school in the Portuguese Monarchy, such as might have been constituted by our first kings.

If some authors pretend to trace the foundation of the University of Paris to its affiliation to the Palatine School of Carlo Magno-that of Oxford to Alfred the Great, fixing the date at 886; and if that of Bologna boasts a still earlier date, since it glories that its foundation was laid in the fifth century by the Emperor Theodosius II., it is not a subject of surprise that our University, proudly wishing to ennoble herself on account of her antiquity, should seek to trace an affiliation to the school which, in 1086, before the proclamation of the independence of Portugal, the bishop D. Paterno founded attached to the Cathedral of Coimbra. This school was for the education of youths destined for the service of the Church, and later on was continued in the monastery of Santa Cruz in the city, and continued to flourish for ages. There those who desired to lead a monastic life, received abundant instruction in the humanities, theology, and even in medicine, the latter study being in those remote times not considered incompatible with a religious

state.

However laudable the desire may be of ennobling a scientific institution with the title of remote antiquity, which always presupposes long services to civilisation, it does not seem to me that our University can trace its legitimate origin with justifiable evidence to the school or college founded in the eleventh century by the Bishop D. Paterno in the Cathedral of Coimbra, nor to its succeeding one in the monastery of Santa Cruz; neither of which were schools of general and public instruction, with the character of University, both these schools being exclusively ecclesiastical and monastic. We know that the monastery of Santa Cruz used to send its teachers to Paris to be instructed and educated; because, according to the narrative of a chronicle of the Canons Regulars of Saint Augustine, the King D. Sancho I. apportioned out of his revenue a rent for the maintenance in France of the canons which that monastery sent there for study, in order that on their return they should exercise the office of doctors and professors in Coimbra.

I have put away all pretensions of a doubtful origin, and hold only what is certain, and in every way probable, that D. Diniz was the first who formulated the idea of creating a public centre for general and superior studies in Portugal. This is affirmed by Ruy de Pina in the chronicles of this enlightened prince, when he makes him say: I desire with my whole heart also to possess an abundance of learned and wise men, and I therefore propose as my will, that for the common good of my kingdom and greater advantage of my subjects and vassals, to form in my states a centre for general studies which shall be very complete, and where all the sciences shall be taught.

When D. Diniz ascended the throne, on the demise of D. Affonso III., the continental territory of Portugal had just been completed with the conquest of Algarve, after long and fierce wars. It was then of urgent necessity to constitute the regular administration of the State, establishing order, upholding justice, stimulating the productive forces of the country, creating wealth,-to fertilise the land, and civilise the people. A country, which for so many centuries had known no other profession but that of arms, could not possibly furnish an abundance of men with the necessary instruction for assisting the king in the organisation and direction of the State. Happily for Portugal, Providence at this junc

ture sent her a prince gifted with great intelligence, and elevated instincts, one who had, moreover, received a complete and elegant education.

D. Affonso III., who for many years resided in France, by reason of his marriage with the Countess of Bologna, and who witnessed in that country a state of civilisation far in advance of ours in those days, on his return to Portugal to assume the reins of Government, did not forget, notwithstanding the wrestling in which he was constantly engaged, how much it behoved to give his son, who was to succeed him on the throne, a complete education as befitted a prince.

Hence in his early youth, D. Diniz had as tutor, the honoured Lourenço Gonçalves Magro, grandson of the great Egas Moniz; and when he attained an age when he could receive higher instruction, his father summoned men of the highest attainments, and not only from his own kingdom, for he sent to France for professors, among whom the most renowned was D. Americo, who afterwards became Bishop of Coimbra.

And truly did the intelligent solicitude of parent and masters bear abundant fruits in the graceful and fertile genius of D. Diniz, for they formed the mind of a prince, who, perhaps, was the most enlightened of his time, and in no wise losing by comparison with the brilliant fame of his grandfather, D. Affonso the Wise. It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that our historians should attribute to him the glory of being the founder of our Portuguese University.

The first document which we find as the starting point in the history of our University, is a petition which the Abbot of the Monastery of Alcobaça, the Priors of the Monasteries of Santa Cruz de Coimbra, and of S. Vicente de Lisboa, addressed in a collective letter from Montemoro Novo, dated Nov. 12, 1288, to the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church. In this letter the prelates stated, that, moved by the common and particular good, and judging it most convenient to the Kingdom of Portugal and Algarve, that they should have a general Study of Science; they had prayed the most excellent king, D. Diniz, to deign to order the establishment of this General Study in the most noble City of Lisbon; and that, since he had heard and benignly granted their petition, they had, with his consent, who was the true patron of the monasteries and churches of the suppliants, prayed the Holy Father to confirm, and give his apostolic sanction to this work.

The answer to this petition was delayed until the year 1290, when, on August 13th, Pope Nicholas IV. issued a bull granting the boon petitioned for by the Portuguese clergy, and giving his apostolic authority, ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and all the privileges conceded by his predecessors to other existing universities, and such as he had himself granted in the previous year to the recently founded University of Montpellier. In this bull Pope Nicholas IV. grants the privilege of obtaining degrees in the faculties of arts, canonical and civil law, and in medicine; and adds in the last clause the following: "Any master who, examined by the bishop or vicar, shall have been approved of in any faculty, except Theology, it shall be granted him the privilege of teaching in any part without further examination."

