INTRODUCTION. H -luctance to state the grounds of their resistance. They tell the Vice-Chancellor that they cannot willingly do anything in vio- lation of the Foundation Charters, or of the " Leges et C on- suetudines " of the University. By these they meant the Uni- versity Statutes, which were called on their title-page Leges sen Hegulce et Consuetudines, and to which the Vice-Provost owed his right to a veto.* But it will be observed that they call the Proctors and Bedell their officers, not the officers of the Vice- Chancellor, because the election of those officers was, by the Statutes of Charles, committed to the Provost and Senior Fel- lows. The Vice-Chancellor adjourned the Commencements, and conferred no Degrees. He was compelled to submit to the Vice-Provost's*^ view of the law, and his adjourning the Com- mencement was equivalent to an admission that he was wrong. The disturbances, however in the Senate, kept up for so many years, were most probably one cause of the agitation against the University Statutes, which then possibly began. It will be observed that in the foregoing narrative " the publick Registry of the University" is alluded to, and the " Sentence of Forbes's Degradation " proposed to be read. Hence it appears that the public Register*^ and other Books and records of the proceedings of the University were then in ' Dr. Miller seems to have over- which the Board were willing to re- looked this when he called this re- turn made known to him, he dis- ference to the Laws and Customs solved the Comitia without any at- of the University confused. It was tempt at punishing them. The only simply a reference to the University punishment was that inflicted on Statutes by quoting their title-page. the students, who were sent away
- If the word confusion is to be without their Degrees, although they
applied to any part of this transaction, had committed no fault, it seems to belong most properly to •= The Vice-Provost on this re-< the Vice-Chancellor's citation, calling markable occasion was Richard Bald- upon the Vice-Provost to return to win, who afterwards became Provost the Regent-house, sub poena juris et in 1717. — See Univ. Calendar, contemptus, without saying what this ^ In the College accounts for Sept. pcena was, and when his threat was 1609, we have this item : — For a book disregarded, and the conditions upon of Register of Matriculation into the
