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WILLIAM BATEMAN.

Bateman, when the completion of the work was thus put into his hands in the autumn of 1351, had not really a longer span of life before him than had been allotted to Gonville when he first commenced it. And he was, as he says in a deed of confirmation, already over-burdened with his own special foundation of Trinity Hall. In less than three years he started for Avignon, on an important mission of State. There he died', Jan. 6, 1354-5, and was buried in the cathedral with great pomp, all the resident cardinals attending his funeral, which was celebrated by the patriarch of Jerusalem. There is no trace of any tomb, or monument to his memory, to be found in the church.

Before his death however Bateman had had time to carry out all the necessary steps for establishing the college on a tolerably firm footing; viz. by the confirmation of Gonville's foundation, drawing up a code of statutes, conferring a name, confirming or granting a seal, securing some permanent endowment, and by a "Treaty of Amity" with his own special foundation of Trinity Hall. These shall be noticed in order.

Within a few months of Gonville's death, viz. on Dec. 21, 1351, Bateman drew up a "stabilitio" of the foundation. It is dated at his manor of Hoxne, Suffolk, and records that Gonville had proposed to found a college; but being prevented by death was unable to complete his design. We therefore, the bishop, though heavily burdened by our foundation and endowment of Trinity Hall, lest such a praiseworthy design should fall into entire ruin, establish, &c., the said college, and desire that it shall be called the Hall of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We propose so to endow it with rents and privileges (redditibus et facultatibus) as to provide it with a permanent sufficiency. And we reserve free power to assign to it such rules and statutes as to our conscience shall seem necessary or useful' (for the exact expressions see the Appendix). It must be observed that this "stabilitio," though confirmed by the bishop of Ely, and by the Chancellor of the University, fell short of what was necessary. Bateman did not secure any royal charter of incorporation; and so left the college, as Caius and Brady point out, in a very precarious legal position. This was not remedied until Caius himself, more than two centuries later, procured such a charter. Meanwhile, as he says (Annals), they enjoyed their property and 'were what they thought they had been, rather by the piety, goodness, and simplicity of those ages than by any right of law.'

Next came the assignment of Statutes, which of course superseded those sketched out by Gonville. They are dated at Hoxne, Sept. 7, 1353.

The best account of Bateman's life and work is to be found in a paper by Prof. E. C. Clark (Proc. of Camb. Ant. Soc., xxxIx.).

2 We have two copies of Statutes by Bateman in our Treasury, both dated on the same day (Sept. 7, 1353) at his manor of Hoxne, but different. The first of these (Box I. 15) is very short, and is endorsed (in Caius' hand) 'prima hec Epi statuta cassata sunt per secunda ejusdem dati, continentia hec et multa alia.' It has a good impression of the Bishop's private seal attached. The second, as we have it (Box I. 16), is an official notary's copy of the original, and is dated at

The college was governed by these statutes of Bateman alone, for about two centuries; and by these, as modified by those of Caius, for about three centuries more; viz. till 1860. They are printed in the Appendix, with a few notes which will save any detailed discussion here. Their exact relation to those of Gonville has been frequently discussed. Bateman has always ranked as a second founder, and is described by many as having carried out Gonville's designs. Others speak as if he had thrust himself into the real founder's place, and perverted his intentions. Amongst these is Mr Mullinger who says (Hist. 1. 247) "Bishop Bateman is spoken of as having "carried out" Gonville's intentions in giving statutes to Gonville Hall. For "carried out" we might read “frustrated”.” There is, undoubtedly, a considerable difference between the regulation of Gonville, that his fellows should, as a general rule, 'after Arts proceed to Theology,' and that of Bateman that they should proceed to 'Civil or Canon Law, to Theology, or to Medicine.' It sounds like the difference between making the principal aim that of training theologians and that of training civilians. But surely in interpreting a body of statutes we ought not to lay the stress entirely upon the legal significance of a single clause, but also to look to the historic development of the college. If it were really the case that Bateman intended to found two schools of Civil or Canon Law in Cambridge, we can only say that his success was as complete in one case as was his failure in the other. Of the first ten masters of our college all but one were divines, and the other, though a doctor of medicine, was possibly in Holy Orders. Similarly with the early fellows. They are to be found in many departments of church work as theologians, but seldom as lawyers or doing legal work. On the other hand, nearly all the early masters of Trinity Hall were primarily Civilians or Canonists.

