he books of
this same science which are usually required to be heard by similar
students at the universities of Bologna or of Paris and that this
shall continue for seven years. Those, however, who have elsewhere
received sufficient instruction in logic or philosophy having
applied themselves to these studies for five years in the aforesaid
universities, with the provision, however, that at least three years
of the aforesaid five or seven-year term shall have been devoted to
hearing lectures in medical science in some university, and
according to custom, shall have been examined under duly authorized
teachers and shall have, besides, read such books outside the
regular course as may be required may, with due observation of all
the regulations which are demanded for the taking of degrees in
Paris or Bologna, also be allowed to take the examination at
Perugia."

Here is a bull issued within five years after the bull which President
White so falsely impugns and which tells a very different story with
regard to the relationship of the Popes to education in general, and
especially to scientific education, from that which unfortunate
misrepresentations have accorded to them. Perugia was a city of the
Papal States, though really scarcely more {153} than under the
dominion of the Popes in name. The citizens exercised a large freedom
not only in all civic matters, but even in regard to their
relationships with neighboring cities and political powers. One of the
things which Pope John seems to have been especially solicitous about,
however, as we shall see in a subsequent bull, was that the
educational institutions in the Papal States should be maintained at a
high standard. A university had been established at Perugia by his
predecessor, and Pope John not only confirmed this establishment, but
gave the additional privilege of conferring degrees in Canon and Civil
Law as well as in Medicine and the Arts.

Lest there should be any thought that the fact that the conferring of
such privileges by the Pope might seem to be a limitation of
university privilege, it may be said at once that practically all
universities have at all times been under the supervision of
Government and have derived their privileges from the political
authorities. During the Middle Ages the universities were really
developments of Cathedral schools, and as such were usually under the
authority of the Chancellor of the Cathedral.