for a good reason I cannot believe, because they had not then been worth their taking.

So far they had gone and so deep they were involved, that they seem to have been at a stand and did not well 5 know how to go further; but their last stores and funds being exhausted and their credit sunk, the master and brethren were dispersed, hospitality and the service of God (the two great ends of their institution) were equally neglected, and in effect the house was abandoned.

ΙΟ

This being the condition of the old house, in a manner dissolved already by its own crimes, the best thing that could be done for it was to dissolve it by authority, and to engraft a college upon the old stock, that might bring forth better fruit. The first thing to be had towards this 15 was the consent of the bishop of Ely, both as founder and diocesan; the present bishop was James Stanley, son of the late earl of Derby, who being son-in-law to the foundress, and probably promoted by her interest to that see (the worst thing she ever did), his consent was easily had. 20 The next thing to be procured was the king's licence, and this from her own son was as easily obtained: but before these could be had in due and legal form, the king dies, and ere much more could be done to purpose, the foundress (if she may be so styled before the founda25 tion) likewise dies, and had she not lodged this trust in faithful hands, this great and good design must have died with her.

She died, where she was buried, at Westminster, on the 29th of June, as noted in the college register and in 30 her epitaph composed by Erasmus, for the which he had a reward of twenty shillings, as it is entered in a computus or old book of accounts. Her funeral sermon was preached by bishop Fisher, containing a large character of that excellent person with a full narrative of her charities and 35 virtues that sermon is printed, though it be as scarce as MSS.; if ever it should be printed again (as it well deserves), there is a more perfect copy upon an old register amongst the archives of the college; for that which is lodged amongst our MSS. is more faulty than the printed 40 copy, as it must needs be, being only a transcript from the

print. To that sermon I shall refer for her character and virtues; or let her own works praise her in the gates.

One instance of her piety has been omitted by that worthy prelate; she was admitted into the fraternity of five several religious houses (if not more), Westminster, 5 Crowland', Durham, Winburn, and the Charter house at London; which in the strain of that age, as it entitled her to the prayers, so it gave her a share in the merits. and good works of all these societies. And for her chastity, as it was unspotted in her marriage, so some years 10 before her death she took upon her the vow of celibacy from bishop Fisher's hands, in a form yet extant upon our registers; the reason, I suppose, that her portraiture is usually taken and depicted with a veil and in the habit of a nun.

15

But she is gone, and we are now to turn our eyes and hopes upon her executors. She did indeed leave a will and lands in feoffment for the performance thereof3, and these very sufficient, had they been sufficiently secured against the next heir-at-law, the king her grandson: and 20 though her will (as far as appears) was undoubtedly good and duly attested, yet that part of it which concerned her foundation of a new college having been done by way of codicil, before that could be sealed, the good lady departed this life, and here was some ground for cavil.

25

This might have been more easily borne with, had they been sure of the old house, but that (as I said) was yet standing undissolved; so that all that had been done. towards it was to begin anew with less power and under greater disadvantages. King Henry the Seventh was now 30 wanting; the king reigning, as he had not the same ties of duty and affection, so he was under no obligation to make good his father's promises; and having an eye upon the estate, he had no very strong inclination to favour a design. that must swallow up a part of his inheritance. The 35 bishop of Ely, who was easy and complying enough whilst the foundress was living, she being gone, begun to shew

1 Hist. Croyland continuat. pag. 519, 549, &c.

2 Extat litera fraternitatis sive

sororitatis dat. an. 1502 in regro
Dunelm.

3 Liber rub.

1

his nature, and was full of difficulties and withheld his consent for half a year, for reasons that are not to be named.

The truth of it is, his first business ought to have been 5 to have visited and reformed the house, and to have prevented those enormities that occasioned its dissolution; not having done this, but having rather countenanced their looseness by his ill example, it is no wonder if he had some tenderness and feeling of the infirmities of his bre10 thren, or were unwilling to consent to a thing that so plainly reproached him with his own great neglect or with his worse example.

Great application was to be made both at court and at Ely, and (because the pope's bulls were thought necessary) 15 at Rome likewise, where delays are usual, and where Julius the Second being then pope, nothing was to be done without address and management and without all the other requisites to expedite such an affair. The expenses of the bulls are put down upon the executor's 20 accounts (signed and allowed by Polydore Vergil), which are very high for a thing so much in course, and of no greater consequence than the dissolving of an old ruinous house, that might have been done without asking his leave, had it been thought expedient: and yet when the bull 25 came, it was found defective and was to be renewed at a new expense and with no less trouble; though this expense was not lost, for when the decretory bull was sent2, it was a very powerful one (for this pope was a son of thunder); it struck the old house at one blow, did both dissolve and 30 build alone, without consent either of the king or of the bishop of Ely.

