mends the decent apparel of the
Protestant parsons, as contrasted with that of the Popish blind sir-Johns,
who went "either in diuerse colors like plaiers, or in garments of light
hew, as yellow, red,[34] greene, etc., with their shooes piked,[35] ... so
that to meet a priest in those daies was to behold a peacocke that
spreadeth his taile when he danseth before the henne;" and then he
denounces the cheating at elections for College fellowships, scholarships.

Harrison also tells us that he had for a time the "collection" (of MSS.,
maps, etc.) of "William Read,[36] sometime fellow of Merteine college in
Oxford, doctor of diuinitie, and the most profound astronomer that liued
in his time." He has a cut at the Popes' nephews--"for nephues might say
in those daies: Father, shall I call you vncle?"--says that he knew one
of the Norwich-diocese churches turnd "into a barne, whilest the people
heare seruice further off vpon a greene: their bell also, when I heard a
sermon there preached in the greene, hanged in an oke for want of a
steeple. But now I vnderstand that the oke likewise is gone." After saying
what England in old time paid the Pope, he asks, "and therevpon tell me
whether our Iland was one of the best paire of bellowes or not, that blue
the fire in his kitchen, wherewith to make his pot seeth, beside all other
commodities."

In describing the Universities, Harrison dwells again on the packing and
bribing practist at elections for fellowships and scholarships, and how
"poore mens children are commonlie shut out by the rich," whose sons
"ruffle and roist it out, exceeding in apparell, and hanting riotous
companie which draweth them from their bookes[37] vnto an other trade." He
also complains of the late-nam'd "idle fellowships" that are still a
disgrace to our Universities, tho' now their holders don't work for
"eighteene or peraduenture twenty yeeres,"

"For after this time, & 40 yeeres of age, the most part of students
doo commonlie giue ouer their woonted diligence, & liue like drone
bees on the fat of colleges, withholding better wits from the
possession of their places, & yet dooing litle good in their own
vocation & calling."

And he repeats, in milder words, Ascham's[38] caution against sending
young men to Italy, for "an Italianate Englishman is a devil incarnate,"
as the Italians themselves said.[39] "And thus much at this time of our
two vniuersities, in each of which I haue re