it; yet he chose rather to
pass them over with some very short observations, and present the
governors, and his other hearers, with rules to keep up discipline and
order in the University; which at that time was, either by defective
Statutes, or want of the due execution of those that were good, grown
to be extremely irregular. And in this year also, the magisterial part
of the Proctor required more diligence, and was more difficult to be
managed than formerly, by reason of a multiplicity of new Statutes,
which begot much confusion; some of which Statutes were then, and
others suddenly after, put into an useful execution. And though these
Statutes were not then made so perfectly useful as they were designed,
till Archbishop Laud's time--who assisted in the forming and promoting
them;--yet our present Proctor made them as effectual as discretion
and diligence could do: of which one example may seem worthy the
noting; namely, that if in his night-walk he met with irregular
Scholars absent from their Colleges at University hours, or disordered
by drink, or in scandalous company, he did not use his power of
punishing to an extremity; but did usually take their names, and a
promise to appear before him unsent for next morning; and when they
did, convinced them, with such obligingness, and reason added to it,
that they parted from him with such resolutions, as the man after
God's own heart was possessed with, when he said, "There is mercy with
thee, and therefore thou shall be feared:" Psal. cxxx. 4. And by this
and a like behaviour to all men, he was so happy as to lay down this
dangerous employment, as but very few, if any, have done, even without
an enemy.

[Sidenote: Looking back]

After his speech was ended, and he retired with a friend into a
convenient privacy, he looked upon his friend with a more than common
cheerfulness, and spake to him to this purpose: "I look back upon my
late employment with some content to myself, and a great thankfulness
to Almighty God, that he hath made me of a temper not apt to provoke
the meanest of mankind, but rather to pass by infirmities, if noted;
and in this employment I have had--God knows--many occasions to do
both. And when I consider, how many of a contrary temper are by sudden
and small occasions transported and hurried by anger to commit such
errors, as they in that passion could not foresee, and will in their
more calm and deliberate thoughts upbraid, and require repentance