[97] The words in which the jurisdiction of these officers was described were loose, and might be stretched to almost any extent.

All colleges and grammar schools, even those founded by the liberality of private benefactors, were placed under the authority of the new board.

All who depended for bread on situations in the Church or in academical institutions, from the Primate down to the youngest curate, from the Vicechancellors of Oxford and Cambridge down to the humblest pedagogue who taught Corderius, were at the royal mercy.

If any one of those many thousands was suspected of doing or saying anything distasteful to the government, the Commissioners might cite him before them.

In their mode of dealing with him they were fettered by no rules.