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An Act concerning the severall corporations of the Universities of Oxford & Cambridge & the confirmation of the Charters Liberties & Privileges granted to either of them.

For the great love & fr{illeg}r that the Queens most excellent Majesty beareth towards her Highness Universities of Oxford & Cambridge & for the great zeal & care that the Lords & Commons of this present Parliament have for the maintenance of good & godly literature & the vertuous education of youth within either of the said Universities & to the intent that the ancient Privileges liberties & franchises of either of the said Universities heretofore printed ratified & confirmed by the Queens Highness & her most noble Progenitors may be had in greater estimation & be of greater force and strength for the better encrease of learning & the further suppressing of vice, Be it therefore enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that the Right honourable Robert Earl of Leicester now Chancellour of the said University of Oxford & his successors for ever & the masters & scholars of the same University of Oxford for the time being shall be incorporated & have a perpetuall succession in fact deed & name by the name of the Chancellour Masters & Scholars of the University of Oxford & that the same Chancellour Masters & Scholars of the same University of Oxford for the time being from henceforth by the name of Chancellour Master & Scolars of the University of Oxford & by none other name <1v> or names shall be called & named for evermore, & that they shall have a common seal to serve for their necessary causes touching & concerning the said Chancellour Masters & Scholars of the said University of Oxford & their succession. And likewise that the Right honourable Sir William Cecil Knight Baron of Burghley now Chancellour of the said University of Cambridge & his successors for ever & the Masters & Scholars of the same University of Cambridge for the time being shall be incorporated & have a perpetuall succession in fact deed & name by the name of the Chancellour Masters & scholars of the University of Cambridge. And that the same Chancellour Masters & Scholars of the said University of Cambridge for the time being from henceforth by the name of Chancellour Masters & Scholars of the said University of Cambridge & by none other name or names shall be called & named for evermore. And that they shall have a common seal to serve for their neceesary causes touching & concerning the said Chancellour Masters & Scholars of the said University of Cambridge & their successors. And further that as well the Chancellour Masters & Scholars of the said University of Oxford & their successors by the name of Chancellour Masters & scholars of the said University of Cambridge & their successors by the name of Chancellour Masters & scholars of the University of Cambridge may severally implead & be impleaded & sue & be sued for all manner of causes quarrells actions real personall & mixed of whatsoever kind quality or nature they be, & shall & may chalenge & demand all manner of liberties & franchises & also answer & defend themselves under & by the name aforesaid in the same causes quarrels & actions for every thing & things whatsoever for the profit & right of either of the aforesaid Universities to be done before any manner <2r> of judge either spirituall or Temporall in any Courts & places within the Queens Highness Dominions whatsoever they be. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid that the letters Patents of the Queens Highness most noble ffather King Henry the eighth made & granted to the Chancellour & scholars of the said University of Oxford bearing date the first day of April in the fourteenth year of his reign. And the letters Patents of the Queens Majesty that now is made & granted unto the Chancellour Master & scholars of the University of Oxford, bearing date the six & twentieth day of April in the third year of her Highness most gratious reign & also all other letters Patents by any of the Progenitors or Predecessors of the said sovereign being made to either of the said corporated bodies severally or to any of their Predecessors in either of the said Universities by whatsoever name or names the said Chancellour Masters & scholars of either of the said Universities have been or yet are named shal from henceforth be {illeg} in the law to all intents instructions & purposes. And the aforesaid now Chancellour Masters & scholars of either of the said Universities & their successors for evermore after according to the same words sentences & true meaning of every of the same Letters Patents as amply fully & largely as if the same Letters Patents were recited verbatim in this present Act of Parliament any thing to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. And furthermore be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that the Chancellour Master & Scholars of either of the said Universities severally & their successors for ever by the same name of Chancellour Masters & Scholars <2v> of either of the said Universities of Oxford & Cambridge shall & may severally have hold possesse enjoy & use to them & to their successors for ever more all manner of Mannours Lordships Rectories Parsonages Lands Tenements Rents Services, Annuities Advousens