and several others were Expelled as had been done in New-College And the Society of Magdalen College were so averse from the Roman Catholic Religion that not only they got neither Altar or Holy Vestments but none of the Fellows came to Mass and the very Clerks and Choristers would not perform their Offices so that the Visitors were forced to have all Holy Offices performed by their own Priests Ibid. fol. 13. b. they punished the Juniors that refused Punishments inflicted by the Visitors either with striking them out of Commons or Scourging them and one Aldworth Bachellor of Art for Contumelious Usage of Priests and coming in unseasonably to the Mass of the Exequies of King Henry the Sixth was Commanded that every Day he should be at Mass and kneeling at the South Pillar in the middle of the Church should perform his Prayers to the Example of others The same Commissioners found the President of Corpus Christi College Robert Morwent and the Senior Fellow Henry Walsh very observant Id. fol. 276. a. who brought to light the Holy Vestments Cushions Silver Vessels Candlestics and other Ornaments which they had hid in King Edward the Sixth's time and excepting John Juel after Bishop I find none left that College but from the other two besides the Fellows Ejected in Edward the Sixth's time about Eighteen or Twenty this Year and the next were removed §. 2. Cardinal Pools Visitation Anno 1556. Id. fol. 278. b. 3 4 Ph. Mar. Cardinal Pool appointed and entire Visitation of the University of Oxford and the Visitors were James Brooks Bishop of Gloucester Nicholas Ormanet of Padua in good esteem with Julius the Third Pix M. M. n. 22. and Dator to him or Marcellus the Second Henry Cole Doctor of Laws Provost of Eaton Robert Morwent Doctor in Divinity President of Corpus Christi College and Walter Wright Arch Deacon of Oxford These proceeded upon Thirty Two Questions Two Questions proposed by the Visitors First whether their Statutes were observed two of which were the most Material First Whether the Foundations Statutes and Laudable Customs of the University and of every College and Hall were observed by all and singular that were concerned and if it were answered Negatively they were required specially to express which were not observed and for what cause The Second was Second whether after the Reformation any things were used contrary to the Canons c. whether in the time of the Schism any thing was appointed or brought into use which was against the Ancient Canons or Ancient Foundations Statutes Privileges and Customs and to this if they Answered Affirmatively they were to express particularly what they were and for what cause §. 3. The Cardinal appoints Statutes The Visitors following the Example of those that Visited in King Edward the Sixths Reign purged out of all public Libraries all Books which maintained the Protestant Doctrin and those in private Libraries they burnt and either Punished or Expelled the Possessors In E. p. 38. They certified the Cardinal especially of the Defects of the University Statutes and he being Chancellor instead of Mason that laid down the Office sent a Book of Statutes to Mr. Raynolds the Vice-Chancellor and Commanded him that they might be in force till there being joyned with him some in every Faculty they might determin which were to be Antiquated and which to be retained which being so Revised had the Sanction of the Chancellor and Convocation which being strict against the Reformed drove many from the University Our Author Notes that the Lectures were less frequent in this Queens time as well as in King Edward the Sixths and fewer received Degrees which may be Imputed to the Changes made in Religion in their short Reigns but he saith the great care of the Magistrates of the Universities in this Queens Reign was to recover the profits of the Societies and to Repair their Buildings and the Schools In this Third and Fourth Year of King Philip and Queen Mary Cui Papa commisit Visitationem Reformationem Studiorum Generalium Cardinal Pool Visited the University of Cambridge as he was Legate to whom the Pope Committed the Visitation and Reformation of the Universities called General Studies This Visitation the Cardinal performed by Delegates and I find one Robert Brassy Master of Kings College urged that his House was wholly referved to the Discretion of the Bishop of Lincoln not only by the Kings Letters Patents Fox Acts and Monuments Vol. 3. p. 763.766 but also by the Grant of Confirmation of the Bishop of Rome himself under a Penalty if he should suffer any Stranger to Intermedle But the Commissioners Answered that they were fully Authorized for the Order of the matter by the Cardinal out of whose Jurisdiction no place nor person was Exempted So that tho' he persisted the next Day in his Allegation yet he and the Students submitted and were all Sworn and Examined to the Interrogatories propounded to them yet some of them Swore conditionally so as their Faith given to the College were not Impeached thereby Something like the Salvo of some Members of St. Mary Magdalen College that they would yield obedience saving the Right of Dr. Hough which was prudently denyed to be Admitted by the Lords Visitors I now pass to the Reign of Queen Elizabeth SECT III. The Visitations in Queen Elizabeths Reign §. 