(Vol. ix., p. 27.)
The extract from an unpublished MS. given by A REGENT M.A. OF CAMBRIDGE
refers to the year 1620, as will appear from the following passages in
Anthony à Wood's _Hist. and Antiq. of Univ. of Oxford_.
"1614.--In the latter end of the last and beginning of this year, a
spirit of sedition (as I may so call it) possessed certain of the
Regent Masters against the Vicechanc. and Doctors. The chief and only
matter that excited them to it was their sitting like boys,
bare-headed, in the Convocation-House, at the usual assemblies there,
which was not, as 'twas thought, so fit, that the Professors of the
Faculty of Arts (on which the University was founded) should, all
things considered, do it. The most forward person among them, named
Henry Wightwicke, of Gloucester Hall, having had some intimation of a
statute which enabled them to be covered with their caps, and
discovering also something in the large west window of St. Mary's
Church, where pictures of Regents and non-Regents were sitting covered
in assemblies before the Chancellor, clapt {131} on his cap, and spared
not to excite his brethren to vindicate that custom, now in a manner
forgotten; and, having got over one of the Regents to be more zealous
in the matter than himself, procured the hands of most, if not all, of
them to be set to a petition (in order to be sent to the Chancellor of
the University), for the effecting and bringing about the matter. But
the Vicechancellor, Dr. Singleton, having had timely notice of the
design, sends a full relation of the matter to the Chancellor;
whereupon answer was returned, that he should deal therein as he should
think fit. Wightwicke, therefore, being called into question for
endeavouring to subvert the honour and government of the University,
whereby he ran himself into perjury (he having before taken an oath to
keep and maintain the rites, customs, and privileges of the
University), was banished, and his party, who had proved false to him,
severely checkt by the Chancellor.
"At length Wightwicke's friends, laying open to him the danger that he
would run himself into, if he should not seek restauration and submit,
did, after his peevish and rash humour had been much courted to it, put
up a petition (subscribed in his behalf by the Bishop of London and Sir
John Bennett) to the Chancellor of the University for his restauration,
which being with much ado granted, but with this condition, that he
make an humble recantation in the Convocation, sent to his
Vicechancellor what should be done in the matter, and among other
things thus:--'For the manner of his submission and recognition which
he is to make, I will not take upon me to direct, but leave yt wholy
unto your wisdomes, as well for manner as for the matter; only thus
much generally I will intimate unto you, that the affront and offence
committed by Whittwicke in the Congregation House by his late insolent
carriage there was very great and notorious, and that offence
afterwards seconded and redoubled by another as ill or worse than the
former, in his seditious practizing and procuring a multitude of
handes, thereby thinking to justifie and maintain his former errors,
and his proud and insolent disobedience and contempt. I hold yt
therefore very requisite that his submission and recognition, both of
the one fault and of the other, should be as publique and as humble as
possibly with conveniencye may bee. Which being thus openly done, as I
hope yt will bee a good example to others, to deter them from
committing the like offence hereafter, so I do also wishe this his
punishment may be only _ad correctionem et non ad destructionem_."
"This being the effect of the Chancellor's mind, Wightwicke was
summoned to appear to make his submission in the next Convocation,
which being held 25 June this year, he placed himself in the middle of
St. Mary's chancel, and spoke with an audible voice as followeth:
"'Ornatissime Domine Procancellarie, vosque Domini Doctores
pientissimi, quotquot me vel banniendum vel bannitionem meam ratam esse
voluistis ut vobis omnibus et singulis innotescat discupio: me Henricum
Whitwicke pileum coram Domino Vicecancellario Thoma Singleton capiti
haud ita pridem imposuisse, quod nemini Magistrorum in Congregatione
vel Convocatione [in presentia Domini Vicecancellarii aut Doctoris
alicujus] licere fateor. Scitote quæso prætereà, me supradictum
Henricum à sententia Domini Vicecancellarii ad venerabilem Domum
Congregationis provocasse, quod nec licitum nec honestum esse in causa
perturbationis pacis facilè concedo. Scitote denique me solum, manus
Academicorum egregiè merentium Theologia Baccalaureorum et in Artibus
Magistrorum in hac corona astantium Collegiatim et Aulatim cursitando
rescripto apponendas curasse, in quibus omnibus Præfectis [summe]
displicuisse, in pacem almæ hujus Academiæ et in dignissimum nostrum
Procancellarium deliquisse, parum nolenti animo confiteor, et
sanctitates vestras humillimè imploro, ut quæ vel temerè et inconsultò,
vel volenter et scienter feci, ea, ut deceat homines, condonentur.
'HENRICUS WIGHTWICKE.'
