E continue the series of letters referring to the dispute between St John's and Trinity on the enclosure of Garret Hostel Green.'

Addressed: To my verie louing ffrendes the Mr and Seniors of St Johns College in Cambridge dd.

Salutem in Christo. Yor vnkynde and vn-neighbourly dealing wth Trinitie College in so small a matter is come to her Maties knoledge, to geather wth my endeavour on that Colleges behalf and I doo assure you that in the hearing of diuerse persons, her Highnesse expressed in some vehemencie her dislyke of yor frowardnesse in so necessarie and reasonable a matter, towarde so greate and worthie a College, of her Fathers foundation, and her owne patronage; and did reprove mee for taking that indignitie at yor handes, in not yelding to my motion in suche a tryfle: Saying that I did not vse that authoritie in forcing of you, which I ought and might doo, (as it pleased her to say) in many respectes. All wch I thought good to signifie vnto you, before I proceede against you in any other cause: hoping that in the meane tyme you will be better aduised, and satisfie nowe not my request, but her Maties expresse pleasure geven vnto mee. Yor frowarde and uncharitable proceeding herein hath by some of yor owne companie possessed the whole Courte, to yor discredit and shame: Where as I had thought that your discretion had been suche, as to haue kept it within the knoledge only of suche as would haue kept it secrete, vntill it had been frendely ended. Wch I supposed my last Ires written vnto you the last of Marche would haue effected. Her Maty charged mee, That VOL. XVI.

XXX

my lenitie breedes vnto mee contempt, I protest that I love that Vniversitie and everie College in it, as I love myne owne lyfe; and that I have dealt in matters concerning the estate and good thereof and of everie Member therein as tenderly and carefully, as any ffather could ever deale with his deerest children. But howe I haue been or am regarded, lett the effectes declare. In this cause, what meanes you haue vsed, whom you have solicited, what vnreasonable demandes you make; what vniust suggestions you vse; what iniurie you haue doon to yor best frendes, what small respect you haue to mee, the only man nowe liuing, who hadd the dealing in yor Statutes, lett yor Actes and proceedinge in this Action declare, I doo not blame you all herein: I am persuaded, that it is against the disposition of suche as are most considerable among yo". But to conclude, it is her Maties pleasure, That Trinitie College shall have their desier in this suyte, and the conditions promised vnto you in my last lettres shall bee performed. And so I comitt you to the tuition of almightie god. From Lambehith the vijth of April 1600

yor assured louing ffrende
Jo. CANTUAR.

Addressed: To the Right worll: Mr Dr Clayton Mr of St Johns Colledge in Cambridge geue these.

Sr my dutye remembred etc. you knowe by this the effecte of my Lo: Gr. his letter wch your freindes woulde wishe you shoulde answer in the best manner you can, not yieldinge in any case from youre right. If they be mandatorye in her Maties name, yet they may be thus answered. Wth all humility acknowledge the authoritie, and humblye desyre his Gr: that as he has alwayes bene a patrone to learninge, so he woulde not nowe cast poore St Johns out of his protection: that he will be pleased to make youre humble submission knowen to her Matie, from whome & by whose good fauoure, you hold your landes lyuings, lawes and all els, her greate grandmother being your foundres, and that his Gr: woulde please to to be informed fullye of the p1iudices wch you receave by this inclosure. Oure good frendes are fullye possessed wth the cause, of whose best helpe we may assure ourselves. Mr Secretary being informed in it, made this answer that his father was and hymself is Snct John's man & in that regarde

My Lọ.

he will be readye to do vs the best good he can.
Treasurer is, or shall be acquainted wth the matter whose
good furtherance also we hope to obtayne. And therefore
hauinge so good assurance of the helpe of oure honorable
frendes and hauinge bene so farr seene in the matter alreadye,
we must not nowe in anye case yielde wthout theire good
approbation lest we be thought to be wantinge vnto them
& to ourselves. In the meane tyme it were fitt to addresse
your publick letter vnto Mr Secretarye, relyinge on him as
on his father heretofore, & makinge knowen vnto hym all
your allegacions particularlye, as also signifyinge what is
passed betweene his Gr: & you & also desyringe (if her
Matie be possessed of this cause) his best helpe to satisfye
her. you may desyre my Lo: Gr: that you may not be
pressed to breake oathe & statute cōcerninge wch as some
lawyers saye you may do it, so others say you cannot, &
you must satisfye your own mynds in that poynte & though
some you be satisfyed herein yet all are not. Desyringe
further his Gr: fauorable acceptance of your reasons & his
gracious interpretation of youre doinges & that in a true
sence of your iust cause his (Gr?) will not onlye satisfye
hymselfe, but also be a meanes that her Matie may be satisfyed.
Signifyinge further that the desyre of a braunche from their
conduite, were a greate pleasure to your house & no incōuence
to youre neighboures: that besides youre cōsentation therein
it woulde greatlye satisfye youre posterity, who might fynde
that you procured one benefitt by forgoinge another, but this
must not be alledged if you stande vppō youre statute, wch I
thinke best at firste to doe: It is best to unite the priudices
wch you are to receave by this inclosure, as also the reasons
of youre demande of a branche from their conduite in a
Schedule by themselves & delyuer them to hym whome you
sende aboute youre busines. And thus I take my leave,
comittinge you to the tuition of almightie god. Steuenage
7 Aprile 1600

