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IV.

BOOK perpetuò incumbis, ut domi semper tuæ, doctrinæ ac humanitatis studia à cunctis celebrentur; maximaque delectatione perfunderis, quoties domesticos tuos literis ac bonarum artium disciplinis deditos conspexeris. Solesque eos, quos in familiam asciscis tuam, imprimis cohortari, ut eruditionem et pietatem ardenti desiderio consectentur.

Quæ quidem me impulerunt, ut ego quoque mihi in istiusmodi rebus pro virili parte elaborandum statuerim, non tam ut tibi gratificarer (quanquam quid est quod flagrantiùs exoptem?) quàm ut mihimetipsi prodessem, planumque cunctis facerem, quibus domi tuæ studiis ac cogitationibus tempus traduxerim. Feci itaque quod debui; et feci equidem non invitus, ut onus illud quod tu mihi imponendum putaris, alacri mente subierim. Quod si me quandoque oppresserit (fieri enim non potest, quin tanto impar oneri sustinendo sæpenumero succumbam) tuæ erit humanitatis (Præsul optime) jacentem patrocinio sublevare tuo. Præsertim, cum, dum tibi imperanti, et ad hanc me quæstionem pertractandam crebriùs excitanti, non parere nefas esse duxerim, plus in me forsitan oneris quàm perferre potui receperim. Utcunque erit, non patitur tua te tam excellens naturæ bonitas, cujusquam indignitatem aspernari, et ego is sum, qui cum in præstanti tuâ virtute spes meas omnes defixerim, nullius alterius judicium reformidem.

Et quanquam non defuturos quosdam suspicor (ut sunt nonnulli hujus ætatis homines morosi nimium et difficiles) qui mihi nescio quod temeritatis et imprudentiæ crimen infligent, tamen et aliorum exemplis me consolabor, et tempora magis amica virtuti sperabo; nec me felicem minùs, si probris onerarint, quàm si laudibus onerarint, existimabo.

Alterum est genus hominum eruditissimorum, atque in bonarum literarum disciplinis assiduè versantium, quibus ego magnopere cupio studium et industriam meam probari. Hii, si forte in scriptis nostris pauca admodum (imo potius nulla) deprehenderint, quæ sitim illam suam rerum præclarissimarum inexplebilem restinguant, sic habeant, cupîsse me optima, præstitisse mediocria, polliceri uberiora.

Dent igitur tenuitati meæ et inopiæ veniam; sciantque

IV.

hæc quæ nos hiis libellulis aridè sanè et jejunè complexi su- BOOK mus, non ex Academicorum fontibus, sed ex industriæ nostræ rivulis, profluxisse, &c.

Tu autem, Præsul dignissime, favoris tui radios in hos 195 teneros ingenii mei foetus transfundere digneris, eosque patiaris tui nominis amplitudine illustrari. Quàm sint imbecilles, quàm tenues, quàm nullarum virium vides, sine sanguine, sine succo, neque religata ossibus, neque nervis astricta. Lucem medius fidius perferre non poterunt, si non admirabilis tua bonitas illorum cæcitati clementiæ tuæ lumen prætulerit. Nihil erit mihi vel ad opem firmius, vel ad desiderium optabilius, vel ad nominis mei existimationem elegantius, quàm si tu mihi præsidio contra importunissimos malevolorum hominum impetus fuisse videbere. Qua quidem in re quantum poteris non sum certè nescius, (potes enim quantum vis) ut autem velis quantum potes, es mihi, per illam tuam incredibilem, quâ vincis pœnè omnes, humanitatem, vehementius obsecrandus. Nihil habet fortuna tua majus, quàm ut possis, nec natura tua melius, quàm ut velis, subsidio esse quam plurimis.

Perge itaque, quod facis, (Præsul amplissime) favere bonis, odiis improbos, virtutem extollere, oppressis opitulari, eruditos tueri, præmiis amplificare, consilio, auxilio, misericordiâ, sublevare. Nihil, mihi crede, magnificentius, nihil præclarius, nihil admirabilius, nihil neque naturâ, neque moribus tuis, omni elegantiâ et suavitate perpolitis, accommodatius.

Veruntamen non committam, ut qui ad hanc scribendam epistolam, ut tibi labores hos dicarem meos, initio me contuli, nunc te hominem omnium sapientissimum, ad eas vitæ rationes horter et excitem, quas ab ineunte ætate perpetuò complexus es, ne aut insolens viderer, si prudentissimum, aut impudens, si præstantissimum, aut meæ conditionis oblitus, si illustrissimum, admonere coner.

Itaque finem scribendi faciam; illud tamen prius profitebor, quamvis ubique gentium existant multi, quos singularis tua bonitas liberalitate suâ non leviter consperserit, sed planè obruerit; mortalem tamen vivere neminem, qui plus

IV.

