As Their Authority Is Distinct From The Town, So Are Their
Privileges, Customs, And Government; They Choose Representatives,
Or Members Of Parliament For Themselves, And The Town Does The Like
For Themselves, Also Apart.
The town is governed by a mayor and aldermen; the university by a
chancellor, and vice-chancellor, etc.
Though their dwellings are
mixed, and seem a little confused, their authority is not so; in
some cases the vice-chancellor may concern himself in the town, as
in searching houses for the scholars at improper hours, removing
scandalous women, and the like.
But as the colleges are many, and the gentlemen entertained in them
are a very great number, the trade of the town very much depends
upon them, and the tradesmen may justly be said to get their bread
by the colleges; and this is the surest hold the university may be
said to have of the townsmen, and by which they secure the
dependence of the town upon them, and consequently their
submission.
I remember some years ago a brewer, who being very rich and popular
in the town, and one of their magistrates, had in several things so
much opposed the university, and insulted their vice-chancellor, or
other heads of houses, that in short the university having no other
way to exert themselves, and show their resentment, they made a
bye-law or order among themselves, that for the future they would
not trade with him; and that none of the colleges, halls, etc.,
would take any more beer of him; and what followed? The man indeed
braved it out a while, but when he found he could not obtain a
revocation of the order, he was fain to leave off his brewhouse,
and if I remember right, quitted the town.
Thus I say, interest gives them authority; and there are abundance
of reasons why the town should not disoblige the university, as
there are some also on the other hand, why the university should
not differ to any extremity with the town; nor, such is their
prudence, do they let any disputes between them run up to any
extremities if they can avoid it. As for society; to any man who
is a lover of learning, or of learned men, here is the most
agreeable under heaven; nor is there any want of mirth and good
company of other kinds; but it is to the honour of the university
to say, that the governors so well understand their office, and the
governed their duty, that here is very little encouragement given
to those seminaries of crime, the assemblies, which are so much
boasted of in other places.
Again, as dancing, gaming, intriguing are the three principal
articles which recommend those assemblies; and that generally the
time for carrying on affairs of this kind is the night, and
sometimes all night, a time as unseasonable as scandalous; add to
this, that the orders of the university admit no such excesses; I
therefore say, as this is the case, it is to the honour of the
whole body of the university that no encouragement is given to them
here.
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