Page:Terræ-filius- or, the Secret History of the University of Oxford.djvu/55

 its impreion, might have been a benefaction of an inetimable value to us; but it falling into the hands of a oppres'd with the want of money, &c. it has come hort of its jut profit and advantage above three thouand pounds. Indeed, there were ome laudable efforts made to recover part of this um in the vice-chancellorhip of Dr. Lancater, by vertue of a equetration; but his honet endeavours have ince been render'd vain and fruitles, by the bae pirit of one of his ucceors.

is, I think, a pretty handome um to be unk at one time, and by one man; for I do not find, that, in this particular depredation, he had any co-partners or accomplices: But hould it appear, upon enquiry, (which enquiry it hall be my buines to make,) that the very ame peron has been guilty of many other uch-like fraudulent appropriations, what can be expected in a hort time (if uch candalous corruptions go unexamin'd and unpunih'd) but that mot of our colleges mut hut up their gates; that the fellows of them mut turn vagabond mendicants over the earth; and that the univerity mut become a den of thieves, intead of what it was once called, the econd chool of the church, and the great eminary of letters.

Nay, in ome colleges, which I could mention, the revenues are already reduced o low, by the mimanagement and colluion of the governing part of them, that it is with the greatet difficulty they make up their accounts at their Audits, or times appointed for that purpoe; inomuch, that the Burarhip which ued to be canvas'd with great application, as the mot valuable office in college, is now become o inconiderable and contemptible, through the intricacy and confuion of their finances, that