We beg leave to add our most affectionate wishes and prayers, that He by whom kings reign and Princes decree justice, may direct and prosper all your undertakings for the good of your people; and give you in the fullest measure, the blessings of this life, and of that which is to come.

To this address the King gave the following answer:—

I thank you for this Loyal and dutiful Address, and shall always be glad to find such doctrines and principles taught in the University as tend to preserve the freedom of our happy constitution, and to the support of the Protestant Religion.(1)

On the 7th of December, was presented to the House of Commons a petition from the Mayor, aldermen, common council, and burgesses, and of the woollen drapers, mercers, sergemakers, say. makers, websters, and woolcombers inhabiting in the town, setting forth that the woollen manufacture carried on in the town and adjacent parts, in which many thousand poor families used daily to be employed and thereby maintained, were then so much lessened and reduced by the almost universal wear of East India goods, printed calicoes and linens, that the poor could not be employed, by reason whereof the poor rates in the town were generally very much increased, many hundreds of the poor people being out of employ and reduced to parish allowance.(2)

1720.

On the 11th of June, the royal assent was given to "An Act "to enable any Corporations within the University of Cambridge "or any other persons to sell and convey any Messuages and "Ground to the said University for enlarging their Public Library."

About this time died Morris Drake Morris Esq. He was born in Cambridge, and was son of Robert Drake Esq. Recorder,(3) (by Sarah (4) daughter and heiress of Thomas Morris Esq., of Mount Morris, in Kent), Mr. Morris was a fellow commoner of Trinity College, and compiled Lives of the most illustrious men educated in the University of Cambridge, from the foundation thereof unto the year 1715, collected from Bale, Pits, Fuller, Lloyd, Wood, Calamy, Walker, &c., in two volumes. The first volume containing 534 pages, comprises the lives of the archbishops and bishops educated

(1) London Gazette 21 to 24 Nov. 1719.

(2) Commons' Journals, xix. 185.

(3) 23 Sept. 1717, he was by the name of Drake Morris alias Morris Drake admitted to the freedom of the town of Cambridge hy birth.-Corporation Common Day Book.

(4) This lady remarried Dr. Conyers Middleton.

at Cambridge, with a complete index of names and a very large number of engraved portraits, the second volume contains the lives of learned men in general, and is entitled Athenæ Cantabrigienses. This is a very large volume but only 319 pages are filled. There are a few portraits and it has an index containing the names of those intended to be mentioned as well as of those whose lives are given. These manuscripts he gave to Lord Harley, and they are now in the Harleian Library.(1) Mr. Morris in 1717, succeeded to the estates of his grandfather, and was lord of the manor of Coveney where he died.(2)

On the 21st of June, the Commissioners of Pontage assessed the lands liable to repair the Great Bridge after the rate of £2. 10s. per hide. The Commissioners at this period were Charles Duke of Somerset, Wriothesley Duke of Bedford, Edward Earl of Orford High Steward of the Town, Thomas Gooch D.D. Vicechancellor, William Chambers gent. Mayor, Samuel Gatward Esq. Recorder, Sir John Hynde Cotton, Sir Paul Whichcott Baronets; Sir Charles Wager Knt., Samuel Shepheard jun. Esq., John Balderston, John Covell, Daniel Waterland, Bardsey Fisher, Robert Jenkins, Thomas Richardson, Richard Bentley Doctors in Divinity; Sir Nathaniel Lloyd Knt. LL.D., William Grigg B.D., Thomas Bacon, John Bromley, Robert Clerk, James Thompson, Granado Pigott, Anthony Thompson, Francis Whichcott, Thomas Archer, Gregory Wale, Roger Sizer, Roger Pepys, William Eversden, Tyrrell Dalton, William Underwood Esquires; James Johnson LL.D., John Davis LL.D., Thomas Ewin, William Newling, Thomas Fowle, Joseph Pyke, John Carrington, Matthew Lancaster, John Wilson, James Whiskin Aldermen; William Herring, Thomas Stanton, William Preston, Adam Sumpter, John Lancaster, and John Wrangle gentlemen.(3)

The Senate House, or as it was more frequently termed the Regent House,(4) being now required as an addition to the Public Library, a subscription was set on foot for erecting a new Senate House or Theatre. The King contributed £2000. and the Prince of Wales

(1) No. 7176 and No. 7177.

(2) Nichols, Literary Anecdotes of the eighteenth century, ii. 694, ix. 784; Hasted, Hist. of Kent, iii. 317; Harris, Hist. of Kent, i. 156; Harleian Catalogue; Cambridge Portfolio, i.

