1740 lege till his death, and his funeral was attended by the whole society.(1) The following grace of the Senate was passed on the 19th of March: CUM jam per plurimos annos tripodes ut vocantur nimia licentia usi fuerint in orationibus suis PLACEAT VOBIS ut ad antiquam academiæ modestiam honorem et gravitatem restituendam comitia quadragesimalia in posterum in senaculo habeantur vel ubicunque visum fuerit domino procancellario pro tempore existenti ibique fiant solennia senioritatis baccalaureorum præconia et ut procuratores vice-procuratores aliique omnes ibidem disputaturi veterem academiæ formam et consuetudinem in exercitiis præstandis servent quæstiones suas tractent serio et philosophice idque latine tantum neminem omnino cujuscunque ordinis aut gradus jocis scurrilibus aut dicteriis illiberalibus perstringere aut illudere audeant. Quique secus fecerit placeat vobis ut hac vestra authoritate et sententia (quam in libris domini procancellarii et dominorum procuratorum intra quatuordecim dies postquam lata fuerit inscribi jubeatis statuti vim et vigorem perpetuo inde habituram) ipso facto ab omni gradu suscepto suspendatur et a suscipiendo præcludatur.(2) ། 1741. On the 24th of June, a daily post between Cambridge and London was established by the Postmaster-General.(3) On the 17th of August, Henry Bromley Lord Montfort was elected High Steward of the Town,(4) in the room of Edward Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer deceased. In August, died Thomas Seaton(5) M.A. vicar of Ravenston, in Buckinghamshire, and sometime fellow of Clare Hall, who by his will devised as follows: I give my Kislingbury (6) estate to the University of Cambridge for ever; the rents of which shall be disposed of yearly by the Vice-Chancellor for the time being, as he the Vice-Chancellor, the Master of Clare-Hall, and the Greek Professor for the time being, or any two of them shall agree. Which three persons aforesaid shall give out a subject, which subject shall, for the first year, be one or other of the Perfections or Attributes of the Supreme Being, and so the succeeding years, till the subject is exhausted; and afterwards the subject shall be either Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell, Purity of Heart, &c. or whatsoever else may be adjudged by the Vice-Chancellor, Master (1) Masters, Memoirs of the Life & Writings of the Rev. Thomas Baker, B.D. Camb. 8vo. 1784. (2) Stat. Acad. Cantab. p. 420. (3) Gentleman's Magazine, xi. 330. (4) His Lordship took the oath of office 15 August, 1745. (5) Mr. Seaton was born at Stamford, about 1684, was admitted a sizar of Clare Hall, in 1701, B.A. 1704, M.A. 1708. He was chaplain to the Earl of Nottingham, who presented him to the vicarage of Ravenston. In 1719 or 1720, he published The Divinity of our Saviour proved in an Essay on the Eternity of the Son of God. In 1721, he resigned his fellowship and soon afterwards married. In 1726, he published a Visitation Sermon preached at Newport Pagnel.-Musæ Seatonianæ; Cole, Athenæ Cantabrigienses, (art. Seaton Thomas.) (6) In Northamptonshire. 1742 43 of Clare-Hall, and Greek Professor, to be most conducive to the honour of the Supreme Being and recommendation of Virtue. And they shall yearly dispose of the rent of the above estate to that Master of Arts, whose Poem on the subject shall be best approved by them. Which Poem I ordain to be always in English, and to be printed: the expence of which shall be deducted out of the product of the Estate, and the residue given as a reward for the Composer of the Poem, or Ode, or Copy of Verses.(1) On the 19th of October, there was a contest for the office of Public Orator, the candidates being James Tunstall B.D. fellow of St. John's College, and Philip Yonge(2) M.A. fellow of Trinity College. The votes were Tunstall 160; Yonge 137.(3) 1742. On the 4th of May, Samuel Henry Pont(4) Esq., was unanimously elected Recorder of the Town in the room of Samuel Gatward Esq., deceased. On the 24th of July, the King constituted Henry Fiennes Earl of Lincoln(5) Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Cambridgeshire, in the room of Henry Lord Montfort. Of the singular scenes which occurred on the election of a Provost of King's College, on the death of Dr. Snape, we have the following particulars in a letter of Daniel Wray Esq. of Queens' College, dated January 19: The Election of a provost of King's is over.