IKTRODUCTION. xli Statutes, and which had probably been in use since the foundation of" the University. The power of the Senate is recognized by collecting their Placets. The Domiis Regentiiim is also mentioned, which recognizes the authority of the Regent Masters. The office of Bedell seems to have had more dignity than at present, and he is directed to speak words of which ^'- ad scrutinium' is now the only relic in existence. It is also to be observed, that if the date we have assigned to the paper be correct, these Com- mencements were held 27 years after the Statutes of Charles I. And yet the Provost and Senior Fellows do not appear to have supposed that by retaining the old University Statutes'they were in any way acting inconsistently with their new constitution, or rendering themselves liable to the serious accusations which Dr. Miller brings against them, of violating their Charter, transferring the powers given them by that Charter to another body, and enacting a code of statutes, rules, or consuetudines, in vain imi- tation of Cambridge, without any authority from the Crown. The Paper* is as follows : — " I. All the Doctors and Masters of the University are to meet here [i. e. in the College], hence to go formally in hoods
- There are difficulties, chiefly chro- 5th Jan., 1681. The difficulty is that
nological, in the Paper, which for theVice- Chancellor and the Bishop of some years led me to doubt its Meath are not spoken of as the same ; authenticity. I allude principally to the mention of a Pro-Yice-Chancel- the mention of the Bishop of Meath lor is probably a mistake. Another and the Earl of Ossory. If Henry difficulty is that no Earl of Ossory Jones was the Bishop of Meath al- appeal's in our books, as having taken luded to, he had been but just trans- a Degi-ee at Dublin, until 168 1. The lated to that see (1661, as Ware tells Paper, however, is evidently in a coe- us), and Jeremy Taylor could not val hand, and the difficulties alluded have succeeded as Vice- Chancellor in to may be accounted for by errors, 1660 (so dated in the University Ca- arising probably from carelessness, lendar), for he was not consecrated This carelessness is evident from its until 27th January, i66i. But be may being without date of day or year, have been made Vicc-Chancellor im- The Lord Lieutenant, too, is not mediately afterwards. Henry Jones named, nor is the Degree to which had been Bishop of Clogher, and died Lord Ossory was admitted mentioneiL
