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In 1539 Crowland Abbey was dissolved and its land, including that on which Buckingham College stood, were forfeit to the Crown.

In 1542, Thomas, Lord Audley, the Lord Chancellor, asked the King (Henry VIII) to found a new College on the site. Audley would name it, issue its Statutes and endow it. Letters Patent were issued by Henry on 3 April 1542.

The original Letters Patent issued to the College and the corresponding privy seal warrant retained by the Crown have both been lost and, because the grant was never entered onto the Patent Roll, no contemporary copy of the grant survives. The text does survive in numerous copies including in the 'Old Book'. There is also a later copy [MCBG/1/1].

Lord Audley never in his lifetime referred to himself as the 'founder' of Magdalene. His widow, Lady Elizabeth Audley, referred to herself as 'fundatrix' of the College in the original Statutes of 1555. From that time on Audley's heirs have claimed their ancestor to be the founder and principal benefactor of Magdalene.

Transcription of the Letters Patent issued by Henry VIII, 3 April 1542, founding the College [Latin].

At the end of the transcription are added, in the same hand, copies of the following letters [English]:

(1) To the College from Lady Audley and other executors of the Founder to the College, sending the Statutes, 16 February 1555
[dated 16 February 1&2 Phil.& Mar. 1553/4, but this is impossible because Philip’s year 1 (cited first) ran July 1554-July 1555]

(2) To the Master and Fellows from the Duke of Norfolk, Visitor, 24 January 1565

(3) To the Master and Fellows from the 2nd Earl of Suffolk, Visitor, 21 May 1631

The College's Foundation Charter of 1542 laid down that Lord Audley and his heirs should write the statutes to cover the governance of the College. Lord Audley died in 1544 and as nothing had been achieved he wrote in his will that his executors should draw up the statutes. His executors were Lady Elizabeth Audley, Edward Lord North, Sir Thomas Pope, Thomas Barber, and Edmund Martyn and they delivered the statutes on 10 February 1555.

In 1565 the foundation statutes were corrected and additions made. This was done on the original statutes rather than on a separate clean document. They were sent to the Master and Fellows by the then Visitor, Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk on 24 January 1565.

The 1565 Latin statutes were not superseded until a new set was written in 1860. Since then there have been revisions in 1882, 1926, 1957 and 1997.

Statutes of the College.

Signed at the foot of each page by the Executors to Lord Audley's will - Lady Elizabeth Audley, Edward Lord North, Sir Thomas Pope, Thomas Barber, and Edmund Martyn.

On the first page is a copy of a letter from the Duke of Norfolk (Visitor) to the Master and Fellows, 24 January 1565.

The title on the former front cover which was destroyed on rebinding post-1975 was:
'The olde statutes of the Universetie of Camebridge reformed'.

Contents of the volume:

f. 1 Letter from Elizabeth I to the university announcing appointment, by letters patent of 20 June, of visitation commissioners, 22 June 1559 [see: J. Lamb (ed.), A Collection of Letters …illustrative of the History of the University of Cambridge, (1838), pp. 278-9]

ff. 2v-13v. Statutes of the University, issued by the visitors of 1559 [Lamb, pp. 280-9]

ff. 14-16. Orders confirmed by the consent of the whole University, 22 articles [n.d.]

f. 16v. Blank

ff. 17-18v. Exits and returns of Fellows of Magdalene Michaelmas 1559 - December 1570 [A contemporary register]

f. 18v. Letter to the Vice-Chancellor about the election of Heads of Colleges, 27 September 1572

ff. 19-25. Composition between the University and the town of Cambridge, [n.d.]

ff. 25v-27v. Orders for keeping the peace at Stourbridge Fair, [n.d.]

