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telling them that Englishmen were to be entertain'd in the English tongue, and so with some few words answerable to this latter part of his auditory, he shut his mouth, and the rout came back with open mouth, that they had often seen Sir Cranion, or the fly at Whitsuntide, fetched in by the cookes of Oxon with much more grace and solemnity.

"On Wednesday his lordship was brought to the convocation-house, his five staffe-less beadles preceding him with empty hands, and five visitours with empty heads, pursuing his honour; it is agreed these latter were empty heads, but it was discovered by a secret spy, that Langley a broken tqilour, who first led the beadles without staves, had a needle in his hand, which he bore (they say) as ensigne that the visitours were now come, who meant to botch up the university, or otherwise, as the onely proof that these men were the fellows indeed, who were like to make good the Latin proverb rem acu tange, and to put out the eye of the university with their needle.

"On Thursday his lordship went to diverse calleges with these nothings before and behind him : who to make themselves passe for something, had joyned to them a torn-breech'd smith, with a Cyclopian sledge or hammer: and that was the thing that made the terrible noise, and proclaimed those visitors what they are, the enemies to all doores, which might keep in sober men and students. This Magdalen College, All Souls, and Trinity College were made sensible of, whose doors being broken down to the ground, were made the only things pertaining to learning, which fell down and worshipped these, those, those, &c.

"On Friday his lordship went out of town, not one beggar retarding his passage with a breath to beg for, an almes: some unhappy Jacks have collected, that either the poor were very glad to be rid of their new Chancellour, or otherwise they had resolved to take almnes at no hand, but from whence they might likewise hope for a blessing. The Chancellour being departed, the younger Fry spend their mouths and judgments upon him, that he came in to town like a botcher, proceeded to knock down learning like a butcher, and went out like a pinch-penny ż but these were the extravagancies of younger, and wilder fancies: the more authentick and sober men were very sparing of their words, but sure they payd it with thinking: yet some of them were heard to say at a close meet

ing, that it was a marvellous condescension for a gentleman of so noble birth, and so much honour, to be led up and down the city in the execution of a petty constable's office, for the breaking open of gates and doors, according as a company of cock-brain'd men, a medly or composition of fooles, knaves, and madmen should direct him. How say you? Is not your mother the university in a ready way to become a famous and glorious university, just after the same manner, as her foster father hath been made a most famous and glorious king.

"Upon Thursday night last the visitors came into Brasen-Nose College, went into the hall, caused the order from the Committee above to be read, wherein it was declared that Dr. Ratcliffe was thought guilty by the Commons of high contempt of parliament, and thereupon resolved, that he should be removed from being principal, and Mr. Greenwood should be made principal in his place. The visitors without more adoe (Dr. Ratcliffe the principal remaining in full possession, and his place being never declared actually void) put Mr. Greenwood into possession: but you must not call this an error among them, with whom it ever hath passed currant, that the house which they have a mind unto, admitteth not of the distinction of plena and vacua, voidable and voyded: but is as pervious to these men, as is the aire to a celestial body, or the light. Well Sir the Earl of Pembroke telleth Mr. Greenwood out of the un-erring chaire, which ruleth at the high masse at Brasen-Nose, that he was principal. And Mr. Cheynel immediately telleth my lord, that he must now rise out of the chair, and give Mr. Greenwood the place; the first precedent that any called Chancellour gave way to any in the university. But the headie Cheynell would have it so, and the good dutiful lord obeyed, and came out of the chaire, and set Mr. Greenwood in it; and then Mr. Greenwood came out, and both of them together went out of the colledge, so they were in and out, and out and in, and out throughout.

"Dr. Bailie of St. John's had some fair play for his presidentship; but little better success: he met the blow which was to smite him beside his headship, in the qua drangle; and so was taken by the Earl of Pembroke, and the visitors into the colledge hall, and admitted to hear his doome, the fatal and irrespective decree of the committee, which condemneth and executeth before men Vol. IX. Churchm Mag. Sept. 1805. E e

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"Mutatis mutandis, names and the like, what was read at other colledges was repeated at St. John's, and the doctor required by the E. of Pembroke to put in his answer, which was as soon' done as demanded. The doctor instantly replying, that he conceived the honourable houses of parliament had never either seen or heard the answer, which he had formerly in writing given up unto the pretending visitors of Oxford. His reason this; for that he had humbly presented in that paper eight several clauses of statue, which bound him by a corporal oath, and the rest of the fellows of that colledge, to admit of no other visitors under pain of perjury, and expul sion from the colledge for ever, than the visitor precisely named in the statute. The words running all along, nulli alii, nec aliis sub pœnâ perjurii, & Amotionis perpetuæ ne admittant, with exception against quemcunque & quoscunque, alium, vel alios, intra vel extra Collegium, tacite vel expressè, sed eis resistam expresse, &c. and more, as my curiosity hath since been witness of: I prevailing with a fellow of that house to shew me the answer which the doctor put in to the visitors, whereof he had a copy, whereto the doctor further added, that in the answer returned by him to the visitors, he had humbly besought them so far to mediate with the parliament, in behalf of himself and his college, and that he and they might be referred for strict examination, upon any accusation com menced against them, unto any court of justice of the kingdome, and be any other ways most strictly sifted and adjudged, save only by this course in present propounded; which upon their entertainment of it, manifestly involved them in perjury; and for this one very act of submission rendred them so obnoxious, that if no other argument of offence could possibly be made good against them, yet these visitors might have recourse to this act of their submission, and for this, justly accuse, convince and condemn them of perjury, aud accordingly statutably move and expell them for ever out of their colledges.

