only for the Ad vancement of Vertue and Lerninge and the Maintenance of good Ordre, set fourthe by the Queous Majesties Authoritie and publikelie redd and generally received by the whole Universitie with great Quietnesse until we these tiro Proctors Mr Beacon and The Objections,' · Answers,' an l • Cooper, Annals, 11-280 -1. Lamb, Documents, p. 357. son on rios 31 May, 15:2 municated to |