Volume 1

The history and antiquities of the University of Oxford ... / by Anthony ä Wood. Now first published in English ... by John Gutch.

  • Anthony Wood
Date:
1792-1796
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The history and antiquities of the University of Oxford ... / by Anthony ä Wood. Now first published in English ... by John Gutch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    715/768 (page 621)
    But to proceed; among thofe few learned men that flourilhed now and lately in the Univerfity were, among the reft. Will. Stapleheart a Carmelite, accounted the mdft dextrous in the Univerfity for his difputa- tions and writings in Theology. Then was there Thomas Gascoigne, who had been feveral times Chancellor of the Ui;iiverfity, as 1 fhall elfe- where ftiew. One he was of great piety and integrity, a frequent Preacher, an admirer of the writings of Dr. Rob. Grofsteft, and well feen in divers forts of learning, as his writings according to thefe times ftiew. Good Preachers alfo I find rare : thofe that were accounted the beft were (except the Mendicants) for the moft part Cantabrigians, as Mr. Gilbert Worth- ington (i) Redtor of St. Andrews in Holborne, London j Mr. William Lyttefeild, or Lychfeild Redlor of All Saints in London, and Mr. Peter Beverley, alias Hirforth. The Oxonians were Thomas Eborall Mafter of Wythyngdon College, Thomas Gafcoigne before mentioned. Dr. Burbach, and others. All which were great enemies to R. Pecock both in writ- ing, preaching and difputing, as before ’tis faid. But the chief [reafon] why good Preachers were rare, efpecially in Oxford at this and in after times, was the not prohibiting thofe that immaturely took facred Orders j for in this century it was very common for Bachelaurs, Under-graduats and Frefhmen, nay fuch that had no Academical education fo to do, to the end that a livelihood only might be obtained without any regard had to the due adminiftration of that holy fundlion. Further alfo becaufe they were but Novices in Divinity and knew little or nothing thereof, and therefore when examined give no fatisfadion of their learning to the dif- grace of the Univerfity and thofe particular places wherein they were edu- cated, fome Governors of Colleges took fuch order, that they ftbould not take upon them holy Orders, till they were of a competent ftanding, and in particular did that worthy Governor of Merton College, Dr. Fitzjames, who about twenty years after this time made a Decree (2) jvith the con- fent of the Fellows that all Bachelaurs or Probationers that were to be ad- mitted into that Society ftiould fwear that they Ihould not take Orders till their Regency in the Faculty of Arts was compleated. (i) Gafc. in 2 part. Dict. p. 507. James ejufdem Cuftodem an. 1482, fol. 7 b. et in {2) Reg. Coll. Mert. inchoat. per D. Fitz- lib. Statutorum in manibus Vicecuftodis. An.