The answer of the chancellor, masters and scholars of the Vniversity of Oxford, to the petition, articles of grievance, and reasons of the city of Oxon presented to the honorable committee for regulating the University of Oxford the 24. of July, 1649.

II. To the Reasons of their second Grievance, made up with divers specious instances to cast aspersions up∣on the Vniversities Right and Priviledge of the Night-walke, We Answer.

1. That this Right and Custome is so ancient, so strengthned by confi••mation of Parliament, and the benefit thereof so great to all inhabitants by the carefull practice and exercise of it, and the con∣tinuance of it so absolutely necessary for the good government of the Vniversity, (especially for se∣curing younger Schollars against the many tempta∣tions to lewdnesse and loosenesse, which they ordi∣narily are exposed to by meanes of such Townes∣men as make their own advantage out of the others luxury and deboystnesse) that no man of any civill conversation, Stranger, Sojourner, Cittizen, or o∣ther, hath ever expressed the least reluctancy against it: As for such disorderly walkers, who are of a contrary disposition, it is used only to reduce them

to civility; and the Proctors exercise the like pow∣er over them, which the Constables and Magistrates in other places are allowed by the Lawes of the land, to preserve the quiet of the place, and to pu∣nish the misdemeanors of such as are disorderly.

2. W•• doe not know that any Proctors ever ex∣ercised such power over the Publike Magistrates of the Citty in the due execution of their offices as is charged in this Article: Or if any did the parties grieved might have their remedy against them•• the Vniversity does not claime any such power.

3. We answer and deny That the Citty have a∣ny such ancient Charters concerning five Aldermen and eight Assistants of the Citty as is pretended in this Article.

4. We likewise deny that in the case of Noctiva∣gation the Proctors are any iudges at all, but only Re∣lators of the Offendors; nor are they to have the forty shillings, but only the halfe in case of legall conviction, as in all other cases of mulcts.

5. As for what the Petitioners have proposed as an expedient in this point, That the Towne Officer •• may have as much power over us, as the Vniversity Offi∣cers over them, we conceive it would be neither just nor safe for them to endeavour or us to consent to the divideing that power with them which by Law and practice is wholly ours, and which is so abso∣lutely necessary to the well governing of the Vni∣versity. Besides, we conceive That if both parties should walke in the Night it would breed occasion of quarrells and tumults if not blood-shed. And how little cause the Petitioners have to complaine

of Tyranny in the exe••cise of this power, wee d••re appeale, to the consciences of the best and gravest Cit∣tizens•• whether they h••ve not enjoyed both quiet & profit by the vigilant care of the Proctors in the Night watch: To the knowledge of such oth••••s of their Body, whose disorders made them justly ob∣noxious to that power, whether they have not usu∣ally been much more favo••ably dealt with then the members of our own Body•• Lastly, To the Testimony of many other civill Gentlemen both of our owne and forraigne Nations, who in times of peace did use to come and so••ourne in Oxford; whether they did conceive it any Greivance to them to be sub∣ject to this and other rules of government of the University, which the Petitioners are pleased to tra∣duce as arbitrary and Tyrannicall.