of Churches Possessions Pensions Portions & Hereditaments & all manner of liberties franchises immunities quietances & priviledges, view of ffrank pledge, Law days & all other things whatsoever they be which either of the said corporated bodies of either of the said Universities had held occupied or enjoyed or of right ought to have had used occupied & enjoyed at any time or times before the making of this Act of Parliament according to the true intent and meaning as well of the said Letter Patents made by the said noble Prince King Henry the eighth made & granted to the Chancellour & Scholars of the University of Oxford bearing date as is aforesaid as of the Letters Patents of the Queens Majesty made & granted unto the Chancellour Masters & Scholars of the University of Cambridge bearing date as aforesaid and as according to the true intent & meaning of all the other foresaid Letters Patents whatsoever any Statute or other thing or things whatsoever heretofore made or done to the contrary in any manner of wise notwithstanding And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that all manner of instruments Indentures Obligations Writings Obligatory & recognisances made & knowledged by any person or persons or body corporate to either of the said corporate bodies of either of the said Universities by what name or names soever the said Chancellour Masters & Scholars of either of the said Universities have been heretofore called in any of the said Instru <3r> ments Indentures Obligations Writings obligatory or recognizances shall be from henceforth available stand & continue of good perfect & full force & strength to the now Chancellour Masters & Scholars of either of the said Universities & to their successors to all intents constructions & purposes althô they or their predecessors or any of them in any of the said Instruments Indentures Obligations, writings obligatory or recognisances be named in any name contrary or divers to the name of the now Chancellour Masters & scholars of either of the said Universities. And be it also enacted by the authority aforesaid that as well the said Letters Patents of the Queens Highness said ffather King Henry the eighth bearing date as is before express'd made & granted to the said corporate body of the said University of Oxford as the Letters Patents of the Queens Majesty aforesaid granted to the Chancellour Masters & scholars of the University of Cambridg bearing date as aforesaid & all other Letters Patents by any of her Progenitors or Predecessors of her Highness & manner of liberties ffranchises immunities quietances & privileges Leets Lew days & other things whatsoever therein express'd given or granted to the said Chancellour Masters & shcolars of either of the said Universities or to any of their Predecessors of either of the said Universities in any of the said letters Patents be named be & by vertue of this present Act shall be from henceforth ratified stablished & confirmed unto the said Chancellour Masters & Scholars of either of the said Universities & to their <3v> successors for ever any Statute Law usage custome construction or other thing to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding saving to all & every person & persons & bodies politique & incorporate their heirs & successors & the heirs & successors of every of them other then to the Queens Majesty her heirs & successors all such rights tithes Interests Leases entries conditions charges & demands which they & every of them had might or should have had of in or to any of the Manours Lordships Rectories Parsonages Lands Tenements Rents Services Annuities Advowsons of Churches Pensions Portions Hereditaments & all other things in the said Letters patents or in any of them mentioned or comprised by reason of any right title charge interest or condition to them or any of them or to the ancestors or predecessors of them or any of them devolute or grown before the several dates of the same letters Patents or by reason of any gift grant demise or other Act or Acts at any time made or done between the said Chancellour Masters & scholars of either of the said Universities of Cambridge & Oxford or any of them & others by what name or names so ever the same were made or done. in like manner & form as they & every of them had or might have had the same before the making of this Act any thing to the contrary therein conteined notwithstanding. Provided always & be it enacted by the authority aforesaid That this Act or any thing therein conteined shall not extend to the prejudice or hurt of the liberties & privileges of right belonging to the Majors Bayliffs <4r> and Burgesses of the town of Cambridg & City of Oxford but that they the said Majors Bayliffs & Burgesses & every of them & their successors shall be & continue free in such sort & degree & enjoy such liberties freedoms & immunities as they or any of them lawfully may or might have done before the making of this present Act any thing contained in this present Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

© 2024 The Newton Project

Professor Rob Iliffe
Director, AHRC Newton Papers Project

Scott Mandelbrote,
Fellow & Perne librarian, Peterhouse, Cambridge

Faculty of History, George Street, Oxford, OX1 2RL - newtonproject@history.ox.ac.uk

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