[Sidenote: That this wish is most profitable to the vniuersitie, and hurthfull no not to any particular.]
But now I pray you by this wish of mine be the vniuersities in common sence any whit endammaged? if they were, so the harme were but some litle, and the good exceeding great, the dammage might be consumed by the greatnes of the good. I finde not any harme offered them, they lease no landes studentes be not put to pensions, they that be thought fit, finde better and fuller maintenaunce, better meane is made to proue learned, by such excellent _readers_, which the cunninger they be, the more affable they be, and thereby the fitter to satisfie any studentes dout in that which they professe. And where yong men may staie vntill they be singular, and haue good meanes to make them singular, is not the thing to be wished, and he that wisheth it, not to be thought to wish the _vniuersitie_ harme, where it is vniuersally holpen? If this transposing of houses to this vse were commaunded by authoritie, and by some helpe of wealthy patrones for the common good sake, were happily accomplished, the _vniuersitie_ should lease nothing, though they breake vp for a time, and the studentes gaue place, to masons, and carpenters, nay though the whole reuenew of all the colledges were for that time bestowed vpon the alteration. And yet all that trouble should not neede, if the first were first begune, and so particularly in order, neither should any student now well placed complaine of the chaunge if he would set himselfe to any certaine profession. This is but my conceit which the effect will confirme, and wise considerations will finde, that it carieth a good ground: besides that it is all ready in verie neare possibilitie, without any great charge, and with verie great good, as also certainetie, and greatnes of annuitie would streight way raise vp _readers_, and afterward continew them. How good, and how easie a thing this were, the attempt by so many particular _readers_ would shew, which being themselues excellently well learned in those argumentes, that I do appoint to colledges, and professing them in conuenient houses of their owne, would vndoutedly drawe as many into their priuate hostelles, as there be now studentes in publicke colledges. All this my wish offereth greater difficulty, in the maner, how to worke it: then dout of profit, in the thing, if we had it. Howbeit harder thinges haue bene easily accomplished, but any more profitable was neuer compassed: neither doth it repent me to wish that, which I would reioyce to see. If the hindring lie in cost, it is somwhat, and yet but small, considering what is ready: if in good will: that is all, and yet but ill, considering what it hindereth. For no learning is so well got, where her helping meanes be seuered, as where all be vnited, which those colledges would cause: a thing neither of nouelty, as of an old ground and elswhere practised: neither iniuriouse, to any offering profit to all. I do finde my selfe so armed in the point, as if there were any hope in the thing to be effected, I could answeare any obiection of difficultie, which might arise against it, either from without the _vniuersitie_, or from within, eitther for any communitie, or for any priuate, that it would be best for all, neither any breach of good now well laied, nor any hindraunce to any, which findes himselfe at ease, as the present is now appointed. But will ye haue euerie one rise through all these degrees of learning, ear he become a professour? yea surely I. but who moueth the question? either he that cannot iudge, who is therefore to be pardoned: or he that would be doing, who is therefore to be blamed: or he that doth not way it, which would be desired to do: or he whom neede hasteneth, whose case is to be pitied. And yet of all these foure, only he, that desireth to shew him selfe ripe in his owne, though raw in other mens opinion, will contrarie the conclusion: for ignoraunce, will yeeld vpon better instruction: iust consideration, wil relent after waing: good wittes oppressed with want, and yet waing the truth, will wish for more wealth to tarie their full time, and the cariage of their cunning: but the hastie heades, to whom any delaie is present death, which will be doing, eare they can do well, but in their owne conceites they will stand against it, and scrape all defences, though while they do scrape, they descrie them selues to be extreme ignorant. For if sufficiencie be the onely meane to perfit the professour, and to profit the publike, insufficiencie ouerthrowes both.