NO PROOF OF MISBEHAVIOUR IN THE STUDENTS.

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3. That Erasmus Middleton is moreover an enemy to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England, as appears by his officiating as a minister in holy orders, although a layman, in the parish church of Chevely, or in one of the chapels of ease belonging and appertaining unto the said church of Chevely, in the county of Berks and diocese of Salisbury.

These were the principal imputations affecting their religious demeanour and literary qualifications. They were also accused of disrespect to their tutor, in either neglecting his lectures or misbehaving when attending them, as well as of going out of the University without leave, contrary to discipline and good order. This accusation has been previously noticed with the observations of Dr. Dixon upon it. That it was not proved, appears from the fact of its not being recited in the sentence of the vice-chancellor, their expulsion being wholly grounded on matters connected with their religion. Like the pious Jews in Babylon, they were found faultless till accused concerning their God. The remainder of the paper presented by Mr. Higson, contains an assertion of the notoriety of the proceedings of the accused, a vindication of the power of the vice-chancellor as visitor of their Hall, a commendation of his own motives, and a prayer for their punishment according to the statutes.

Such were the faults alleged against these pious young Oxonians; and as the charges are taken from the original manuscript of their accuser, and are found to correspond with those printed in Dr. Nowell's reply to Pietas Oxoniensis, there can be no doubt of their accuracy. I have also seen several of the answers returned from various quarters to Mr. Higson's inquiries respecting the characters of these youths and their proceedings,

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INFORMATION SENT TO MR. HIGSON.

which are truly indicative of the hostile spirit that then prevailed against all who professed the gospel. One gentleman wrote from Newport in Shropshire of Jones, that he had worked in his brother's shop, a barber in that town," and there made me a very good periwig which I now wear."1 But he added, "This was not all his employment: I am told he read much, and I know he associated with the people called Methodists, and put on the appearance of a person of great sanctity of manners. Thinking himself, I suppose, wiser than his neighbours, he took upon him to censure some whose sentiments or practice did not correspond with his, and to inform others that would listen to him, which he took to be the right way. And yet, notwithstanding this, he had humility enough to apply to the master of Newport school for a little Latin and Greek

to pave his way to the Gown." This was refused him, but "the person he was chiefly indebted to, was the Rev. Mr. Newton, at Olney, Bucks, by whose means, and some other of the same stamp, he may be enabled to keep terms at Oxon." The same informant also says, that he had expounded a chapter, sung a hymn, and explained part of the thirty-nine Articles at Wheat Aston; but not one word appears against his moral conduct, nor was it ever inquired into. The other replies to Mr. Higson's questions manifest the same spirit on the part of almost all his correspondents. They contain also like information, varied only according to their respective circumstances, relating to the Methodistical proceedings of the accused, and particularly Mr. Grovę. It is, however, by no means worth while to introduce any further extracts from these letters here.

1 This was afterwards declared not to be true.

SENTENCE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR.

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The only things considered as proved, were illiterateness' and low extraction against some of these students, and Methodism against them all. It is very clear that the first of these points ought to have been settled previously to their admission into the University, and that to charge them with it afterwards, was to impute to their accusing tutor negligence of his duty. But the real cause of the stir he made is plain enough to be seen in a note of his own: "Ash-Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1768. Mr. Matthews called upon me after dinner, and asked me to sign his testimonial, which I refused, and the reason I gave was, he had not given me in writing what those opinions were he maintained at the evening lecture about the operations of the Holy Spirit." However, all the charges, except that of misconduct to their tutor, being considered proved, the sentence of expulsion was pronounced, and Mr. Higson was publicly thanked for the exertions he had made.

In order that a fair judgment may be formed on the history of this case, the sentence of the vice-chancellor, in which the crimes of the expelled are recited, shall be given entire. It is as follows:

Oxford, March 11, 1768.

I. It having appeared to me, D. Durell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, and undoubted Visitor of St. Edmund Hall, within the said University, upon due information and examination, that James Matthews

1 Matthews was accused of being brought up a weaver, and of ignorance; Jones, of being a barber and no proficient in Latin and Greek; Shipman, of being a draper and illiterate; Middleton, of Methodism; Kay, of attending at Mrs. Durbridge's; Grove, of preaching, and Methodism; Blatch, of being a gentleman without any school learning-but he was not expelled.

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SENTENCE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR,

of the said Hall, had been originally brought up to the trade of a weaver, and afterwards followed the low occupation of keeping a Tap-house; that, afterwards, having connected himself with known Methodists, he did, without any the least proficiency in school knowledge, enter of St. Edmund Hall aforesaid, with a design to get into holy orders; and that he still continues to be wholly illiterate, incapable of doing the statutable exercises of the Hall, and consequently more incapable of being qualified for holy orders, for which he had lately offered himself a candidate. Moreover, it having appeared by his own confession, that he had frequented illicit conventicles held in a private house in the city of Oxford. -Therefore I, D. Durell, by virtue of my visitatorial power, and with the advice and opinion of the Reverend Thomas Randolph, D. D. President of C. C. C., and Margaret Professor of Divinity in the University; of the Reverend Thomas Fothergill, D. D. Provost of Queen's College; of the Reverend Thomas Nowell, D. D. Principal of St. Mary Hall, and Public Orator; and of the Reverend Francis Atterbury, M. A. Senior Proctor of the University, my several assessors regularly appointed on this occasion, do expel the said James Matthews from the said Hall, and do hereby pronounce him expelled.

II. It having also appeared to me that Thomas Jones of St. Edmund Hall had been brought up to the trade of a barber, which occupation he had followed very lately; that he had made but small proficiency in learning, and was incapable of performing the statutable exercises of the said Hall: and moreover, it having appeared by his own confession, that he had frequented illicit conventicles in a private house in this town, and that he had himself held an assembly for public worship at

SENTENCE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR.

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Wheat Aston; in which he himself, though not in holy orders, had publicly expounded the Scriptures to a mixed congregation, and offered up extempore prayers. -Therefore I, D. Durell, by virtue of my visitatorial power, and with the advice and opinion of each and every one of my assessors, the reverend persons aforenamed, do expel the said Thomas Jones, from the said Hall; and hereby pronounce him also expelled.

III. It having also appeared to me that Joseph Shipman, of St. Edmund Hall aforesaid, had been a draper, was very illiterate, and incapable of performing the statutable exercises of the said Hall. Moreover, it having appeared by his own confession, that he had expounded publicly, though not in holy orders, the Holy Scriptures to a mixed congregation, and offered up extempore prayers.-Therefore I, D. Durell, by virtue of my visitatorial power, and with the advice and opinion of each and every one of my assessors, the reverend persons afore-named, do expel the said Joseph Shipman from the said Hall; and hereby pronounce him also expelled.

IV. It having also appeared to me that Erasmus Middleton, of St. Edmund Hall aforesaid, by his own confession, had formerly officiated in the chapel of ease belonging to the parish of Chevely, in the county of Berks, not being in holy orders; that he had been rejected from holy orders by the Bishop of Hereford for the said offence; that he was discarded by his father for being connected with the people called Methodists; and that he still is under his father's displeasure for the same. Moreover, it having appeared by credible witnesses, that he is still connected with the said people, and professes their doctrines, viz., that faith without works is the sole condition of salvation; that there is