second night without the succour of a high and friendly hand, has procured him the grateful admiration of posterity. Wolsey had long promised to bestow on Oxford a lasting mark of his esteem; and, in the year 1524, he commenced the great work now under examination.

As a preparatory step (and, probably, with a view of rendering the projected Establishment independent of his own personal fortunes) he procured bulls from the Pope for the suppression of several priories and nunneries, which, together, yielded an annual revenue of nearly 20001. An income to this amount he was authorized, by letters patent from the king, to settle on his new institution, to which he gave the name of Cardinal College, and the buildings of which he commenced on the site of an ancient priory dedicated to St. Fridiswida.

The original design of Wolsey was extensive beyond precedent. The society was to consist of one hundred and sixty persons, the chief of whom were to be engaged in the study of the sciences, divinity, canon and civil law, the arts, physic, and polite literature. Divine service was to be continually performed; and he had collected the best architects of the age to project a concentration of beauties in the arrangement of the buildings. But, before these grand intentions could be carried into entire effect, the cardinal experienced disgrace; and the revenues bestowed by Wolsey, together with the incomplete portions of building raised under his inspection, were pathetically consigned by him to the fostering clemency of the king.

The chief events in Wolsey's Life are so well known, that it does not appear necessary to present them here, in an epitomised form. It may be de sirable, however, to state the progress of his early connexion with the University of Oxford. He was entered of Magdalen College when a mere child, and was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts at the age of fifteen. He soon obtained his master's degree, and was then appointed teacher of Magdalen grammar school. He was made bursar of the college in 1498, at which period he was about twenty-seven years old; and he left the University in the year 1500.

Henry, in the year 1532, yielded to the intreaties of the University, and became a patron to the foundation; but he was determined to preclude the discarded favourite from all nominal participation in the merit of the undertaking, and he refounded the society, under the term of " King Henry VIII.'s College, in Oxford." By the charter now conferred he endowed the institution with a revenue equal to that intended by Wolsey, and directed the gross sum to be applied to the maintenance of a dean and twelve canons, who should form a body corporate.

The College remained thus organized till so momentous a change took place in Henry's views, that every establishment connected with the church, and yet dependent for its chief support on his individual protection, must needs tremble for its security.

In 1545, the charter was surrendered by the dean and canons to the hands of the king; but for a purpose which tended to the eventual honour of the institution. Among the dissolved religious houses on the ruins of which Henry erected bishop's sees, Oseney Abbey, contiguous to Oxford, was one. But those increasing wants, which his extravagance produced, led him to reduce this abbey, and to translate the Cathedral church to St. Fridiswida's. The institution then became an appendage to the cathedral, and both its former names were lost in that of" The Cathedral Church of Christ, in Oxford, of King Henry VIII.'s foundation." This foundation was now declared to consist of a bishop, with his archdeacon (removed from the church of Lincoln, in which diocese Oxford had hitherto remained,) and a dean and eight canons. The principal estates were, at the same time, consigned to the persons recognised as forming the chapter, on condition of their maintaining three public professors of divinity, Hebrew, and Greek; one hundred students in theology, arts, and philosophy; eight chaplains, and a suitable choir.

The munificent character of the foundation, and the splendour arising from regal patronage, appear to have deterred all ranks. from the least thought of assistant benefaction for many years

subs

second night without the succour of a high and friendly hand, has procured him the grateful admiration of posterity. Wolsey had long promised to bestow on Oxford a lasting mark of his esteem; and, in the year 1524, he commenced the great work now under examination.

As a preparatory step (and, probably, with a view of rendering the projected Establishment independent of his own personal fortunes) he procured bulls from the Pope for the suppression of several priories and nunneries, which, together, yielded an annual revenue of nearly 20001. An income to this amount he was authorized, by letters patent from the king, to settle on his new institution, to which he gave the name of Cardinal College, and the buildings of which he commenced on the site of an ancient priory dedicated to St. Fridiswida.

The original design of Wolsey was extensive beyond precedent. The society was to consist of one hundred and sixty persons, the chief of whom were to be engaged in the study of the sciences, divinity, canon and civil law, the arts, physic, and polite literature. Divine service was to be continually performed; and he had collected the best architects of the age to project a concentration of beauties in the arrangement of the buildings. But, before these grand intentions could be carried into entire effect, the cardinal experienced disgrace; and the revenues bestowed by Wolsey, together with the incomplete portions of building raised under his inspection, were pathetically consigned by him to the fostering clemency of the king.

* The chief events in Wolsey's Life are so well known, that it does not appear necessary to present them here, in an epitomised form. It may be de sirable, however, to state the progress of his early connexion with the Univer sity of Oxford. He was entered of Magdalen College when a mere child, and was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts at the age of fifteen. He soon obtained his master's degree, and was then appointed teacher of Magdalen grammar school. He was made bursar of the college in 1498, at which period he was about twenty-seven years old; and he left the University in the year 1500.