\ 
1803.] 
and to leave others to reafon about them 
as they pleafe. 
LXXXIX.—=SCHOOLMEN. 
When Chriftianity firft vifited Cam- 
bridge is not very certain. An old Chro- 
nicler aflerts, that nine doétors and f{cho- 
lars of Cambridge were baptized into the 
Chriftian faith in the year,341 ; and that 
Chriflianity became the eftablifhed reli- 
gion about 130, when King Lucius, fent 
two Canrabrigians, Elwan and Medwin, 
to confult on the ecclefiaftical concerns of 
his kingdom; the Roman Bifhop, it is 
faid, fent over two preachers, Fagan and 
Damian, who formed the-Church of Eng- 
land after the model of Rome, fubftituting 
three archhifhops inftead of three arch- 
flamins, and twenty eight bifhops inftead 
of twenty-eight flamins, who had govern- 
ed their religion in its Pagan ftate. But 
leaving thefe uncertain hiltories to make 
their own way,’ fuffice itto fay, that Bri- 
fain was at an early period united to 
Rome ; confequently, the academical ccn- 
troverfies carried on through a long pe- 
riod of darknefs, would be on points con- 
cerning the. Romifh faith, variegated, 
however, by the metaphyfical difputes of 
the favourers of the renowned School. 
men, Dottors irrefragabilis, mirabilis, 
Sundatifinus, fubtilis,approbatus, refolutus, 
Jingularis, and profuadus, thofe polemi- 
cal digladiators, who,during the dark ages, 
divided and convulled all literary inftitu- 
tions ,— 
Que regio in terrjs veftri non plena laboris ? 
XC.——-LOLLARDS. 
Wickliffe, the celebrated prieft and re- 
former in the end of Edward III.’s 
reign, was not educated at Cambridge, 
but at Oxford ; in which Univerfity, being 
aman of diftinguifhed learning, he pof- 
fefled confiderable authority and influ- 
ence: but his doétrines foon made their 
way among all ranks of people ; and 
Cambridge, as may be fuppofed, was not 
behind-hand in given them a hearing: 
many of its members were foremott 
among Wickliffe’s advocates. But asthe 
Bollards (fo Wickliffe’s followers were 
called, from Lollardus, a German re- 
_former,) did not form themfelves into fo- 
cie ies, or churches, they were obliged to 
maintain their opinions privately, and in 
the hearing only of their particular confi- 
dents ; for befides the decree paffed in the 
fourth Council of Lateran, A.D. rars, 
«¢ That all-heretics fhould be delivered 
over to the civil magifirate to be burned,”’ 
there were particular Jaws made in Rich. 
¥i.c’s and Henry IV.’s_ reign, which 
_Mownrury Mac, No. 59. 
Cantabrigiana. 
225 
put them from under the King’s pro- 
tection, and left them at the mercy of the 
Spiritual Courts. We are not, therefore, 
to expect, under thefe circumftances, that 
Wickliffe’s dogtrines could be much agi« 
tated publicly at Cambridge. 
- This, however, we collect, that about 
the year 1401, Archbifhop Arundel, with 
his Commiffioners, viiited Cambridge, 
the Archbifhop perfonally the coileétive 
body of the Univerfity in congregation, 
his Commiffioners every private college. 
** One article of their inquiries was, whe- 
ther there be.any fufpeéted of Lollardifme, 
or any other heretical pravity 5”? and ten 
years after, Peter Harford was (according 
to Dr. Fuller, in his Hifttory of Cam- 
bridge,) ordered to abjure Wickliffe’s opi- 
nions in full congregation ; and about 20 
years after this, feveral Lollards, of Chef- 
terton, were obliged to abjure. One of 
the opinions of the latter heretics will ap- 
pear very fingular, which was, “ that 
priefts were incarnate devils.”” They had, 
no doubt, poor creatures, been well 
Jfiged with church-difcipline. 
An account of thefe latter, together 
with their opinions, was copied by a very 
induftrious inquirer into thefe matters, 
from the manufcript-regifter of Gray, 
Bifhop of Ely, dated 1457. 
During the reigns of Henry VIII. Ed. 
ward VI. Mary, and Elizabeth, the term 
Diffentient was varioufly applied: fome- 
times he diffents from the fupremacy of 
Henry and fome of his favourite doc- 
trines ; at other times he isa Proteftant, 
diffenting from Catholics; at others, a 
Catholic, diflenting from Proteftants.— 
The King, or Queen, for the time being, 
influenced college-matters, as well as the 
greater concerns of Church and State— 
Matters andFellows were either promoted, 
or difplaced, according to the religion of 
the fupreme Magifrate. 
XCI.—-E PiSCOPALIANS. 
During the civil commotions in this 
country, in Charles the Firft’s reign, 
Epifcopalians were diffentient againft the 
Parliament.. In the year 1641, the Maf. 
ters and Fellows of colleges fent their 
plate to the King, who was then at 
York. This was confidered by the Par- 
liament as an unlawful act in itfelf, and 
dangerous in its tendency. For this act 
three Doétors were imprifoned in the 
Tower; Dr. Beale, Matter of St. John’s, 
Dr. Martin, Matter of Queen’s, and.Dr. 
Hern, Mafter of Jefus. Dr. Richard 
Holefworth, alfo, the Vice-Chancelior, 
before the end of his year,was imprifoned, 
firft in Ely-houfe, and afterwards in the 
Gg Tower, 
