Yet during the very slight lull, which was interposed in the winter of 1585-6 to the eternal clang of arms in Friesland, the Estates of that Province, to their lasting honour, founded the university of Franeker.

A dozen years before, the famous institution at Leyden had been established, as a reward to the burghers for their heroic defence of the city.

And now this new proof was given of the love of Netherlanders, even in the midst of their misery and their warfare, for the more humane arts.

The new college was well endowed from ancient churchlands, and not only was the education made nearly gratuitous, while handsome salaries were provided for the professors, but provision was made by which the poorer scholars could be fed and boarded at a very moderate expense.

There was a table provided at an annual cost to the student of but fifty florins, and a second and third table at the very low price of forty and thirty florins respectively.