was as by some speaches I have indede declared my disposition for the expoundinge of the wordes of the statutes in those cases I may not deny the same: but as yet I have not had leisure to consider what manner of ordre I should give nor yet have thought it mete to use haste in the same but rather to permytt you to maynteigne the obligation of the Statutes as theie have been, for so I have been counsayled by the saide Archbyshopps and Byshopps. And indede seinge such forerunninge with untrue assertions (if the reporte be true) I may be moved indede to revoke my disposition, and to lett Mr Procter taste of the frute of his rashnesse and untrue reporte of me. And so I conclude with you Mr Vicechanceller, requyring you if yourselfe knowe this reporte of M2 Beacon's speach to be true then to send for him and his collegue and other the Heades and some of the Regents and non Regents and in their presence to read this my lettre to them, by which they shall best understand the truth of myselfe who ought best to be trusted to utter mine owne meaning and deedes. And thereupon I woulde and as my authoritie may serve I do as Chancellor in that Universitie will, requyre, and charge you at tyme convenient to procede againe by a newe congregation to the nomination and election of the said fower lecturers as the last year was by the statute observed and that if the Procter shall uppon the reading of this my letter refuse to consent thereto I will that you shall enjoyne him that shall so refuse to repaier hither to answere thereto at such convenyent daye as you shall appoynt him, for I may not suffre this manner of rashnesse to encrease withowt temperynge it with some colder humor, to reduce the same to modestie, I pray you let me have answere to this my lettre for surely I am somewhat troubled in mynde to heare of these manner of disorders and disagreements, so fare you hartely well from Westmin' the xyth of June 1572.

Your assured lovinge freend

W. BURGHLEY Chauncellor of Cambridge.

THE GREVANCES OF THE BODYE OF THE UNIVERSITYE FOR THE

ALTERATION OF THE AUNCIENT PRIVELEGES AND CUSTOMES BY
THE NEW STATUTES WITH THE REASONS ANNEXED.

DE ELECTIONE PROCANCELLARII.

CAP. XXXIV.

1. THE free election of the Vicechancellor was the especiall meanes to cause Mrs. of howses in their great autoritie, which they had before to favour learning, vertue, and reward men, both abrode in the Universitie and at home in their Colleges, that they might be thought worthy by the judgement of the body to be preferred to that Credite.

2. It is contrary now to the olde statutes and custome so long continued, whereunto the Devisours hereof were sworne both to observe them and not by any meanes to impugn them or to consent to the impugninge thereof, under any pretence directè vel indirectè clam vel palam, withowt the consente maioris et senioris partis Regentium et non Regentium. And yet by them it is brought from a general election to a small and slender choise of tow whom the Mrs. of houses shall put up.

3. And in their putting up of tow their dealing is such (as we have experience ever synce these statutes tooke place, which is but tow yeres) that of this small choise they leave in effecte no choise at all, ether the one of them which is putt up dealing earnistly against himselfe, and most of the Mrs. of Colleges with him labouringe importunately for the other: or els putting up such an one, as some of them have not doubted immediately after in requesting of voices for the other, to saye, him of all men in their judgement to be most unfitt for that office, and for that there were but tow Regents and non Regents in his howse he was thought most unlike to speade, and not one Mr of any College gave with him at the election. So they dallye with their owne othes and ours, and trouble the whole universitie to be thus called together for no purpose.

4. Beside whereas to make a fair shew and appearance of well meaning the wordes of the statute be, Convenient omnes Coll.

præfecti, which are præsupposed to be xiiii wise, grave, aunciente men, they excluding by their interpretation Præsidentes in their Mrs. absence (contrary to the olde statutes and custome from tyme to tyme) doe meete commonly five or sixe and those especially which were the penners of the new statutes, and whom major pars of them, non habita ratione numeri totius, sed plurium in signandis duobus, doe pricke, they are putt up. So that in very dede tow or three doe always appointe the Vicechancellor.

5. As this fourme of election is præjudicial to the whole bodie, so is it most injuriouse to all other auncient Doctoures of what profession soever which both by our statutes and continual custome and also in all other universities, have the præeminence, and in consultations are cheefe for the regimente thereof.

6. And whereas the cause of this chaunge is pretended, the avoiding of contentiouse and importunate labouring, it is now so much increased, with both entreating and threatening with sending of ringes and such intollerable sute that it may be an evidente argumente from whence formour contentiouse and importunate labouring proceaded.

