Oxford and Cambridge Act 1571
1571 c.29 13_Eliz_1
An Acte for Thincorporation of bothe Thunyversities.
For confirming the Priviledges of the Two Universities;
For the greate Love and Favor that the Queenes most excellent Majestie beareth towardes her Highnes Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and for the greate Zeale and Care that the Lords and Commons of this present Parliament have for the Mayntenaunce of good and Godly Literature and the vertuouse Education of Youth within either of the same Universities; And to thentent that the auncient Priveleges Liberties and Fraunchises of either of the said Universities [here before] graunted ratified and confirmed by the Queenes Highnes and her most noble Progenitors may be had in greater Estymation and be of greater Force and Strengthe, for the better Increase of Larning and the further suppressing of Vice:
[I.] The Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the University of Oxford incorporated; Common Seal;The Chancellor, Masters, and Scholars of the Universities of Cambridge incorporated; Common Seal;
—The Right Honorable Robert Erle of Leicester nowe Chauncellor of the said Universitie of Oxford and his Successors for ever, And the Masters and Schollers of the same Universitie of Oxford for the tyme being, shalbe incorporated and have a perpetuall Succession in Facte Dede and Name, by the Name of the Chauncellor Masters and Schollers of the Universitie of Oxford, and that the same Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of the same Universitie of Oxford for the tyme being, from henceforth by the Name of Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of the Universitie of Oxford, and by none other Name or Names, shalbe called and named for evermore: And that they shall have a common Seale to serve for their necessarie Causes touching and concerning the said Chauncellor Maysters and Schollers of the said Universitie of Oxford and their Successors: And likewyse that the Right Honorable Sir William Cicill Knight Baron of Burghley nowe Chauncellor of the said Universitie of Cambridg and his Successors for ever, and the Masters and Schollers of the same Universite of Cambridg for the tyme being, shalbe incorporated and have a perpetual Succession in Fact Deede and Name, by the Name of the Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of the Universitie of Cambridge, and that the same Chauncellor Masters and Schollers of the said Unive sitie of Cambridg for the tyme being, from henceforth by the Name of Chauncellor Maisters & Schollers of the Universitie of Cambridg, and by none other Name or Names, shalbe called & named for evermore: And that they shall have a Comon Seale to serve for their necessarye Causes touching and concerning the said Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of the said Universitie of Cambridg and their Successors: And further that aswell the Chauncellor Maiesters and Schollers of the said Universitie of Oxford and their Successors, by the Name of Chauncellor Masters and Schollers of the Universitie of Oxford, as the Chauncelor Maisters and Schollers of the sayd Universitie of Cambridge and theire Successors, by the Name of Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of the Universitie of Cambridg, may severally impleade and be ympleaded and sue or be sued, for all manner of Causes Quarels Actions Realles Personall and Mixt of whatsoever Kynde Qualitie or Nature they be, and shall and maye challeng and demaunde all manner of Liberties & Fraunchises, and also aunswere and defend themselves, under and by the Name aforesaid in the same Causes Quarels and Accions, for every Thinge and Things whatsoever, for the Proffit and Right of either of the foresaid Universities to be don, before any manner of Judge either Spirittuall or Temporall in any Courtes and Places within the Queenes Highnes Domynions whatsoever they be.
II. Letters Patent 1 Ap. 14 H. VIII. to University of Oxford, and 26 Ap. 3 Eliz. to University of Cambridge, and all other Letters Patents to either of the said Universities, confirmed.
And the Letters Patents of the Queenes Highnes most noble Father Kinge Henry Theight made and graunted to the Chauncellor and Schollers of the Universitie of Oxford, bearing date the first daye of Aprill in the foureteine yere of his Raigne, and the lettres Patentes of the Queenes Majestie that nowe is, made and graunted unto the Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of the Universitie of Cambridge, bearing date the sixe and twentie daye of Aprill in the third yeare of her Highnes most gratious Raigne, and also all other lettres Patents by any of the Progenitors or Predicessors of our said Soveraigne Ladye, made to either of the said Corporated Bodies severally or to anye of their Predecessors of either of the said Universities, by whatsoever Name or Names the said Chauncellor Masters and Schollers of either of the saide Universities in anye of the said lettres Patentes have ben heretofore named, shall fromhenceforth be good effectuall and avaylable in the Lawe, to all Intentes Constructions and purposes, to the foresaid nowe Chauncellor Maisters & Schollers of either of the said Universities and to their Successors for evermore, after and according to the Fourme Wordes Sentences and true meaning of every of the same lettres Patents, as amply fullye and largely as yf the same lettres Patentes were recited verbatim in this present Acte of Parlyament; Any Thing to the contrary in any wyse notwithstandinge.
