Page:A Catalogue of Graduates who have Proceeded to Degrees in the University of Dublin, vol. 1.djvu/38

xxxii INTRODUCTION. afterwards be stopped without any cause assigned ; and this in two different ways, either by the interposition of any one of the three members of the Caput, or by the votes of the majority of the Academic Senate ; whereas the Charter and authentic Sta- tutes, interpreting these Charters, refer the conclusive determi- nation of such matters to the Board."^ In addition to the considerations already adduced to show the futility of this " grand incongruity," it should be remarked that the Provost and Senior Fellows have reserved to them- selves the first veto upon Degrees, seeing that no Degree can be proposed to the Caput or to the Senate, which has not first been passed by them ; and so long as they retain this power, it is un- just to censure them for transferring their privilege " of confer- ring Degrees" to another body. They have done nothing of the sort : the right of conferring Degrees is not given to the Senatus Academicus, even if it ever belonged to the Board: if the Pro- vost and Senior Fellows withdraw from the meeting or withhold their consent, there is no power in their absence of conferring Degrees in the Senate, or transacting any other business. In no case can the Senate do more than express their dissent, which has no effect except a majority of that body concur in it. And even then the supplication for the Degree must be made three times, and three times refused (the third time to be deferred to a sub- sequent meeting). The vote of the Caput is a different thing, as the veto of an individual member can hinder the Degree being tutes of Charles I. it has been finally these words :—" Inter hos septem confirmed. The Junior Fellows were (quos solos proprio nomine Sociorum at first termed Socii Prohationarii ; in Charta fundationis accipiendos de- and were included by Provost Bedell cernimus) cooptentur," &c., and in in the statutable rank of the Scholars cap. v., headed — "De Scholaribus sive of Elizabeth's Charter, evidently to DIscipulIs," we have " Reliquum Col-' prevent the claim which the Junior legii Corpus scholaribus constat ; quo Fellows then made, owing to their nomine, turn Discipuli, tum Socii being called Fellows, of taking a part Juniores comprehenduntur." These in the government of the College, Statutes were sanctioned about 1628. making Statutes, &c. In Bedell's * Miller, Exmnin., p. 26. College Statutes (cap. vi.) we have