A CONGRATULATORY LETTER FROM THE UNIVERSITY TO GARDINER BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.

Epis. Winton. gratulatoria.

QUAMQUAM tua (Reverende in Christo Præsul) superiora in nos et Academiam hanc collata beneficia tum quum authoritate et honoribus floreres, ut tuam dignitatem plurima benevolentia et perpetua observantia colere debeamus, efficiunt, et præsens perturbatæ nostræ Reipub. et jam prope eversæ discrimen et calamitas nos monet, ut te, cujus ope jam olim sublevati sumus, in tam turbulenta tempestate tanquam prudentem Nauclerum orare velimus, quo puppim hanc literariam adversis procellis et fluctibus jam prope elisam et submersam, tua prudentia gubernare et ex undoso salo in tranquillum portum perducere digneris: tamen non ideo solum hoc tempore ad Tuam reverendam dominationem scribimus sed ut et quod officii nostri esse ducimus jam cum impune et libere liceat lubenter obeamus: nempe ut tibi cancellario nostro summo ex ærumnoso et profundo rerum adversarum gurgite erepto et in pristinam tuam dignitatem restituto gratulemur, et virtuti summæ diuturna afflictione splendidius elucenti nostri testimonii debitum præconium deferamus. Non ut nostra sponte commoti sed alieno impulsu coacti nec libero et constanti mentis ac voluntatis judicio sed ipsa nostræ Reipub. ad extremam prope eversionem redactæ et graviter periclitantis necessitate, te violentis interea vinculis detento, alios in Cancellariatum surrogavimus, ut, quum nobis deesses, qui et soles lubentissime et multum cuperes Academiæ benefacere, quique invictus propugnator nostrorum privilegiorum immunitatum et studiorum fueras, alteri illi, qualicunque nostro obsequio, et indebito honore deliniti, minus in nos servirent et magis erga nostram Academiam placabiles et æqui existerent. Atque id tantisper metu et nimis perterriti tulimus quamdiu injusta vis et Tyrannis valuit, et quoad aliqua nobis libertas emergere cæpit Jam itaque quam primum absque nostro et Academiæ periculo possimus, ad te verum et optatissimum nostrum Cancellarium confugimus, auxilium con

siliumque tuum implorantes. Nec dubitamus quin tua prudentia cogitet quantum ferox et truculenta illa vis et crudelitas, quæ passim jampridem quorundam scelere grassata est, cujus etiam tu aculeum et acerbum morsum sensisti, ad juvenum animos vel labefactandos vel evertendos, valuerit: præsertim quum te Rectore carcere incluso Respub. hæc nostra pessumire perspiceretur, et qualemcunque salutis et incolumitatis nostræ defensorem et patronum, quam nullum habere, satius existimaretur: Non ut illi germani et veri nostræ Reipub. magistratus sed ascititiæ et personatæ larvæ, neque nos illum eis honorem libero judicio detulimus quem tuum esse noveramus sed ne graviores tragidiæ excitarentur, et plura detrimenta et incommoda irritati nobis inferrent consultissimum putavimus, eos ad tempus magnificis titulis (licet injustis) placare et permulcere. Nunc ergo dura et improvisa illorum Tyrannide soluti, quorum feroci crudelitate invite sumus coacti non authoritati sponte obsequuti, ad tuam reverendam dominationem convolamus. Te etiam Mater Academia non solum ut egregium alumnum mirifice amplexatur verum etiam ut ductorem et præpositum suum atque observandissimum Cancellarium veneratur ac colit. Tibi ex ærumnosis tuis casibus et afflictæ fortunæ calam . . turbine erepto et liberato congratulatur. Te in suis rebus omnibus præsidem et rectorem se jam esse consequutam, gaudet, quem in incerta et mutabili totius Reipub. varietate per Dei gratiam constantem et immutabilem esse perspexit. Quemadmodum enim qui ardenti febri exestuat medici opem et morbi levationem expedit, et qui procellosa tempestate in mari jactatur in portum pervehi magnopere desiderat: sic Academia hæc multum jam pridem onerosis et injustis decretis afflictata et prope oppressa per te levari et pristinæ libertati restitui, mirifice exposcit atque hoc se tuâ ope impetraturam confidit. Redde igitur præclarissime præsul antiquam scholis nostri libertatem, restaura quod imminutum et violatum est, facessant et per tuam authoritatem profligentur nephariæ leges, quæ conscientias illaqueant, literas nihil promovent. Hoc etenim si Academiæ præstiteris rem nobis gratissimam Reipub. salutarem te ipso dignam facies. Christus Dominus te suæ ecclesiæ diu sospitem et superstitem servet.

Cantabrigiæ Idibus Augusti 1553.

A LETTER FROM GARDINER BISHOP OF WINCHESTER TO THE

UNIVERSITY.

Doctissimis viris Vicecancellario

et Senatui Cantabrigiensi.

