Et verum vitæ doctinæ iusticiæque,
Primum semper habe, duo propter scandala linque.

MarginaliaVerity in 3. partes consisteth.Shewyng and declaring by many autorities both of canonicall Scriptures and out of the law, and by euident demonstration of experiēce: that the friers first had no veritie of life, because they were full of hypocrisie: nether had þ^e veritie of doctrine, because in their hart they bare galle, & in their tongue hony: neither veritie of iustice, because they vsurped other mens offices. And thus concludyng with the same, caused agayne to be read the sayd priuilegies, with the constitution aboue specified. And so expoundyng place by place, did argue and proue that the sayd constitution, in no part was euacuat or infringed by the priuilegies aforesayd. Whiche thyng beyng declared he added moreouer, that where as the friers say (sayd he) that I should be present in the obteynyng of the priuilegies, I graūt it to be true, and when worde came to me thrise therof, I went to the Pope reclaimyng and requiring the sayd priuilegies to be reuoked. But the next day after, it so pleased the pope to send me out abroad vpon weyghty affaires, so that then the matter had no end. MarginaliaThe Friers proued wyth a lyeAfter þ^t, we sent also other messēgers w^t our letters, for þ^e same cause vnto the court of Rome, whom the friers say not to haue preuayled, but they lye therin. For the sayd messengers agayne brought vs letters, frō the chief of the court of Rome, sealed with their seales which letters, we haue diuers tymes presented to our kyng, and will shortly shewe them vnto you all. In the whiche letters, the Lord pope hath promised the sayd priuiledgies, either to be vtterly abrogate, or els to be mitigated with some more playne interpretation, of the whiche we trust shortly to haue the publique Bulle or writte from the pope.

At last, the sayd Bishop required & desired of all there, of what dioces or countrey so euer they were: that they would copy out the foresaid priuiledgies, and send them abroad into their coūtreys, that all men might see what they were, and how farre they did extēd. MarginaliaThe friers priuileges cōfuted in disputatiō at Parys.In fine, the matter commyng into open disputatiō, it was concluded by maister Giles one of the Augustine friers (who was thought to be most reasonable of all the others friers, in this wise) that after his sentence, the prelates were in the truer part. &c. Hæc ex Godfrido de Fontanis.

¶ Concernyng this wrangling contentiō betwene the vniuersitie and friers of Fraunce here tofore mentioned, whereof partly the originall cause there may be vnderstand by that whiche hath been sayd to rise vpon certeine priuilegies graunted by Popes to the friers, to intermedle in matters of parish churches: As to here confessiōs, to preach and teache, with power therto annexed to gather for their labour, to bury within their houses, and to receaue impropriations. &c: because it were long here to describe the full circumstances therof, also because the sayd contention did endure a long tyme not onely in Fraunce but also came ouer to England: The whole discourse thereof more amplye (Christ willyng) shalbe declared in the begynnyng of the next booke folowyng, when we come to the story of Armachanus.

