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"The second volume contains, in like manner, an account of the Parochial Antiquities of Cambridgeshire, in another direction; including also, an account of Clare Hall, Clare Hall Chapel, (the Old Chapel), Queen's College, and Queen's College Chapel.

"In the course of this survey, Mr. Cole gives a description of each church, and of the monuments, inscriptions, and coats of arms, which they contain, together with draughts of them all, taken by himself on the spot.

"The two next volumes pursue nearly the same course; they embrace, however, as well as the two first, observations on the Parochial Antiquities of other counties.

"The churches, the funereal monuments, the inscriptions, and the escutcheons, in numerous parish churches throughout England, are, in the course of this singular collection, brought into one heap, and, together with the copies from ancient records, and some articles of more trifling consideration, compose an immense body of parochial antiquities."

I must not omit just to notice, that the thirteenth and fourteenth volumes contain an account of the Masters and Fellows of King's College, from the foundation to the year 1746; it is composed of the catalogue of Mr. Hatcher, a fellow of King's College, to 1562; of Mr. Scott's, coroner of the same College, to 1620; and with the assistance of other manuscript accounts, is wrought by Mr. Cole into almost a regular history, in two volumes, of the Society, to the above year, 1746. To the account of King's College and Chapel, and of Clare Hall, I shall have occasion to refer in due time: so I say nothing further now. Mr. Cole observes it was taken from five various MS. historiettes in the college, all of which differed.

The next papers that deserve notice are those of William Richardson, D. D. formerly Master of Emanuel College, and Canon of Lincoln. He was a gentleman warmly attached to Tory principles, and most minute in all matters relating to the Colleges. I had heard much of his preparations for an Athenæ Cantabrigienses. But on inquiry of my friend Dr. Cory, the present worthy master of Emanuel College, the only fragment of Dr. Richardson's I could hear of, consisted of four or five pages of dates, &c. relating principally to the time of the puritans. These, as Dr. Farmer thought them worth copying, I have recopied from Dr. Farmer for insertion in this work. They relate to Emanuel College. There is, however, one work, folio, manuscript, of Dr. Richardson's, a List of all the Graduates, their degrees, and dates from the year 1500 to 1745. This having been purchased by the University, is now in possession of the Registrar. Dr. Richardson's known attention to this work, and his valuable edition of Godwin de Præsulibus Angliæ, may have given rise to the mistake relative to

a He, however, descended from a puritan stock, his grandfather being an eminent puritan minister, first of Queen's College, and afterwards minister of St. Michael's, at Stamford, in Lincolnshire; from which living he was ejected after the Restoration, in 1660. Calumy's Account, &c. vol. 2, p. 451.

b" I have heard," says even Mr. Thomas Baker, in a letter to Mr. Hearne, "of Mr. Richardson's design of Athena Cantabrigienses." This; was as early as 1730, but if ever Dr. R. had such an intention, it is probable, when he got possession of the registers, he found he had ample employment to copy and arrange them.

© Dr. Richardson, beside Bishop Godwin's book de Præsulibus Angliæ, published also the Prælectiones Ecclesiastica of his uncle, John Richardson, B. D. and a few Sermons.

VOL. I.

Dr. Richardson's manuscripts towards an Athenæ Cantabrigienses. His List of Graduates will always be of great use in University History".

I am not aware, that, with the exception of Baker's volumes already mentioned, there are among the English manuscripts, in the public library, above three pieces more, and those but small, immediately relating to the University: these are, John Scott's Account of the University; Proof of the Jurisdiction of the University; and, the Practice of the University in inhibiting Preachers. Two or three Historiettes of Colleges shall be noticed in a more proper place; as also, one or two smaller manuscripts, now missing, though it were only for the purpose of advertisement; it sometimes happening, that by such notices, stragglers, that have been long missing, find their way home.

Having thus considered the principal materials, which lie in manuscript, for a History of our University, let us next examine what has appeared in the form of printed works. And here, it not being agreed what was written by the antiquary of Warwick, Ross, so often quoted by Leland, and as Leland himself, following that doubtful guide, promised so much, and performed so little, I content myself in beginning with the History of Dr.

a Dr. Lyndford Caryl, also, wrote a List of Graduates, and brought it down lower than Dr. R. He was Prebendary of Canterbury, Master of Jesus College, and died at Canterbury, June 18, 1781.

b So far as relates to his supposed work, de Antiq. Academiarum Britannicarum. Vid. Wood, de Hist. et Antiq. Univers. Oxon. pars. i. p. 77.

è Comment. in Cygn. Cant. Leland was an Oxford man, and lived in Harry VIIIth's. reign.

Caius, the founder, in 1558, of the College at Cambridge, which bears his name.

Caius, then, was a man of undoubted learning, and his histories possess authority, not, however, acquired, nor increased, by his credulity in surreptitious charters, and frivolous disputes about the antiquity of Universities.

He was for beginning his history too soon-in the greater matters of biography he says nothing. He is, however, the first writer of any consequence on the history of our Alma Mater; for as to historiettes, or black books, in the archives of the University, to which he appeals, the former are sometimes of dubious, the latter of no authority at all. If his dates are sometimes wrong, as they will be found by comparing them with Hare's and other authentic documents; if he is inaccurate sometimes in the names and successions of the masters, it should be recollected he wrote when there were few registers kept, and those very negligently. Even from the year 1500, Dr. Richardson's book of Graduates shews, how extremely defective he found every thing of this kind for many years; an observation similar to this is made as an apology, by Mr. Anthony Wood, who begins his great work, the Athena Oxonienses, from about the same time.

Stow, our chronicler, who flourished in Queen Elizabeth's reign, to his " Abridged Summary of the Chronicles of England," has subjoined, "an Account of the Universities in England," but too short to be entitled to particular notice.

So the next printed work, is Parker's Academiæ Historia Cantabrigiensis. Matthew Parker was Fellow, after

a Entitled, Historia Cantabrigiensis Academiæ ab urbe condita, Libri duo; and de Antiquitate Cantabrigiensis. Libri duo, 1574.

wards Master of Bene't College, Cambridge; at length, A. 1559, Archbishop of Canterbury. He procured from the dissolved monasteries and other places, a collection of manuscripts, and books relating to British antiquities. The former were deposited in a library appropriated to their reception in Bene't College. The History of Cambridge is subjoined to his History of the British Church; both being written in Latin.

a

The Archbishop informs us, his history was published, that those who search after truth might know it with certainty. But, at the outset he holds forth a very discouraging, feeble light. For taking up the old story of Cantaber, he is for confirming it from Lydgate, and Beverley and Bede. What a few rhymes from poor Lydgate can do, I see not. But I do see, the only authority that could have served his purpose, fails him most miserably. For though his doctorum hominum Universitas appears in the text, and Bede in the margin, not a syllable of those sounding words is found in the venerable Bede.

However, Bishop Parker's History of the Colleges, though quite a summary, possesses authority: and his Indulta Regum, being the titles of some of the principal charters and other public instruments relating to the University, may be taken hold of as a very useful clue to its history, so far at least as it reaches.

Next we have the History and Antiquities of the University of Cambridge, by Mr. Parker, Fellow of Caius College, in 1622. This is printed from the Exeλeros, which is among the MSS. in that library. It follows a good deal in the steps of the Archbishop, but contains nothing

Σκελετος,

* Entitled, Catalogus Cancellariorum, Procancellariorum, Procura torum, &c. usque ad annum, 1571.

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