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.
It was a fashion at those daies, long also afore, & since, from a learned spirituall man to take awaie the fathers surname (were it neuer so worshipfull or ancient) and giue him for it the name of the towne he was borne in: Bale. and so was Richard Notingham a learned frier minorite in king Edward the seconds daies called of Notingham where he was borne; Iohn Olneie a learned monke in those daies also, named of an Iland wherein he was borne nie Gloce|ster; of Barton in Lincolnshire one William Bar|ton in Richard the seconds reigne, for that time a fa|mous doctor and chancellor of Oxford; Water Disse, of Disse in Suffolke a learned Carmelite frier, con|fessour to the duke and duchesse of Lancaster in king Henrie the fourths reigne; Richard Hampoole of a towne in Yorkeshire, a zelous doctor, and after a ver|tuous heremit in king Henrie the sixts daies.