Page:History of england froude.djvu/296

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274
REIGN OF HENRY THE EIGHTH
[ch. 3.

tribute only to disloyalty or to some other unworthy feeling; and therefore, while he directed the Convocation, 'giving no credence to sinister persuasions, to show and declare their just and true learning in his cause,' he was able to dwell upon the answer which he expected from them, as a plain matter of duty; and obviously as not admitting of any uncertainty whatever. 'We will and command you,' he said, 'that ye, not leaning to wilful and sinister opinions of your own several minds, considering that we be your sovereign liege lord [and] totally giving your time, mind, and affections to the true overtures of divine learning in this behalf, do show and declare your true and just learning in the said cause, like as ye will abide by: wherein ye shall not only please Almighty God, but also us your liege lord. And we, for your so doing, shall be to you and to our University there so good and gracious a lord for the same, as ye shall perceive it well done in your well fortune to come. And in case you do not uprightly, according to divine learning, handle yourselves herein, ye may be assured that we, not without great cause, shall so quickly and sharply look to your unnatural misdemeanour herein, that it shall not be to your quietness and ease hereafter.'[1] The admonitory clauses were sufficiently clear; they were scarcely needed, however, by the older members of the University. An enlarged experience of the world which years, at Oxford as well as elsewhere, had not failed to bring with them, a just ap-

  1. Burnet, Collectanea, p. 429.