The General Studies-for under this designation were the studies called in all schools, which later on were termed Universities-became established in 1288, with the accord of the king, D. Diniz, and those

illustrious prelates who assigned a portion of their ecclesiastical rents for the maintenance of masters and of other expenses. The bull, therefore, which was given by Pope Nicholas IV., was issued simply to confirm this creation, by conferring Apostolical authority, strengthening its work with many privileges and ecclesiastical powers, and also by granting the right of conferring degrees. The intervention of royal authority had been manifestly powerful and probably primordial.

With these facts before us, I think we may very properly conclude that the creation of our University was essentially different from the motive which had hitherto influenced the formation of all other Universities which, in those days, were already renowned, such as in France the University of Paris, and in Italy that of Bologna. These, in common with other Universities which had their beginning in the Middle Ages, were constituted by the spontaneous association of masters and students, and acquired reputation, influence, and power, on account of the science which they spread around, their influence becoming daily more powerful and indispensable, and almost independent of the State.

In the constitution of the General Studies of Lisbon we do not discover any point of similarity of this order. A school is presented to us conceived and created by the superior authority of the State, to which it remains attached; and to this fact may perchance be attributed the little vitality it manifested during the first years of its existence. Yet withal Coimbra is one of the most ancient of European Universities, and certainly the oldest in the Iberic Peninsula, if we bear in mind that the University of Salamanca, though founded by Affonso the Wise, yet did not obtain Pontifical sanction from Pope John XXII. until 1334.

As may be deduced from the bull of Pope Nicholas IV., the General Studies of Lisbon comprised the faculties of arts, canonical and civil law, and medicine. Theology did not enter within the range of studies. The Pope himself clearly excluded this science, by not permitting that degrees should be conferred in this faculty which he authorised in all

others.

It may, perhaps, be a subject of some surprise to behold excluded from a University, where all moral sciences were taught, that very science which above all others was considered the first and most exalted one. Brandão and Figueiroa pretend to explain away this fact with simple conjectures. The first presumes that the King excluded theology from among the General Studies to avoid that it should be thought that in temporal affairs his kingdom was subject to the Apostolic See; and the latter author, not finding any just grounds for such a conjecture, understands the true reason to be that it was not the custom in those days for theology to be taught in Universities, but only in convents and in

cathedrals.

The explanation offered by Brandão can in no wise be accepted, because the exception made in regard to theology came from the Pope, and not from the King, as is clearly seen by the bull. The proposition of Figueiroa does not satisfy, because it is incomplete.

It is true that in the Universities of Italy, in Bologna, Padua, and Rome, as well as in Spain the University of Salamanca, and in many others, it was not until later times that the study of theology was admitted; but in the University of Paris, however, theology was taught from its earliest foundation, together with philosophy as a preparation to theology; and the great splendour of the University of Paris proceeded

principally from the merited renown which some of her illustrious professors of theology had acquired. The religious of Saint Dominic and of Saint Francis, attracted by the superiority of theological study offered. by the Paris school, went, from the very commencement of their respective orders, to that University to receive instruction in this science; and within a short time they established in their convents public schools of theology to rival those of the University of Paris. Favoured by the Popes on account of the influence which these new religious orders acquired with the Holy See, this schools found powerful aids.

When in the year 1229, in consequence of a serious disturbance which took place during the Carnaval between the riotous students and the inhabitants of the district of S. Marcial, the University of Paris became dispersed, and the students and masters proceeded to Orleans and Angers to establish new schools; the friars of St. Dominic wisely took advantage of this movement, and, authorised by the Bishop and Chancellor of Paris, opened to the public a School of Theology, to which they soon after added another on their own authority.

"Such wisdom and forethought did they employ," says an historian of the University of Paris, "that they placed the rectorship of these chairs with those who could shed over their schools the greatest renown, such as Rolland of Cremona, Albert the Great, and Hugh de St. Cher. These illustrious masters drew towards them a vast number of students, because their schools were public and open for all, whether religious or seculars, who might desire to profit from their instruction. The Franciscan Fathers imitated the Dominicans, by also erecting Professorships of Theology. In 1244 both these Orders obtained a bull from Innocent IV. authorising the University to admit the Professors of the Orders of St. Dominic and St. Francis to academic degrees."

If in Paris, where there already existed so illustrious a Faculty of Theology, the Dominican and Franciscan Fathers effected such a signal triumph, it is easy to comprehend that they must have desired to keep close to other Universities, more particularly the ones newly established, the privilege of teaching so comprehensive a science as that of theology. As regards our University, we might, perhaps, urge that Pope Nicholas IV., having professed in the Order of St. Francis, might very naturally be inclined to preserve to his Order the prerogative of teaching Theology.

This appears to me sufficient evidence to account for the fact that Theology did not enter into the original plan of General Studies in Portugal. It was, however, but natural that the Universities should strive to complete their range of studies by adding this Faculty, and this they did in course of time. In Portugal, it was not until 1400 that, in the reign of D. João I. appeared for the first time a Chair of Theology in her University.

In future letters I will continue my sketch of the history of our ancient University of Coimbra down to the present day.

CURRENT LITERATURE.