f. 28. Brief notes concerning Privileges of the University

ff. 28v-31v. Foundation of three Humanity lectures by Sir Robert Rede, 10 December 1518

ff. 32-32v. List of University preachers, 19 March 1520 - 3 November 1565

ff. 33-45. Statutes of the University, 25 September 1570 [See G. Dyer, The Privileges of the University of Cambridge, (1824), i. pp. 157-210]

f. 45v. Blank

ff. 46-50. Extracts from charters and grants relating to the University, temp. Henry III to temp Henry VII

ff. 51-57. Letters patent of Elizabeth I confirming and granting privileges to the University, 26 April 1561 [Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1560-3, pp. 162-4]

ff. 57-57v. Letters patent of Henry VIII authorizing the University to maintain three printers and booksellers, 20 July 1534 [Letters & Papers Henry VIII, vii, no. 1026(27)]

ff. 57v-60. Regulations for the Public Lectures established in Theology, Hebrew and Greek [by Henry VIII]

ff. 60-63. Letters patent of Elizabeth I reciting an Act of Parliament for incorporating the two universities and confirming their privileges [next], 7 June 1571 [not in Calendar of Patent Rolls 1569-72]

ff. 63-64v. Act of Parliament permitting purveyors to take grain etc. within five miles of the cities of Oxford and Cambridge [13 Eliz. I c. 21 (Statutes of the Realm, iv, I, pp. 556-7)]

ff.65-67v. The ordinance of the preacher founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort

ff. 68-68v. Blank

ff. 69-77. Statutes of the University

ff. 77v-80v. The ordinance of the Divinity lecture founded by Lady Margaret Beaufort, 8 September 1494

ff. 80v-83. Composition between the University and King's College, 18 February 1457

ff. 83-83v. Form of subscription to the Articles of Religion and the Book of Common Prayer; with record of subscription by John Whitgift, Vice-Chancellor, 10 October 1574, and by others that year; and by Roger Kelke, Vice-Chancellor [and Master of Magdalene], 18 January 1571/2, and by others that year

ff. 84-85v [bound in wrong order]. Regulations for the office of Clerk of the Market.

1. Millers. 2. Bakers. 3. Brewers. 4. Innholders. 5. Forestallers and regrators. 6. Butchers. 7. Fishers. 8. Cooks. 9. Taverners. 10. Chandlers. 11. Spicers. 12. Weavers. 13. Tanners. 14. What may be taken for sealing. [15]. The cry in the town.

ff. [85A-85Av]. Poor relief collected by Cambridge colleges. Letter to the Bishop of Nuremburg

f. 87. Blank

f. 87v. Notes on regulations for holding ecclesiastical offices

Letters and papers relating to the University Commission (bound as a volume). Includes notes on the foundation of the College and early benefactors.

Prior to 1781 the Registers contained a record of more or less everything in College, including Governing Body decisions.

Post 1781 see MCGB/4/2 - Order Books.

Contains a record of decisions made by the Governing Body. There is an index to the contents at the back of the volume.

Established following a meeting of the Governing Body held on 6 October 1931 at which it was decided that a Finance and General Business Committee (along with a Tutorial Committee) should be set up and consist of the Master, President, Bursar and Steward, Assistant Steward and one other member of the Governing Body appointed by the Governing Body.

The Committee would 'consider all matters that arise in connection with College Buildings, College property and finance, College servants and general administration'.

Originally known as the Finance and General Business Committee, 1931-1932.
Then known as:
The Finance and General Purposes Committee, 1932-1966.
The Finance and Buildings Committee, 1966-1990.
The Finance and General Purposes Committee, 1991-present.

Minutes of the Finance and General Business Committee, 31 October 1931 - 18 April 1932.
It then changed its name to the Finance and General Purposes Committee, 7 May 1932.

It is hand written with no index.

Minute Books for the Tutorial Committee, 1931-1957.
Minute Books for the Tutors and Pastoral Committee, 2003-2015.

Volume containing handwritten minutes of the Tutorial Committee.

Loose at the back is a printed sheet setting out the College rules covering – residence, absits and exeats, gate fines, grass fines, chapel attendance, aegrotat, playing pianos and other musical instruments, lectures, academical dress, the library, kitchen and buttery, furniture, insurance, lodgings, dated August 1927.

Most records relating to admissions were destroyed by secretarial action in about 1997. Fortunately the Admissions Tutor for 1980 - 1982 kept duplicates of some of the more important files.

Information on the admission of students prior to this series was recorded in Registers I, II and III [see MCGB/4/1/2-4].

There is an index covering the Registers from 1644-1980 available in the search room.

Entries are written in Latin.

Entrance examination and undergraduate selection annual file.

Before 1987 files were arranged by Tutor. These are divided into two groups:

(1) The integrated files of Ramsey, Vernon-Jones, Salter, Scott and Turner, 1912 - c.1961 (arranged by P. Fitzsimons in 1980).