For after he had set forth the desolation of the house in a manner more dismal and melancholy than it really was, he dissolves' and extinguisheth the old house, and 35 erects and institutes a new college pro magistro et quinquaginta clericis, and annexes and unites to the college so

1 Computus expeditionis bullæ pro erectione coll. Sti. Joh. Cant. in toto £148. 128. 4d. Item pro bulla rescripta de novo bis emendata

£13. 128. Item pro duobus Brevibus Apostol. etc.

2 Dat. 8°. Cal. Jul. an. 1510. 3 Ex archivis.

erected all the lands, etc. of the house, diocesani loci et cujusvis alterius licentia super hoc minime requisita; and he empowers the bishops of Lincoln and Norwich, or either of them, to execute his decree and to coerce with censures all such as should contradict it, invocato etiam, si opus 5 fuerit, brachio seculari; and he grants his new college the same privileges with any other college, and reserves a convenient pension to two brethren of the house; for by his account there was no master, and only two brethren left.

Whatever other faults this pope or his bull might be 10 guilty of, it was certainly of great use to the affairs of the college; for the king's licence having been granted before (though the pope takes no notice of it, nor thought it necessary), the bishop of Ely, who as yet only had given his consent by halves, if he opposed or contradicted in any- 15 thing, was subjected to the censures of the bishops of Lincoln and Norwich by the pope's authority.

The king's licence' was granted Aug. 7 an. regn. 1mo. It likewise sets forth the desolate state and condition of the house, though not in so dismal a manner,—gives leave 20 to the executors upon its suppression to convert it into a college unius magistri ac sociorum et scholarium ad numerum 50 vel circa, in scientiis liberalibus, jure civili et canonico et theologia studentium-to be called St John's college; to unite, incorporate and annex all the lands of 25 the old house to the college so erected; and further grants leave to the college, when erected, to hold £50 per annum over and above the lands of the house, the statute of mortmain notwithstanding.

To do all right to the foundress, this licence was 30 granted at her request (though now deceased) as well as of her executors, for there is an old draft or original of the king's licence signed Henry, but not sealed, whereto is prefixed the petition of his humble graunt dame, in a form there put down so it seems her petition was either pre- 35 ferred, or left to be preferred after her death; and the king's licence under seal refers to her petition.

The king's licence having passed, the bishop of Ely had some reason to be more complying: there are three

grants of that bishop at three different times, which, had he been well inclined to the design, might I suppose have been done in one. And therefore, what might have been done by him, I shall so far take leave to do for him as to 5 lay two of them together. His first grant' is dated March 7, 1509 (after the king's licence, and before the papal bull came), whereby he first makes conditions for himself and successors, by reserving to himself a power of naming three persons during his life, and to his successors a power 10 of naming one, to be elected fellows of the college', si habiles et idonei sint, a clog that yet remains upon the society: and then grants that the college when erected shall enjoy the jewels, goods, etc. belonging to the house, and obliges himself that, the papal bull being first had, he would give leave 15 and allow the house, etc. to be incorporated to the college. This was confirmed by the prior and convent March 12th. And he empowered Richard Wiot S.T.P. master of Christ's college, John Fotehede B.D. and William Thornborough to take a full and perfect inventory of all the jewels, muni20 ments and other moveables of the house, and to have them in safe custody, till the college should be erected.

We see nothing could be done effectually without the pope's bulls; when these came, the bishop of Ely passes another grant dat. Decembr. ult. an. reg. H. 8vi. 2do, (con25 firmed by the prior and convent Jan. 5 an. 1510) whereby he conveys over to the executors all the site and mansion, and all the houses, churches, chapels and edifices belonging to the house, together with all manors, lands, rents, tenements and other possessions appertaining thereunto, and all his 30 right as founder in the same: which house, being suppressed, dissolved and extinguished by apostolical authority, by the king's licence and by his consent, devolving to him as founder, being of the foundation of him and his predecessors, he grants to them to the end and intention that 35 they might change, found, create and erect it into a college of secular students, to endure for ever: ordinary jurisdiction always reserved to him and his successors. And he appoints and constitutes Richard Henrison, clerk, and others 2 Instrum. original.

1 Inter archiva.

3 Ex instrumento originali.