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and his wishes to one, and only one, ob- CHAP. ject; namely, that the power of electing and appointing their own president from 1640. their own body, according to the following design of the house of commons of Ireland in one thousand fix hundred and forty, should be vefted by act of parliament in the fellows of the university of Dublin, conformable to the design of their foundress, to the advice of archbishop Ufher, to the benevolent and munificent defign of queen Elizabeth, and according to the terms of their original charter.

The State of the Cafe of the College of Dublin for fo much as it hath been reported to the Houfe for the Grievances thereof.

QUEEN ELIZABETH, by a charter dated the thirty-fourth year of her reign, in these words, pro ea cura quam de juventute regni noftri Hibernia pie et liberaliter erudienda fingularem habemus, &c. on the fupplication E 2 made

CHAP. made by Henry Usher *, in the name of the

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ཁ་བཤད༽ སྤྱ citizens of Dublin, did erect and found the 1640. college near Dublin to be a college and uni

verfity, per nomen præpofiti, fociorum, & fcholarium collegii Sanctæ Trinitatis, reginæ Elizabetha juxta Dublin.

And, among other things, gave them power by that charter of electing their provoft when voidances fhould happen of that place; and alfo power of making laws and ftatutes for the better government of that college, to be made by the provoft and fellows of that college.

And likewise appointed them thereby vifitors, viz. the chancellor or vice chancellor of the university, the archbishop of Dublin, the bishop of Meath, the vice treasurer, the treasurer at war, the lord chief justice of his majefty's court of Chief Place, and the mayor of Dublin.

* Afterwards archbishop of Armagh.

Statutes

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Statutes were antiently made, whereby CHAP. the elections and the whole government were reposed in the provost and seven se-, 1640. nior fellows; and thereby alfo, among other things, the provoft and fellows were to take an oath, when they, or any of them, were called to any of their places; and by the faid ftatutes the natives of the kingdom were directed to be preferred to scholars places, and to fellowships in that college, before any other the subjects of his majesty's dominions, cæteris paribus.

About August one thousand fix hundred and thirty-four Mr. Chappell became provoft, and continued provoft unfworn until Trinity term one thousand fix hundred and thirty-feven.

About May 13, Caroli regis, a charter was procured to the provoft, fellows, and scholars, of the faid college, by which charter, the ancient charter feemed to be confirmed in part.

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But the nomination or donation of the provoftship thereby was referved or refumed to his majesty.

The ftatutes formerly in force by that charter were annulled, and statutes annexed to the late charter, which were signed with the hand of the archbishop of Canterbury*; and thereby it was farther commanded that these new ftatutes, and none others, should be observed, unless his majesty should be pleased to add to them, or to change them, as to his majefty might feem

meet.

And by the faid charter it was ordained, that the chancellor, or, in his absence, the vice chancellor, and the archbishop of Dublin, fhould be hereafter the vifitors: all which alterations, among others, were made as the charter faith, cum affenfu prapofiti, fociorum, & fcholiarium; and yet there ap peareth but two of the fellows, viz. William Newman and Robert Conway, that confented to that act and deed; fo that thofe * Archbishop Laud.

two,

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two, together with the provoft, feem the CHAP. only perfons of the college that wrought

that change, and by their confent would 1640. bind the whole college.

And yet those two fellows, as if by the visitors, at a visitation, held the 20th of July one thousand fix hundred and thirty-fix, were deprived of their fellowships.

By the late ftatutes it alfo appeareth, that the provost should not hold a bishopric while he continued provoft; and that the natives ought to be preferred, as they were to be by the former ftatutes.

Upon acceptance of the late charter and ftatutes, the provoft on Trinity Monday one thousand fix hundred and thirty-seven, took his oath to the new ftatutes; which oath, during the continuance of the former ftatutes, he would not take.

The provoft before and after the new ftatutes, and his oath taken, put back the natives,

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