" nor so chargeable, but that the Overplus of his Rents and Profits of the Premisses would soon recompense the same; because to so good Purpose in the Commonwealth, no Prince or Council in any Age would deny or defeat the same. And that if conveniently by his Will, or other Conveyance, he might have assured it, he would not have left it to be done after his Death;) Then the same to revert to his right Heirs; whereas he meant the same to the Common Weal: And then the Default thereof should be to the Reproach and Condemnation of the said Corporations afore God." The proving of this Will bore Date November 26. 1579.

This Noble Gift was afterwards confirmed by Act of Parliament in the 23d of the Queen, and was Intitled; An Act for the establishing an Agreement between Sir Henry Nevyl, Kt. and Dame Anne Gresham, Widow, for the better performing of the last Will of Sir Thomas Gresham, Kt. deceased; and for the Payment of his Debts. The Clause ratifying and confirming the Donation of the Exchange for the foresaid Lectures, was in these Words:

"And the Buildings in London, called the Royal Exchange, and all Pawns, and Shops, Cellars, Vaults, Messuages, Tenements, and other whatsoever Hereditaments, Parcel of, or adjoyning to the said Royal Exchange in London, sometime the said Sir Thomas Gresham's, shall be to the said Dame Anne, during her Life; and after her Decease, the one Moiety thereof to the Maior, Commonalty and Citizens of London, by whatever special Name or Addition the same Corporation is made or known, and to their Successors for ever. And the other Moiety thereof to the Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery of Mercers of the City of London; that is to say, to the Body and Corporation of the Company of the Mercers of London, by whatsoever special Name or Addition the same Corporation is made or known, and to their Successors, to the good Uses and Intents in the said Writing, last Will and Testament, limited or appointed." ]

So that these Lectures began after the Decease of the Lady Anne Gresham, (which happened in the Year 1596.) and so to continue for ever. Whereupon the Lecturers were accordingly chosen, and appointed to begin their Readings in Trinity-Term, 1597. which also they do at this Time perform, (viz. 1598, when Stow's first Edition came forth,) whose Names were Anthony Wooton, for Divinity; Dr. Matthew Gwin, for Physick; Dr. Henry Mountlow, for the Civil Law; Dr. John Bull, for Musick; Edward Breerwood, for Astronomy; Henry Briggs, for Geometry; and Caleb Willis, for Rhetorick; to the great Delight of many both Learned, and Lovers of Learning.

These Lectures are read daily in Term Times, by every one upon his Day; in the Morning betwixt Nine and Ten in Latin; in the Afternoon betwixt Two and Three in English; saving that Dr. Bull is dispensed with to read the Musick Lecture in English only, upon Two several Days, Thursday and Saturday in the Afternoons, betwixt Three and Four of the Clock.

The Professors of this College have been Men of excellent Parts, and well qualified for performing the same. But after the great Fire of London, (this College escaping in that Conflagration) the City made Use of it for their Court and Chamber, and for other publick Uses: The Inner Court Yard for the meeting of the Merchants, until such Time as the Royal Exchange might be rebuilt. Also the Galleries above the Court Yards without, and the Piazza's about the Inner Court, where the Merchants met, were all converted into Shops, for those that had been burnt out in the Fire of the Exchange. This Alteration did for some Time impede the orderly Course of the Reading of the aforesaid Lectures. But afterwards the ancient Practice was renewed.]

This Noble Foundation of Learning Mr. Stow hath given a brief Account of: I shall insinuate a few other Things, whereof he is Silent. The Lady Gresham being dead, at whose Decease the Salaries for the Lectures were to Commence from the Rents then growing out of the Royal Exchange; and the Mansion House of Sir Thomas Gresham, (bequeathed by his last Will and Testament to those and the like good and charitable Uses) now in the Year 1595/6; the Lecturers being to be placed, and considering what a Trust this was committed to them that were to Nominate and Appoint them, the Maior therefore, Aldermen, and Commons, thought fit to write their Letters to the University of Cambridge, importing, How "that they might the better discharge the Trust committed to them both in Conscience, and in regard of their own Credit, as not doubting but the Eye of her Sovereign Majesty, her Honourable Council, and all other of best Judgment throughout this Land, would observe their Doings, with what Care and good Discretion they performed this Duty, being Matter of so great Importance to the Church of God, and this Commonwealth. And that for themselves for want of Judgment to discern of Men of most Sufficiency in the said Faculties, they might make Default, and commit some Error in their Election: They thought good therefore to derive their Choice from the very Fountain, and in earnest and hearty Manner to crave the Help and Assistance of their learned Judgments. And to intreat of them the Nomination of Two meet Persons, being unmarried, according to the Will of the Testator, of best Knowledge in every Faculty of those Four that were referred to the bestowing of the City; being also furnished with good Utterance, and other meet and requisite Parts for the publick Profession of the said Arts; whose several Names they prayed them to set down, and send unto them, under the Signature of the University, that they might make Choice of the fittest Persons in every Faculty, being assisted by so many grave and learned Judgments; wherein, as they should perform a special Part of their own Duty, so they doubted not but that themselves should do a good and acceptable Work to Almighty God, and bind them and the whole City in mutual Respects, and good Correspondence of like Desire to procure the Good, wherein they might, of that University." To the like Effect they had directed their Letters to the University of Oxford. This Letter bare Date January 20. 1596/7.

But some of the Heads in Cambridge were jealous, that these Lectures being to be read in London, might be prejudicial to that University, in hindring many from coming thither to study the Sciences, and drawing them to London. This occasioned Dr. Jegon, the Vice-chancellor, to refrain for a little Time, to nominate any, before he had acquainted the Lord Burghley, their High-Chancellor, with it, and had his Allowance for the doing of it.

There were Two Things, that those that had the Care of this College, in order to the Settlement of it, were busy about. The one was in concerting, whether the Lectures should be read in Latin or in English: The other, for the Regulation of the College with good Rules and Orders.

Concerning the former it was much controverted, in which of the Two Languages the Lectures should be read. And there were two Papers of Reasons assigned, One why the Lectures in Divinity should be read in English, All or Part: And the other, Why all the other Lectures should