153.

(3) Pontage Book, 128, 132, 134, 136.

(4) This building, situate over the Divinity School, was in legal documents called the New Chapel. It appears to have been the chapel built by the executors of Sir William de Thorpe, in or before 1398. Vide Vol. i. p. 143.

£1000. (to which he added £2000. after his accession to the Crown.)(1)

In Michaelmas Term, the Court of King's Bench discharged a rule which had been obtained in the preceding term, calling upon the electors to the Regius Professorship of Divinity to shew cause why a mandamus should not be issued directing them to elect a Professor. By this proceeding it was designed to question the validity of Dr. Bentley's election to the professorship, which had taken place on the 2nd of May, 1717, with strict attention to the forms of the statute though unquestionably the result of intrigue and collusion.(2)

There was a contest for the office of Vicechancellor between Thomas Crosse D.D. Master of Catharine Hall, and Andrew Snape D.D. Provost of King's College. The former was elected, the votes being Crosse 70; Snape 40.(3)

At St. James's on the 19th of November, "His Grace the Duke "of Somerset Chancellour of the University of Cambridge, attended

(1) The following is a list of the subscriptions between 1720 and 1734 :—

KING GEORGE THE FIRST

KING GEORGE THE SECOND

Arthur Earl of Anglesey High Steward of the University

Charles Duke of Somerset Chancellor of the University, James Duke of Chandos, Henry Lord Carleton, £500. each

Sir William Dawes Bart. Archbishop of York

Thomas Holles Duke of Newcastle, Henry Marquis of Carnarvon, Charles Viscount Townshend, Sir Robert Walpole K.G. £300 each

Edward Clarke Esq. one of the Esquire Bedels

Hon. Thomas Willoughby M.P. for the University, Rev. Sir George Wheler Knt. Prebendary of Durham, Sir Robert Raymond Attorney General (afterwards Chief Justice of the King's Bench), William Stanley D.D. Dean of St. Asaph, sometime Master of Corpus Christi College, Rev. Dr. Hill, John Rolle Esq., Charles Clarke M.A. Archdeacon of Norwich, Rev. Rowland Hill, M.A., Rector of Hodnet, Shropshire, £100. each

Hon. Robert Price Baron of the Exchequer, Sir Isaac Newton, Dr. francis Hare Dean of Worcester (afterwards Bishop of Chichester), John Millington D.D., John Gaskarth D.D. Rector of Allhallows Barking, Henry Raynes LL.D., Archdeacon Waley, Jacob Houblon Esq., Sir John Cheshyre Serjeant at Law, £50. each

Rev. William Ayloffe LL.D. fellow of Trinity College £40., Francis Dickins LL.D. Regius Professor of Civil Law £27. 6s., Sir John Ayloffe Bart. £25., the Dean and Chapter of Durham £21., Dr. Hutchinson of Derby £21., Northey, Esq. £21., Dean and Chapter of Ely £20., John Montagu D.D. Dean of Durham sometime Master of Trinity College £20., Walter Miles M.D. £20., Charles Longville Esq. £26., John Lightwine fellow of Caius College £20., James Bankes Rector of Bury, Lancashire, £20., William Ashton Rector of Prestwick, Lancashire, £20.

John Corbett LL.D., Vincent Bourn M.A. fellow of Trinity College, Henry Bernard M.B., Rev. Thomas Fitzgerald M.A. £10. 10s. each

John Thane D.D. £5. 15s., Dr. Thomas Eden Prebendary of Durham £5.5s., Dr. Thomas Mangey Prebendary of Durham £5. 58., Rev. Thomas Sharpe £5. 5s., Rev. Mr. Clarke of Kirkleatham, £5. 5s, Mr. Daston £5. 58. ...

Sir James Burrough Knt. Master of Caius College towards furnishing the west end of the Senate House gave in 1764

(2) Monk, Life of Bentley, ii. 8—15, 109.

(3) Ibid. 140.

"by Dr. Crosse Vice-Chancellour, and a great number of the Heads "and other Doctors and members of the University, being received "by his Grace the Duke of Newcastle Lord Chamberlain, with the "usual ceremonies, had the honour to present the following most "dutiful and most loyal Address, which passed unanimously in "full Senate :

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

THE HUMBLE ADDRESS of the Chancellour, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Cambridge.

Most Gracious Sovereign,

AMIDST the general joy of your Subjects for your Majesty's safe and happy arrival in your Kingdoms, we beg leave to approach your Royal presence with the most sincere expressions of our duty & affection.