BOOK se tibi debere existimet, quàm ego debeam, neminem qui id libentius præ se ferat, et agnoscat, neminem denique qui, siquando opus fuerit, tenuissimas vitæ suæ facultates pro dignitate tuâ alacrius profuderit. Cujus voluntatis ac officii servitute, quo testatior omnibus esse posset, tibi posterisque tuis harum literarum testimonio sempiterno obstrinxi.

Christus opt. max. amplitudinem tuam, nobis et Christianæ reipublicæ (cum summâ semper dignitatis amplificatione) quàm diutissimè sospitem servet, et incolumem. Amplitudini tuæ devotissimus, Alexander Nevyllus.

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MSS. D.
Joh. Ep.

Elien. No.
757.

An instrument testimonial of Archbishop Parker's gifts to the three colleges in Cambridge.

we,

Thomas

TO al true Christian people to whom this present writing shal come, greeting in our Lord. Know that ye, Aldrych, Clerk, Master or Keeper of the college of Corpus Christi, or of our Lady, in Cambridge, commonly called Benet College, and the Fellows or Scholars of the same college and we, John Caius, Master of the college of Gunwel and Caius, founded in the honour of the annunciation of blessed Mary the Virgin, in the University of Cambridge, and the Fellows of the same college: and we, Henry Harvey, Clerk, Master of the college or hal of the Holy Trinity in the University of Cambridge, and the Fellows or Scholars of the same; calling to remembrance the benevolence and favourable zele, which the most reverend Father in God Matthew, now Archbishop of Canterbury, hath had to good letters, and to every one of our said colleges, do testify by these presents, testified by our common seal, that the said Matthew hath given and granted unto us these parcels following.

First, We testify that the said Matthew hath purchased and procured to the said college of Corpus Christi the al

IV.

teration and change of the old arms of the said college into BOOK a better form, so confirmed by certain heralds, as by their writing thereof made doth appear. And also the said Matthew, sometime Master of the said college, in the time of his government hath procured a more plain order and disposition of their common statutes within their said college : and hath also devised a Latin history of the first foundation and state of the said college, as at large by the same history may appear and furthermore, hath founded and established a perpetual grammar school in Rachdale, in the county of Lancaster; the overseers whereof he hath constituted the Master and Fellows of the said Corpus Christi college for ever; as appeareth by an indenture tripartite, bearing date the first day of January, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Elizabeth, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, &c. the seventh.

Also, We do testify, that the said Archbishop hath provided and purchased certain exhibitions for three Scholars of the city of Norwich, to be sustained within the said college, as appeareth in an indenture thereof made, bearing date the 4th day of June, in the ninth year of our said Sovereign Lady, with certain books and bedding given to the said three Scholars, to their use for ever. And also, we, the said Masters and Fellows, do testify, that the said most reverend Father hath given and granted divers and sundry books of his library, as appeareth by indenture tripartite made and bearing date the 6th day of August, in the year of our Lord God, 1569, with a certain writing of new orders and dispositions concerning the said books, as appeareth by a deed of the said Matthew made and sealed, and to be joyned to this former indenture of books, which beareth date the first day of January, in the year of our Lord God, 1571. And also hath born the expences and charge of the second inward library with walls and shelves accordingly, and with the reparations and edifications of the Bible Clerks chamber set over and above the said second library. And also hath given and procured to the said

1564.

1567.

1569.

1571.

IV.

BOOK Corpus Christi college, and their successors for ever, the patronage of S. Mary Abchurch, in London, as appeareth in the deeds thereof made. And also hath procured to the said college of Corpus Christi, and to their successors, three certain tenements in Westminster, for the maintenance of three Scholars within the said college for ever, as appeareth 1569. by an indenture made the last day of May, in the 11th year of our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth, &c. And hath also procured out of the hospital of Eastbridge in Canterbury 67. 13s. 4d. yearly, during the term of two hundred years, for the maintenance of two Scholars within 197 their said college, as appears by indentures thereof made, bearing date the 22d day of May, in the 11th year of our said Sovereign Lady.

569.

1569.

1571.

And furthermore, the said most reverend Father hath purchased exhibition for ever, for two Fellows and two other Scholars of Norwich within the said college, to be Students, as appears by the indenture made, bearing date the 6th of August, in the 11th year of our said Sovereign Lady, with procuring four certain prebendal advousons for the said two Fellows, and for two other Fellows of the said college. Also the said most reverend Father hath procured and purchased of our said Sovereign Lady one charter of mortmain, to the sum of one hundred pounds by the year. And also the said Matthew hath given, and partly delivered to the said Master and Fellows, and to their successors for ever, certain plate gilt, to the sum of 309 ounces three quarters, as appeareth by indenture tripartite made, bearing date the 6th day of August, in the 13th year of our Sovereign Lady. And also hath given and delivered to the said college at the ensealing of this present writing testimonial, one great pot with a cover, weighing 16 ounces and an half. And also the said Matthew hath given and granted one hundred pounds of lawful mony of England, partly for the maintenance of one perpetual fire within their said hal al dinner and supper-time, and partly for the maintenance of one dinner at their common table, to the sum of 13s. 4d. when they shal entertain the Masters or Fellows of the said

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