CHAP out of the number were recreated, under the name of Regius professorships. Henry VIII. did not, however, refund the endowments, but, characteristically appropriating the honour of the foundation, characteristically also made somebody else-in this case the Dean and Chapter of Westminster-pay the stipends of the professors. Wolsey set much value upon the study of Greek, having been an intimate friend of Linacre, the first president of the College of Physicians (another of Wolsey's noble institutions), who was fellow of All Souls as early as 1484, and taught Greek to Erasmus and Sir Thomas More. His first theological professor was Thomas Brynknell. His first Greek professor was Calphurnius, a native of Greece, who introduced the pronunciation now generally used by English scholars, but which was for some time a matter of bitter controversy at Oxford. His first professor of rhetoric was the famous Ludovicus Vives. In 1521 Wolsey appointed, as successor of Calphurnius, Lupset, who had been brought into notice by Dean Colet, and had been tutor to Thomas Wynter, the Cardinal's son, a great friend of Linacre, More, and Erasmus. By thus promoting the study of Greek, Theology, and other branches of learning, Wolsey was taking an impor The charge was transferred, in later days, to Christ Church. 1 Ecc. Mem. i. 194. Strype quotes Dr. Caius "de pronunciatione Græcæ ac Latina Linguæ" as his authority. 2 Probably the first instance of any language being printed in other than English type, by an English printer, is in the case of a few Arabic and Hebrew letters, printed in a book on the study of Arabic, Chaldee, and Hebrew, writ ten by Robert Wakefield, Canon of King's College, Oxford, and printed in 1524 by Wynkyn de Worde. These characters are evidently cut in wood, and very roughly cut. The author complains that he was obliged to omit the whole of the third part of his treatise because the printer had no Hebrew types. It was this Wakefield who first suggested that the European mind should be consulted as to the Divorce. II versities tant step towards elevating the standard of education, CHAP especially among the clergy; and showed himself in this as in most other things to be a man in advance of his generation. His efforts as to Greek met with very great opposition from the young Oxford of the Greek at day-those junior members of common rooms whose the Uniopinions are mostly very worthy of veneration in their own eyes; but by the aid of Sir Thomas More, Wolsey was able to overcome this opposition, and Oxford learned Greek in spite of its teeth. Whether or not Wolsey had anything to do with the introduction of Greek into Cambridge is uncertain. Erasmus was invited there by Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, who was chancellor of the University from 1504 till his death. That great scholar, but graceless man, was also appointed to the Greek professorship by Fisher's influence. But the successor of Erasmus was the learned Dr. Croke (otherwise Blunt), who was employed in very important State affairs during the rule of Wolsey. Cambridge, however, was being well provided for by the splendid benefactions of Henry VI. and the Lady Margaret, and by the zeal of its chancellor, Bishop Fisher, and did not stand in so much need of Wolsey's fostering care. Wolsey Nor did Cambridge follow the example of surrender- keeps visi ing its statutes to him for reformation until April 15, heretics in 1524. In the year previous (1523) a visitation of hands Cambridge University, for the purpose of eradicating "Lutheran" opinions, had been projected; Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, and West, Bishop of Ely, being the visitors proposed. But Wolsey set his foot upon this plan, superseding the two bishops by Dr. Shorton, Master of Pembroke Hall, Wolsey's comFiddes' Wolsey, Collect., p. 40. E II CHAP missary for the selection of Cambridge students of mark for Christ Church, and a well-known favourer of the proscribed opinions. It was probably some agitation arising out of this which led Cambridge to follow the example of Oxford, and commit its fortunes to the care of the great Cardinal. Prepares to found Christ Church In About the year 1520, Wolsey began to make preparations for founding his great college at Oxford. Longland, Bishop of Lincoln, and confessor to the King, was his principal agent; and in the choice of one so closely associated with his Sovereign, Wolsey showed already the intention of connecting the foundation itself with the Crown, which he indicated in letters to the King, by calling it his college. corresponding with Wolsey on the subject, Longland A.D. 1520 speaks strongly of the great satisfaction which Wolsey's plans were giving to Henry, and was evidently very zealous in the work himself, showing the King how "great good would ensue from this noble foundation, as well in the bringing up of youth in virtue, as in exceedingly tending to the maintenance of Christ's Church and His faith, to the King's honour and that of all the realm; and that many should be brought up there which would be The King's able to do His Grace honourable service." The King hearty made Longland explain Wolsey's purpose to Queen to the plan Catherine, and the Bishop had evidently caught up good-will some of Wolsey's own enthusiasm on the subject, when he "showed to the Queen's Grace the effect of all, and what great good should come of the same, as well to the conservation of Christ's Church and faith, as to the realm; where all good learning and letters should be, whereby resort should be out of all Fiddes' Wolsey, Collect., p. 212. II parts of Christendom to the same for learning and CHAP virtue; and showed her of the notable lectures that should be there, and of the exercitations of learning, and how the students should be limited by the readers to the same; likewise in the exposition of the Bible, and expressed to Her Grace the number of your house, the divine service of your college, and of the great suffrages of prayer ye have made her participant of."5 erecting his The success of this great plan was henceforth one Wolsey's of the principal objects of Wolsey's life. It has been motives in usual to speak of it as if the Cardinal had proposed Colleges it to himself simply as a costly monument of his ambition; and if any measure of praise has been accorded to his memory in respect to it, the praise has generally been accompanied by some depreciatory expressions, implying that if his work was good at any rate his motive was bad. This is most unworthy treatment of the great founder's memory. There is not one word of his on record to show that personal ambition had anything to do with this noble undertaking; and even if there were, it would be far more generous and just to look upon such an ambition as one of the weaknesses to which even the greatest minds may be subject, than to treat it as if it were a proof of criminal baseness. But the real truth is, that Wolsey had as honourable motives in founding Christ Church as De Merton, Waynfleet, or William of Wykeham had in founding Merton, Magdalen, and New Colleges; and, above all, the gratitude that Oxford and England at large owe to such promoters of sound learning, there is this due to Wolsey from the Church of England, that she 5 Ellis' Orig. Letters, I. i. 181. II CHAP owes him grateful remembrance for an honest and energetic attempt to guide the course of the Reformation by means of a vast educational institution, whose influence should be deeply impressed upon that and succeeding generations. The foundation of this great college-an university within an university, as it was called by somewas a fragment of a plan for carrying out an object that the hearts of many wise men were at that time set on that of extending the pastoral and educational portion of the Church's system, and compressing the monastic part. Another mighty fragment was the establishment of a college or university (as Proposed Stow calls it) in London, where the Canon and Civil foundation Law should be made as prominent objects of study lege for as Mathematics are at Cambridge. And, considerLondon ing the close alliance between the clergy and the art of healing in those days, it is scarcely too much to College of say that the College of Physicians (which was Physicians founded chiefly by Wclsey) was another portion." of a Col Law in plan for suppres smaller monas As it was clearly impossible for such a vast scheme to be carried out by private funds, so it was natural Wolsey's for Wolsey to look to the monastic foundations for them, the diminishing of their number being thought sion of the beneficial rather than injurious to the Church and kingdom. It had long been foreseen that, in reforming the monasteries, a large number of them must be extinguished as useless sinecures; and this idea of utilizing their property for educational objects, and for promoting Church extension among the growing population of the country, was one worthy of a teries Linacre, the first president, was in priest's orders, Rector of Wigan and Prebendary of Wells, and of the Collegiate Chapel of St. Ste great phen in Westminster Palace. When he resigned the latter he was succeeded by another clerical physician, Edward Fynche. |
