Among many prudent inducements, suitable to policy and reason which moved the Queene to establish this Vniversity and Colledge at All Hallowes, The humble petition Of Henry Vsher Archdeacon of Dublin in the name of the Citty of Dublin faithfully and most zealously solicited by Doctor Luke Challener and as powerfully recommended and promoted by Adam Loftus, then Archbishop of Dublin and Chancellor of Ireland, was not held the least of efficacye as to extrincicall impressions with the Queene in that behalfe.
Her gratiouse Majestie therefore on that petition founded it by Charter, as to the constitution of a Corporacon thus; she constitutes Adam Loftus by the name of Adam Loftus Doctor of Divinity Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland the first Provost.
Her Majestie thereby appoints Henry Vsher Luke Challoner and Lanceelott Moyne Masters of Art by the name of the three first Fellowes, nomine plurium.
Likewise her Majestie made Henry Lee, William Daniell and Stephen White the three first Schollers, nomine plurium.
As to the said Provost, he being the Lord Chancellor of Ireland and Archbishop of Dublin, it cannot be expected that I should write of his promocion to any higher position eyther in Church or State, he haveing before that tyme receaded from the Primacy in exchange of the Archbishoprick of Dublin and Chancellorship of Ireland, being in this tyme as now it is in the Civill State next to the cheife and Generall Governour of Ireland : yett he afterwards served the Queene twice as Lord Justice of the Kingdome after he had become Provost, as he had once before; for he was first Lord Justice in the yeare of our Lord 1582, secondly in the yeare 1597, and lastly in the yeare 1599.
This I thought fitt to sett downe for the honour of our Vniversity of
Dublin, that they may compare though not in antiquity with Oxford, or
Cambridge; yett with eyther of them for a Provost, who thought it not
beneath him to become the first Provost thereof, notwithstanding he
had been Primas totius Hiberniae, as being Archbishop of Armagh,
Primas Hiberniae, as he was then of Dublin, after he had then resigned
the Primacy to become Chancellor of Ireland, and after he had bin Lord
Justice of y
kingdome. This lett the Vniversityes of Oxford and
Cambridge take into consideracon, if they could ever find out such
another Provost of theirs, who before or after they had bin Provosts
came to so great honour or favoure with the Crowne, to enjoy so many
high titles at once. Before I proceed further in deelaracon of
what promocõns the Officers of the first foundation attained vnto,
I shall think fitt here to subjoyne some speeches made by the said
Provost, then Lord Chancellor, in relation to the affairs of that
Colledge and Vniversity, whilst he was Provost or Vice-Chancellor.