-Dr. George is the man. The Fellows went into Chapel on Monday before noon in the morning as the Statute directs. After prayers, and sacrament they began to vote-22 for George; 16 for Thackeray; 10 for Chapman. Thus they continued, scrutinizing, and walking about, eating, and sleeping; some of them smoaking. Still the same numbers for each candidate; till yesterday about noon (for they held that in the 48 hours allowed for the Election no adjournment could be made); when the Tories, Chapman's friends, refusing absolutely to concur with either of the two other parties, Thackeray's votes went over to George by agreement, and he was declared. A friend of mine, a curious man, tells me, he took a survey of his brothers at the hour of two in the morning; and that never was a more curious, or a more diverting spectacle. Some wrapped in blankets, erect in their stalls like mummies: others, asleep on cushions, like so many Gothic tombs. Here a red cap over a wig; there a face lost in the cape of a rug. One blowing a chafing dish with a surplice (1) Musæ Seatonianæ. (2) Afterwards Bishop of Norwich. Mr. Yonge was unanimously elected Public Orator on Dr. Tunstall's resignation, June 18th, 1746. (3) Mr. Hubbard's Book, MS. Cole, LI. 109. (4) Mr. Pont who was a barrister-at-law, was appointed Chief Justice of the Isle of Ely, in 1748. He had been a member of Trinity Hall, but does not appear to have graduated. He is said to have been "an ingenious man but eaten up with pride and ambition."-Cole, Athenæ Cantabrigienses. (5) In 1768, he succeeded his maternal uncle in the Dukedom of Newcastle-under-Lyne. 44 sleeve; another warming a little negus, or sipping Coke upon Littleton, i.e. tent and brandy. Thus did they combat the cold of that frosty night; which has not killed any one of them, to my infinite surprize.(1) 1743. On the 16th of December, the following address from the Corporation was presented to the King at St. James's, by Lord Dupplin and James Martin Esq. members for the town: TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. WE your Majestys most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects, the Mayor, Bailiffs and Burgesses of the Town of Cambridge, beg leave with all Humility, to congratulate your Majesty's safe return to your People, from the Dangers of War, to which your Majesty has so freely exposed your most valuable Life. It was with the highest satisfaction that we saw your Majesty so seasonably exert the Strength and Power of Great Britain in Defence of the Common Liberties of Europe. And permit us, Sir with hearts full of Zeal and Affection particularly to congratulate your Majesty on the late Victory obtained at Dettingen by the Bravery of your Subjects, conducted by your Majesty, and animated by your Example. THE increase of your Royal Family by the Birth of another Prince, and the Strengthening of the Protestant Interest by the Marrriage of her Royal Highness the Princess Louisa with the Prince Royal of Denmark, afford a most solid Pleasure to all those who justly value the Blessings that we enjoy under your Majesty's most auspicious Reign and who desire to have them transmitted to their Posterity. WE beg leave to assure your Majesty that we will, as far as in us lies, endeavour to support your Majesty's Government, as the best and truest way of expressing our Gratitude to you and securing the liberties of our Country. GIVEN under our Common Seal the Tenth day of December, in the Year of our Lord, 1743.(2) 1743 On the 1st of February, were presented to the House of ComMmons petitions from the Mayor and burgesses of Lynn Regis, the Chancellor masters and scholars of the University of Cambridge, and the Mayor bailiffs and burgesses of the town of Cambridge, praying that leave might be given to bring in a bill for revival of so much of the Bedford Level Act,(3) as concerns the nomination and perpetual succession of commissioners for each of the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Huntingdon, Northampton, Lincoln and the Isle, of Ely. These petitions were referred to a committee.(4) At St. James's on the 25th of February, "Dr. George Vice"Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and his Grace the (1) Nichols, Illustrations of Literature, i. 95. See at p. 623 of the same volume a letter of Mr. Pratt afterwards Earl Camden respecting this election. (2) London Gazette, 13 to 17 Dec. 1743. (3) Vide Vol. iii. p. 511. (4) Commons Journals, xxiv. 538. "Duke of Newcastle, High Steward of the University, attended by "several heads of Houses, Doctors in the several Faculties, Mas"ters of Arts, and other Members of that learned Body, waited "on his Majesty in their Formalities, and being introduced by his "Grace the Duke of Grafton, Lord Chamberlain of his Majesty's "Household, Mr. Vice Chancellor presented the following Ad"dress:" THE HUMBLE ADDRESS of the Chancellor, Masters and Scolars of the University of Cambridge. Most Gracious Sovereign, Feb. 20, 1743-4. WE your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Chancellor, Masters, and Scolars of your University of Cambridge, beg leave to express our hearty Detestation and Abhorrence of the insolent and perfidious Design to invade your Majestys Dominions, and impose on us a Popish and abjur'd Pretender. As we are deeply sensible of the Happiness we enjoy in the Security of our Religious and Civil Rights, under your Majestys auspicious Government, we cannot but be greatly alarmed at any attempts to deprive us of so invaluable Blessings. THESE Blessings, Sir, we enjoy in common with our Fellow Subjects; but as a Body of men devoted to the Service of Religion and Learning, we are in a particular manner