only power of visiting when called in, but once every three years without a call. Whereas by these statutes he has no power of visiting till called in, and that call is rendered so difficult as to leave him little more than a shadow of power. Privileges are such desirable things that they do not use to 5 be parted with without a reason; I can see only two reasons for this, expense to the college and trouble to the bishop. The expenses on the college side were usually high, for the bishop had vastly exceeded his appointments, and the good bishop had had so many uneasy journeys of 10 late from Ely to Cambridge, that he had reason to wish there might be fewer occasions for his coming hither. There was indeed one other reason, that the queen's power of visiting was then so constant that there was less need of a bishop of Ely.

15

Without this the visitor's power (I mean his power of coming in) is really too much limited, and in case of grievances there is scarce any possibility left of redress. For grievances (when any such are) will usually happen from the governors of the society, the inferior members 20 being subject to their government and punishable for any such irregularities as they shall be guilty of; but if the power of calling in the visitor be lodged in the same hands, they will hardly call in a visitor to redress such grievances as have been occasioned by themselves. Ac- 25 cordingly though it be now above a hundred years since these statutes were given, yet I know only of one visitation that has happened within the time, and that in a very singular instance and in a manner forced; where the master and seniors being complained of at court, they were 30 forced by a desperate remedy to take shelter under their visitor, to protect themselves from the complaints of the juniors.

The year after these statutes were given1, the master, in pursuance of a settlement made about the same time, 35 waited on my lord Burghley with the respects of the society and to preach the first course at Stamford (ever since continued by a fellow of the college), and made so

1 An. 23 Eliz.

good a court there that in two or three years after he was brought into my lord's neighbourhood and nearer acquaintance by being promoted to the see of Peterborough', wherein he succeeded Dr Scambler, a man that will never 5 be forgot in that see; and because the revenues of his church were much impaired, he was allowed to hold his mastership two years with his new preferment. My lord Burghley had made so free with that church that he had reason to wish to have a friend there that would give 10 him no uneasiness: how this man acquitted himself is beyond my purpose, but he continued in this church in the neighbourhood of Burghley all his days, being never removed to any higher station.

He was twice vice-chancellor of the university, which 15 shews him to have been a man of business. In his first year, an. 1578, he had an occasion offered him of advancing himself; for the queen in her progress this year having taken Walden in her way, a house belonging to the second son of the late duke of Norfolk, the vice20 chancellor3 with the heads and some of the body (by intimation from the chancellor) attended her majesty, and that in so extraordinary a manner as to make Walden a sort of university. The orator made a speech in the name of the body, and an act in philosophy was held 25 before her upon these questions:

Clementia magis in principe laudanda quam severitas.
Astra non imponunt necessitatem.

One Mr Fleming a noted disputant of King's college kept the act, and one Mr Palmer a known man of St 30 John's was one of his opponents, wherein he acquitted

1 Dr Goodman, dean of Westminster, my lord Burghley's particular friend, was then, viz. an. 1584, thought of for this bishopric. He refused the offer, I suppose because he did not like the conditions. V. Lit. B. and W. Whilst bishop there, he preached the funeral sermon of the queen of Scots, wherein he used more moderation than his

dean had done before him, for which as he was blamed by some zealots, so he was commended by men of more discretion. [The latter part of this note, from Whilst bishop to discretion is erased. Baker adds, This was done by the bishop of Lincoln.]

2 Regr. acad.

3

Regr. acad. MS. Tenison.

himself so well before the patron of Magdalene college, that he afterwards came to be master of that house. Dr * Bing master of Clare hall, who had kept the philosophy act when the queen was at Cambridge, determined the whole.

5

A comedy was afterwards exhibited before her majesty in a very solemn manner, the queen's music playing and the trumpets sounding between the acts.. In every thing my lord Burghley appeared and acted as chancellor of the university. The queen being presented with a Greek 10 Testament bound in vellum, the chancellor and several of the nobility with gloves, together with Mr Skinner instructor to Mr Cecil, and the music and trumpets being liberally rewarded (for there is £14. 9s. 2d. entered in Dr Howland's computus to that purpose), the vice-chan- 15 cellor and heads etc. returned to Cambridge, and the queen having ended her progress went on her way to London.

Of his second year's' vice-chancellorship I find nothing memorable, but that he was made bishop the same year, 20 the rewards of his first year's services being reserved for the second, and the chancellor being rewarded in his deputy.

He was born at Newport Ponds in Essex September an. 1540, was fellow of Peterhouse', thence removed to 25 Magdalene college an. 1575, and from thence to St John's an. 1577. That he had any other preferments is to me unknown, except the rectory of Statherne, whereunto he was presented by the master and fellows of Peterhouse upon the death of Ralph Aynsworth an. 1569.

He commenced D.D. an. 1578 whilst vice-chancellor, when by his office being obliged to moderate at the vespers of the commencement, a grace passed the house to enable him to wear a red cape and other doctoral

1 An. 1584.

2 Elected bishop Jan. 22, confirmed Febr. 6, consecrated Febr. 7 at Lambeth. Regr. Whitgift. 3 Parker, Exeλ. Cant.

4 Admissus socius coll. D. Petri

in locum magistri Geo. Acworth, Nov. 11 an. 1562. Regr. coll. Petr. 5 He was rector of Sibston com. Leicest, which he held in commendam.

6 Ut utatur capa rubea et aliis

30

ornaments whilst he moderated, notwithstanding the statute.

He died June 23 an. 1600, as appears from his own register1.

ornamentis doctoralibus non obstan

te statuto. Regr. acad. Jun. 18,

1578.

1

Regr. Howland. Dr Kennet.

WILLIAM WHITAKER SIXTEENTH MASTER,

ADMITTED FEBR. 25TH AN. 1586.

We now come to one who, though he never were a bishop, yet was one of the greatest men the college ever had. Dr Whitaker was (elected I cannot say, for the fellows chose another) but admitted at Trinity college1 by Dr Copcot vice-chancellor Febr. 25, 1586, or on St Mat- 5 thias' day, according to a manuscript note of Mr Bois, who gave his vote against him.

2

I never yet could learn who it was that opposed this great man in this election: I should suspect it to have been Mr Palmer, had he then been eligible by his standing, 10 being said in an authentic MS. to have been chosen master of St John's college; but he having not then been bachelor of divinity, it may perhaps with more probability be said to have been Andrew Downs, and the rather because Mr Bois gave his vote for him, which he would 15 hardly have done against Mr Whitaker for any one but him, that had been his constant assistant in his studies and instructor in the Greek tongue, then almost lost and forgot in this society, had it not been restored by Mr Downs: who leaving the house the same year that Dr Whitaker 20 came hither, and going to Trinity, and being chose Greek professor about the same time, this looks like some compensation made him for his disappointment, or as if there were somewhat that made him uneasy in his old college.

1 Admitted fellow of Trinity college Sept. 6, 1569.

2 MS. Tenison.

3 MS. Life of Mr Jo. Bois.