LOYALTY & OBEDIENCE are justly due from all your subjects, but they are tied with greater force and energy upon us, who are under the additional obligations of Gratitude.

It is from your Majesty's wise & happy administration that we in common with others enjoy our protection & security, the benefit of good Laws, and the quiet possession of our liberties and properties: but it is to your Majesty's Royal and unparallelled bounty, that we particularly owe that noble provision for the advancement both of piety & learning which your Majesty has graciously bestowed upon this ancient nursery of them both, and those late repeated marks of your Royal favour which claim our present most grateful acknowledgements.

To have been the great assertor of the Liberties of Europe, the chief protector and defender of the Protestant religion in general, and of the Church of England in particular, are the known titles & encomiums of our gracious Sovereign; and that your Majesty has likewise been the great patron of Learning, will add no small lustre to the Annals of your Reign, and continue your Memory to endless Generations.

UNDER the sense of these great obligations we cannot but humbly assure your Majesty, that we will according to our several stations & Abilities use our utmost endeavours to lay such foundations of Duty & allegiance in the minds of the Youth committed to our care, as may not only exert themselves in occasional instances, but remain firm and lasting principles of Loyalty to your Majesty & your Royal posterity.

That your Majesty's reign may be long & prosperous; that Almighty God would preserve your sacred person from all secret Conspiracies, and open violence; & that the same divine power and goodness would avert from your Majesty's Dominions those severe judgments wherewith he hath visited our neighbouring Nations, are the affectionate and hearty prayers of your Majesty's most dutiful & Loyal Subjects.

His Majesty gave the following answer:

I thank you for this Address so full of expressions of Loyalty & duty, and the assurances you give me in it, of instilling such principles into the minds of the youth committed to your care as tend to the promoting of Religion, and the preservation of our happy constitution.(1)

(1) London Gazette, 19 to 22 Nov. 1720.

1720

21

On the 14th of December, there was a contested election of a member of Parliament for the University, in the room of Thomas Paske LL.D. deceased.(1) The candidates were the Hon. Thomas Willoughby (2) M.A. of Jesus College, and the Hon. Henry Finch(3) M.A. of Christ's College. The votes were Willoughby 176; Finch

143.

Dr. Bentley's proposals for an edition of the New Testament called forth remarks from the pen of Dr. Conyers Middleton. This work was published anonymously, but Dr. Bentley chose to attribute it to Dr. John Colbatch the Casuistical Professor, and in an answer (also published anonymously) abused that gentleman in a very violent and unjustifiable manner. The Heads declared that this answer was a most virulent and scandalous libel, highly injurious to Dr. Colbatch, contrary to good manners and a notorious violation of the statutes and discipline of the University, adding that the author when discovered should receive such censure as the statutes in that case appointed. Dr. Colbatch also commenced a prosecution in the Vicechancellor's Court against Cornelius Crownfield the University printer for having sold the obnoxious pamphlet.(4)

1721.

On the 22nd of April, a grace passed giving the thanks of the University to Dr. Francis Gastrell Bishop of Chester for vindicating the exclusive right of the Universities to grant degrees (5) and to Daniel Finch Earl of Nottingham for his defence of the Christian faith by his answer to Whiston's "Letter on the Eternity of the Son of God."(6) Dr. Lany Master of Pembroke Hall and Dr. Waterland Master of Magdalene College, were appointed in the name of the University to wait on their lordships, and convey to them the votes of the Senate.

On the 29th of April the Corporation seal was affixed to the

(1) New writ ordered 8 Dec. 1720.

(2) Second son of Thomas Lord Middleton.

(3) Son of Daniel Earl of Nottingham.

(4) Monk, Life of Bentley, ii. 139; Bp. Nicolson's Correspondence, ii. 537. See the next page.

(5) Samuel Peploe (who afterwards succeeded Dr. Gastrell in the see of Chester), was appointed Warden of Manchester. By the statutes of that Collegiate Church the Warden is required to be B.D. Mr. Peploe (who had taken his M.A. degree at Oxford) obtained the degree of B.D. from the Archbishop of Canterbury, with the express object of qualifying himself for the Wardenship, but Bishop Gastrell denying that the degree conferred by the Archbishop was a sufficient qualification refused to admit him. Mr. Peploe brought a quare impedit in the Court of the County Palatine of Lancaster, and obtained judgment against the bishop, who brought a writ of error in the Court of King's Bench, but that court affirmed the judgment against him.-Nichols, Literary Anecdotes of the eighteenth century, i. 139, 204; Modern Reports, viii. 364.

(6) Monk, Life of Bentley, ii. 141; Historical Register for 1721, Chronological Diary, 20.