BOOKS.

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY TRANSACTIONS, 1570-1660.* THESE volumes may be likened to a storehouse whence raw ma. terials are drawn, which the artist subsequently fashions into articles of ornament or use. The student will find here the Statutes and the Acts of Parliament which constituted, so to speak, the laws of Cambridge University from the age of Eliza.. beth to the Restoration, together with the application of those laws on various occasions of religious, moral, or social disci- pline. In the letters to the Chancellor—especially to Burgh- ley, containing complaints against individuals for misbeha- viour or wrong doctrine, or against the town for contu- macy or enchroachments—will be met pictures of the man- ners of the age, as the replies sometimes exhibit the cautioua wariness of the minister, sometimes the highhanded way in which "Good Queen Bess" governed her faithful University. The extracts from the letters of Mead and -other writers furnish the news if not a history of the University during the time of the troubles under Charles the First and the Commonwealth; while miscellaneous documents of various kinds add to our knowledge of collegiate life and opinion from 1570 to 1660. The student of manners and religious feeling, perhaps of University servility, will find much in these volumes to add to his knowledge, and often in a striking way ; for there is an air thrown over the life incidentally depicted which is quite Shaksperian' and occasionally a scene which has Shakspere's manner without his spirit. Glimpses too will be caught of some eminent persons under the three mo- narchs to which the documents refer, Elizabeth, James, and Charles. These, however, are few and far between; and with rare exceptions the characteristic passages are merely bits, sur- rounded by a mass of commonplace.

The religious controversies of the age, and the unsettled state of

the English Church, which was yet feeling through living persons, as well as in doctrines, the violent commotions of Henry the Eighth and Mary, gave a good deal of necessary employment to Burghley. He was also occupied with matters that seem in these days unfit for so great a statesman to be troubled with; such as questions pertaining to the social or moral conduct of the members and the squabbles between the town and the University as regards juris- diction, and which indeed he sometimes intimates had better be settled elsewhere. The Minister's letters support his character for prudence and moderation. They breathe a composing spirit, and seem to aim at leaving neither party dissatisfied, where such an end was practicable. This letter to the "major and burgesses of Cambridge" relates to a slight matter, but will give an idea of his method.

"After my hearty commendations; I have received letters of late as well

from the major and, aldermen as from my Lord Northe, as steward of the town of Cambridge, touching one Thredder, a townsman, who, as I under- stand, was committed to prison by D. Bing, deputy to the vice-chancellor, for an assault made upon one Sir Whitnall, a bachelor of artes of. Trinity College. In which your letters it seemeth you finde your selves much grieved, for that a supersedeas being granted by you, the major, for the dis- charge of the said Threddar, was not allowed and accepted by D. Bing; complaining further, in generall terms' of sundry great injuries offered you by the University, such as you may not endure, but must rather be enforced to relinquish your habitations, as you write, and yet do not mention any particular matter other then this present cause before mentioned. Where- upon, having written my letters to the vice-chancellor and to D. Bing, mis- liking greatly that any just cause should be given unto you by them of any such complaintes as your said letters contained, I have received answere, that the supersedeas was in no wise to be admitted ; for that the same tended greatly to their prejudice, being directly against their charter, whereby the cognisance of all such trespasses against the peace (a scholer being party) are reserved to the University only, and as well the major as all other foreign judge or justice utterly forbidden to intermeddle therein. And that D. Bing, when the supersedeas was offered, did as -much mislike your dealing, being privie that a scholer was a party, at what time you granted that snpersedeas, as was likely by many presumptuous. All which notwithstanding, I am coatent ti yeild that Threddar be bayled upon sureties for keeping of the peace against Sir Whitnell, as I have partly eignifyed to Mr. Baron Shute, yo nfr recorden„ whome I mett yesterday upon my way homewardes; and to that effect I have written to the vice-chancellor and Mr. D. Bing. As for -your generall complaintes I pray. you, when any cause shall happen betwixt the University and you that shall bread controversy, and wherein you shall think your selves injured, to advertise me thereof in particulars, otherwise these generall complaintee, containing no certainty, can not have credit nor remedy., as perhaps may require. For as I am an officer of the University to maintain and advance their lawfull privileges and charters, and to preserve them from being impugned or impaired by you, so shall you at no time finds me partially affected towardes the University that I will give them any as- sistance to do you wrong. And so trusting i you will be satisfyed herewith, I From bid you heartily farewell. Fm ray house n the Strand, this 25th of June, 1580.

