60 JEROME CARDAN. 



university building. After the year 1550 an union was 

 effected, and the university was governed by one rector, 

 chosen alternately, if possible, from among the artists and 

 the lawyers 1 . It was not possible always to maintain a 

 strict rotation ; it was even sometimes necessary to look 

 abroad for a man "illustrious, provident, eloquent, and 

 rich," by whose munificence the university could profit. 

 The rector was, indeed, the chief magistrate of the 

 university, who decided judicially disputes among the 

 students and professors on fixed court days, who over- 

 looked the working of the entire system, and saw that the 

 teachers did their duty properly; but his administrative 

 labours were lightened by the aid of a pro-rector, who did 

 the real work, while of the rector himself no more was 

 required than to be munificent. Scholars who would be 

 dukes hereafter were the men thought most proper for the 

 office. So indeed they were, for often rich men, daunted 

 by the heavy demand made by it upon their purses, used 

 the right of refusal granted to them. In the next century 

 the rectorate was shunned so universally, that the office 

 ceased almost wholly, the chief dignitary being the pro- 

 rector, of whom work was required rather than money. 



For seven years before the year 1515, wars in the 

 district had caused the closing of the University of Padua. 



1 Papadopoli Hist. Gymn. Pat. Lib. i. cap. v. p. 7, for preceding de- 

 tails. Tomasini, Lib. i. ch. xix. to xxii. for those next following. 