1. Queen Elizabeths Inhibition ANno 1559. Fol. 281. b. Queen Elizabeth intending to Visit the University of Oxford Writ to the Magistrates of the same not to Elect any heads of Houses Fellows Scholars c. forbidding them to proceed to the Election of any President Fellow or Scholar or of any Officer of the University and forbid all Alienations or Changes of Possessions and all other things to be done by the University except what was necessary for the Cultivating their Lands till the Visitation and this she did because some were so forward to begin a Restoring things to the condition they were in in King Edward the Sixth's time before her Order By which the Queens Authority and Circumspection are clearly discovered §. 2. Queen Elizabeth appoints Visitors After some few Months she appointed her Visitors Wood lib. 1. fol. 282. viz. Richard Cox Bishop of Ely John Williams Baron of Thame but he Died in October John Mason Kt. sometimes Fellow of All-Souls and several Years after Chancellor Thomas Benger Kt. William Kingsmyll Esq John Warner Custos of All-Souls College Walter Wright Doctor of Laws Arch-Deacon of Oxford John Watson Master of Arts Chancellor of St. Pauls London Robert Benger Esq c. to whom she Commands they should Act with all Humanity and abstain from all Roughness These Visitors coming to Oxford cast out of the Chappels of the Colleges and Parish Churches all things that related to Superstitious Worship as it was Styled that is the use of the Roman Worship recalled those that were banished or put out
the Regal only and that the Regal privileges should be sent to the King but the Episcopal and Papal should be kept but my Author thinks the last were also sent After this when any office in the University was void the King appointed the Successors so that it is found that even one of the Bedles was so placed This Instance doth sufficiently manifest the Kings absolute power over the Universities in taking into his hands at his pleasure all or any part of their privileges and restoring them when he thinks fit as he did these Anno 1541. 33 H. 8. The King (a) F. F. fol. 107.6 appointed Rules about the Election of the Proctors and ordered several other things relating to the better Governing of the University Anno 1543.35 H. 8. The King restores their privileges conditionally The King restored the Liberties to the University which he had retained from the Year 1522. yet so as the Vice-Chancellor Tresham entred into a Recognizance of 500 l. that the University should exercise none of the privileges granted Anno 1523. by the means of Cardinal Wolsey Thus I have given an Abridgment of what the Laborious Mr. Wood hath related concerning the Kings or Popes Grants of privileges to the University or what I have met with other where relating to this business and shall now proceed in my designed Method referring the Reader for later Charters to the Arcives of the University and the Act of Parliament for Incorporating both Oxford and Cambridge CHAP. IV. Concerning the Visitations of the Universities and particularly of that of Oxford SECT I. Concerning the Kings Supremacy and Power in Ecclesiastical Causes and Visitations §. 1. First what Authority the Kings of England used before the Reformation IT cannot be expected that I should discuss the Controversie here how far the Popes power was exercised in England in matters Ecclesiastical or in things to be done in Ordine ad Spiritualia The Curious may have recourse to the Learned Marca de Regno Sacerdotio the Concordata the Regalia of France and Sir Roger Twisdens Historical Vindication if he would be satisfied in the bundaries of the Ecclesiastical and Secular power ☞ It will be sufficient for my purpose to shew first that long before the Reformation several Kings of England permitted no Canons or Constitutions of the Church or Breves and Bulls of the Apostolic See to be executed here without their Allowance and that in several particulars wherein the Pope in other places by the Canons or the Plenitudo potestatis exercised a special Jurisdiction either some of our Ancientest Kings did the same or if they apprehended any diminution of their Crown or Dignity to attend their exercise by any power not derived from their selves they prohibited them ☞ And Secondly Secondly What power they have exercised since the Reformation That since the Supremacy hath been Established by Acts of Parliament in the Crown The Kings of England may according to the Laws in force not only exercise all the powers they could as Sovereign Princes but likewise whatever the Pope de Jure if not de facto could or did do in the outward Regiment of Ecclesiastical matters and consequently whatever was done in Visitations by the Authority of the Popes Metrpolitans or Dioecesan Bishops may now be done by the Kings of England as Supreme Ordinary §. 