" Your loving friend, W. BURGHLEY:" If matters move in cycles, the world has now come round to the religious ...aisputations of Elizabeth's time. The Established Church was then-, as now, beset by Puritans or Calvinists on one side, and men Papistically inclined or alleged Papists on-the other; while the leaning of the high atthorities was rather towards the latter. These are some of the charges made by the Fellows against the Master of " oure College of Gonvill and Cams" in 1581. "Imprimis, that Mr. D. Legge, master of our colledge, bothe before his comminge to the colledge and since, hlthe beene allwayes suspected to beetle,. rapt in religion. "2. Item, that the masters puples, as well thos that he brought with hina from Jesus Colledge, as thos that he bathe RUM reeeyved, have been for the • Cambridge 'University Transactions during the Puritan Controversies of the 16th and 17th Centuries. Collected by James Heywood, M.P., F.H.B., &c. &c., and Thomas Wright, M.A., LILA., Ssc.ite. lo two volumes. Published by Bohn. most part eyther open papistes, or suche as have given. greats cause of sus- picion of papistry, and for the most part the scones of suspected and knowen

apirites and so knowen unto him to be, and have departed from the colledge p not reformed.

"5. Item, that immedMtly uppon his comminge to the colledge, by his importunate labour he brought in one Depup to be fellow of the howse, a man greatly suspected to be popishe, and otherwise well knowen to be noto- riously vicious; and niche an one as of whom the founder had so greats mis- jadege, that he gave especiall charge before his deathe that the sayd Depup should never be fellow.

"7. Item, that men notoriously suspected abroad resort unto him. "8. Item, that rydinge abroad into the country he resortethe to the horses of suspected or knowen papistes. "9. Item, that in the University, for the most part, be useth the com- pany of persons vehemently suspected in religion. • "15. Item, that one Mr. Babthrope, the masters puple, and a lenge titne his bed-fellow, did usually wears about his neck, next to his shirt, very secretly, a crucifix of aylver. So likewyse did Mr. Pawlet, the masters puple, lyenge also in the masters bed-chamber. " 16. Item, that one Mr. Stapelton, the masters puple, had many papist- icall hookas lyenge openly in the masters bed-chamber by the space of a quarter of a yeare at the lest, which could not be unknowen to the master. " 17. Item, that Mr. Bapthroope aforesaid, and Mr. Aske, the masters puples, had the like bookes lienge in ther studyes, which was also well knowen to the master, two of the which bookee ar yet remayninge to be Scene. • • *

"24. Item, one Cuttings, a singeing man of Kinges Colledge, a secrete snd famyliar companion of the masters, beings trebled in mynde, cryed out in the open streateer and afterwardea in his sicknes, Dr. Legge an horrible

papyst. * • "35. Item, one Barnham, a pernicious seducer of youthe, allowed by the master to attend uppon his puple Mr. Huddlestone, put a crucifixe in the said Huddlestons mouthe, beinge deceased, sayinge certayne popish° verses over him ; abought the which Mr. Huddlestone, beinge dead, they were also tapers burninge, and redd clothe provided to make crosses on his hearse."

Another circumstance has a resemblance to the present time. The plague prevailed more than once in the city; and on its ap- pearance a great stir was made about what is now cancel hygiene, perhaps without more permanent effect than now. In 1584 the Privy Council issued a stringent order upon the subject of over- crowding in tenements—a sort of building and lodging act. A letter of the Vice-Chancellor to Burghley ten years earlier contains a medley of matters,—both the General Assembly's and Lord Pal- merston's ideas on pestilence, the Ranelagh sewer, the shortsighted selfishness of the poor, the precaution of a sanitary cordon, and the escape of the university, less probably from their isolation than from the better living and condition of the members. Thus writeth Dr. Perne, in November 1574.

" Allthough we must confess° that our synnee is the principall cause of this and of all other plagea sent by allmightie God, yet the secondary cause and meanes is that God did use to bringe the same, so far fourth as I do understand, is not the corruption of the ayer, as the phiaitians saieth at this tyme, but partlie by the apparell of one that cam from London to Midsomer Layer and dyed of the plage in Barnwell where the plage bath been and is most vehement. The other cause, as I conjecture, is the corruption of the Kinges ditch ; the which goeth thorough Cambridge, and especially in those places where there is most infection, the which I will procure, so sone as we shall have any bard frost, to be clensed. There was order taken at the be- gynnynge of the plage by Mr. Doctour Whitegifte, then vice-chancellour, with the consent of the heades of the colleges, for the breakinge upp of the colleges, and for the forbearinge of any common assembles untill after Christmas ; and that such scollem as should remaine in the eolleges should kepe there gates shut for the avoydinge of the company of those that be in- fected with the plage, the which do go abrode both in tbe'daye tyme and in the night tyme, though there be never so good and atreight order taken by us for the abetting upp of the dores of those howseithe which be infected, having,e all necessaries provided for them and their famylie, as well in Cam- bridg as alleo in Barnwell. It appearith that the poore folkea in the townes of Cambridge and Barnwell, Being° the good provision that is made for the re- lief of such as be infected with the plage; that there desire is the con- tynuance of the same ; and some other be of that perverse judgment that one Christian ought not to avoide the company of another that is infected with that diaeas of the plage, the which naturally as a poyson doth infect, except it pleasith allmightie God of his goodneese otherwise supernaturally to dispose the ordenary operacion of his creatures. Some in Cambridge beinge alive did attempt God in this sorts, are dead of the plage at this tyme, to the utter distruction of their whole howahould and infecting of divers others. As the University bath in this tyme of discontrnewinge susteyned greater losse in their lerninge Then in the healthes of their bodice; for sithence the beannynee of the aicknesse (thanks be to God hitherto) there bath not twos schollers been sicke of the plage; soe the townesmen have well lerned in this Lyme of the absence of schollera what great benefite theie receive by the University, withowt whome the most pane of them do nowe confess° that theie should not be able to live."

