to part with old foundations, however weak, rotten, and obnoxious to the enemy.
But I have not mention'd the moſt abſurd thing in matriculation yet. The ſtatute ſays, if the perſon to be matriculated is ſixteen years of age, he muſt ſubſcribe the thirty-nine articles, and take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, as alſo an oath of fidelity to the university: but, if the perſon is not ſixteen years of age, and above twelve, then he is only to ſubſcribe the thirty-nine articles.
What a pack of conjurers were our forefathers! to diſqualify a perſon to make a plain ſimple promiſe to obey his King, until he is ſixteen years of age, which a child of ſix is able to do; and at the ſame time ſuppoſe him capable, at twelve years of age, to ſubſcribe thirty-nine articles of religion, which a man of threeſcore, with all his experience, learning, and application, finds ſo hard to underſtand!--- I wonder they did not command us to teach our children logick and mathematicks, before they have learn'd to read.
It is hardly worth mentioning, amongſt all theſe abſurdities, that by this ſtatute many perſons avoid taking the oaths of allegiance and ſupremacy at all; for being, or pretending to be, under ſixteen when they are matriculated, they are excuſed from it at that time; and I never heard that any body was ever call'd upon afterwards to take them, unleſs they take a degree; but how many are there who ſtay many years at Oxford, without taking any degree?
From ſuch an initiation it is no wonder that we have ſuch proficients, a Race of profligate unprincipled men: inſincerity and immorality are the firſt rudiments of their education; they are train'd up and tutor'd in the arts of deceiving, and of being deceived; they are oblig'd to ſwear to ſtatutes which they never ſaw, and to ſubſcribe doctrines which they cannot underſtand, in order to ſear their young
