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To the most High and Puissant Prince and our most dread Sovereign Lord and King Henry the Eight by the grace of God, King of England and of France, Defender of the faith, Lord of Ireland, and on Earth the supreme Head under God of the Church of England, Tho. Denton, Nic. Bacon, and Robert Cary, His Highness most humble and faithful Servants, wish continuance of health, encrease of his most prosperous felicity, and right fortunate success of his Graces most godly Enterprises and Purposes.
WHERE AS, Most dread Sovereign Lord, after that we had, according to Your Graces Commandment, delivered unto your Highness a book of Articles, containing the cheif est exercises of Learning, and Orders now used in the Houses of Court amongst the Students of your Graces Lawes, Your Royal Majesty of a most Prince∣ly purpose and Godly zeal minding to erect an House of Students, wherein the knowledge as well of the pure French and Latine tongues, as of Your Graces Lawes of this Your Realm should be attained, whereby Your Grace hereafter might be the better served of Your Graces own Students of the Law as well in forein Countries as within this Your Graces Realm: Your Highness therefore gave us further in Commandment, that we with our most diligent endeavours should set forth, and describe unto Your Highness in writing certain other Rules and Exercises whereby Your said Students might, besides the knowledge of the Lawes, be also expert and learned in the knowledge of the said Tongues. We therefore, according to our most bonnden duties, for the satisfying of your Graces expectation in this behalf, have in Articles set forth herein such Orders and Rules both concerning the Cor∣poration of the same Houses, and also the Exercises as we think convenient to be put in ure and practice by Your Graces Students. And this our rude and simple Device we here∣with offer unto Your Graces hands, most humbly beseeching Your Highness to accept the same in good part. And we further again most humbly beseech Your Majesty not to take it any wise as the doings of them that will presume or attempt to prescribe or appoint unto Your Graces incomparable wisdom and judgement, any Rules or Orders in this Your Graces most Godly purpose: But we most humbly beseech Your Majesty to take it onely as a Testi∣mony or witness of our readiness and promptitude, according to our most bounden duties, in the diligent accomplishment of such things as Your Royal Majesty shall will us to at∣tempt or take in hand, submitting the correction and alteration thereof to the censure and most expert judgement of Your Graces most Royal Majesty.
FIRST, The certain number of such as shall be the King's Students, and of his Graces exhibition to be limited by his Highness.
Secondly, One ancient, grave, and learned man, and of no small Authority, which either hath the knowledge, or at the least is a Factor and Furtherer of all such know∣ledges as are studyed and professed there, to be named of the King's Grace to be Cheif and Head-Governor over them; and his name of Corporation to be appointed by his Highness.