In
temporal causes an appeal lay to the higher tribunals of the realm and
the King. The Chancellor, also, might appeal to the King, invoking the
secular arm in cases where the voice of the Church proved ineffectual in
dealing with rebellious subjects, and the letter addressed to the
sovereign for this purpose was called, in technical language, a
_significavit_.
Sometimes the King, moved perhaps by a petition from his lieges in one
or other of the University towns, admonished the Chancellor to be more
alert in the performance of his duty. In June, 1444, the head of the
University of Oxford was in receipt of the following missive from Henry
VI.:
"Trusty and welbeloved, we grete you wel, and late you wyte that we have
understanden by credible report of the greet riotts and misgovernance
that have at diverse tymys ensued and contynelly ensue by two circuits
used in oure Universite of Oxon in the vigile of St. John Baptist and
the Holy Apposteles Peter and Paule to the gret hurt and disturbance of
the sad and wol vituled personnes of the same Universite, wherefore We,
wolling such vices and misgovernaunce to be suppressyd and refused in
the said Universite and desiring the ease and tranquillite of the said
peuple in the same, wol and charge you straitly that ye see and ordeyne
by youre discretione that al such vices and misgovernaunce be left and
all such as may be founde defective in that behalve be sharply punished
in example of all other; and more over We charge you oure Chancellor, to
whom the governance and keeping of our paix within oure said Universite
by virtu of our privilege roial is committed that in eschewing of all
inconvenience, ye see and ordeyne that oure paix be surely kepe within
oure Universite above said, as wel in the saide vigiles as at all other
tymes; and for asmuch as We be enformed that the sermons in latin which
ever before this tyme, save now of late, be now gretly discontynued, to
the gret hurt and disworship of the same, We therefore, desiring right
affecturusely the increse of vertu and cunning in oure said Universite,
wol and commande you straitly that ye with ripe and suffisant maturite,
advise a sure remede in that party, by the which such sermons may
thereafter be continued and inviolably observed, wherein ye shal do unto
Us right singulier pleisir.
Pages:
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103