XIII. fender of the pope's bull and excommunication [of the CHAP. queen.] These were chiefly such as came out of the western parts, where popery greatly prevailed; and the gentry Anno 1578. bred up in that religion. dents in As for the other university, great offence was taken at The stuthe extravagance of the apparel which was now used there; Cambridge so unsuitable to the condition of students, that came thither affect gaudy to improve in learning and virtue: the younger sort follow- apparel. ing much the fashions so expensive. Whereby was occasioned a great decay and defect in good learning and modesty. Insomuch that it was feared, that the university, that formerly supplied the realm with men of service, for their learning and piety, would now become only a storehouse of loose, unlearned, and insufficient persons; to the damage, and not the service of the kingdom. This evil was apprehended so great, that the lord Burghley, high chancellor of the university, set forth a decree for the reformation thereof. Which, from the minutes of it, drawn up by himself, is worthy (though somewhat long) to be transcribed and preserved: which I have therefore laid in the Appendix. No. XVII. It was entitled, 4 decree for the restraint of the excess of made by the apparel, both for the unreasonable costs, and the unseemly high chanfashions of the same, used by scholars and students in that gainst it. university of Cambridge. A This unseemly and disguised apparel, and monstrous disuse of it by the students, (as it was termed,) consisted in excessive ruffs in their shirts, the greatness of their hose, and in wearing swords and rapiers. These extravagances were by this decree to be prohibited by the vice-chancellor and the heads of the colleges; who were to meet and confer together about it, and to draw up particular rules for directing the habits to be worn of all sorts and degrees of scholars and expulsion to be executed upon any that should transgress. A decree cellor a estate of Concerning one of the colleges in this university, namely, The good Peter-house, I may have leave to mention the advantage it Peterhad by a careful, discreet master, viz. Dr. Andrew Perne, house, Dr. as well as an excellent head of that university. Among the ter. Perne mas 540 BOOK improvements he made in that college, a new building was II. made there this year at the college charge, viz. a bakingAnno 1578.house; which was for the principal maintenance and relief of the same. This, upon a particular reason, he acquainted the high chancellor with. And that without the commodity thereof they were not able to maintain so many fellows as they did, by two or three at the least. There were also more buildings within that college the same year, but nothing at the college's charge. And more chambers were wanting for the necessary use of the scholars and students of the same at that time; but they were not of ability to do it. This the said master intimated to that lord on occasion of his recommending to him, the master, one Egerton, B. A. of that college, to be admitted fellow there. Of whose towardliness in learning he and the fellows had very good liking. Notwithstanding, such was the present state of the college, that he could not comply with his lordship's request; since, as he said, there were divers others of the same house of no less learning, but of much less ability to be maintained at learning. Of the which some had no other relief, but such poor benevolence as they had within the college. Yet notwithstanding, the number of fellows and scholars which were at that day maintained in the college, and the charges of the ordinary commons, were so great, that they could make no new election of any new fellow as yet; except they should suffer the college to run into greater detriment, for the defraying of the charge of their commons, than the college should be well able to satisfy. In which, as he judged, he was very well assured that it was not his honour's good meaning and then he proceeded to the mention of their buildings. And in the end assuring his honour, that he would be as willing to do for the said Egerton, when the college should be able to make any new election, as he might lawfully and conveniently do, as any in Cambridge should be, for his lordship's sake: unto whom, under the queen's majesty, he took himself greatliest bound, as he would, if he were of ability, declare the same accordingly. Thus faithfully did this worthy master govern the affairs of that college, for the good and flourishing estate thereof. CHAP. And whose letter I have here set down at the more length, XIII. for the better retrieving and preserving the character of Anno 1578. him. plain of muses and them for dem. to their chancellor. And indeed such a multitude of mandamuses and letters The universities comfrom great men were about this time procured from the court for fellowships, that it grew very burdensome to the mandauniversity; and proved a great uneasiness to the young stu- letters sent dents; who hoped to be preferred by their merits: whereas fellowships. now the ordinary application was to courtiers for their let- Epist. Acaters to the heads of the colleges, for mandamuses from the queen for a preferment. So that free suffrages for elections were impeached; to the discouragement of ingenuity, and the countenancing of boldness and importunacy. Whereby it came to pass, (according to a letter the university wrote Their letter to their