7. And whereas the Vicechancellour with a Justice or tow of the universitie have autoritie by the last acte of Parleamente to license a purveyoure within the compasse of five miles the assurance of the Vicech. alwayes at their appointmente, moved five or sixe to make a sale of the Acte of parleamente contrary to the statutes in that point, Nihil alienandum sine consensu maioris et sanioris partis Regentium et non Regentium, and the whole Bodye crieing shame thereof before we knew our Chauncelor's pleasure therein, whose careful travaile and autoritie had procured it to us, to no small sclander of the universitie, and to the confirmation of their forespeaking, which in their importunate sute against us in the last parleamente tyme were wonte to object, that the privelege was so busily sought for only to make a peece of money of the countrey to be distributed at the pleasure of Mrs. of Colleges: the conclusion of which sale cost the universitie almost vi£. although (as it is credibly reported) there was offerre made of tow hundred marks before the statute was so hardly passed.

DE NOMINATIONE ET ELECTIONE LECTORUM ET RELIQUORUM

OFFICIARIORUM. CAP. XL.

1. For lectures, It were reason that the Regents which know the fittest, beste, as having dayly experience of their learning by hearing their exercises, should allow or refuse and yet alter eorum quos præfecti nominabunt et non alius eligetur, whereas before the Vicechanc. and Proctours did propounde: and yf ye bodye once or twise did mislike them, other then were by them propounded againe.

2. Besides some Mrs. having the greatest stroke and being able to draw the rest with them doe injurye other howses by making almost all lecturours of their owne, as this last year three of the foure ordinary lectorers were of one howse.

3. To this statute they have restrained by interpretation the election of the Oratoure, although not named amongst the rest. Of whose choise the first institution doth geve such charge, that whereas in all other offices, yf one of the howse be a sutor for a publike office the greatter part of Mrs. of Artes of that College may inforce the rest ether to suppress their voices or geve with him of whome the greatter parte have determined, In this office their determination maye not be præjudiciall to the libertie of any man's voice. The wordes be proviso semper quod sit libera facultas et libertas summa elegendi quem volent neque arctentur per determinationes istas communes collegiorum.

4. To this statute they may by interpretation bring the elec tion of the Chauncelorship or what otherwise pleaseth them.

5. Moreover in all these elections either they may have all at their assigninge by putting up one likelye to speake with another unlikelie, or els encrease contentious labors with much displeisure conceived of ether parte by reason of open scrutiny if two be propounded of the fittest.

6. The end of this statute is to make all men obnoxious unto them and little to regarde the rest of the body so that the auncient estimation of the regentes and non regentes is both injuriously distanced of a few Mrs. of Colleadges, being without the bodie in effecte hable to doe all thinges, and carelessly regarded

of all inferiors being in no respect hable to displeasure them or to hinder them.

DE CAPITE IN QUAVIS CONGREGATIONE PER ANNUM ELIGENDO ETC.

CAP. XLI.

The accustomed choice of the head was in the election of the bodie every congregation, saving in two or three sett assemblies, for that sum men peradventure of preposterous affection might staie such graces as the wholl universitie knew worthie of prefermente, and unles it was for that D. Pearne, Baker, and Porie weare sumtimes denied by the bodye to be in the head, we knowe no great reason of innovacion of so auncient a Custome, whereas nowe the head is bothe certaine for everie congregation and continuing the whole yeare and most of the heades be Mrs. of Colleadges: wherebie it falleth oute that nothinge can passe all the whole yeare whereof they mislike or anie one of them. Insomuche that experience alreadie hath proved, that sum one of the heade minding to further sum unworthie staied by others, have nipped all graces for that congregation and threatened to continue so the whole yeare unles he were preferred. So that whosoever (though most unfitt) can make one of the heades his sure frend he is sure to proceade, or els have all other fitt men staied with him. And against whomesoever anie of the head shall either by himself or anie others procurement conceave a misliking, he is owte of all hope of proceading that yeare.

2. The naminge of fifteen, the Vicechancellor and Proctors eche five is onlie for a shewe in effecte nothing, for comonlie whom the Vich. name they are sure to be chosen. As also the assistance of the Doctours in choosing. Whoe seing themselves adnihilated in all other affairs, and hable to do nothing therein absente themselves of purpose. And the Scrutators being by sum Mrs. of Colleadges importunate suite referred to that place conforme themselves to do as they see the Mrs doe before. Then indede and by experience the whole assigninge of the head remaineth in a fewe, for herein also hath that former subtile dealinge place, ELIGENTUR IN QUOS PLURES NUMERO PRESENTIUM CON