2. Before I enter upon this Subject I desire it may be noted These Instances are produced to Induce the Subjects obedience to the King whose Authority ought to be well considered that I bring not the Instances to induce a belief that the Popes according to the Canons of the Church did not oppose some of the practices of the Kings I mention But to shew how Incongruously the Fellows of St. Mary Magdalen College acted who knowing these things and that later Laws had devolved upon the King even the power of the Pope exercised here inforo externo should dispute the Kings Authority in a matter so manifestly appertaining to his Royal Dignity ☞ For Brevities sake I pass the Saxon times King William the 1st for the sure Establishing his Conquest is noted by Eadmerus (a) Histor novorum lib. 1. fol. 6. to which he adds de hujusmodi personis Episcopes Abbates alies principes per totam tenam Justituit de quibus Indignum Judicaretur si per omnia suis legibus non obedirent Idem to have Introduced the Norman usages of his Ancestors tho' he calls them new here Among which he reckons that none in his Dominions should own the Pope but by his Command nor receive his Letters unless shewed first to him and if the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury called and praesided in a General Council of the Bishops he allowed nothing to be appointed or forbid unless they were accommodated to his Will and were first ordained by him nor suffered any of his Barons or Officers to undergo any Ecclesiastical Censure but by his precepts So that I think it not so strange What King William Rufus did Upon the Shism none more fit then the King to resolve whom to adhere to that during the Schism his Son William Rufus claimed as other Princes did a Right to declare to which Pope he would adhere some consenting to Pope Vrban others to Clement Therefore the King demanded of Anselm from which of those Popes he would receive his Pall and the Arch-Bishop Answered him he would receive it from Pope Vrban But the King (a) Rex dixit illum prō Apostelico nondum accepisse nec suae vel paternae Consuetudinis eatenus extitisse ut praeter suam licentiam aut Electionem Aliquis in Regno Angliae Papam nominaret quicunque sibi hujus dignitatis Potestatem vellît praeripere Unum foret ac si coronam suam sibi conaretur Auferre Eadm fol. 25.47 told him that he had not yet received him for Pope nor had it been his or his Fathers Custom hitherto that any should be received as Pope in England without his Licence and Election and whoever would take from him this Power of his Dignity should be esteemed by him as one that endeavored to take from him his Crown And when Anselm Answered that he would not in any thing depart from obedience and subjection to Pope Vrban The King in great wrath protested (b) Nequaquam fidem quam sibi debebat simul Apostolicae sedis obedientiam contra suam voluntatem posse servari fol. 26. N. 1. None to go to Rome but with the Kings leave that the Arch-Bishop could not keep alike or together the Faith which he ought to the King and the obedience to the Apostolic See contrary to the Kings Will. When in the same Kings Reign the Arch-Bishop was sollicitous to have leave to go to Rome and Visit the Successor of St. Peter for the being better instructed in the Government of the Church He received Answer (c) Sed si Iverit pro certo noverit
deputed by him with power to determin the matters But these were received so sharply at Oxford that they could not exercise their Visitatorial Authority till the King sent his Breve or Writ (c) Chartophyl Civit. Oxon. to the Chancellor and Major to assist the Visitors in executing their Office by which at present things were quieted But it broke out again till by a second Visitation or Peculiar Mandate sent to the College Mr. Henry Whylefield the Provost Mr. William French Robert Lydeford and John Trevis Fellows were Expelled These by private consultation among themselves took away the Charters Books the Jewels Mony and other Goods of the College till the Chancellor and Proctors upon the Kings (a) Iussu Regio 13. R. 2. M. 40. Mandate caused them to be restored by Whitefield the Expelled to Thomas Carvel the new Provost But still all was not quiet those Expelled especially making disturbances therefore on the Seventh of February the King issued out his (b) Pat. 3 R. 2. par 2. M. 12. Letters Patents to Mr. Berton the Chancellor John Sherburn Thomas Swindon and Robert Bixy under the Great Seal to examin and determin the matters By this it appears What is to be Inferred from this that either by the Local Visitor or the Kings absolute Authority the Provost and several Fellows were Expelled That the King Commissionated some under the Broad Seal to hear and determin the matters which no doubt was by some one way and demonstrates the Kings absolute power in Expelling and by Commission determining matters in the University without other Visitations and we may note when ever the Visitations were performed by the Ordinary Visitors viz. The Arch-Bishop or Bishops it was about some things relating to their Function settled by the Canons and allowed by the Laws of the Land but still the last resort was made to the King besides his first giving leave as in many particulars is very clear §. 