interested in whatever may endanger them, as being sure to fall with them, among the most early Sacrifices, to the Fury and Revenge of our Popish Adversaries. NEITHER they, nor we, have forgot the glorious Stand made by the Universities against Popery and arbitrary Power, which in a great Measure contributed to the late happy Revolution; and they well know, how inconsistant our Sentiments and Principles are with that dreadful and cruel Superstition, which is both the Effect and the Cause of Ignorance. If we wanted any other Motives, besides those of Duty and Interest, to engage our most zealous and steady Attachment to your Majestys Person and Government, Gratitude would oblige us, who have been distinguished by the Munificence of your Majesty and your Royal Father, to distinguish ourselves, as well by our utmost Endeavours as our most fervent Prayers, that the same good Cause, animated by the same Royal Spirit, and guarded by the same Divine Providence, which appear'd so remarkably in the late Day of Battle, may Triumph over all the Attempts of your Majesty's and our Enemies to disturb the Peace and interrupt the Prosperity of Great Britain. "To which his Majesty was pleased to return this most gracious "Answer: I Thank you for this dutiful and affectionate Address. The just Concern you express for our excellent Constitution in Church and State, is very agreeable to me. The good Example and Influence of the University, will greatly tend to preserve in my People a true Regard for my Government, and a just zeal for our most Holy Religion. They all had the Honour to kiss his Majesty's Hand."(1) (1) London Gazette, 21 to 26 Feb. 1743; Gentleman's Magazine, xiv. 161. 1744. The following address from the Justices of the Peace for the County,(1) was agreed upon at the Quarter Sessions held on the 6th of April: THE HUMBLE ADDRESS of ye Justices of ye Peace assembled at ye Most gracious Sovereign, WE your Majesties most dutifull & Loyal Subjects ye Justices of ye Peace for your Majesties County of Cambridge in Sessions assembled, beg leave to declare our utmost abhorrence of ye designs of France in endeavouring to impose upon us a Pretender to your Majesties Throne in violation of your Majesties undoubted Rights & ye Laws & Liberties of this Kingdom. As we have all ye reason in ye world to be thoroughly satisfied with your Majesties most excellent Government, so have we ye greatest Reason to fear a Pretender solemnly abjured by us; & the more so when we consider by whom to be forced upon us: a consideration enough to startle any true Englishman, who uses not to barter his liberty for slavery & oppression; which must be ye consequence of our becoming a Province to that Kingdom which most treacherously continues to envy us ye blessings of Peace & a flourishing trade. We are very sensible of ye many blessings we enjoy under your Majesties most auspicious Government, therefore with hearts full of Gratitude for ye same, humbly beg leave to assure your Majesty to ye utmost of our power & abilties, we will maintain & defend ye same against your Majesties enemies & particularly against that nation so scandalous for its breach of Treaties, & for its manifest ill treatment lately of your Majesty & your Kingdoms. THAT your Majesty may long & happily reign over us & after that your royal crowns may descend to ye latest Posterity on ye progeny of your Royal House are ye ardent wishes of us your Majesties most dutifull subjects.(2) An Act which received the royal assent on the 12th of May, contains the following clause : AND WHEREAS divers persons have of late taken cellars, vaults or warehouses, within the university of Oxford, and the precincts thereof, in which they retail great quantities of wine, not having licence from the chancellor or vice chancellor of the said university, in violation of the rights of the said university, and in prejudice of his Majesty's revenues: AND WHEREAS (1) "The reason why this Address was signed only by the Justices was, because the High "Sheriff had neglected to do it: on which account when the Meeting was upon the 6th of Aprill aforesaid, Mr. Ward of Wilbraham the High Sheriff, who had a mind to be Knighted as had happened before upon the same occasions, came amongst us desiring that he might sign it also, & be at the head of it, but this Mr. Nightingale the Chairman would by no "means consent to, he having the same view as Mr. Ward, which he owned freely to me; "tho' how it was, that he refused it, when it was offered, is to me a Mystery, seeing he was "so violently bent upon it at that time: He had also some thoughts of recovering the Title of Baronet now sunk, or dormant in one Granado Nightingale of Barrington, for whom I "have sign'd many times a licence for keeping an alehouse, & is a very worthless fellow: this person is head of the family & has several children; so that the Title is not likely to come into Mr. Nightingale's family very soon: as he could not obtain this, so he would not accept of the other."-MS. Cole, vii. 89. (2) MS. Cole, vii. 88. |