The senatus consultum decree, or grace, of this learned assembly has the same force and effect as an act of the le gislature of Great Britain, which fact is supported by the opinion of the best council, and, "in cases where nothing is enacted in opposition to the laws of the land, .neither the statutes of Elizabeth, nor the mandatory letters of succeed ing kings, although their authority be apparently strengthened by uninterrup ted submission, can stand against the determination of this respectable assem bly." A degree cannot be conferred without passing of a grace for the purpose, which is done with the same formality as if a new law was to be made. This is, how ever, dispensed with in the single case of a bachelor of arts, as this requires reading in one congregation only, when it is term ed a supplicat, and must be signed by the prxlector, who thus becomes responsible for the truth of its contents, besides the penalty of being deprived of his privilege of voting in the Senate for two years, or bearing any office in the university, upon , discovery of any false assertions in it. De grees are never conferred, unless the persons receiving them previously sign a dedaration, that they are bonafdimem hers of the Church of England, as by law established. All the officers of the uni versity, forming the executive part of it, are chosen by the Senate, the principal of whom is the chancellor, who presides in all cases, and to whom is confided the sole power of governing, excepting in cases of mayhem and felony ; he is, be sides, expected to protect and preserve all the rights and privileges of the insti tution, and to see that strict and impartial justice is administered in every case to the members ; and that all this may be be insured, the office has lately been en trusted to noblemen of the highest rank. Other parts of his official duty are, the convoking of assemblies, the sealing of diplomas, letters of degrees, provisions, &c. given by the university.
The high steward is the next officer in consequence to the chancellor, and to him is granted the power to superintend the trial of students accused of felony, within the limits of the jurisdiction, which is one mile in every direction from the suburbs of the university : he is also empowered to hold a leet, according to the establish ed charter and custom, and is permitted to have a deputy.
The vice chancellor's office is explain ed by his title ; but he acts as a magistrate for the .university and county, and must be the head of some college. The re gents elect two proctors, who are officers of the peace, and superintend the beha viour and discipline of all the pupils, and may search for and commit to prison those abandoned females who contribute to corrupt the morals of the students at the university. Exclusive of these pur poses, the proctors are appointed to at tend the congregations of the Senate, when they stand in scrutiny with the chancellor or vice chancellor, to take the open suffrages, verbally, and written,' which they read, and finally pronounce the assent or dissent : the graces are read by them in the regent house, where they take the assents and dissents secretly, but afterwards openly declare them. Al though there are some particular parts of the duties of these officers which may he considered very unpleasant, yet they must be masters of arts, and are by virtue of their office, and are enabled to determine the seniority of all masters of arts at the time of their taking that de besides which, they may nominate two moderators, who are then appointed by a grace of the Senate. Those persons act as the substitutes of the proctors in the philosophical schools, and alternately superintend disputations and exercises there, and the examinations for the de gree of bachelor of arts.
Other officers are termed taxors, scruta tors, a public orator, a commissary, a re gistrar, esquire bedells, and librarians. The taxors, similar to the moderators, are masters of arts and regents by virtue of their office, which is to regulate the mar kets, the assize of bread, the exactness of weights and measures, by the different standards, and to summon all offenders in to the commissary's court : the scrutators are non-regents, and their functions are to attend at every congregation, to read the graces in the lower house, where they collect the votes secretly or openly, in scrutiny, when they publicly pro nounce the assent or dissent of that house.
The public orator holds an office which is considered as one of the most honour able in the university ; he is, in fact, the medium of the senate upon all solemn oc casions, reading and recording all com munications to and from the senate, and presenting all honorary degrees, accom panied by a suitable speech. The com missary holds his office under the chan cellor, and officiates as assessor, or assist ant, in the vice•chancellor's court ; be sides which, he holds a court of record, where all causes are subject to the statute and civil law and custom of the universi ty; and the persons for whom it is held are all privileged, and scholars under the degree of master of arts. The registrar attends himself, or by deputy, all congre gations, to give directions, if necessary, for the correct wording of such graces as are propounded, and to draw up any that the vice-chancellor may appoint ; to re ceive them when passed through both houses, and to register them in the ar chives of the university ; exclusive of whieh, his office requires him to record the seniority of those who proceed an nually in the arts or faculties, agreea bly to the schedules furnished to him by the proctors.
The esquire bedells attend the vice. chancellor during all public solemnities, preceding him with their insignia of sil ver maces : they attend, besides, the doc tors when present in the regent house, by bringing them to open scrutiny, there tcideliver their suffrages, either by word or writing, according to the order of the statute ; and to receive from the vice chancellor and the rest of the Caput the graces, which they deliver to the scruta tors in the lower house ; when, if granted, they convey them to the proctors in the' other. Previous to a meeting, they pro ceed to every college, with an open sum mons, either to the senate, or whatever else place may be appointed under the regulations of the university ; and, final. ly, they attend the professors and respon. dents in each faculty from their several colleges to the schools, collect penalties and fines, and summon all members of the senate to the chancellor's court. " We have now mentioned the different officers of an university in England, with as much brevity as the nature of the sub ject will permit ; at the same time we must observe, that none can be more im portant in a state, or can more deserve explanation. There are two courts of law in the university of Cambridge : the first of which is the consistory court of the chancellor, where that officer, or in his absence, the vice-chancellor, assisted by some of the heads of colleges, and one or more doctors of the civil law, preSide, and administer justice demanded by any member of the university, or afford it to those who conceive themselves injured by them in the cases cognizable by this par ticular court;' there all pleas and actions personal, originating within the jurisdic tion of the university, to which a privi leged person is a party, and not relating to mayhem or felony, is decided accord. ing to the usual course of civil law, by citation, libel, &c. When the cause re lates to the sale or purchase of victuals, the chancellor is directed by the charters' and customs of the body he governs ; and,' in case they are silent upon the subject, the statutes of England are his guide. The decisions of this court are not abso lute, as an appeal may be made to the se nate, which appoints three or five doc tors, or masters of art, who.are empower ed to examine, confirm, or reverse the decree complained of.