414 REFORM YOUR UNIVERSITY SYSTEM. 



a grace to the effect aforesaid ; and in due time to certify us of your performing 

 hereof, and the effect of the same. 



" Given under our signet at our palace at Westminster, the thirtieth day of 

 June, in the eleventh year of our reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of 

 Scotland, the six-and-fortieth."* 



It is not likely that, in those days, the senate of Cambridge would 

 have used much deliberation before they complied with the desires of a 

 King ; and accordingly we find that, on the 7th of July following, six 

 days after the date of the King's letter, the following grace passed the 

 senate : 



" Placet nobis ut juxta tenorem literarum,a serenissimo rege Jacobo missarum, 

 hoc in senatu decernetur, ut nullus in posterum sibi concessum habeat gratiam pro 

 gradu baccalaureatus in theologia, vel doctoratus in aliqua facilitate adipiscendo, 

 qui non prius coram domino procancellario, aut ejus deputato, tribus articulis, 

 nimirum regii primatus liturgiae Anglicanae, et articularum religionis dequibus 

 conveverunt archiepiscopi et episcopi anno Domini, 1562, manu sua subscripserit; 

 et ut hscc concessio vestra loco statuti habeatur, et in libris procuratorum infra 

 decem dies inscribatur ! !"f 



This grace, exacted subscription from bachelors in divinity, and doctors 

 in divinity, law, and physic. On the 3rd of December, 1616, three 

 years afterwards, King James sent a number of directions addressed to 

 the vice-chancellor and heads of houses, the first of which only applies 

 to our subject, and is as follows : 



" First, his Majesty signifieth his pleasure that he would have all that take any 

 degree in schools to subscribe to the three articles." f 



It does not appear that any grace was passed by the senate, as in the 

 former case, making this a law of the University. These " directions " 

 were accompanied by a letter from the Bishop of Winchester, which is 

 rather amusing, and is as follows : 



" To the right worshipful Mr. Dr. HILLES, master of Katherine Hall, and 

 Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge : 



" Good Mr. Vice-Chancellor, I have sent you his Majesty's hand to his own 

 directions. I think you have no precedent that ever a king, first with his own 

 mouth, then with his own hand, ever gave such directions. And therefore you 

 shall do very well to keep that writing curiously, and the directions religiously, 

 and to give his Majesty a good account of them carefully, which I pray God you 

 may. And so with my love to yourself and the rest of the heads, I commit you 

 to God. 



" From Court this 12th of December, 1616. 



" Your very loving Friend, 



JA. WINTON." 



How this ordinance of King James was received, does not appear. 

 It has not always, however, existed without opposition, for we find 

 that, in the year 1661, a complaint was made against the vice-chancellor 

 for stopping the degrees of fifty commencing bachelors of arts, who 

 refused to subscribe. 



" The present Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge, without any law of England, or 

 statute of the University, or canon, or any other colour of law, and especially con- 



* Statutes of the University of Cambridge, p. 279. 

 t Ib.,p.371. t lb., p. 282. Ib., p. 281. 



