[Of this catholike clerke such were the déeds, W. P. EEBO page image 628 that with king and ech estate else (saith Polydor) the lighter was the losse, Lib. 23. bicause as for his hat he was a prelate proud inough, so for a bishop was there a bet|ter soone set in his roome. One William Patin, son and heire to Richard his father, and eldest brother to Iohn that deceassed deane of Chichester, and to Ri|chard that liued and died at Baslo in Derbishire. This William was a person by parentage borne a gentleman, for vertue and learning first consecrate bishop of Winchester, then anon after for wisedome and integritie chosen lord chancellor of England: wherein his prudence made eminent, in warilie weilding the weight of that office at those daies, which were so dangerous for all estates to liue in.
His vertuous disposition was right apparant, and it were but by this the godlie erection of that worthie worke, Magdalene colledge in Oxford, a plot right aptlie chosen out for studie at first, with strength and workemanship soone after builded according, in pro|portion beautifull outward, and for vse verie commo|dious within, sorted into a faire mansion for the pre|sident, seuerall and méet for a man to that office of worship and grauitie, and also into other roomes for the fellowes, officers, and yoonger students. Not without a vertuous remembrance of the verie ten|derlings, who might appeare to be toward and teach|able; whereof part to be trained vp in the diuine sci|ence of musike iustlie reported in a distichon, that
the vse of it commendablie seruing by sweet harmo|nie to praise God in church, and for delectable recrea|tion to a gentlemanlie mind any where else: and part of these yoong ones to be taught the grammar in a faire schoole well appointed therefore, out of which as out of a nursserie of it owne, for supplement certeine to keepe full the number, these budlings at néed from time to time to be dulie deriued and drawen.Gaudia si superûm res sit mortalibus vlla,Integra quae referat; musica sola refert:
Now somewhat in casting vpon this deuout mans deuise and compasse; to consider the companie of students there, that in seuerall sciences and sundrie professions are not a few; then their assigned studies and exercises in them, their steps in rising & reward for diligence, from the lowest logician to the highest degrées of doctrine in schooles, their officers in house, their orders for gouernance in maners, in safegard of health and helpe in sicknesse: and that chiefest is, the reuenues certeine for prouision & maintenance of all, it may be a question not easie to answer: whe|ther at first in this founders meditation vpon such a worke were a mind more magnifike, or a more am|plitude of abilitie after in so absolute a forme to per|forme it, or else a profounder wisedome for perpetui|tie into so perfect an order in all points to haue fixt it.