13. Arch-Bishop Courtneys Visitation Anno 1389. William Courtney Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Visited his Province and the Scholars were troubled (c) Walsingham Hist Angliaead Annu 1389. fol. 341. for that they had never seen nor heard such a Mandate of Visitation that both Exempted and not Exempted should be Visited Therefore the Black Monks urged their (d) These were the Black Monks of Gloucester College Exemptions and applyed themselves to the Abbots of Westminster and St. Albans who advissed them not to yield to the Arch-Bishops Visitation Wood Antiq. Oxon lib. 1. fol. 196 a. and Letters were sent from the Abbot of st Albans to the Arch-Bishop to desire him to desist to which the Arch Bishop replyed that saving the Right of his Church he would willingly do what he could for his special friend the Abbot but faid he could not any ways desist saving that Right from Visiting the Prior and Black Monks Studying in Oxford even tho' the (a) Etiamsi Rex Angliae pro praedictis Instaret King should intreat for them because they were a College and had a Prior and Chapter and lived in Common The Monk sent from St. Albans said they were not a College Non fuit ibi Collegium cum ibi morantes sigillum Commune non habent nec locus sit donatus Terr poralibus Spiritualibus c. for that they had not a Common Seal or were Endowed with Spiritualities or Temporalities and wanted many other things which were required to Constitute a College The Arch-Bishop Answered therefore he would Visit to enquire how it was with them Then the Monk reply'd if he came to Visit them he had no Jurisdiction to enquire of such things c By this appears what are of the Essence of a College and that in this Age Monks of several Orders had their Schools here â—nd yet were reckoned as Members of the Convent they were sent from rather than of any Incorporate Society of the University but only to Visit such as were not Exempt for those that were Exempt were Visitable in their proper Monasteries by the Arch-Bishop and so not to be Visited a second time To this Allegation the Arch-Bishop Answered that they were not Visited by him in their proper Monasteries for the Abbots excused them for that they were in the Schools therefore he would Visit them there And then a Monk and Lawyer who came with the Arch-Bishop willing to enlarge the Arch-Bishops Jurisdiction said that the Arch-Bishop might Visit even the Exempts (d) Exempti ibi ita sunt privilegiati quod ubicunque fuerint non sunt sub Jurisdistione alicujus Episcopi nisi Romani Pontificis vel Legati a Latere missi as long as they were in the Schools for that they were under the Jurisdiction of the Chancellor to this the Monk of St. Albans replyed that the Exempt are so privileged that wherever they were they might not be under the Jurisdiction of any Bishop unless of the Bishop of Rome or his Legate a Latere sent hither To which the Arch-Bishop said if it were so he neither could nor would molest them in any thing A while after Simon de Southerey presented himself to the Arch-Bishop in the Church of St. Fridiswyde whith all the Monks Exempt and not Exempt and the Arch-Bishop asked them if they submitted to his Visitation and it was answered that they came to obtain (a) Ad Captandam ejus Benevolentiam advenerunt his favor and the Arch Bishop told them that he excused them and never intended to burthen them so there was an end of this matter By all which it appears that the Dispute was about the privilege of Exemption But that the power of Metropolitical Visitation was allowed and that power was by the then Laws and is now derivative from the King. SECT III. Who Visited the Vniversity of Oxford after the 13th of King Richard the Seconds time to the beginning of King Henry the 8ths Reign §. 1. The King redresseth certain grievences complained of by both Universities HOw far the King Interested himself in Ordering the Affairs of the University appears in what King Richard the Second did Anno 1390. 14 Regni of which I shall give a short account The Fryers Preachers or Dominicans were complained of by both the Universities that several of them Students there declined the Examination of the University in order to the taking their Degrees and going beyond Sea obtained the Titles of Masters not without Infamy to the Brothers or Fryers and the great loss of the University Thereupon the King writes to the Prior Provincial and all the Priors in England ☞ That since the order (a) Ordo praedictus Institutus sit firmatus ad resistendum destruendum Haereses Errores contra legem divinam fidem Catholicam indies emergentes c. Claus 14. Ric. 2. M. 32. was Instituted to resist and destroy Heresies and Errors against the Divine Law and the Catholic Faith dayly springing up
Bishop Writes another Letter to the President Informing him of the Receipt of the Secretaries Letter and adds I continue in my former Opinion towards them to wit that I would be loth that they should be Expelled if by any means the Statutes may relieve them and therefore I require you Mr. President and the Fellows that you choose none now at the next Election into their Rooms Here Obedience is payed to the Secretaries Letter of advice but that their places may stand in the same Terms as they are till I may hear what by you and them may further be spoken and considered by the Statutes to the end the Statutes may be truly observed and in the mean season no Men be of that Calling wronged I have willed them to absent themselves from the next Election for good consideration and my hopes is that none of that Society will move any troubles in or about the Election for any matter now hanging in doubt and not decided for that will breed slander to the Calling and danger to themselves so he orders the President and others to attend him the First of August about the Controversie Dated at Losely the same day and Year with the former I have not found among these Papers what was the Issue of this great Controversie but from what doth appear make these following remarks §. 