The election of the first Villiers, then unpopular with the coun- try and Parliament, was a Court and College job, carried by the heads of houses against the wish of the main body, which in spite of all influences ran the Court surprisingly close. A letter from Mead to Sir Martin Stuteville, dated June 3, 1626, gives a lively account of the proceedings. "Our chaneellour' my lord of Suffolk, dyed on Sunday about 2 a clock in the morning ; which no aooner came to our eares on Munday., but, about dinner time, arrives Dr. Wilson, (my Lord of Londons chaplain,) without letters, but with a message from his lord that we should clause- the duke, such being his majesties desire and pleasure. Our heads meet after sermon ; where, by Dr. Wren, Beale, Maw, Pask, this motion was urged with that vehemenew, and as it were confidence of authoritie, that the rest were either awed and perswaded, and those that would not, yet durst not adven- ture to make further opposition, though they enclined (if it be lawfull to say so) to more advised counsell. It was in vaine to say that Dr. Wilson's bare word from his lord was no sufficient testimony of his majesties pleasure, nor such as might be a ground of an act of such consequence; that we shonld by this act prejudge the parlament ; that in stead of patronage we sought for, we might bring a lasting minden, and draw a generall contempt and' hatred upon the Universitie, as men of most prostitute flatterie; that it *ould not be safe for us to engage our selves in publick differences that at least, to ,avoyd, the imputation of folly and temeritie in the doing, it Would be wiidome to wait our full time of 14 dayes, and not to precipitate the election. To this last was answerd, the sooner the better, and more ac- ceptable. If we stayed to expect the event in parlament, it would not be wOrth-Eind-ha;meroy. "Upon the newes of this consultation and resolution of the heads, we of the body murmur ; we run one to another to complaine ; we say, the heads in this election have no more t,e do then any of us, wherefore we advise what to do and whom to set up. Some are for my lord keeper, others for my lord Andover (Berkshire); but least we might be found over weak, being dis- tracted, we agree that he that shall find most voices of these, or any other sett up, the rest should all come to him. Hereupon, on Tuesday morning (notwithstanding every head sent for his fellowes to perewade them for the duke) some durst be so bold as to visitt for the contrary in publick ; others, more privatly, enquire how their friends and other were affected. But the same day, about dinner time, the bishop of London arrived unexpected, yet found his owns colledg (Queen* most bent and resolved another way, to his no small discontentment. At the same time comes to towne Mr. Mason (my lord duke's secretary) and Mr. Crowns, and letters from my lord of Durham, expressely signifying in his majesties name (as they told us, and would have us beleeve) that his majestie would be well pleased if we chose the duke. My lord Bishop labours, and Mr. Mason visitts, for his lord ; Mr. Casein for the most true patron of the clergie and of schollers. Masters belabour their fellowes; doctor Maw sends for his one by one, to permed° them, some twiee over. On Thursday morning (the day appointed for the election) he makes a large speech in the colledg °happen, that they would come off unanimous- ly. When the schoole-bell rung, he caused the colledg bell also to ring, as to an act, and all the fellows to come into the hall, and to attend him to the schooles for the duke, that so they might win the honour to have it accounted their colledge act. Divers in towne got hackneyes and fled, to avoyd im- portunitie. Very many, and some whole colledges, were gotten by their fearfull masters, the bishop and others, to suspend, who otherwise were re- solved against the duke, and kept away with much indignation. And yet, for all this stirre, the duke carryed it but by 3 voices from my lord Andover, whom we voluntariely sett up against him, without any motion on his behalfe, yea without his knowledge."

On Buckingham's assassination the Vice-Chancellor lost no time in addressing his condolences and flatteries to Charles.

"The fatal blow given your loyal' servant, whome your majesty made our patron and chancellor, hath so astonished your University, as, like body without a soul, she stirs not till your majesties directions breath life again, in the choice of another. And although I am but one of many, and there- fore, having to do with a multitude, cannot absolutely assure the effecting of your majesties pleasure, yet I dare undertake for myself and the rest of the heads, and many others, truly to labour your majesties desires, and now presume to lend fair and strong hopes to give them full satisfaction.

"Humbly entreating the continuance of your majesties love and care of your University, the only stay and comfort of your sad and mournful estate ; cheering herself with that blessed expression it bath pleased your majesty to use upon her last election, that howsoever your majesty shadowed out another, yet yourself in substance would be our chancellor ; this, as an inde- lible character in her memory, shall ever return as to your majesty all thankful observance."