"7. On the last Gunpowder Treason day, he was offended at an oration, made by one of our scholars, wherein the traitor Faux was with fitting terms detested, and his matchless impiety execrated. He said it was a great offence of our church to speak evil of any that are dead. Many things more like to these he hath uttered, of some whereof solemn notice being once given to the master, he slightly put it off as an idle matter." From the Statutes of the University, chap. 56, p. 1. "Upon the first day of every term an exhortation shall be made by the master or his vicar to the scholars to devote themselves to the study of letters and to piety.' From the same chap. p. 2. "Each of the heads of the colleges shall twice every year exhort all his scholars to apply themselves to some study in sacred writings. "The master hath done neither of these, nor his deputy for him, these seven years." From the Statutes of Pembroke Hall, chap. 1, p. 13. "That there be in the said establishment a superior, a man of varied erudition, who shall dwell in the establishment, &c." Chap. 2, p. 10. "And since the said warden, &c. in case he should absent himself from the aforesaid house, during term time, for more than a month without intermission, the office of warden do become vacant from that time, and that the fellows do immediately proceed to a new election, &c.' "By the space of these nine years, there hath no cause of the master's absence been at all propounded, or allowed by the society. "The master hath been absent above seventeen whole terms of twenty-seven, within nine years, and particularly this present term and the last. "This he makes lawful by virtue of a general leave, ae facto granted him at his admission into the mastership ten years since, upon these words, in the prologue of the statutes, Nevertheless that they (the statutes) are not so binding upon the said college, its fellows and students, but that, &c. they may be able to dispense, &c. provided that the master and the majority of the community consent to this dispensation.' "Against this pretence we answer-1. From the statutes, chap. 6, (p. 197,) the words 'diligently and faithfully to observe these our statutes and not to employ any crafty or left-handed interpretation against the sense and spirit of these ordinances.' "2. That at the first a leave of absence was indeed, de facto granted in general terms, but no dispensation at all named or obtained. "3. That 'sometimes to dispense cannot be once for all during the space of ten years. "4. That the society then unlawfully granting leave is long since quite changed except two men. "5. That the causes then alleged, the attending on his lord the archbishop and the looking to his children, if they were true and legitimate reasons,' yet had long ceased to be so. "That at the craving of such leave he protested against long and usual discontinuance, but only now and then, and that very sparingly. "7, That the damage, disquiet, discredit, and danger which the college incurs by occasion of the master's absence, is very great and lamentable." To the very honorable and illustrious lord, Thomas, earl of Suffolk, &c. chancellor of the University of Cambridge, &c. Most honorable lord, and most illustrious hero. When that day of rejoicing gleamed on us, upon which you accepted the dictatorship of the University, courage arose in the minds of us, most miserable fellows of Pembroke: we saluted in you our certain liberator, as the sun rising afar off, and from that moment the surest reasons for hope have continued to augment within us, so that it is not without the utmost confidence that we turn to the tribunal of your grace, as the surest place of refuge, which we have always had from the very first, before our eyes. And to this tribunal, albeit we are not willing to pass through the common way of the inferior University courts and of the ordinary appeal, being deterred by our narrow circumstances, from the great expense of such a course, and being also unable to incur the necessary delay, from the urgent weight of our pressing and increasing ills, it has been our desire to betake ourselves by this other shorter, and less frequented, yet more royal and honorable path. We are without arms, alas! and we have to deal with an excellently accoutred enemy-we are inexperienced in the conduct of affairs, and are opposed to a man well practised in such matters-we are simple-minded, and we resist one admirably skilled in all artifice. Who then can arise to save us, what salutary star can shine down upon us and protect us, unless he comes forward, whose magnanimous virtue disdains all partial favour or violence, and whose mild benignity knows how to defend the truth shining forth out of the plain demonstration of facts, against all the wiles of a subtle adversary? Who, indeed, is there more distinguished in such qualities than he, whom our most wise king has chosen to be the tutelary divinity and defence of the distressed Muses, in order to restore them to their pristine splendour, and who is at the same time their principal guardian, and their first foster child? It is impossible for us to attain the point, at which we desire to arrive, unless by the interposition of mediation (and, in this, our lot is the common one of the whole human race in all earthly things): but, as for this reason, we are brought at length before the especial abode of our peace and safety, and our cause is at last, placed before your much desired cognizance (as the central court of the supreme academic judge), we congratulate ourselves, with whole hearts upon this singular, and rare good fortune. With most humble prayers, therefore, we entreat your grace (oh! most honoured Mecænas and most respected lord) to enumerate also among the highest glories of the name of Suffolk, our ancient college, which in its time has well deserved of our country. The bitterer our present state of oppression, the deeper will be the debt owing to you our most noble head, for the preservation not only of one citizen but of our mother of citizens, and therefore of the literary body itself. And may the all good and great God preserve as long as possible our most illustrious chancellor, for the sake of us, the University, the state, and himself. Your honoured grace's most humble supplicators, 4th ides of June. The community of Pembroke Hall. Matthew Wren, Theodore Bathurst, John Gael, INDEX TO THE EARLY STATUTES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. Abbot of Westminster permitted to absent himself from ... PAGE. ... 255 bond of, to pay the stipend of the preacher on the foundation of Margaret, countess ... ... ... ... 272 ... 14 Accounts of the chests to be settled every year before the 167 deeds and charters to be collected into one book and sung for king Henry VII. and his queen for ever Appellants, penalties of and their caution. Approval and ratification of the articles submitted under papal rescript by the prior of Barnwell Articles demanded in behalf of the chancellor, masters, |