recorded in history: the poet himself awakens from his dreams, his love of quiet, and heavenly contemplations: Cowley and Gray have their charms, but they must attend on other occasions. O! Tu severi Religio loci, would not be a suitable motto even for a Universityhistory.

It was intended, agreeably to these views, after giving a general outline of the history of our University, to have selected, from the mass of materials, in different periods, some of the more striking incidents and public disputes, not as perceived merely in theological and political speculations, in which form they belong more immediately to our history of literature, but as exhibited in the examples of active spirits, disputing, enforcing old laws, or labouring after innovations: in short, of different classes of polemics, controversialists, oppugners, reformists, and of the University at large, as divided occasionally in the persons of its members into parties, by the clashing of opinion, and the mutual opposition of each other's measures.

But I must speak of these things in a very summary way, borrowing, for the most part, the words of the Monthly Magazine, where I have treated of them a little more at large, under the article, Dissentients a, a general word, chosen for convenience, and, indeed, I think, not unsuitable to the place.

a

Leaving uncertain histories to take their own course, suffice it to say, that Britain was, at an early period, united to Rome; consequently, the academical controversies, carried on through a long period, would be on the points of the Romish faith, variegated, at

a In the CANTABRIGIANA,

length, by the metaphysical disputes of the favourers of the renowned SCHOOLMEN, Doctors Subtilis, Profundus, Angelicus, irrefragabilis, mirabilis, approbatus, resolutus, singularis. For Scotus, Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, and others, each distinguished by his peculiar mode of reasoning or feeling, had his appropriate favourers. These polemical digladiators divided all literary institutions, each being reckoned heretic by some one or other.

Next succeeded the Lollards, the followers of Wickliffe, in Edward III.'s reign. Wickliffe, indeed, was of Oxford, but his doctrines soon reached Cambridge, and excited controversy in the University and neighbouring villages; for we find commissioners visiting every college in 1410, searching out these "heretical pravities;" and about forty years after, several Lollards of Chesterton were obliged to abjure. One of the opinions of the latter will appear very singular, "That priests were incarnate devils "."

b

During the reigns of Henry VIII. Edward VI. Mary, and Elizabeth, the term Dissentient may be variously applied. Sometimes he dissents from Henry, and some of his favourite doctrines; at other times, he is a PROTESTANT, dissenting from Catholics; at others, a CATHOLIC, dissenting from Protestants. Whichever way he moves, he is a comet, causing commotion. For the King or Queen, for the time being, influences college matters, as well as the concerns of church and

a And 11 Hen. IV. H. MS.

b An account of these latter, together with their opinions, was copied by an industrious inquirer into these matters, from the MS. Register of Gray, Bishop of Ely, dated 1457.

state: Masters and Fellows, as we have seen, and therefore say the less now, were either promoted or displaced, according to the religion of the supreme magistrate and we see at one time the Chancellor himself, as being a Papist, (I speak of Bishop Gardiner) confined in the Tower.

During the civil commotions in this country, in the time of the civil wars, EPISCOPALIANS were dissentient against the Parliament. All soon became confusion. Dr. Beale, Master of St. John's, Dr. Martin, Master of Queen's, and Dr. Sterne, Master of Jesus, were imprisoned four years in the Tower. Dr. Richard Holsworth, also, the Vice-chancellor, before the end of his year, was imprisoned, first in Ely House, and afterwards in the Tower and Dr. Cosins, Master of Peter House, Dr. Paske, Master of Clare Hall, Dr. Laney, Master of Pembroke, together with other Masters, almost all the Fellows, and many students, were removed from their respective colleges a

a.

The Act of Uniformity, passed in Charles the Second's reign, caused the clergy to fall into their ranks there, however, still continued some rebellious spirits, called PURITANS, who made warfare on the established church. They objected to it on account of the habits of the clergy, the surplice, tippet, and corner cap, together with the ring in marriage, the canons and ecclesiastical courts in general; all became the objects of their religious abhorrence. The different orders of the clergy, and the whole system of church-government, established in the preceding reigns, were, in like manner,

a Mr. Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy of the Church of England, p. 141, 2d part, and Querela Cantabrigiensis.