The Petition and Argument of Mr Hotham, Title page – Prefatory letter 1
THE PETITION AND ARGVMENT OF Mr. Hotham, Fellow of Peter-Houſ… in Cambridge, before the Committee for Reformation of the Univerſities, April 10. 1651. Againſt the Maſters Negative Voice of that Colledge, and for a remedy t… be granted the Colledge againſt the uſurpations of Doctor Seaman the preſent Maſter, agreeable to what was granted by Parliament to the City of London, An. Dom. 1648. for the better enabling them, in caſe of need, to act as a free Body, without their chief Officers concurrence.
Publiſhed for ſatisfaction to ſuch of the Univerſity as may poſſibly be deſirous of a true knowledge of that days proceedings.
London, Printed for Giles Calvert, and are to be ſold at the Black-ſpred-Eagle at the Weſt-end of Pauls. 1651.
To the Honourable, the Committee for Reformation of the Univerſities.
Right Worthy Senators,
THough by reaſon of a ſubruſtick pudor and love of eaſe (the two Cardinal vices of my Conſtitution) I have been alwaies averſe from action, never but by ſtrong enforcement of duty appearing in publique view. And though I was never ſo well pleaſed with ought I could ever yet ſay or do, as to think it worth a rehearſall, much leſs of publication, especially in theſe Pamphleting times, wherein the glut of Books hath rendred all mens Palats nauſeous of what is not in its kind excellent and extraordinary: Yet have I been lately by a ſtrong deſire of removing thoſe preſſures our Colledge hath long groaned under, rouzed up out of my dearling reſt, and native ſhamefaſtneſs, to appear a petitioner before you in ſome cauſes of our common concernment; in all which, though wearyed with the diſcouragement of continuall fruſtrations (which put both all thoſe engaged with me, and others that would have otherwiſe appeared, into a reſolution of no more addreſſes) yet could not I ſit ſtill as despairing, till I had made this one aſſay more, and delivered my ſelf of this laſt parturience.
This maſculine birth was no ſooner expoſ… to the light in your preſence, but it was, as you may well remember, by Doctor Seaman, whoſe prerogative it was born to oppoſe, endeavoured to be ſtifled with a deluge of vulgar ſlanders, viz. Malignity to his perſon, ambitious deſire of private promotion, enmity to the eſtabliſht Laws and Government of the Ʋniverſity, from all which the Petition was I think before your ſelves ſufficiently aſſerted; but thoſe light aſperſions being eaſilyer born away on the wings of common Fame, then that weight of reaſon I laid before you for its vindication, I held it convenient to ſend after them this particular memoriall of that dayes proceedings, that ſo his Calumnies, and this Narrative being both heard ſpeak together, the Ʋniverſity, which I know never yet eſteemed me an enemy to its Government, may be the better enabled to give a true judgement.
But above all, being convinced by ſome preſent at that debate, that what I then delivered before you, if publiſhed, might poſſibly prove both a ſerviceable light and incentive to ſome generous ſpirits, to the contribution of their endeavours to that good reformation by you roſolved upon, I could not, (being a moſt devoted ſervant to that publique end) but give way to their Counſels, though putting my ſlow Pen to the great pennance of extorting from my weak memory, and tranſcribing into a form fit for the Preſs, that rude draught of materials, I had prepared for this work, together with an interſertion here and there of ſome few pertinencies in that tumultuary diſpute, either omitted or forgotten.
I muſt confeſs I expected, that having the ſtate of the Controverſie, and great need then was of determining it, ſo clearly laid open before you.
1. In Doctor Seamans great unwillingneſs ſo much as to anſwer whether he laid claim to a negative voice.
2. In his open diſcovery, when more preſsly urged to it, of his avowance and claim to it.
3. In a full and ſatisfactory anſwer to all thoſe Pleas he could produce in juſtification of this claim; That a Declaration of your ſenſes againſt his negative voice, with ſome certain proviſion againſt the uſe of it for the future, would have been the narroweſt reſult of that dayes conſultation.
And I further hoped that ſome Gentlemen of worth would ſo far have eſpouſed a Common wealth quarrel, as that, if the abolition of the Maſters ſupremacy in calling of meetings, and propoſing of queſtions at his own pleaſure were not in the Committees power, the matter being of a high and publique concernment, ſhould have been ſpeedily reported to the houſe to provide a remedy.
But I will not make any fooliſh expectation of mine, a rule whereby to judge of the reſolutions of wiſ…r men.
That Order you were pleaſed to make that day, of having a view taken of the Statutes of the whole Ʋniverſity, and every particular Colledge, was a noble and a generous Reſolve; and to ſuffer your ſelves, from the repreſentation of a particular places grievances to be awakened into a poſitive activity towards an univerſall reformation, was a thing becoming men of enlarged ſpirits, and that Archipoimenall power you are entruſted with. And in that ſubſequent Order of thoſe Gentlemen of the Sub Committee, Dated April 25. I cannot but with all due reverence applaud their wiſe admittance of an intermixture of the experience of men beſt knowing in Colledge affairs with their own particular wiſdoms in this Reformation: you gaining by this means a threefold advantage.