MarginaliaA seditious commotiō betwene the townes men and the scholers in the vniuersitie of Oxford.About what tyme and yeare, this brawle was in the vniuersitie of Paris betwene the friers & prelates there, as hath been declared: the lyke contention happened also in the vniuersitie of Oxford in the yeare aboue prefixed. 1354. saue onely that the strife amōg þ^e maisters of Paris as it rose vpon Frierly ceremonies, so it went no farther, then brawlyng wordes and matter of excommunication: but this tumulte rising of a dronken cause, proceded further vnto bloudy stripes. The first originall whereof began in a tauerne, betwene a scholer and the goodman of the house. Who fallyng together in altercation, grew to such heate of wordes, that the student (contra ius hospitij) poured the wine vpō the head of the hoste and brake his head with þ^e quarte pot. Vpō this occasiongeuen, eftsoones partes began to be takē betwene the towns men and the scholers. In so much that a greuous sedition and conflicte folowed vpon the same: wherin many of the townes men were woūded, and to þ^e number of xx. slayne. Diuers also of the scholers were greuously hurt. The space of ij. dayes, this hurly burly continued. MarginaliaProcession for peace. The holy procession would bring no peace.Vpon the second day, certeine religious and deuout persons ordeined a solemne procession generall, to pray for peace. Yet notwithstandyng, all that procession as holy as it was, it woulde not bryng peace. In the whiche procession (the skirmishe still waxing hoate) one of the studentes beyng hardly pursued by the townesmen, for succour in hys flighte, came runnyng to the Prieste or frier which caried about (as the maner was) þ^e pixe: thinkyng to finde refuge at the presence of the transubstantiated God of the aulter there caried and inbored. MarginaliaTransubstatiation wyll not helpe in tyme of neede.Notwithstandyng, the God there not present, or els not seing hym, or els peraduenture beyng a slepe: the scholer foūd there small helpe. For the townesmen in the heate of the chase, forgettyng belyke the vertue of the Popes transubstantiation, folowed him so hard, þ^t in the presence of the pyxe they brake his head, and woūded hym greuouslye. This done, at lengthe some peace or truce for that day was takē. The next morow folowing, other townes men in the villagies about, ioyning with the townes mē of Oxford: confederated together in great force and power to set vpon the Studentes there, and so did, hauing a blacke flag borne before them, and so inuaded the Vniuersity men. MarginaliaA conquest of the scholers of Oxford.Wherupon, the scholars being ouer matched and compelled to flee into their haules and hostles, were so pursued by their enemies: that. xx. of the doores of their haules and chambers were broke open, and many of them wounded, and (as it is sayd) slayne and throwen into priuies: their bookes with kniues and byls cut all in peeces, and much of their goods caried away. MarginaliaThe vniuersitie of Oxford dissolued for a tyme.And thus the students of that Vniuersitye beyng conquered by the townes men of Oxforde, and of the countrye about, departed and left the Vniuersitye. So that for a time, the scholes there, and all schole actes did vtterlye cease from all exercise of studye, except onelye Merton colledge haule, with a few other remayning behinde.

This being done the. xij. day of February, the quene at the same time being at Woodstocke, was brought to bed, and purified on the fyrste Sondaye in Lent wyth great solemnity of Iusting: MarginaliaThe towne of Oxford interdicted.About which time, þ^e bishop of Lyncolne their Diocesane hearyng of this excessiue outrage, sendeth his inhibition to all persons & priestes, forbidding them throughout all Oxforde, none to celebrate masse or any diuine seruice in the presence of anye lay parson within the sayd towne of Oxford, interdicting withall the whole towne. Which interdiction endured the space of a whole yeare and more.

They kyng also sent thyther his Iustices to examine and enquire of the matter. Before whom diuers lay mē and of the Clergy wer indicted. Also iiij. of the chiefe burgeses of the sayd towne were indicted, and by the kings commaundement sent to the Tower of London, were there imprisoned. At length through muche labour of the nobles, the king so tooke vp the matter, that sending his writinges vnto all Shriues in England, offered pardon to all and singuler Studentes of that Vniuersitye, (whersoeuer dispersed) for that transgression. Wherby, the Vniuersity in shorte tyme was replenished agayne as before. MarginaliaGraunted to the commissary of Oxford to haue the assiese of breade & ale and other priuelyges aboue the Minor of the Towne.Moreouer was graunted to the Vicechancelour or Comissary (as they terme hym) of the towne and vniuersitie of Oxforde, to haue the assise of bread, ale, wyne, and all other victuals, þ^e Maior of the sayd towne being excluded. Also was graūted and decreed, that the commons of Oxforde shoulde geue to the vniuersitie of Oxford CCli. sterling in parte of satisfaction for their excesses: reserued notwithstanding to euery one of the studentes hys seuerall action agaynst any seuerall per-