III. All Possessions and Privileges of the said Universities confirmed to them, being so incorporated.
And the Chauncellor Masters and Schollers of either of the said Universities severally, and their Successors forever, by the same Name of Chauncellor Maisters and Schollors of either of the said Universities of Oxforde and Cambridge, shall and may severally have hold
[ possesse] enjoye and use, to them and to their Successors for ever more, all mannor of Mannors Lorshippes Rectories Personage Lands Tenements Rentes Services Annuyties Advousons of Churches Possessions Pencions Porcions and Hereditamentes, and all manner of Liberties Fraunchises Immunytes Quietances and Pryvileges, View of Frankpledge Lawedaies and other Things whatsoever they be, the which either of the said Corporated Bodies of either of the said Universities had held occupied or enjoyed, or of right ought to have had used occupied and enjoyed, at any tyme or tymes before the making of this Acte of Parlyament; according to the true Intent and Meaninge aswell of the said lettres Patentes made by the said noble Prynce King Henrye Theight, made and graunted to the Chauncellor and Schollers of the Unyversitie of Oxford bearing date as is aforesaid, as of the lettres Patentes of the Queenes Majestie made and graunted unto the Chauncellor Masters and Schollers of the Universitie of Cambridge bearing date as aforesaid, and as accordinge to the true Intent and Meaninge of all
[ other the] foresaid lettres Patentes whatsoever; Any Statute or other Thinge or Things whatsoever heretofore made or don to the contrary in anye manner of wyse notwithstandinge.
IV. All Deeds, Obligations, &c. made to the said Universities, by any former Description, declared valid.
And all manner of Instruments Indentur Obligacions Writings obligatory and Recognisaunses, made or knowledged by any persons or persons or Body Corporate to either of the said Corporated Bodies of either of the said Universities, by what Name or Names soever the said Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of either of the said Universities have ben heretofore called, in any of the said Instrumentes Indenturs Obligacions Writings obligatori or Recognizaunces, shalbe from henceforth avaylable stand and contynue of good perfect and full force and strength, to the nowe Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of either of the said Universities and to their Successors, to all Intents Construccions and Purposes; althoughe they or their Predecessors or any of them, in any of the said Instruments Indentures Obligacions Writings obligatory or Recognyzaunzes, be named by any Name contrary or dyverse to the Name of the nowe Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of either of the said Universities.
V. Patents and Liberties granted the Universities, by any former Description, declared valid, and ratified.
And aswell the said lettres Patentes of the Queenes Highnes said father Kinge Henry Theight bearing date as is before expressed, made and graunted to the said Corporate Bodye of the said Universitie of Oxon, as the Letters Patentes of the Queenes Majestie aforesaid, graunted to the Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of the Universitie of Cambridg bearing date as aforesaid, and all other letters Patents by any of the Progenitors or Predecessors of her Highnes, and all manner of Liberties Fraunchises Immunyties Quietances and Previlidges Letes Lawedayes and other Things whatsoever therein expressed, geven or graunted to the said Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of either of the said Universities or to anye of their Predecessors of either of the said Universities, by whatsoever Name the said Chauncellor Maisters and Schollers of either of the said Universities in any of the said Letters Patentes be named, in and by vertue of this present Acte shalbe from henceforth ratyfied stablished and confirmed unto the said Chauncello Maisters and Schollers of either of the said Universities and to their Successors for ever; Any Statute Lawe Usage Custom Construccion or other Thing to the contrary in any wyse notwithstanding.
VI. Proviso for Titles of Strangers, Lessees, &c.
Savinge to all and every person and persons and Bodies Politike and Incorporate their Heyres and Successors, and the Heirs and Successors of every of them, other then to the Quenes Majestie her Heires & Successors, all such Rightes Titles Interests Entrees Leases Conditions Charges and Demaundes, which they and every of them had might or should have had, of in or to any the Mannors Lordshippes Rectories Personages Landes Tenementes Rents Services Annuyties Advousons of Churches Pencions Porcions Hereditamentes, and all other Things in the said lettres Patentes or in any of them mencioned or comprysed, by reason of any Right Title Charge Interest or Condicion, to them or any of them or to the Auncestors or Predecessors of them o any of them devolute or growne, before the several Dates of the same lettres Patents, or by reason of any Gyfte Graunte Demyse or other Acte or Actes at any tyme made or don betwene the said Ch uncelor Maisters and Schollers of either of the said Universities of Cambridge and Oxford or any of them & others, by what Name or Names soever the same were made or don, in like manner and fourme as they and every of them had or might have had the same before the making of this Acte; Any Thinge, &c.
VII. Proviso for Liberties of Mayor, Bailiffs, and Burgesses of Cambridge and Oxford.
Provyded alwaies, That this Acte or anye Thinge therin contayned shall not extend to the Prejudice or Hurt of the Liberties & Privileges of Right belonging to the Maior Bayliffes & Burgeses of the Towne of Cambridge and Cittie of Oxford; but that they the said Maio s Bayliffes and Burgeses and every of them and their Successors shalbe and contynew fre in such sort and degree, and enjoye such Liberties Fredomes and Ymmunyties, as they or any of them lawfully may or might have don before the making of this present Acte; Any Thing contayned in this present Acte to the contrary notwithstandinge.
