M0011977: Reproduction of a line engraving of Gresham College, London, one of the early meeting places of the Royal Society

Date:
1951
Reference:
WT/D/1/20/1/106/69
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: M0011977: Reproduction of a line engraving of Gresham College, London, one of the early meeting places of the Royal Society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Whether the mafter and wardens of the mercers company wrote like- ' wife to Cambridge, is uncertain j for Dr. Jegon, vicecjhancellor of that univerfity, upon receiving this letter from the city thought proper, before any anfwer was givenj to acquaint the lord Burghley, their chancellor, with the contents of it, being jealous left this new foun¬ dation at London might be prejudicial to their univerfity. His letter was dated the 30 of January, of which the following is a copy y wherein no mention is made of any received from the mercers. To the Right Honourable the Lord Burghley. '' Right Honourable, my fmgular good Lord. May it pleafe you to underhand, that whereas certain ledtures were lately founded by “ Sir Thomas Grefham deceafed, to be read within the city of London, “ by profeflbrs of feverall arts, to be chofen by the lord maior and “ commonalty of that city the faid maior and his brethren have di- “ redled letters to our univerfity of Cambridge, requefiing us to nomi- “ nate unto them two of our meeteft men in every faculty, with like petition made to the univerfity of Oxford to name two other, out of which foure they would eleft one for every lecture, as by the copy “ of their letter (which I am bold herewith to prefent to your lordfliip) “ may more at large appear. Wherein (doubting that in time it may be greatly prejudicial! to our univerfitys) I have refrained to do any “ thing, untill I mought have your lordfhips allowance thereof. So ‘‘ mofl: humbly praying to know your pleafure therein, I recommend my ** fervice to your lordlhip’s commands. At Cambridge, Jan. 30, 1596. “ Your honour^s moll; bounden ever, 10. lEGON, vicecan” How this matter ifiiied with refpedt to Cambridge, does not appear. But in the choife of the firfi: profefibrs, the eledors feem to have been defirous to manifefh an equal regard to both the univerfities ^ three of them being chofen from Oxford, three from Cambridge, and the feventh (who was a graduate of both) upon the recommendation of queen Eli¬ zabeth, as will be Ihewn in their lives. But this method of applying to the univerfities was not taken in the future elections nor was there the like reafon for it, application from thence being foon made to the eledlors upon every vacancy, as may be feen afterwards. The feven profefibrs being all chofen, it was on the 31 of March following ordered by the Grefliam coinmittee, that they Ihoiild take their feveral apartments in the manfion houfe, according to the allotment then made; where we fhall at prefent leave them, and proceed to give fome account of their lives. P R O F E S-