May 2a, 1612 without a will, his next relations not agreeing about the division, his wealth became a rich booty to the men of the law. It has been said he intended to make the college his heir, I cannot contradict that report, but I have often observed that they that have 5 profited most by the college have done the least for it when they come to die, being willing, it seems, to make a gift of what they leave, rather than bestow it where it may be thought a debt. One thing was owing to his government, that puritan- 10 ism, that had taken such deep root, was now in great measure rooted out of the college; as may partly be gathered from bishop Williams', who was a young fellow under him and has left a youthful character of this master, part whereof is that names of distinction were banished under 15 him and that papist and puritan were no longer terms of distinction. The rest of the character is such as young men usually give their masters to whom they owe their preferment, or on whom they hold a dependance. His temper in this matter appeared further in the controversy 20 and censure of Barret and Baro', wherein he shewed himself no such favourer of the Calvinist opinions as were the rest of the heads; which procured him some respects from archbishop Whitgift, who wanted either light or zeal to keep pace and go along with the rigours of the zealous 25 heads of those times, and was forced to make use of Dr Clayton to qualify and abate their heat. He was (as has been said) a man of business, and had as much learning as his successor, somewhat whereof appeared in his having been pitched upon at the commence- 30 ment in 1587 to keep the act of B.D., when the questions3 he held were well enough chose, if they were as well defended. But it was not to his advantage that Dr Whitaker kept the act the same commencement. near £2000. Administration was first granted to Richard Smith of Lincoln; but these letters were revoked and afterwards granted to Jane Ashton widow, sister and nearest relation to the deceased R. C. Regr. Linc. [MS Baker, xxxviii. 312, 313.] 1 Life of Bp. Vaughan, MS. p. 30: Nec enim nunc (ut non ita dudum) nomina sortiuntur ut, si non (si diis placet) Catharista, ab illis continuo Papista censeantur. 2. MS. Whitgift, coll. Trin. Cant. 3 MS. Tenison. He has not (that I ever could meet with) left so much as one book to the library to preserve his memory, a usual respect even from those masters that have done least for the college. His predecessor has left that mark of respect, 5 though he had both less reason and much less abilities. After much solicitation £30 was recovered from his relations, his best bason' and ewer is said to have been promised, but it was carried off with the other rich booty, and such things, after they are once gone, do not usually return. ΙΟ 15 Bishop Neile, who was employed in preventing a mandate for his successor, as well as in giving directions for his funeral', ordered that it should be very sumptuous, and having heard that Dr Richardson was thought of to preach his funeral sermon, is so much concerned thereat, that rather than any but a St John's man should preach the sermon, undertakes that he himself (though indisposed) or Dr Barlow bishop of Lincoln should perform that office. But Dr Carey at the instance of the bishop was sent down by the king to do that duty, a fair intimation (without a 20 mandate) that he was designed to succeed him: a banquet was to be provided for all strangers and the whole house to exceed that night in some extraordinary manner. 1 Liter. inter arch. coll. 2 Bp. Neile's letter, dat. May 6th, 1612. 3 It was indeed sumptuous; the old court, gate-house and street as far as the rails do reach, the lower chapel, the hall, the gallery were all hung with blacks, as was likewise St Mary's church with blacks, escutcheons and verses. The heads and other doctors attended in their copes or robes, with regents and non-re gents in their habits, etc. Dr Carey preached the sermon at St Mary's; Mr Nethersole public orator made the oration, as Mr Cecil did at the college. All the college servants and some others had cloaks, and six poor men and as many women gowns, etc. All concluded with a costly banquet in the gallery. MS. [Printed in 'Communications made to Cambr. Ant. Soc.' ii. 139, 140.] OWEN GWYN EIGHTEENTH MASTER, ADMITTED MAY 16TH AN. 1612. DR CLAYTON having left the college in no very flourishing state of learning, they had no large choice amongst themselves; and yet Mr Senhouse was then member of the society, who though he was not thought of for master, in a few years after was esteemed worthy to be a bishop, and 5 the other competitors that were rejected came all of them afterwards to great preferments. The three great men most in view (for he that was chosen was not great) were Dr Morton dean of Winchester, Dr Carey master of Christ's and Dr Meriton then or lately fellow of Queens'. They were 10 all of them originally of St John's (Dr Carey1 had been twice chosen fellow in an unusual manner), but being then no gremials, nor very solicitous for a preferment they did not want, they were easily supplanted by a man of less worth, but of more intrigue and greater ambition. 