have, and willing and able to progress in learning, and that they shall present the person thus qualified and not otherwise, to the lord bishop of Ely for the time being, or if the see be vacant, to the guardian of the spiritual affairs of the bishopric of Ely, by letters patent detailing the said qualifications, and that the said bishop or guardian of spiritual affairs shall assent to these qualifications, and admit the person thus nominated and presented to be a scholar of the said house, without any difficulty whatever, or any future discussion, and assign to the same the vacant post in the said house, and that, thus admitted, the due share of maintenance shall be given to him as to the others. Further, that, when admitted to the said house, he shall be bound to take oath before the above mentioned master and scholars that he will obey and reverence in all things these our ordinances as far as lies in his power, in testimony of which his taking this oath shall be entered upon the register of the house, to which register we desire that full faith be given upon this point, should it be necessary. And if, upon an equal display of qualifications in the persons to be nominated and presented, or upon the putting forward of several bachelors thus qualified, discussion should arise between the master and scholars, the dissension shall be decided at the discretion of the master and the two deans of the said house, prudently and without any delay, and this their decision shall be strictly observed.

(5.) Of the oath of obedience.

Moreover we enact and ordain, that every master of the said house, upon his admission and presidency, shall take oath before the bishop of Ely, for the time being, to be obedient to him and his successors, in all lawful and canonical mandates, and that every scholar of the said house, upon his admission, shall be bound to take the same oath.

(6.) Of the office of master.

Moreover, we ordain and enact, that the office of the said master do consist in this, that he shall watch with care and solicitude over the interests of the said house in all things spiritual and temporal without or within, in all its legal affairs and business both abroad and at home, and, in all matters concerning the said house and its scholars in common, far and near, and defend the rights of the said house with all his might, in order that the scholars of the said house may thus be able to apply more quietly and diligently to their studies, as they are bound to do by the statutes of the house, and be as little as possible occupied by the cares and troubles of business. The master, however, shall not be bound by this statute to be present at the lectures, disputations, and other scholastic and magistral acts, as the scholars are, when this cannot be done without danger on account of the business of the house, which might interfere with the studies. If, however, the business of the house should permit him so to do, let him attend lectures in the faculty the most suitable to his position, and pay as much attention to study as may seem fit for him, provided always that the business, and rights of the house of which from the duties of his office he has principally the management, be not allowed to go to decay on account of his studies, absence, or neglect. There are many things, however, incumbent upon the office of master, which are more fully noted below under their particular titles.

(7.) Of the distribution of rooms.

And in order that guests coming to the house may be duly received in the master's chamber, and the stewards and other officers of the house, as well those employed on the affairs without the house as those within, who may seek. advice upon business, or perhaps have to treat of such

private affairs as may be more secretly and becomingly transacted in a chamber than in the hall, we enact and moreover ordain that the master, for these and other matters concerning the house, shall have one chamber which he may choose for himself at will, and another at the discretion of the deans, and that he shall assign the other rooms, whenever and as often as vacant, to the other scholars, according to the merits of each person, taking care however, that two old men or two young ones do not dwell together in each room, but one old man and one young, as far as it can be done, according to the faculties in which they study, in order that the young man may be more profitably excited to learning and good morals by the old, as we may with reason hope and expect.

(8.) That upon difficult business the master shall consult the scholars in common.

Since that which is sought by many is more easily found, and the wise man counseleth and saith, "Do all things with deliberation and advice, and thou shalt not repent," we enact and enjoin, that, when any difficult affairs fall upon the house, the master shall not rely entirely upon his own individual prudence, but convoke all the scholars and declare to them the affair that has arisen, in order that he may ask counsel of each of them respecting it, not only of the elder but of the younger also, since God sometimes teaches to the younger man what he hides from the elder. If then they agree in one opinion, it is well; but if not, the matter shall be resolved by the major and senior part of the community. And if perchance, on account of the difficulty of the business, doubts should arise or it should be impossible to determine what is most expedient to be done in matters of this kind, then shall the master demand counsel of persons versed in ecclesiastical and secular law, and afterwards duly carry out what may seem most advisable

to be done, in the ecclesiastical or secular courts, as the nature of the business may require.

(9.) of the substitute of the master, during his absence.

In order that the absence of the master shall not be prejudicial to the house and scholars, from the want of a protector and governor during his absence, we enact and moreover ordain, that when and as often as the master shall happen to be absent from the house for any length of time, the said master shall appoint in his place one of the deans, or any other experienced scholar of the said house, as may seem best to him, who shall have the care of the house, and its interior government, and its exterior also, if necessary, during the master's absence, but that the office of this substitute shall altogether expire immediately upon the said master's return, provided also that this substitute in the said master's absence shall not take upon himself to alienate in any way whatever any of the property of the house, more particularly its landed property, unless perchance it be in such matters as could not possibly be kept until the master's return, or unless, for any legitimate reason, it should have been otherwise expressed in the said master's injunctions before his departure. We desire also that this same substitute shall be excused from all scholastic acts, during the time of his administration, as was expressed above with regard to the master.

(10.) Of the accounts of the master and other officers.

Since it is agreeable to reason and justice, that the administrator of the affairs of others should render a faithful account of his administration, in order that it may thereby appear whether he has been a wise or an unwise steward, we enact and moreover ordain, that the master of the house do make, by means of two or three of the fellows

deputed for this purpose by the scholars, about the time of the feast of St. Michael every year, a faithful estimate of the unthrashed corn, and that the said master do render, twice in the year, an account of his administration of whatever property of the said house has come to his hands, taking more especially into consideration and duly weighing the indenture or balance of the account of the preceding year, as noted below, before the two deans of the house, and two or three of the more discreet senior scholars deputed for this purpose by the said scholars, by means of a scrutiny, first, viz. at an audit at the time of the recess of the masters at Easter, and secondly, in order to furnish the accounts, within eight days, if it can conveniently be done, or at least within a fortnight from Michaelmas at the latest, every year, unless he be prevented by any reasonable cause, and then immediately upon the cessation of this impediment. And that one copy of the

balance of this account do remain with the master and another with the scholars, in evidence of the condition of the house, so that, when the bishop of Ely may so desire, a statement of the condition of the house may be laid before him directly, and it may be made to appear whether the master is to be accused of a bad administration, (and may that never be!), or commended for a good one, (which is to be desired!) And that the stewards of the manors, and other officers whatever invested with the administration of any of the affairs of the house, do render a faithful account of their administration, before the master, the two deans, and the two or three abovementioned fellows, in virtue of their oath (whenever it may seem expedient to the master): and if they be found to be faithful and prudent officers, it is well, but if not, then let them be removed and other proper persons put in their place. But if any cavilling should arise respecting these accounts which cannot be peaceably settled by the master, the two deans, and the two or three