ferred them upon special universities, or upon
the masters and students in specified towns, and sometimes only for a
definite term of years. Minor privileges differed greatly in different
localities, but the more important ones--indicated above--were possessed
by nearly all universities.

The documents which follow illustrate both the variety of privileges and
the variety of authorities who granted them.

(a) _Special Protection is granted by the Sovereign_

I. The earliest known privilege of any kind connected with the history
of mediaeval universities is the _Authentic Habita_. It was granted by
Frederick Barbarossa (Frederick I), Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, at
the Diet of Roncaglia, Italy, in 1158; probably through the influence
of Doctors of Law from Bologna. These men were doubtless familiar with
the fact that similar privileges had been given to teachers and scholars
by various Roman emperors, some of which were preserved in the Code of
Justinian (see p. 54). The _Authentic Habita_ may be regarded as the
revival of an ancient Roman custom. The section of the _Authentic_
granting the special protection of the Emperor follows:

After careful inquiry of the bishops, abbots, dukes, counts,
judges, and other nobles of our sacred palace in regard to this
matter, we, in our loving-kindness, do grant to all scholars who
are travelling for the sake of study, and especially to
professors of divine and sacred laws, this privilege: Both they
and their messengers are to come in security to the places in
which the studies are carried on, and there they are to abide in
security. For we think it proper, in order that they may be
upheld in their good works by our fame and protection, to defend
from all harm, by definite special favor, those by whose
knowledge the world is illumined unto obedience to God and to us
his servants, and the lives of our subjects are moulded....
Therefore by this law, which is of general effect, and is to be
valid forever, we decree that hereafter no one shall show himself
so bold as to presume to inflict any injury upon scholars, or,
for an offence committed in their former province, to impose any
fine upon them,--which, we have heard, sometimes happens through
an evil custom. And let violators of this decree, and the local
rulers at the time in case they have themselves neglected to
punish su