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Chancellor was confirmed, and an exemption from all others fully settled.

Several matters, relating to particular colleges, are purposely left out, until I come to treat of those colleges: but, as the famous Composition between the University and King's College, relates to both, it shall be mentioned here. This Composition, then, settled the manner, form, and extent of the jurisdiction to be exercised by the provost of King's, towards his scholars, and by the chancellor, towards the same provost and scholars.

The COMPOSITION was approved by the king, A. D. 1456. "It is agreed, by this, that the provost of King's shall have the probate of wills, and cognizance of causes within his college, even though the plaintiff be a scholar of the University, but not if the defendant be so."

The last public instrument, relating to the University, in this reign, is, letters patent, that the chancellor should have power to correct nuisances in the University, and to banish loose women to within four miles of Cambridge. These were recited and confirmed in the first year of Edward VI.'s reign.

There is not much, during the reigns of Edward IV. and Richard III., or crook-backed Richard, in our University annals, except, indeed, what will more properly belong to the history of private colleges: for what concerns the foundation of particular colleges is of that place. It must suffice to observe now, that, notwithstanding archbishop Arundel's constitution, in Henry IV.'s reign, and the king's commission in Henry V.'s, Lollardism continued to spread: for, though bishop Grosthead, doctor Wickliffe, and archbishop Bradwardain, its great advocates, had all been of Oxford, the credit of their names passed to Cambridge. But popery still had the

sanction of public authority, and if the prayers of the faithful had prevailed, would have preserved it still: but the prayers of the faithful might have been better directed, than in favour of one, who was as deformed in mind as body, one guilty of murder and every species of vice. The only public instrument mentioned by Hare, in his Collections, during Richard III.'s reign, is a "Decree of the University, on the manner of celebrating and praying for the happy state of the most pious king, while he lived, and for his soul after his death"."

Memorable is the literary history of the University, in the middle of the fifteenth century, the epoch of the invention of printing. The first University printer's name, if I mistake not, was Sebert, but it is not easy to ascertain the first book printed there; the University, for some time, printing their books in London, where Caxton had a printing press, and began to print books in 1474. The Clarendon press of Oxford has, of late years, unquestionably surpassed Cambridge, in the number and grandeur of its printed books. But lord Coke has observed," that Cambridge enjoyed, before

■ Hume.

b Decretum Universitatis de modo celebrandi et orandi pro felici statu piissimi regis, dum vixerit, et pro anima ejus post mortem. A. D. 1483.

c It is not easy to ascertain the exact year of the earliest printed book, the first experiments having been made on immoveable blocks, and the books, like our most ancient MSS. having no dates. The first printed book was, probably, the Bible. The oldest known with a date is the Codex Psalmorum, 1457, which is in the emperor's library at Vienna; the next, Rationale Divinorum Officiorum, Mentz, 1459. The Catholicon the next, printed on wood first, and with moveable types, 1460. Tully's Offices, printed in 1465, is in the Cambridge public, and in Emmanuel College libraries.

Oxford, the privilege of printing omnes et omnigenas libros, all and every kind of books "."

Thus it is, that bodies gradually take their peculiar forms, and rise to great account; for the University, through the charters and privileges above stated, rose, at length, to be a court of record, with commissaries, surrogates, proctors, and other officers, as it now appears, with exemptions from the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the bishop of Ely, which, as a literary civil institution, it ought to possess, but with a jurisdiction of its own, inconsistent often with the municipal powers of the town, a sort of imperium in imperio, res dissociabiles miscuit, principatum et libertatem".

I have not thought it necessary to give a minute detail of those contentions, between the University and the town, that led to many of them; but I cannot forbear noticing their secret causes.

Public instruments, and partial histories of Cambridge, ascribe these dissentions to the neglect, and insolencies, and impositions of the townsmen; and there might, no doubt, be frequent examples of impositions on the side of the townsmen; but the great evil lay on the other side and impartiality must ascribe them to the circumstances of the times, and the condition of the different inhabitants of the place.

The religious houses swarmed with monks, who mistook dreaming for piety, sloth for wisdom, and insolence for authority. The hostels were also overcrowded with

* Caii Hist. Cantab. Acad. lib. ii. p. 127.

b Tacitus.

As late as the time of John Major, the Scottish historian, if his account be correct, as it most probably is, the number of students in the

scholars, who, making learning a plea for power, assumed to themselves the pert, pragmatical airs of a privileged order.

They of necessity must have been a burthen to the inhabitants, like locusts devouring the land. Several hostels at Cambridge were full of monks; for the novitiates of different monasteries in Britain were sent to study in our Universities, before they assumed the habit of their order; while the chantry-priests, who were in many of the Cambridge churches, and its neighbourhood, increased the stock. There were no less than thirty hostels, and six religious houses in this place. Would it not have been wise in the University, instead of procuring letters patent against their scholars settling at Northampton and Stamford, where, on account of disturbances at Cambridge, these were disposed to settle, they had procured for them permission to continue to reside there still? They would have proceeded with more wisdom, and have provided, so far, with more certainty, for the relief, both of the University and of the town.

But this spirit of tumult was assisted by the taste of those times for justs and tournaments, those avantura, barbarous military sports, which sometimes originated in private malice, or settled into domestic feuds; and to say the least that can be said against them, they brought together a great assemblage of people, to the great disturbance of the public peace, as may be seen in the celebrated old ballad, entitled the "Tournament of Tottenham." These hastiludia, or aventura, became very common at Cambridge.

University was between 4 and 5,000. Major resided at Cambridge some time, and attended the lectures in Christ's College, as he tells us in his History de Gestis Scotorum.

Besides, we have seen the clercs-no-clercs giving the University much trouble; and the scholars sometimes quarrelling among themselves, urging, at the same time, the townsmen to take part in their quarrels ; and even the higher powers themselves, at variance about privileges. Let all the circumstances be taken in to settle the account, and each party take its proper share of blame. However, we wish alma joy, in the possession of all her privileges that are truly good, and that she may make a liberal, humane, use of her power.

The principal occurrences in Henry VII.'s reign may be comprized under letters patent, confirming the letters of Henry VI., concerning, banishing disorderly women from the University, and other obnoxious matters. A licence to lady Margaret, countess of Richmond, and mother of Henry VII. for a perpetual lectureship on theology. A bond for five hundred marks, given by the town to the University, to abide by the award of certain arbitrators, agreed on by both parties, to admit several contested privileges. The award made between the University and town of Cambridge, by arbitrators, in the presence of the lady Margaret, countess of Richmond, touching their privileges, on both parts. The indenture of composition on the same subjects, by both parties, after the award made by the arbitrators. The founda

a This award was made anno 1502, by John Fisher, justice of the common pleas, Humphry Coningesby, and Thomas Frowycke, serjeants at law, chosen by consent of parties, for that purpose, at the instance of lady Margaret. It is made in conformity to the ancient privileges of the University, and, of course, strongly inclines to its favour. So far as relates to the University it relates to all privileged persons, that is, members, or students of the University, with their menial servants, dwelling and retained with any scholar in wages, as well as bedels of the University, and manciples, cooks, &c. apothecaries, stationers, &c. in the service of the University.

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