Which submission or recognition being ended, he was restored to his
former state, and so forthwith reassumed his place. But this person,
who as lately beneficed at Kingerbury in Lincolnshire, could never be
convinced, when he became Master of Pembroke College, forty-six years
after this time, that he made any submission at all, but carried the
business on and effected it against all the University; as to his young
acquaintance that came often to visit him and he them (for he delighted
in boyish company), he would, after a pedantical way, boast, supposing
perhaps that, having been so many years before acted, no person could
remember it; but record will rise up and justify matters when names and
families are quite extirpated and forgotten among men. Pray see more of
this cap-business in the year 1620."
"1620.--In the beginning of Michaelmas Term following, the
cap-business, mentioned an. 1614, was renewed again: for some
disrelishment of the former transactions remaining behind, the Regent
Masters met together several times for the effecting their designs. At
length, after much ado, they drew up a petition subscribed by
fifty-three of the senior Masters for this year, and presented it to
one whom they knew would not be violent against them, as Dr. Singleton
was before. The beginning of it runs thus:
"'Reverendissimo Viro Domino Doctori Prideaux ornatissimo hujus
Academiæ Vicecan. digniss, &c.
"'Multa jamjudum sunt (reverendissime Vicecancellarie) quæ ab
antiquis hujus Academiæ institutis salubriter profecta, mala tandem
consuetudo, et in pejus potens aut abrogavit penitus aut pessime
corrupit, &c.'
"Among those that subscribed to it were these following, that
afterwards became persons of note, viz, Gilbert Sheldon, Alexand. Gill,
jun., and Anthony Farndon, of Trinity Coll.; Pet. Heylin of Magd. Coll.
[Robert Newlin of C. C. C., &c.]. The chief solicitor of the business
was Rous Clopton of Corpus Ch. Coll., a restless, busy person, and one
afterwards as much noted for his infamy as any of the former for their
learning or place. This petition, I say, being presented to Dr.
Prideaux the Vicechancellor, and he considering well their several
reasons for their sitting covered (one of which was that they were
Judges in Congregations and Convocations), sent it to the Chancellor to
have his consent, who also, after he had considered of it, wrote a
letter to the Vicechancellor, to {132} be communicated to the
Convocation: the chief contents of which are these:
"'After my very harty commendations, I doe take this manner of
proceeding by the Regent Masters (for their sitting covered at
Congregations and Convocations) in soe good part, that although I
might well take some time to advise before I give answer,
especially when I consider how long that custom hath continued, how
much it hath been questioned, and that upon a long debate it hath
been withstood by so grave and wise a Counsellor of State as your
late Chancellor, my immediate predecessor; yet, when I weigh their
undoubted right, their discreet and orderly proceedings to seek it,
not to take it, the chief, if not the only, cause why it was
formerly denied; the good congruity this doth beare, not with
Cambridge alone (though that were motive enough), but all other
places, it being no where seen that those that are admitted Judges
are required to sit bare-headed; I cannot choose but commend and
thus farre yield to theire request as to referre it to the
Convocation House. I hope no man can have cause to think that I
have not the power to continew this custom as well as some others
of my predecessors, if I had a mind to strive; nor that I seek
after their applause in yielding them that now, which hath been so
long kept from them, but the respect I have to their due, to the
decency of the place, and honour of the University, which I cannot
conceive to bee anyway diminished, but rather increased, by their
sitting covered, are the only reasons that have moved me, and
carried me to so quick a resolution, wherewith you may acquaint the
Convocation House with this also, that what they shall conclude I
shall willingly agree to. And soe I doe very hartely take leave,
and rest
Your assured loving friend,
PEMBROOKE.
Baynard's Castle,
this 4 of December, 1620.'
Which letter being publickly read in a Convocation held 20 Dec., it was
then agreed upon by the consent of all there present, that all Masters
of what condition soever might put on their caps in Congregations and
Convocations, yet with these conditions: That in the said assemblies
the said Masters should use only square caps, and not sit bare, or
without cap. And if any were found faulty in these matters, or that
they should bring their hats in the said Assemblies, they should not
only lose their suffrages for that time, but be punished as the
Vicechancellor should think fit. Lastly, it was decreed, under the said
conditions and no otherwise, that in the next Congregation in the
beginning of Hilary Term, and so for ever after, all Masters, of what
condition soever, whether Regents or not Regents, should, in
Congregations and Convocations, put on and use square caps.
"All that shall be said more of this matter is, that the loss of using
caps arose from the negligence of the Masters, who, to avoid the pains
of bringing their caps with them, would sit bare-headed; which being
used by some, was at length followed by all, and so at length became a
custom."
It would seem, from Lord Pembroke's letter, that the right of the senate of
this university to wear their caps had not been questioned.