THE EAGLE. NOTES FROM THE COLLEGE RECORDS. (Continued from Vol XVI, p. 526). HE present instalment consists of the first portion of a series of letters from Valentine Cary, Bishop of Exeter, to Dr Gwynn, Master of the College, chiefly about the building of the Library. A summary of the correspondence will be found in Mayor-Baker (208-210). The series of letters shews the various alternative schemes proposed for the Library. Bishop Williams, the Lord Keeper, it will be noticed at first artfully concealed the fact that he was the donor of the money. The total cost of the Library was £2991, of which Williams gave 2011 (Camb. Antiq. Soc. Comm. II, §5). In addition to that he gave the College the four livings of Souldern, Freshwater, St Florence, and Aberdaron, and land at Raveley in Hunts and at Coton near Cambridge, the annual value of which was supposed to be about £62. In return for this he expected the College to maintain two Fellowships and four Scholarships. But it was soon found that the endowment was insufficient, and the Fellowships were suppressed in 1651. It is hinted VOL. XVII. B in some letters that the suppression of the Fellowships was due to the men introduced into the College during the Commonwealth, who were not disposed to shew respect to a bishop's Foundation. Bishop Cary was born at Berwick-upon-Tweed and seems to have been in some way related to the Baron Hunsdon. He owed his elevation to the bishopric of Exeter to the personal influence of Lord Hunsdon (Court and Times of James I, ii, 275). He entered at St John's, but seems to have migrated at once to Christ's, where he matriculated 11 December 1585; took the B.A. degree in 1589; was made Fellow of St John's 1591, Fellow of Christ's 1595, then again Fellow of St John's 1599; in 1604 he became Master of Christ's; in 1614 Dean of St Paul's, and in 1621 Bishop of Exeter. It is clear from the letters which follow that he had a strong regard for his old friends at St John's, Lane, Burnell, Ridding, Allott, and others mentioned in the letters being Fellows of the College. An abstract of Cary's will is given in Notes and Queries (3rd Series vi, p. 174). He left "To Christ's College two flagon pots for the Communion and his great silver salt: To St John's College £50 for books for the new Library: To his wife Dorothy (sister of Mr Secretary Cooke) he left his manor of Granhams in Shelford [it is curious to note that this manor afterwards came into the possession of the College by the gift of Mr Naden]: To Dr Gwynne £10 for a ring and To Dr Burnell, Dr Allott, Dr More, and Mr Richard Reading, £5 each for rings." The will is dated 3 April 1626. Cary died at his house in Drury Lane 10 June 1626, and was buried in the south aisle of Old St Paul's. There was a monument to him there, and one also in Exeter Cathedral. The letters are in perfect preservation, and the seals on most of them are still intact, shewing the Bishop's official seal, the arms of the See of Exeter impaling his own: Argent, on a bend sable three roses of the field, in the centre chief point a mullet for difference. The shield is that of the Carys (Baron Hunsdon), and the mullet would shew that the Bishop was descended from a third son. Salutem in Xro. Sr, but that I know your dispotion to be such, as rather delights to doe good turnes, then to heare thereof, I would, for all my bad oratourship yet be ample in comending my enterteynment, wch you gave me, and in thanking you for it. I have reported to one here, who will acknowledg it, and will endeavour to requite it thoughe she cane not wth like good fare, yet with like harty welcome. I had large and free discourse with my lo: keeper, delivered him the letter wch he took very well, and sayd, ye were growen perfect courtiers, in your prayses. I delivered to his lop: the bill of disbursements, & told him further what I found and saw in your present provisio & what I foresaw in future expenses as also of Mr Spel and of his great care over the worke, but his lop said, that he would thank Mr Spel, yet not take knowledge of the work, further then he had promised to contribute towards such a building that he would not be counted the builder or founder of it, but a contributor towardes it. That as he had promised, he would give 50 or 60 towardes the leading of it more then he had promised, and that his money should be in a reddynes agaynst Mr Spel came hither. I take it that his lop had bene of late disquieted, and was not as yet come agayne to a setled temper, wch made him something sharpe at the present. I then proceeded to the other busynes, acquainting his lop wth the reddynes, wch I found both in yourself & in your company to accomplish his pleasure therein and what paynes Mr Lane had taken in the draughtes wch he pervsing approved well, and sayd he would procure them to be put into forme & setle the leases before the ensealing, and differ his first nominating of fellowes and schollers till Michaelmas |