eternal for things temporal; of our own authority and that of the whole University aforesaid, both of regents. and non-regents, we enact, promise, and strictly compel ourselves and our successors to observe the following directions that each year, on the 2nd of the nones of May, the chancellor of the aforesaid University for the time being, and each of the regents, shall meet in the aforesaid chapel, solemnly to celebrate the obsequies for the soul of the aforesaid Sir William, with a mass on the morrow, viz., with a deacon and subdeacon. We also enact and ordain that every year on the 19th of November, obsequies shall be celebrated by the aforesaid chancellor and regents of the aforesaid University, for the soul of Lady Grace, consort of the aforesaid Sir William, with a mass on the morrow, and the ceremonies before mentioned. Moreover, by unanimous consent, we, the chancellor, regents, and non-regents, grant of our special favor that every one about to incept, to become regent, or to read in sacred theology, in the schools about to be built by the aforesaid executors, shall take a corporal oath on the day of his inception, that on every day on which it shall happen that he reads in the schools here mentioned, after the psalm Ad te levavi is finished, he will not depart from the aforesaid place until he has said the psalm De Profundis for the souls of the aforesaid Sir William, and Lady Grace, his consort, with the prayers following, viz., "Almighty eternal God, whom no one supplicates in vain for mercy, be favorable to the souls of thy servant and thine handmaid, that thou mayest cause those who have departed this life. in the confession of thy name to be added to the number of thy saints." "God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, give a remission of all their sins to the souls of all the faithful departed this life, in order that they may obtain the indulgence they have desired by their pious supplications, who with God the father, &c." Also, we,

the chancellor and all the regents and non-regents, enact and ordain, that every one who has graduated or is about to be admitted in any faculty, shall swear in the congregation that he will say the psalm De Profundis, with the prayers annexed, before he depart from the aforesaid chapel, for the souls of the aforesaid William and Lady Grace his consort. We will, also, that a statute enforcing all and every one of the above injunctions, be made in the University, and solemnly incorporated amongst its other statutes. We likewise enact and ordain that no one shall henceforth be allowed to impugn, infringe, or destroy or diminish this statute, wholly or in part. And for the greater security of all and each of the premised, we have affixed the seal of our University. Given at Cambridge, the 12th of the kalends of July, A. D. 1398.

To all the faithful in Christ to whom the present letter may come, Eudo La Zouche, doctor of laws, chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and the assembly of masters regent and non-regent in the same, health in the Saviour of all. Whereas the lord Hugh de Balsham, of pious memory, formerly bishop of Ely, has laudably founded and likewise enriched the college of St. Peter at Cambridge, and also has endowed our University with very many privileges in spiritual matters: we, willing that the soul of that same most reverend father be specially commended by perpetual prayers amongst us and our successors, decree that in future his obsequies and the usual mass shall be celebrated with particular reverence, quiet, and devotion. And whereas in a certain statute of the University aforesaid, concerning persons who are about to incept, the title of which is the following, Within what time licentiates shall incept, among other things there is contained the following injunction, that the chancellor of the aforesaid University, shall assign for every one about to incept, a day on which disputations can be held, in order that he may incept on the said day, (and

this too on a day, when the said inceptor wishes to incept,) and whereas on this occasion the duty of the obsequies and mass aforesaid has frequently been celebrated with too little devotion; we on that account enact that no one henceforth about to incept, or to resume his lectures annually, shall fix upon the day of St. Blaize on which to incept, or of the Saints Vitus and Modestus, on which days the aforesaid University has been wont to celebrate such obsequies with a mass, being obliged by letters patent to this purport. Nor shall it be allowed to the chancellor, president, vicechancellor, or his substitute, to assign any of the aforesaid days to any such inceptor henceforth, except for an important and approved cause, to be first of all approved of by the chancellor or his substitute, and by three parts of all the masters of the colleges of the said University or of their deputies, consenting thereto, provided such deputies be gremials, and provided the said masters cannot conveniently attend the chancellor's summons.

We will also and ordain, that this statute, inserted amongst the other statutes of the University, shall be inviolably observed for ever in future.

Since

To all and every person faithful in Christ who shall see the present letters, we, Thomas Stoyle, professor of sacred theology, vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, and the unanimous assembly of the regents and non-regents, masters in the same, health in the Saviour of all. reason and humanity seem to require that we should return thanks, although they be not adequate to the favor conferred, at least fit and proper to our benefactors above mentioned, and that we should give to them merited reverence, according to the feebleness of our powers; hence it arises that deservedly, both from the exhibition of probity and the exhibition of good works, the reverend father in Christ and lord Thomas Rotheram, by divine mercy bishop of Lincoln, and great (vicar) general (magnus generalis) of

England, and chief and worthy chancellor and singular patron of this liberal University, has perfected the schools and new library as above, with polished stone, sumptuous splendour, and suitable buildings, to the honor of God, the promotion of study, and the profit of the University, and having ornamented it with every thing proper, has enriched it with many and valuable books, and has procured also many other advantages for the University; therefore, we, the aforesaid vice-chancellor and assembly of masters of the aforesaid University, considering the above circumstances, and welcoming the beneficence of the chancellor, by actions which may show our gratitude, desiring to render to the said reverend master our spiritual repayment as far as lies in our power, decree that the said venerable father be for ever enrolled amongst the benefactors of our University, and that his name be written amongst those of our benefactors, and that it be every year specially recited by the priest who visits each school of the masters to pray for the benefactors of the University. We moreover ordain and enact, binding ourselves and our successors for ever, that every year, so long as the aforesaid father survives, after the Easter feast, on the day on which the masters shall actually resume their lectures, one mass shall be celebrated, with a deacon and subdeacon, which mass is usually celebrated for the healthful security of the state and person of the whole body of bishops. And after the said father has departed from this University, he shall have obsequies, and a solemn mass on the morrow, which are usually celebrated in behalf of deceased bishops, on the day which the said father or another in his name shall appoint. Willing also that the purport of our present concession and statute shall be inserted in our register with the other statutes, and that each of the aforesaid concessions and decrees may obtain the force of perpetuity, we cause these our present letters patent which are to be drawn out concerning the above to be confirmed with

the common seal of our University, and also with the addition of the seal of the chancellor of the same. A.D. 1475, 13th of May.

(CLXXX.) Of ordaining the rank, in processions and the schools, of archdeacons and others promoted.

Whereas different persons have held various opinions respecting archdeacons and others eminently promoted in spiritual affairs, as to the place and rank they shall have among the rest in general processions and other public meetings, we, willing for the future to remove all occasion for such uncertain doubt, enact and ordain that hereafter archdeacons and others eminently promoted in spiritual affairs, provided they have not been appointed to any of the four principal dignities, if they be regents in arts, shall, in general processions, congregations, and obsequies, have a superior place to all the other regents in arts; and if they be non-regents in arts, they shall have a superior place among the non-regents in processions. But if they be bachelors they shall bear a superior place and rank amongst all the non-gremial bachelors. Lastly, those who are doctors in any faculty shall be contented with their rank and place among doctors. But in inceptions and vespers those who are not doctors shall have any elevated seat, provided it be beneath the doctors' seats.

(CLXXXI.) Of settling the accounts of the chests, every year, before the feast of All Saints.

We have often observed that the keepers of our chests, little fearing the danger of perjury, have incurred danger to their preservation, since they were not so careful about the management and accounts of the same chests as they ought to have been by virtue of their oaths, and we have therefore decreed by this statute to provide, as far as we can, for the security of the chests, and their preservation. We, therefore, enact, that in future, all the keepers of our chests, both