15 This was Owen Gwyn (a name that adds no lustre to our annals), who by his interest in the seniors and his own and pupil's intrigues (who needs not be named) with the rest of the fellows was brought in master and admitted May 16th, 1612, to the great grief and with much reluctance of 201 most of the better sort of men, who would have consulted the honour and interest of the society in a nobler choice. 1 An. 1591, Mar. 26; an. 1599, Mar. 14. From that year the form of admission upon the register is in perpetuum socium, whereas before it was only admissus socius. 2 [See below, p. 201. 1. 17; Hacket's Life of Williams, i. 22.] When I reflect upon this and the two former elections, I cannot but sometimes wish that the choice of masters were in other hands, I mean the crown's. For to say nothing of the factions and divisions that might be avoided 5 by such a course, it is but too evident that the crown usually makes better masters than colleges choose: the one sends governors, the others choose such as will be governed, at least such with whom they can be easy, or that will not sit too hard upon them. And whoever impartially views 10 most of our elections, will I believe observe that good nature and a sociable temper are generally made the first ingredients in a master. This was the case of Mr Gwyn, who being an easy man and owing his preferment to men of ease, he gave himself 15 up to be governed by his electors, who were neither the best nor the wisest men of that society. Being head of his house, his ambition did not reach much further, he sits down and reposes himself amongst his seniors, and is much more concerned for the revenues than the government of 20 the college. The last master had a lease given him, this was continued and afterwards a better lease' bestowed upon this master, who by a due acknowledgement gives the seniors an option in their turns, so that in some years a good part of the fines and leases were cantoned out amongst 25 the seniors. This was growing up several years, till becoming very scandalous and it being impossible to gratify the pretensions and expectations of all the fellows, complaints at last broke out and a petition was preferred to the chancellor 30 against this and other irregularities by one Mr Downehale, who thought himself neglected or injured in his claim. The master and seniors screen themselves under the statutes protecting them from a visitor unless they should call him in, which under so much guilt they never intended. 35 to do. Mr Downhale was therefore put upon another course, of petitioning the chancellor and through him endeavouring to open his way to the king, and being a man. 1 Regr. decret.; liter. coll.; Dr. 2 Regr. liter.; liter. inter archiva Clayton had Clavering; Dr Gwyn chose Ridgwell Febr. 16, 1625. coll. of character and interest, having been chaplain to bishop Williams and particularly known to the chancellor the earl of Holland, he pushed the thing so home that the master and seniors were driven to their last refuge, to have recourse to the bishop of Ely their visitor,.which of 5 all things they would not otherwise have thought of. They had shewn' how they were inclined five or six years ago, when upon complaints from some of the fellows the bishop of Ely offering to interpose as visitor, they refused to admit him or to send a copy of their statutes, 10 though they were demanded. But being now struck by a higher power, they were all obedience to their visitor; and it was certainly their wisdom to submit themselves to a visitation by their own act, rather than appear where they were prosecuted as criminals at the suit of others. 15 It was their good fortune that the bishop of Ely Dr Buckridge was a quiet good man, then broken with age and infirmities, and more inclinable to restore peace to the college than to shew severity; who being satisfied with their submission, which was very humble, and with 20 doing right to the station he held, put a quiet end to that affair, rather by advice to the master and seniors to redress their irregularities, by suggesting the dangerous consequences, than by using his authority in doing it himself. 25 The bishop of Lincoln' seems to have been concerned in the affair by giving countenance to his chaplain, though we do not hear of him till the master and seniors were in their great distress; then (as nothing is more cowardly and creeping than guilt) they apply to him in a very 30 submissive manner, and make large apologies that they did not address him sooner upon their entrance upon that unfortunate business, as they softly style it. But that prelate knew how to distinguish betwixt a forced submission and a voluntary respect. All this did not happen at the same time, nor was 1 An. 1625, when they were protected by the lord keeper. 2 He had formerly, an. 1625, countenanced the master and se niors by advising them to bring the matter into chancery, where he as keeper was to appoint delegates. 35 |