Firſt, The due praiſe of your Honourable Condeſcent in not aſſerting us to our loſt freedoms by an abſolute power, till there firſt appear in our ſelves a diſlike of our former Metamorphoſis, and willingneſs to be reſtored.
Secondly, A true knowledge of the condition and temper of the Ʋniverſity in the Genius of its particular members, and how it ſtands affected to the principles of freedom.
And thirdly, Many conſiderable diſcoveries, which your ſelves out of the bare Theory could never have made, of great ſubſerviency to the clearing of your underſtandings, not only in this point of freedome, but in all the other parts of your intended Reformation.
Yet give me leave in my rough Northern Dialect to preſent before you ſome grand obſtructions, which as to our Colledge (for I deſire not to intermeddle further) may poſſibly hinder ſuch due concurrence as might juſtly be expected.
The firſt is the Maſter of the Colledges reſiding at London, who though at that diſtance from his Charge, he ought to be lookt at as a non ſignificant Cypher, yet hath he thereby opportunity, by his great intereſt and acquaintance with many of your members, to caſt the prejudices of a private and partial information againſt whatſoever we ſhal preſent, eſpecially if intrenching upon his prerogative.
Secondly, Though himſelf ſhould ſit ſtill and ſay nothing, yet his known Agent that grave Seigniour, who ſtands alwaies at your elbow, and hath been permitted more then once to intermeddle in our Colledge affairs, even in the time of your private debates, when we of the Colledge, who are moſt concerned were commanded to withdraw, and who, by the knowledge of your minds he thereupon pretends to, hath ſometimes attempted to deprave your Orders from your ſenſe, recorded by your publike Officer. This man ſtill continuing in truſt and reſpect with you, and I believe oft intruding his alley into the penning of your Orders … cannot but adminiſter us great ground of jealouſie, that our beſt endeavours are in danger to prove abortive.
I ſpeak not this without good ground, for when we had once at the beginning of theſe troubles a Petition to preſent to you; a prudent man of our Society, whoſe judgement we knew concurred with us, did refuſe to appear above-board upon this very ground: Our Petition he ſaid was very juſt, and agreeable both to Reaſon, and the Colledge Statute, but the Tribe of Adoniram would be too ſtrong for us.
A Gentleman being once to travel into France, took with him a raw Countrey-fellow to wait upon him; the Gentleman being arrived at Paris, and ſome daies after, going to ſee the Court, his man was very inquiſitive of him to know which was the King: but being ſhewn him, would not believe it was he, and gave this for his reaſon, That ſure the French were not ſuch fools, when they had among them as he knew well, a grave, able, and learned Councellour to make choice of (he meant a tall grim Switzer, with a great head, and a long beard, which he had obſerved waiting at the Kings Gate) to reject this wiſe man, and make choice of a young youth of not thirty year old to be their King.
All the application I make of it is but this one ſober aviſo, that you beware of too much depretiating your ſelves, and your authority; The being but thought to Philippiſe, was once a great diſhonour to the famous Oracle.
This reverend Switzer is I aſſure you lookt at as a great man, is adored by many, and few I think appear before you but ſacrifice to him, at leaſt ne noceat, and the old Proverb of our Chronicle begins to be again remembred;
He that will England win,
With Scotland muſt firſt begin.
I know not whether this plain language may diſpleaſe ſome, but I hope ſome indulgence will be granted to a poor Northern man, who hath not yet learned to ſpeak ſmooth Engliſh. And beſides, it is more agreeable both to the rules of honeſty and your intereſt, that theſe things ſhould be declared to you, then whiſpered of you. But I forget my ſelf.
That this mans finger (though your ſelves I am confident are not aware of it) hath not been wanting to the penning of this Order, I do a little ſuſpect. Becauſe firſt, Only thoſe members of Colledges entruſted with the Government for the time being (which I think in moſt Colledges are only the Maſter and two Deans, and a Lecturer or two) are here called in to give their advice. Secondly, That maſculine expreſſion in your firſt Reſolve of reducing the Statutes to ſuch a ſtate as may render them moſt conducing to the advancement of the intereſt of a Common wealth, being in this latter Order left out, and inſtead thereof, they only commanded to conſider what Statutes, &c. are prejudicial to the preſent Government: whereupon moſt men declining your intended ſenſe (of which your firſt Reſolve is the beſt Expoſitor) will probably confine their underſtandings ſolely to the Conſideration of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, or ſomething of that nature, as fit to be aboliſhed.
Thirdly, In our Colledge, though the Maſter and Deans, with the Lecturer (and Burſar in ſome caſes) are ſolely intruſted with the executive part of the governing power, yet is every member of the ſociety by our Statute, equally intruſted with the Legiſlative.