This first reply of the doctor's was received by the carle with this answer, that the commissioners above had interpreted him guilty of high contempt, and for an aljunct, avoiding this first reply of the doctor's, it was avouched by Mr. Wilkinson, that the committee above had seen or heard his answer, which made some of us

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who stood by, somewhat to wonder at the acuteness of the committee, who out of a man's tendernesse not to be perjured, and his voluntary provocation to be tried by any publick course of law in the kingdome, should extract the guilt of high contempt against the authority of par liament. But the doctor easily waved this first plea, and upon the earle's allegation of the committee's judgment, being by the earle urged to further answer; then openly called to his lordship and the whole company of some hundreds present to witness, that however the committee was pleased to interpret him, and his past words or deeds, that he took God to witness, that he was most ready to submit to all authority: and in the present, and heretofore he is, and had been ready to submit unto the orders of this parliament in all things which consisted with the safety of his conscience, and livelihood; for the rationality whereof, he first referred to the law of God and his Son Christ, and for the other, to the law of nature and this kingdom.

And here he took the liberty to enlarge himself, that the things he craved were first the liberty of a Christian, that he might not be forced to doe any thing contrary to the law of God, and his Son Christ, particu larly, that he might not be forced to forswear himself. 2dly, The liberty of a freeborn subject granted in Magna Charta by H. III. received by Ed. III. continued by all parliaments since H. III. and more precisely renewed in the third of King Charles, where his lordship thought fit to crave the same by himself from the king, to grant it to other subjects, as a peere and member of that parliament.

"The doctor to bring himselfe, and his discourse home to the business in agitation, observed, that there were two things punctually required of him in the present visitation. First, that he should submit to the visitors, the second, that he should for non submitting divest himself of all emoluments, and remove himself out of the college; to each of which he resisted in order; first, that by the first, he must be forced to involve himself in perjury; and for that he plainly profest, that no authority under the sun should prevail with him so to doe, and thereby to lose the liberty of a Christian, and incur the main hazard of his soul. For the other he appealed to his lordship, and all the bystanders, whether it could be adjudged reasonable, that he should lend an arme or

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knife to the cutting of his own throat? Divers other things were alledged by the doctor, which though they had no present answer, yet they obtained promise of answer from. some lawyer present, when they should come again to visit: that is, when the doctor shall be absolutely turned out and not there to reply. His lordship for conclusion vouched a saying of the old Lord Burleigh's, that a parliament could doe any thing, but turn a man into a woman, and a woman to a man. Whereat the Westminsters who know Hide-Park, and Spring Garden, and that my lord had in his younger days made that easy enough, laughed in their sleeves: and the company were now to wait on his lordship unto the president's lodging, where he intended formally to dispossess the doctor, and induct Mr. Cheynell. In the hall were the doctor's wife and children, on whom Sir Nath. Brent was pleased to cast a favourable eye, and drawing towards Mrs. Baily, while the doctor was talking with my lord, moved her to accept of a fortnight for removal of her sick children and goods; she replied, less than a month would not suffice. The lord overhearing the discourse interposed, and after some words used by his lordship to Mrs. Baily, professed to the doctor, that he was willing to yield him any favour, and would consider with the visiters what might be done for him: the doctor civilly acknowledged, his lordship's proneness to favour him, but in this particular he renounced favour, and professed, that he only expected justice. The lord replied, he must turn the doctor out, and give Mr. Cheynel possession; the doctor replied, he might use his pleasure, but he hoped his lordship did not expect, that he could, or would contribute to his own prejudice. Much prate there was, but in fine, they left the doctor without a formal voidance, and with some shew, that a month should be indulged for the removal of his goods, and we conceive it might be so,

"Yet since we hear, that the visitors have agreed, and will print the same, that Dr. Baily, upon condition of compliance with Mr. Cheynell, and the like, shall enjoy part of his lodging for a month, being deprived of all other emoluments. How the doctor will bear this, (whom we know to be of a natural stoutness, and well setled upon his principles) we know not; but we think him very much mistaken by the visitors, who put him to stoop to one so much below him; and to derive his water fropi a stinking channell; as yet he is in the colledge,

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