your worps to cōmaunde
WILLM PRATT

I woulde desyre youre service & to keepe this lie to youre selfe. for thoughe we may assure oure selves of good frendes yet we must not make anye greate speache or bragges of them.

Addressed: To the Right worll my assured frend Mr Doctor Clayton Mr of St Johns Colledge in Cambridge dd.

Sr your Colledge cause against Trinities inclosure finds honorable and earnest freinds. The last Sunday the matter was so hotte in Courte as the like hath not bene heard there in such a cause. My Lo: is passinglie earnest for you and your Colledge, Mr Secretary hath openly professed and still doth that he is of your house, and that you shall not have any wronge, nor they of Trinity there inclosure wthout satisfaction to your Coll: yf his abilitie be sufficient to procure your righte. This day Dr Nevile hath bene with me, his ende was (as I gesse) that I should be his meanes to my lo: to consider rightlie of his duty to his ho: notwithstandinge his opposition in this cause, and that I mighte be a meanes to you for pacificatōn: of my lords good conceipte of himself I assured him, and for any pacificacōn, I said that your colledge is not now yt selfe, greater psons having voluntarilie wthout any your suite entred into the cause, vnto whose satisfaction yt behoves you now to looke, and not they to yours. He alleged that our Colledge, had delt hardly wth the lo, Arcb: in seeking to so great psons while his gr: delt in the matter, I answered that yt was wthout your Colledge privitie vpon my lo: of Londons caveat, that yt would go ill with you yf my lo: or Mr Secretary should know you delt in yt, for vpon notice of that caveat I desired my lo: to continue his favour to you notwthstanding a controu'sy betwene Trinity and you: vpon whose desire to be truly informed I got some of your societie to informe him pticulerly, whervpon his lo: was moved to favour your iust cause as he doth: and of all likly hood, the same caveat was the motyve for Mr Secretary to vnderstand and favour your cause also. They alledge against you that many other Colledgs have compounded for the like wth the towne as they do now wthout seeking consent of any of the vniuersity over for yt. That your backside is in the like state by composition wth the towne only for 8s 2d rente or there about yearely, that Dr Nevile ptermytted not your colledge, but thought you not interested in yt, never havinge hard that you had Manner there, and as yet thinking yt but your scite of a manner only, and that yf he had omitted the Colledge, yet he

supposes, that the request made since to yo by my lo: gr: letters and his owne is good satisfaction for that omission. They say also that our Colledge hath no more righte in that comon, then any one Scholler servant hath, and that now to compound wth you were to putt on all other to seeke composition who have interest there. I would wishe you to search your evidence for helpe thence, and to send some of your societie hither presentlie instructed fully in this cause. This inclosed peticion is very well liked of your best freinds, yt were good yt were put into latyne, as you vse and sent up to be exhibited to her Matie by those whom you send in this buisynes, and yt were well you sent by them also letters of thanks to Mr Secretary wth request to continue his favour and protection, you may take notice of his favour for he doth publishe yt. I need not advise you lres of thanks to my lo: who hath done you extraordinary fauour in this cause. Let vs vnderstand of all things as passe and be respective how you end this cause wthout the approbatōns of your friends. Take oppon you that this inclosed petition is devised by yourselfe and returne this copy thereof to gether this my letter inclosed in your letter to me by this bearer. Mr Lyndsell Mr Coke and Mr Hamond and I comend vs kindly to you, and so I rest in haste 9° Apr. 1600

Tuus totaliter
ROB BOUTH

Let vs have the copies of all that is written to you by the Archb: and of your answers, Mr Alvey is said by your adversaries to be a principle inciter to stand in this matter, Her Matie I doubt not will stand like a Royall iust prince (as she is) indifferente whatsoeur you heare to the contrarie.

Your frends wishe that Mr Pratte may be one to followe this cause.

Mr Secretary was Sir Robert Cecil Earl of Salisbury son of the first Lord Burghley; The Lord Treasurer was Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst; both were Johnians.

The Latin letter which was sent in accordance with Bouth's suggestion will be found in MayorBaker p. 612.