x48 The HISTORY of the PURITANS. Chap. IV, ,?men authority of the fcripture is greater than that of the church ? 2. Whether Elizabeth, the civil magifh -ate has authority in ecelefiaftical affairs? Thefe were the `5 ,. 6w tells of the times. At the dole of the difputation, the queen made a fhort and elegant oration in latin, encouraging the fcholars topurfue theirftudies, with a promife of her countenance and prote6lion. They feruple But this learned body was loon after thrown into condition, by thecon- the habits. troverfy of the habits, efpecially of the furplice. Dr. Longworth, matter of St. John's, being abfent from his college, the fludents of that houfe came to chapel on a feflival day, without their hoods and furplices, to the number of zoo, and continued to do fo for Come time ; the matter at his return makingno complaint, nor attempting to recover them to uniformi- ty. In Trinity College all except three, declared againft the furplice, and many in other colleges were ready to follow their example. The news of this being fent to court, it was eafy to forefeean impendingdorm : Seve- ral members of the univerfity wrote to the fecretary, humbly befeeching his intercefíion with the queen, that they might not be forced to receive a popifh ceremony, which they had laid alde; affuring him before God, that nothing but reafon, and the quiet enjoyment of their confciences, had induced them to do as they had done. But Cecil font them an angry anfwer, admonifhing them to return quietly to the habits, as they had ufed them before. He alfo wrote to the vice- chancellor, requiring him to call together the heads of the colleges, and let them know, that as they tender'd the honour of God, the prefervation of chriflian unity, the re- putation of the univerfity, the favour of the queen, and his own good will to them, they fhould continue the ufe of the habits. Whitgift The heads of colleges being fenfible of the rifle the univerfity would writes far run of being disfurnifhed of fludents, if the habits were prefí"ed, applied `tfpeningb again to their chancellor Cecil, to intercede with the queen for a difpen. w,tb the ha fgion ; one of their letters was fign'd by the mailer of Trinity College, bits. Dr. Beaumont, who had been an exile, yohn Whitgift, afterwards arch- bifhop of Canterbury, Roger Kelk, mailer of Magdalen College, Richard Longworth, malter of St. yohn's, Matthew Hutton, matter of Pembroke- Hall, afterwards archbithop of York, and many others ; in their letter Lip of Pat- they acquaint his honour, " That a great many perlons in the univerfity ker, p. rqq.. ` of piety and learning, were fully perfuadedof the unlawfulnefs of the App. p. 69. " habits; and thereforeif conformity was urged, they would be forced to " defert their dations, and thus the univerfity would be ftript of its or- naments ; they therefore give it as their humble opinion, that indulgence " in this matter would be attended with no inconveniences; but on the " other hand, they were afraid religion and learning would duffer very much, by rigor and impofition." This letter was relented át court, and efpecially by the ecclefia,Jlical common;; Longworth matter of St yhn's was
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