(2) Then separate runs of files for Babbage, Bennett, Stevens, Grubb, Kolbert, Howarth, Reynolds, Deakin, Turner, Duffy, Field.

Searches before 1987 therefore need to be conducted via the name of Tutor (obtainable for each student from the Admissions Register), or last tutor in the cases of a transfer:

A.S. Ramsey, 1912-1927
V.J. Vernon-Jones, 1927-1945
F.R. Salter, 1927-1945
F.R.F. Scott, 1927-1968
F. McD, C. Turner, 1945-1961

D.W. Babbage, 1946-1974
R.F. Bennett, 1952-1979
J.E. Stevens, 1958-1974
P.J. Grubb, 1963-1974
C.F. Kolbert, 1969-1987
T.E.B. Howarth, 1973-1979
P.E. Reynolds, 1974-2001
B.M. Deakin, 1974-1988
D.M. Turner, 1979-1983
J.E. Field, 1974-1985
E. Duffy, 1980-1993

After 1987 the files were arranged by Matriculation date.

Examination book giving a list of candidacies, with some notes of attainments.

Room rents register giving name of room in College, name of occupant, and amount charged.

From 1905-1924 the column headings are 'Rent', 'Charged', Void'.
From Michaelmas Term 1924 - Easter Term 1929 the column headings are 'Rent', 'Use of Furniture'.
From Michaelmas Term 1929 - Long Vacation 1930 the column headings are 'Rent', Bedmaker, Furniture'.

Volume giving the name of the undergraduate, their home address, and the year of matriculation. Arranged alphabetically.

Gives names and addresses for the Master, Fellows, and then undergraduates organised year of study for the years Michaelmas term 1934 - Michaelmas term 1939.

8 items, photographic prints

Description of prizes and funds available in 2017. Gives the name of the prize, criteria, and description.

The power to appoint the Master was invested in the Visitor of the College until 2012. Following an amendment to the College statutes, which was approved by the Queen in Council in February 2012, the Master is now appointed by the Governing Body of the College.

The Master usually serves until reaching the statutory fellowship retirement age of 67. Exceptionally this period may be extended until the Master in question reaches 70 as occurred in the case of Duncan Robinson.

16th Century
Robert Evans (1544 – 1546, resigned)
Richard Carr (1546 – 1559, deprived)
Roger Kelke (1559 – 1576, died)
Richard Howland (1576 – 1577, elected Master of St John’s College)
Degory Nicholls (1577 – 1582, resigned)
Thomas Neville (1582 – 1593, appointed Master of Trinity College)
Richard Clayton (1593 – 1595, elected Master of St John’s College)

17th Century
John Palmer (1595 – 1604, resigned)
Barnabe Goche (1604 – 1626, died)
Henry Smyth (1626 – 1642, died)
Edward Rainbow (1642 – 1650, ejected)
John Sadler (1650 – 1660, ejected)
Edward Rainbow (restored in 1660 – 1664, resigned)
John Howorth (1664 – 1668, died)
James Duport (1668 – 1679)
John Peachell (1679 – 1690, died)

18th Century
Gabriel Quadring (1690 – 1713, died)
Daniel Waterland (1713 – 1740, died)
Edward Abbott (1740 – 1746, died)
Thomas Chapman (1746 – 1760, died)
George Sandby (1760 – 1774, resigned)
Barton Wallop (1774 – 1781, died)
Peter Peckard (1781 – 1797, died)

19th Century
William Gretton (1797 – 1813, died)
George Neville Grenville (1813 – 1853, resigned)
Latimer Neville (1853 – 1904, died)

20th Century
Stuart Alexander Donaldson (1904 – 1915)
Arthur Christopher Benson (1915 – 1925, died)
Alan Beville Ramsay (1925 – 1947, retired)
Henry Urmston Willinck (1948 – 1966, retired)
Walter Hamilton (1967 – 1978, retired)
Sir Derman Guy Christopherson (1979 – 1985, retired)
Sir David Charles Calcutt (1986 – 1994, resigned)

21st Century
Sir John Gurdon (1995 – 2002, retired)
Duncan Robinson (2002 – 2012, retired)
Rowan Williams, Baron Williams of Oystermouth (2013 – 2020, retired)
Sir Christopher John Greenwood (2020 – present)

Papers relating to the appointment of Masters.