Chronicle and Romance, - [ready to read books .TXT] 📗

three years, for the which he must once again perform all such exercises and acts as are before remembered; and then is he reputed able to govern and teach others, and likewise taken for a doctor. I have read that John of Beverley was the first doctor that ever was in Oxford, as Beda was in Cambridge. But I suppose herein that the word "doctor" is not so strictly to be taken in this report as it is now used, since every teacher is in Latin called by that name, as also such in the primitive church as kept schools of catechists, wherein they were trained up in the rudiments and principles of religion, either before they were admitted unto baptism or any office in the Church.

Thus we see that from our entrance into the university unto the last degree received is commonly eighteen or twenty years, in which time, if a student has not obtained sufficient learning thereby to serve his own turn and benefit his commonwealth, let him never look by tarrying longer to come by any more. For after this time, and forty years of age, the most part of students do commonly give over their wonted diligence, and live like drone bees on the fat of colleges, withholding better wits from the possession of their places, and yet doing little good in their own vocation and calling. I could rehearse a number (if I listed) of this sort, as well in one university as the other. But this shall suffice instead of a large report, that long continuance in those places is either a sign of lack of friends, or of learning, or of good and upright life, as Bishop Fox[154] sometime noted, who thought it sacrilege for a man to tarry any longer at Oxford than he had a desire to profit.

A man may (if he will) begin his study with the law, or physic (of which this giveth wealth, the other honour), so soon as he cometh to the university, if his knowledge in the tongues and ripeness of judgment serve therefor: which if he do, then his first degree is bachelor of law, or physic; and for the same he must perform such acts in his own science as the bachelors or doctors of divinity do for their parts, the only sermons except, which belong not to his calling. Finally, this will I say, that the professors of either of those faculties come to such perfection in both universities as the best students beyond the sea do in their own or elsewhere. One thing only I mislike in them, and that is their usual going into Italy, from whence very few without special grace do return good men whatsoever they pretend of conference or practice, chiefly the physicians[155] who under pretence of seeking of foreign simples do oftentimes learn the framing of such compositions as were better unknown than practised, as I have heard often alleged, and therefore it is most true that Doctor Turner said: "Italy is not to be seen without a guide, that is, without special grace given from God, because of the licentious and corrupt behaviour of the people."

There is moreover in every house a master or provost, who has under him a president and certain censors or deans, appointed to look to the behaviour and manners of the students there, whom they punish very severely if they make any default, according to the quantity and quality of their trespass. And these are the usual names of governors in Cambridge. Howbeit in Oxford the heads of houses are now and then called presidents in respect of such bishops as are their visitors and founders. In each of these also they have one or more treasurers, whom they call bursarios or bursars, beside other officers whose charge is to see unto the welfare and maintenance of these houses. Over each university also there is a several chancellor, whose offices are perpetual, howbeit their substitutes, whom we call vice-chancellors, are changed every year, as are also the proctors, taskers, masters of the streets, and other officers, for the better maintenance of their policy and estate.

And thus much at this time of our two universities, in each of which I have received such degree as they have vouchsafed—rather of their favour than my desert—to yield and bestow upon me, and unto whose students I wish one thing, the execution whereof cannot be prejudicial to any that meaneth well, as I am resolutely persuaded, and the case now standeth in these our days. When any benefice therefor becometh void it were good that the patron did signify the vacation thereof to the bishop, and the bishop the act of the patron to one of the universities, with request that the vice-chancellor with his assistants might provide some such able man to succeed in the place as should by their judgment be meet to take the charge upon him. Certainly if this order were taken, then should the church be provided of good pastors, by whom God should be glorified, the universities better stored, the simoniacal practices of a number of patrons utterly abolished, and the people better trained to live in obedience toward God and their prince, which were a happier estate.

To these two also we may in like sort add the third, which is at London (serving only for such as study the laws of the realm) where there are sundry famous houses, of which three are called by the name of Inns of the Court, the rest of the Chancery, and all built before time for the furtherance and commodity of such as apply their minds to our common laws. Out of these also come many scholars of great fame, whereof the most part have heretofore been brought up in one of the aforesaid universities, and prove such commonly as in process of time rise up (only through their profound skill) to great honour in the commonwealth of England. They have also degrees of learning among themselves, and rules of discipline, under which they live most civilly in their houses, albeit that the younger of them abroad in the streets are scarcely able to be bridled by any good order at all. Certainly this error was wont also greatly to reign in Cambridge and Oxford, between the students and the burgesses; but, as it is well left in these two places, so in foreign countries it cannot yet be suppressed.

