Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/344

 too, that fcveraI of the eonflitutioners were obliged about this time to leave the univerfity: there gentle- men .not being fucceeded by others, the club was- reduc d to a very fronil number  however, few they were, they ftood their ground, and met toge- ther as ufual, not yet defpairing, nor much hopin for re&els and reformation from above: fomethin � difpirited no doubt they were, after they fer'd fuch unparalell'd injuries aM oppreOfions with- in the univerfity, and had met with fo little encou- ragement t?om without. As the eonflitution-elub about this time beyan to fieken and decay, fo it was not long after this be- fore it gave up the ghoft: the occalion of its diffo, htion fna!l be related as follows :--. A molt impudent and {editious fermon, far ex- ceedin every thin that/vii, or an fuch traiteroua . g g  Y fcnbbler has publifts'd, was preach'd before the uni- verfity on the twenty ninth of fay,  7  9. by one W--n, a fellow of Mertor College, and the profear oj epoetry. Complaint was made of this fermon the vice-chancellor by Mr. M. eadowcourt, a fellow- of Metton college  but the wee-chancellor re,hAng to proceed againft the preacher upon this complaint. Mr. M. lent up an account of the fermon, and of the vice-chancellor's refufil to proceed againf[ the preacher, to Mr. Secretary Craggs. After this ac- count had been laid before the Lords Juitices, their Exce!lencies order'd, that a letter flould be wrote to Mr. 3/. to thank him for the commendable and becoming zeal that he had expreff'ed for the honour of his majefty, and to allure him of their hvour and encouragement. After this, he was lent for by' their Excdlencie to London, where he was long em?loy'd in the ?rofecution of this affair, which he managed fo much to the fatisfa67tion of their Excel- lendes-, that, it is Aid, he received the Rrongelt pro. mi, of a ,onficlrable a fpeedy reward. Up

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