QUAM multæ causæ sint (Viri doctissimi) quæ animum meum ut ad vos hoc potissimum tempore accederem promoverent: Totidem fere occurrunt impedimenta, quæ corpus in vobis adsit justissime prohibent. Interim autem dum occasionem capto commodiorem qua vos ipse inviserem: hunc sacellanum meum, vobis non omnino ignotum, et mihi notissimum, cujus fidem perspectam et exploratam habeo, mandare volui, eidemque demandare, ut meo nomine referat, quæ vos ex me cuperem intelligere, cui ut credatis oro, et bene valere. Londini ex ædibus meis octavo calend. Septemb. 1553.

Vester Cancellarius

STE. WINTON cancell.

A LETTER FROM GARDINER BISHOP OF WINCHESTER TO THE FELLOWS OF CATHARINE HALL.

AFTER my hartye commendations wheras yt pleased the queenes highness to commyt onto me the orderyng of all matters apperteyning to the university and that nothing ther is more necessary for the same then to have good and discrete heedes in the Colleges, Therfor seyng that the Mastership of your College bi reason of that the Master thereof is maryed contrary the the ecclesiastical lawes and your statutes is nowe voyde, these shall be to desyre youe that youe wil chose the Berar hereof MR CoSYN a man for his wisdome and honest behaviour very mete for the rome and in so doing yowe shall have me redy to do yowe like pleasure when tyme and occasion shall serve bi godes grace who preserve yowe in all godly studye and vertue

Your lovyng frend

STE. WINTON Cancell.

A LETTER FROM GARDINER BISHOP OF WINCHESTER TO THE VICECHANCEllor.

To my lovyng frend the Vicechancellor of Cambrige and to hym that shall succede hym in that rome.

MR. Vicr after my hartye commendations. I have been advertised from yowe and other of the Heedis of thuniversitie howe glad yowe be to gratifie me in suche request as I have made for the preferment of my servant into the rome of a bedelship nowe voyd, whereunto such as be catholique as I am enformed have also showed themselves wel wylling and have gyven their voyces accordingly wich I will consider as oportuny tie shall serve: And forasmuche as I perceyve these sondry elections engender contentions I have thought good to commaund yowe to forbere from eny furder scrutynie and to differ this matter tyl I come myself to set such ordre as maye be a staye and quyet to the nombre. And in the meane tyme till such election maye pass as the statute requireth considering the more part do already fynd themselves content with the parson of my sayde servant commendyd unto yowe by me I entend by myne owne authority after these iii scrutinies passed to appoynt hym to serve the rome lest bi wilful contention of some the place ther shuld be disfurnyshed and the honor of the universitie therbi dymynished as som wuld have it, wherfor I wil yowe to admyt my sayd servant to occupie the rome withowt prejudice of your statutes or such election as at my coming shal according to the statutes be made in that behalf. And furthermore to thintent such slander as that universytie hath fallen into bi light and sedicious wyttes may be the better purged I commaund yowe in all your elections and gyving of voyces to eny gracys and admissions to all degrees none shalbe admytted to gyve voyce or receyve degre, but such only as have openly in the congregation house detested particularly and bi articles the heresies lately spred in this realme and professed bi articles the catholike doctryne now receyved and subscribed the same with their honds, wherein I pray yowe advertise me what yowe have

done, and see the premysses executed accordyngly and so fare yowe well

house in Southwarke the xxiiii of Marche 1554.

Your Lovyng Frend

STE. WYNTON CANCELL.

A LETTER FROM KING PHILIP TO THE UNIVERSITY.

Fidelibus, doctis, decotis, nobis dilectis procancellario et re-
liquo senatui Achademic Cantabrigiensis,

Philippus dei gratia Angliæ, Franciæ, citerioris Siciliæ
Hierlm. et Hiberniæ rex, fidei defensor, princeps His-
paniar. Achidux Austria, dux Burgudio Mediolani et
Brabantiæ, Comes Habspurgi, Flandriæ, et Trolles.

FIDELES docti devoti nobis dilecti, Literæ quas quarto nonas augusti ad magistatem nostram dedistis fuerunt nobis gratissimæ, quia ex his intelleximus quam gratus fuerit vobis noster in hoc regno adventus, quantaque de nobis et vultis et debetis sperare, neque id sane immerito nam nos tum pro ea, qua erga omnes bonarum artium et literarum studiosos afficimur, charitate et benevolentia, tum maxime quia ista academia vestra ea principia seu incrementa habuit ad quæ nos tuenda et promovenda tot causis et nominibus tenemur Achademiam itaque Cantabrigiensem ita amplectemur ut neque huic quo vos authore gloriamini neque his (quotquot in hoc regno fuerunt Reges vobis maxime faventes) ulla in re primas partes concessuri sumus, Vos ergo macti estote et qua soletis diligentia et assiduitate his vestris studiis incumbite a nobisque omnem gratiam favorem et munificentiam expectate.

WYNDISORA NOVA tertio Idus Augusti 1554.

PHILIPPUS.