The complaints against Bateman's conduct advanced by Dr Caius, and Dr Brady, are different. What they mainly object to is his having suppressed the name of Gonville, which had been by him definitely assigned to the college, and having passed himself off as the substantial founder. Caius, for instance, says (Annals) that 'he caused it by his own power to be called the College of the Annunciation'; and, elsewhere, that the college acknowledged the bishop as their founder, when they only owed that acknowledgement to Gonville.' Brady delivers himself still more strongly. He speaks of Bateman's "device in his pretended and fictitious deed of Foundation"; adds that "he no ways discharged his trust according to Gonville's intention"; and even hints at malversation, "Gonville designed a master and 20 fellows, and without doubt left a sufficiency for that purpose" (MS. 709). Of his statutes he says "He laid aside the statutes of Gonville, better and more rational than those he imposed." It will be seen that neither of these critics alludes to what, in later times, would be regarded as the

the episcopal registry, Norwich, May 19, 1355; that is, shortly after the bishop's death. It is much longer than the other. What may be called the authoritative working copy of this latter was long kept in our Treasury, and is now in the Library. It is a small paper volume, evidently drawn up for Dr Caius and signed by him. It contains Bateman's Statutes, together with those of Caius, and a few other documents.

narrowness of spirit with which endowments were confined by Bateman to the Norfolk diocese, when Gonville himself had left them unrestricted.

As regards the early college seal' there is some doubt. Caius says that it was granted by Bateman, and it is possible that he is right. On the other hand, in Sheriffe's Evidences there is a marginal note by Dr Brady stating that the approbation" of Gonville's statutes by Colton and the fellows, as also the counterpart of Gonville's deed of foundation, are signed with the common seal of the college. If this were so,-and Brady is a much more trustworthy guide in such matters than Caius,-documents with such a seal are now missing.

The first endowment of the college, as effected by Bateman, consisted in the appropriation of the rectorial tithes of Mutford, Foulden, and Wilton. This was a very common method of enriching the monasteries. The deed of conveyance of the advowson of Mutford, by the patron, Sir Edmund Hemgrave, 'for a certain sum of money,' is dated May, 1354. Then follows the King's licence. The licence of the bishop is dated June 16, following. It grants to the college, which was insufficiently endowed, all the proceeds of the living, reserving ten marks, and a suitable house, for the vicar. On a vacancy the college is to present two priests, of whom the bishop will select one. As recompense for the first fruits, the college is to pay the bishop £1 annually:-this last condition deserves notice: the bishop of Norwich, unlike his brethren, had a claim to the first-fruits of livings in his diocese.

The deed of conveyance of Foulden, by the patrons, the prior and convent of Lewes, is dated Sept. 26, 1354. The licence of the bishop, on the 28th Sept., is similar to the above. The bishop presents in the same way, and receives an annual pension of £1. To the vicar is reserved £10. Similarly with Wilton. Like Foulden, the patronage was in the hands of Lewes Priory. It was conveyed to the college, and the licence of the bishop was granted, on the same days and in the same terms, as had been arranged in the case of Foulden.

Finally a "Treaty of perpetual Amity" was drawn up by Bateman between what may be called his child and his foster-child. This curious document is printed in the Appendix. It is in the form of an agreement, dated Sept. 17, 1353, between the two colleges, and is followed by the formal sanction of the bishop, giving it the force of a statute. It provides that all the fellows of the two colleges shall live in amity "tanquam fratres amicissimi ex uno fundationis stipite prodeuntes"; that in all legal and other difficulties they shall take counsel together and give mutual help; that they shall combine in all University and other public ceremonies; but that, on such occasions, those of Trin. Hall", "tanquam fratres primogeniti," shall take precedence: and finally, as a sign of such affection, they shall wear robes or cloaks of the same pattern (de una secta), both in the schools and abroad. Such a treaty sounds strange to modern ears, but was probably of real

1 An impression of this ancient seal, together with one of the modern seal, will be found further on, in the account of Dr Caius.

2 As bearing on the complaint, that Bateman set aside Gonville's title and claimed for himself the title of founder, this priority is very significant. The sons of Gonville were, of course, really the "firstborn."