Now there are lately five Fellows put in by Order of this Committee, who though none of them have yet attained the degree of Maſter of Arts, and ſo are not yet men in an Ʋniverſity account, yet muſt they (being by your ſpecial Orders made compleat Fellows a year before their time) though utterly ignorant of our Statutes, unexperienced in Colledge affairs, and beſides, all but one of them, by their ſeveral relations to the Maſter, moſt devoted to his intereſt, have equal Votes in this grand Tranſaction with us of ancienteſt ſtanding and experience, which muſt needs produce vaſt obſtructions, and perhaps returns of contradictory opinions before your Tribunal. And theſe young lads opinions, being in the moſt material points, ſure to have the Maſters, either private or publike abettance, according to whoſe private inſtructions they will aſſuredly act, 'tis not uneaſie to judge by former ſucceſſes what is like to be the event in this.
Fourthly, It being unlikely that you will finde in other Colledges, a number conſiderable to the major part to declare for any conſiderable mutation, where no oppreſſive miſcarriage of their chief Officer hath awakened them into a diſtaſte of their preſent abſolute Monarchy; its improbable our Colledge lying under ſuch diſcouragements will adventure to be ſingular.
Fifthly, That whch is likely to prove the main obſtruction of all, is mens jealouſies of thoſe hazards they may incur by a fruitleſs Declaration of their ſenſes in points tending to the advancement of a Commonwealth intereſt, yourſelves having not yet declared your own ſenſes in favour of the cauſe of Liberty, which makes ſome fear, that their profeſſion of ſome free principles may (though undoubtedly far from your honorable intentions) prove in the event, but an aſſembling themſelves though honeſt men, to the fate of Baals Prieſts, I mean the rage of that Samaritan, whoſe corrupt intereſt they oppoſe.
But if your ſelves upon whoſe countenances all men will look as the magnetick Pole-ſtars of their motion, would but ſhew your ſelves ſo far propitious to the cauſe of Liberty, as to paſs but by way of earneſt, a previous Declaration of your ſenſes againſt the prerogative of Peters Chair, whoſe root lies already bare and disfaſtned by reaſons, axes and mattocks, and wants but one ſtroke of your authority to lay it level with the ground; this would indeed give ſome incouragement to our fainting reſolutions.
But if the redreſs of our grievance muſt be deferr'd till a perfect new model of all thoſe Statutes have waded through that infinitude of almoſt inſuperable obſtructions it will meet with: I cannot but look at our Cauſe as neer deſperate, or at leaſt ſhall of poor Peter-houſe take up my Proverb, and ſay Dum conſulitur Romae, capitur Saguntum; while help from our friends of the Roman Republick is delaied, our Liberties are left as a prey; and thoſe that appear'd for it, as aſcorn to the inſulting enemy, who now having obtain'd his will in your ejection of one elected by the Preſident and Fellows; of which you have an account annext to the latter end of this Relation, and his own Sizer a Londoner put by you into that Fellowſhip, though deſign'd by our Founder for a Northren man; and having laſtly got this deſired advantage of having this great controverſie left in ſtatu quo, and drown'd in that unfathomable Ocean of the univerſal view, and Reformation of the great body of our Colledge and Ʋniverſitie Statutes (like that ſouldier, who being told he muſt anſwer for ſome yards of cloth he had ſnatch't out of a Merchants ſhop, at the day of Judgement, merrily retorted; that might he have ſo long a day given him, he would take the whole piece) puts the evil day afar off; and as I hear impotently boaſts himſelf your onelyonly Favorite, and the Society as a deſpiſed handful, not otherwiſe look't at then as a heap of dead ſtones, except when it ſhall pleaſe himſelf to animate us into a Fabrick.
This I can attribute to nothing ſo much as thoſe his Punick Ambuſca…ds where with he hath hitherto prevail'd againſt our more apert Roman Militia; I mean thoſe ſecret whiſperings inſtill'd, I fear into their ears, whom he hath free acceſs to, of his being the author of all their eſſences in Peter-houſe, who now lift up their heels againſt him, of a Faction, and I know not what plot, to make way for building up another mans promotion out of his ruins; which groundleſs▪ ſcandals, lying perhaps as a prepoſſeſſion in many mens belief, cannot but prove a heavy obſtruction in their way who have done, or ſhall further appear his adverſaries.
But I hope you will in time conſider how uſual a ſtratagem it hath alwayes been of tyrants, to defile thoſe that appear'd for Reformation with ſuch like ſlanders.
And when Truths Story comes to be told in to your other ear, which I hope is reſerv'd empty for us the Fellows; theſe daughters of Falſhood will hide their faces, and vaniſh into nothing. I could my ſelf with a little more of your patience rectifie your judgements of thoſe prejudices, were I ſure there were need of it.
But I have detained you too long.
Be pleaſed to accept of theſe Remonſtrances, which, leſt the Publication might be miſinterpreted an appeal to others; I crave the boldneſs to Dedicate in all humility to your ſelves, not doubting, but that that candid and favourable attention of yours, which honor'd their firſt privater birth, will not deny its propitious influence upon this their more publick production.
And that you will every way approve your ſelves anſwerably to that honorable Stile you bear, The Committee for Reformation, is the confidence, And will alwayes be the Prayer of
Your meaneſt Servant, Ch. Hotham.