8. The first observable from these short Statutes Upon the whole matter we may observe First That these strict and Indispensable Statutes in former times as well as now and in all times to come have and will Create great troubles in this College unless there be in the Sovereign a Visitatorial as well as Dispensing Power to Terminate endless Quarrels when as in this Case both Parties shall insist upon Grammatical and Literal sense of the Statutes and tho' the Bishop of Winchestr hath a power of Interpretation yet he is so tyed up to the Literal and Grammatical sense that he must unavoidably be put some times to great streights to determin matters ☞ Secondly However Rigidly the Statutes seem to be worded yet none can Judge that the Kings Dispensing Power can be restrained since neither the Founder could so bind either his Sovereign or the Pope nor could any of those bind their Successors by any Charter or Grant from such inhaerent Prerogatives annexed to their very Offices as I shall make clear when I come to consider the Arguments used concerning the force of these Statutes ☞ Therefore Thirdly I rather Judge that the Founder as Entaylers of Estates upon their Posterity to preserve nodosam Aeternitatem often do had a great desire that his Statutes should be perpetually observed but he could not be supposed to have such an over weening Opinion of his own prudence but that some Cases might happen whereby the Kings of England might Judge it convenient to alter them so that I Reasonably think the utmost of his design and hopes might be that the Society it self should not have the power of altering them but to Exclude the Sovereign by their Prerogative or Acts of Parliament to Suspend alter or Abrogate them was as much beyond his power to enjoyn as it was vanity in him to presume would thereby be effected Fourthly In the Secretaries Letter we may observe that he threatens the Queens Authority if the Bishop of Winchester their Visitor would not do the Fellows Justice and in the Bishops Letter to the President he Suspends all those on both parties from giving their Voices in the next Election which must be a force upon the Statutes for Election if the Bishop could not Interpret their Statutes but in the Literal and Grammatical sense for it is very probable it might be known by a Literal and Grammatical sense whether they were Fellows or not and if they were Fellows the President was as much bound by Oath to Admit their Voices as they obliged to give them and if the persons excepted against were no Fellows then the Five were unlawfully Expelled and so ought to have had Voices so that whether way soever the matter were determined I cannot conceive the Statutes or Interpretation was Literally and Grammatically observed which is the great plea of the Magdalen Fellows §. 9. The Case of Mr. Wilson I shall now shew that in the Controversie about the matter of the Head of a single College the Queen appointed Commissioners in a summary way to determin it Anno 1577. 19 Regni The Case was this A Controversie arising betwixt William Wilson Bachellor of Divinity In the Paper Office Bundel Anno 1577. 19 Eliz. and Thomas Bishop of Lincoln for that the Bishop refused to Admit him as chosen Rector of Lincoln College in Oxford the said Wilson Appealed to Edmund Grindal Arch-Bishop of Canterbury whose Official Dr. Bartholomew Clerk Admonished and Commanded the Bishop to Admit him and that the Bishops Commissioners should not under the pain of contempt do any thing to the prejudice of the said Wilson and the Arch-Bishop committed the determining the matter to certain Commissioners And Thomas Underhil Proctor of the University protested against the Commissioners of the Arch Bishop as not competent Judges and that the Examination of the matter belonged to the Chancellor of the University Upon all which The Queen takes the Cause out of all their hands and Grants a Commission to the Bishop of London and Rochester Sir Christopher Wray Knight Chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir William Cordel Knight Master of the Rolls Thomas Wilson John Gibson and John Griffith Doctors of Law upon the Petition of Robert Earl of Leycester Chancellor the Doctors Masters and Scholars of the University of her certain knowledge and sole motion and of the plenitude of her power Commanding them Eight Seven Six Four Three or Two of them calling the Reverend Bishop of Lincoln and William Wilson in person and all others by Law to be called in General Summarily and in plain Form without noise and Form of Tryals only seeing to the truth of the thing and the Fact Summarie in plano sinc strepitu forma Judicii and attending solely the aequity by all Manners and Forms by which they can better and more efficaciously proceed in and upon the Truth of the Premisses according to the Privileges and Exemptions of the said University and in the Cause or Causes aforesaid with their Incidents Emerging Depending Annexed or Connexed whatsoever and to determin it with a due end removing all Appeals and Complaints Nullity and Petition whatsoever and notwithstanding any Statutes Canons and Customs on the contrary published or the Law Suit depending causing all that in the premisses they shall Ordain to be firmly observed by Lawful remedies of the Law. Dated the 23d of April the 19th of her Reign 1557. By this it is apparent that the Kings of England may Suspend the power of the Arch Bishop and of the Chancellor and Local Visitor and by Commission appoint others in a Summary way not according