Besides these universities, also there are great number of grammar schools throughout the realm, and those very liberally endowed, for the better relief of poor scholars, so that there are not many corporate towns now under the Queen's dominion that have not one grammar school at the least, with a sufficient living for a master and usher appointed to the same.

There are in like manner divers collegiate churches, as Windsor, Winchester, Eton, Westminster (in which I was some time an unprofitable grammarian under the reverend father Master Nowell, now dean of Paul's), and in those a great number of poor scholars, daily maintained by the liberality of the founders, with meat, books, and apparel, from whence, after they have been well entered in the knowledge of the Latin and Greek tongues, and rules of versifying (the trial whereof is made by certain apposers yearly appointed to examine them), they are sent to certain special houses in each university, where they are received and trained up in the points of higher knowledge in their private halls, till they be adjudged meet to shew their face's in the schools as I have said already.

And thus much have I thought good to note of our universities, and likewise of colleges in the same, whose names I will also set down here, with those of their founders, to the end the zeal which they bare unto learning may appear, and their remembrance never perish from among the wise and learned.

 

OF THE COLLEGES OF CAMBRIDGE WITH THEIR FOUNDERS Years of the Foundation Colleges Founders 1546   1  Trinity College King Henry 8. 1441   2  The King's College King Henry 6, Edward 4, Henry 7, and Henry 8. 1511   3  St. John's Lady Margaret, grandmother to Henry 8. 1505   4  Christ's College King Henry 6 and the Lady Margaret aforesaid. 1446   5  The Queen's College Lady Margaret, wife to King Henry 6. 1496   6  Jesus College John Alcock, bishop of Ely. 1342   7  Bennet College The brethren of a Popish guild called Corporis Christi. 1343   8  Pembroke Hall Maria de Valentia, Countess of Pembroke. 1256   9  Peter College Hugh Balsham, bishop of Ely. 1348
1557 10  Gundewill and
Caius College Edmund Gundevill, parson of Terrington, and John Caius, doctor of physic. 1354 11  Trinity Hall William Bateman, bishop of Norwich. 1326 12  Clare Hall Richard Badow, chancellor of Cambridge. 1459 13  Catherine Hall Robert Woodlark, doctor of divinity. 1519 14  Magdalen College Edward, Duke of Buckingham, and Thomas, lord Audley. 1585 15  Emanuel College Sir Walter Mildmay, etc.

 

OF THE COLLEGES AT OXFORD Years of the Foundation Colleges Founders 1539   1  Christ's Church King Henry 8. 1459   2  Magdalen College William Wainfleet, first fellow of Merton College, then scholar at Winchester, and afterwards bishop there.[156] 1375   3 New College William Wickham, bishop of Winchester. 1276   4 Merton College Walter Merton, bishop of Rochester. 1437   5 All Souls' College Henry Chicheley, archbishop of Canterbury. 1516   6 Corpus Christi College Richard Fox, bishop of Winchester. 1430   7 Lincoln College Richard Fleming, bishop of Lincoln. 1323   8 Auriel College Adam Broune, almoner to Edward 2. 1340   9 The Queen's College R. Eglesfeld, chaplain to Philip, queen of England, wife to Edward 3. 1263 10  Balliol College John Balliol, king of Scotland. 1557 11  St. John's Sir Thomas White, knight. 1556 12  Trinity College Sir Thomas Pope, knight. 1316 13  Excester College Walter Stapleten, bishop of Excester. 1513 14  Brasen Nose William Smith, bishop of Lincoln. 1873 15  University College William, archdeacon of Duresine.   16  Gloucester College John Crifford, who made it a cell for thirteen monks.   17  St. Mary's College     18  Jesus College, now in hand Hugh ap Rice, doctor of the civil law.

There are also in Oxford certain hotels or halls which may right well be called by the names of colleges, if it were not that there is more liberty in them than is to be seen in the other. In my opinion the livers in these are very like to those that are of the inns in the chancery, their names also are these so far as I now remember: