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Typed letter from Sir Henry Willink to Professor Basil Willey about the offer to C.S. Lewis of the chair of Medieval and Renaissance English.

Thanks him for his letter and he too had heard from Tolkien.

He had also received an embarrassed letter from C.S. Lewis.

He would tell him another invitation to accept the post had been sent out to their second choice and nothing could be done until it had been answered. Was making enquiries of the Registrary and Secretary General as to the extent to which Lewis's terms could be discussed in the event of Miss Gardner's refusal.

Typed letter from Sir Henry Willink to J.R.R. Tolkien about the offer to C.S. Lewis of the chair of Medieval and Renaissance English.

Before getting his letter he had received two from Lewis refusing the offer of the chair. After consultation with Prof. Willey he had invited their second choice to accept the position and they could do nothing until they had heard back from Miss Gardner. In the meantime he had been writing to Lewis to keep the case open in case he was in a position to offer it again.

Typed copy letter from Sir Henry Willink to C.S. Lewis.

Their second choice for the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English had declined and hopes that he will now accept the invitation.

Suggests a date of 1 October as a possible start date for the tenure but if he was still unsure he suggests meeting to discuss outstanding issues.

Hopes that he will approach the Master of Magdalene [Lewis's sister College] enquiring about living at that College before accepting any other invitations he would receive [Willink was Master of Magdalene as well as Vice-Chancellor of the University in which capacity he was writing about the offer of the chair].

Typed copy letter from Sir Henry Willink to C.S. Lewis.

Thought that his letter was such a definite refusal of the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance English, that after consultation with Prof. Willey he had sent an invitation to their second choice and would have to wait for a reply.

Clarifies the residency rules and how long a Professor could be absent. Chairs at Cambridge were not tied to a particular College and thought that suitable rooms and a Fellowship could be easily found for him.

If Choice No. 2 refuses then he thinks they should meet to talk it over. Regrets that he sent the letter to Choice No. 2.

Letter from C.S. Lewis to Sir Henry Willink about the offer to take the chair of Medieval and Renaissance English.

Writes to Sir Henry in his capacity as Master of Magdalene College [he was also Vice-Chancellor of the University].

Thanks him for his inexhaustive kindness. Unless the second candidate was as trickily placed as himself he couldn't see him turning down the appointment but he would still come and visit Magdalene and make his acquaintance.