Chancellor declare presently, whether it should be done or not; but the Vice Chancellor replied, he could not do it by himself, but he would call a convocation as soon as conveniently he could, and then an answer should be returned. Clarke, of Balliol, is come hither open enough. Mr. H. was very busy at court, bowing to this and to that man, and now, I believe, only stays for time convenient. Pray an humble hearty service to Mr. Dean, &c. and if you think fit you may acquaint him that his Majesty oftentimes mentioned the Bishop of Worcester with a great deal of kindness. John Buckly was here, and would have been glad to have seen you.

I am your humble servant,

Sept. 6, [1687.]

T. CREECH.

LETTER XXII.

Dr. SMITH to Sir WILLIAM HAWARD.

The ejected Fellows of Magdalen College restored.

**** The Bishop of Winton* came hither on Wednesday afternoon, and just lighted at the College gate, where we were all to receive him, and went directly to the chapel, telling us

* Dr. Peter Mew.

in brief that the next morning he would come down and restore us.

On Thursday morning, between nine and ten, we received him (being in his episcopal habit) according to his appointment, in our formalities at the College gate, and so attending upon him to the chapel, one of the senior Fellows harangued him in a Latin speech. After which he read the King's order, directed to him, to restore the College, which, after the finishing of the morning office, which was performed very solemnly, he read a second time, and then proceeded to the hall, where, after some little pause, he called for the buttery book, and struck out the names of all the Popish Fellows and Demies (Charnock not excepted) and then called over our names, which he commanded to be inserted in the next blank page, whom he pronounced to be the only, true, and lawful members of the society. One Mr. Jenifar and Mr. Higgons, formerly Demies, and made Fellows by the Commissioners, are continued only Demies; in which the Visitor did very prudently, though some of our sparks and hotspurs were troubled at it. This done, the Bishop made a Latin speech, every way becoming his function and character, which some hair-brained Fellows have forgot already and so he adjourned the visitation till the next morning. There was an extraordinary great dinner prepared for him. in the lodgings, where was the Vice Chancellor,

with all the noblemen resident in the University, with several Heads of Houses, the bells ringing all day, and at night great numbers of bonfires; the like to which I never saw here before at any time.

Yesterday morning little was done, but the reading the King's letter to the Visitor to allow fourteen days for the removal of such as came into our places; about seven of which Fellows and Demies continue either in the College or town, and to which we have ordered, by the Visitor's direction, two dishes of meat every day during their stay, in the way of a present. This morning we had again the Visitor, who caused an act or instrument of the whole procedure to be read by his secretary, who is a public notary, which is ordered to be engrossed, and then dissolved the visitation.

I say only in short, that never was Visitor received with greater joy or with greater honour. I am convinced already, by some men's intolerable insolence, that there will be a very ill use made of this surprising revolution. I write this in my chamber here in the College, intending, God willing, to lie in it this night, having procured a bed, &c.

Magdalen Coll. Oxon. 17 Octob. 1688.
Saturday night.

SIR,

LETTER XXIII.

From the same to the same.

The Princess Anne visits Oxford.

THE news we have received last week has been astonishing; but in the midst of all these great revolutions, we look upon it as very providential that the King is returned to Whitehall, which I hope will tend to the good and benefit both of King and people; for now there will be a regular and well-constituted parliament, and laws framed and enacted according to due and ancient form.

Sir

Yesterday the Princess Anne came hither, and was received by the University and Town with all imaginable joy, honour, and triumph. John Lanier's regiment of horse, here quartered, went out to meet her. The Earl of Northampton came in at the head of a great party of horse, both of gentlemen and militia-men, of two or three counties: but immediately before the coach of her highness, the Bishop of London,* in a military habit, blue cloak, and pistols before him, his naked sword in his hand (his colours purple) and the motto embroidered in letters of gold, (NOLUMUS LEGES ANGLIÆ MUTARI,) rode at the head of a troop of noblemen and gentlemen. The whole cavalcade consisted of

Dr. Henry Compton.

about eleven or twelve hundred horse.

At Christ Church she was received by the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor, and Doctors in their scarlet, the Vice Chancellor complimenting her in an English speech.

Oxon, Dec. 16, 1688.

LETTER XXIV.

Mr. CREECH (under the signature of Nigellus, jun.) to Dr. HICKES, (Dean of Worcester.)

Nigelli Speculum Stultorum.

Mart. ult. [16]88.

DEAR AND HONOURED MR. DEAN,

**** IF you have a spare hour, you would greatly oblige me to see if you have at Oxford Nigelli Speculum Stultorum: the man was Chanter of Canterbury almost 500 years ago. My edition is at Paris, 1506. You will be pleased mightily at the sight of it; and I will give it you shortly with notes. You will hear of the man in Gesner's Epitome, Pits and Bale, and the Catalog. Test. Verit.; but I should be glad to be informed of another edition of it than mine is; it was printed between 1400 and 1500. I have not the last Oxford Catal. by me, to see whether it be there. I wonder that nobody

*There are two editions of the "Speculum Stultorum” in the Bodleian Library. The oldest, without either name of printer, place, or date, is in black letter, 4to. The other was printed at Wolfenbuttle, 1662, 12mo. Nigel Wireker was a Benedictine Monk, and precentor of the Church of Canterbury.