chancellor on this occasion,) that the scholars did neither follow their studies in hope of preferment for their diligence and proficiency; nor much regarded their superiors, as hoping for favour from them: but chiefly from courtiers. Besides, hereby the university liberty was infringed, and their tranquillity disturbed, and the scholars' minds were dejected, and industry languished. These were the effects of taking away from them their free votes, of disposing their fellowships. Wherefore they, the vice-chancellor and heads of colleges, in a joint letter addressed to 541 their chancellor, earnestly beseeching him, by his fidelity to them, and by his good-will towards them; and also by their welfare and dignity, which he dearly loved; Aufer nobis istam mandatorum frequentiam: and that he would so far prevail with the queen, when he should see occasion, that the liberty which she had once granted, she would leave to them free and entire. This whole supplicatory letter may be read in the Appendix; as worthy the preserving, in order No. XVIII. to the better understanding the state of the university in these days. chancellor Let me add here the success of this application of the Urge the university to their loving chancellor. He was moved, when to petition he considered what they had urged now, and repeated to the queen BOOK him the like again, how these letters discouraged learning; II. when the worse were preferred before the better deserving: Anno 1578. and this dispensing with statutes to the overthrow of good against granting them. The master of Queen's ter con before the queen. laws and customs, to the great hindering of learning, and utter discouragement of good scholars and hard students, that studied out of hope of reward. This was pressed upon their chancellor; and he sufficiently sensible of. In this Dr. Perne had a great hand, being a great instrument in consulting for the benefit of learning there. This lord, therefore, took his opportunity to lay this petition of the university before the queen. And it had this effect, that she promised her mandamuses should be more sparing for the time to come: favouring that lord's godly and necessary suit, as the said Perne, in a letter, called it. And of this his success he [their chancellor] wrote most lovingly in his answer to their former letter. But however, it was observed afterwards, that since that time there were more mandamuses sent down, and dispensations with the statute, than were before. Which caused another from Cambridge to him, that his lordship knowing the same, would, they doubted not, help to redress. There came a private letter this year to the master and college re- fellows of Queen's college, Cambridge, containing a friendly ceives a let- hint and information concerning such as came to preach cerning before the queen: some of them she liked not, in using so preachers much freedom with her in their sermons in respect of dissensions in the church, properly belonging to matters of government; judging they went beyond their bounds. The letter is without any name subscribed, only dated in March, 1578. But I conjecture it was sent from the earl of Leices ter, Dr. Chaderton the master of Queen's great patron; or perhaps from secretary Walsingham. The letter itself I here transcribe, as followeth : MSS. R. S. The letter. "Master Dr. I perceive the queen's majesty doth mislike, "that of late such as have preached afore her, in their sermons entered into dissensions of matters properly apper"taining to matters of government: rather by private advice "to be imparted to herself or to her council, than in pul XIII. "pits, to the hearing of vulgar people, which are not apt to CHAP. "hear such things: especially thereby to catch lightly occa"sions to think either sinisterly or doubtfully of the head Anno 1578. "and of her government. "If any allowed to preach, be moved to desire amend"ment in things properly belonging to herself, I do assure "myself, she will willingly hear any that shall either desire "by speech or writing to impart their charitable conceits. 66 "And many times I find even preachers as perverse 542 men, led, yea, carried with sinister informations, especially "against government. Yet it may be doubted of good men, "that all reports are not always true. I wish in my heart 66 no jot of the authority of preachers to be diminished. "And yet I wish them not to presume upon their autho"rity, to enter into condemnation of others, without some 66 grounds." CHAP. XIV. The queen's progress. The university wait upon her at Audley End. Her splendid entertainment at Norwich. A sentence in the star-chamber. Magic practised to take away the queen's life. A conjurer suddenly falls down dead. A foreign physician consulted for the queen's toothache. Dr. Julio, the Italian physician, the queen's servant: his suit. Shows before the queen, performed by certain of the young nobility. Lord Rich assassinated; and another. Remarks of some persons of note, dying this year. Sir Nicolas Bacon, lord keeper. The lady Mary Grey. The lord Henry Seymour. Books now set forth. The Holy Bible; the Geneva edition. Bishop Jewel's Defence in Latin. Mr. Fox's Good-Friday sermon at Paul's Cross. View of Antichrist. A book against the outward apparel and ministering garments. A Display of Popish Practices. The Way of Life. Guicciardin's history. Books printed in Germany, in a letter to the bishop of Ely. THIS summer the queen took her progress into Suffolk |