I. — LETTRE DU ROI ET DECISION DU COLLEGE

To the Master and Fellowes of Trinity College, Cambridge. Concerning Abraham Cowley.

Trusty and Well-beloved, wee greete you well. Whereas by the Statutes of ye College of Trinity there are seaven yeares allowed to every fellow after his taking the degree of Master of Arts before he bee enjoyned to enter into holy orders, and whereas our trusty and wellbeloved servant Abraham Cowley was wrongfully put out of his said fellowship since the beginning of the late warres before hee had enjoyed any of the said tyme that should have been allowed him, And is now restored but by the Letter of the said Statutes is presently required to take upon him holy orders or to quitt his said fellowship, out of our consideration of the said and the services done by the said Abraham Cowley to us and Father of Blessed Memory and our Deere Mother the Queene, wee doe hereby declare that the said Abraham Cowley ought and is to bee allowed the same terme of seaven yeares from the date of these present without being obliged to enter into any

orders of the Church notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the letter of the said Statutes with which in his exceptional case wee doe hereby dispense, and require you that vou give the said A. Gowley quickly to enjoy the said fellowshipp and all priviledges and emoluments belonging thereunto for the said space of seaven yeares from this ysent by mee. And so we bid you farewell. Given....

(Sloane Mss. 856, f. 23.)

Whereas we received a letter from His Matie dated the last of January in the behalfe of Mr. Abraham Cowley Fellow of Trinity College, for the continuance of his seven yeares before taking holy orders, in regard of his being ejected immediately after his taking degree of Master of Arts, in these troublesom Times. We have thought good to record this in the Conclusion book, that it may be considered as a special case and so his Matie makes it expresly in this Letter, and not to be drawn hereafter into example.

H. FERNE.

(Master’s Conclusion Book. Feb. 11, 1660.)