The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).
Volume IX. From Steele and Addison to Pope and Swift.
§ 5. The Long Parliament and Education
But, though drastic reforms or innovations in the universities were undoubtedly contemplated by responsible men during the commonwealth, it would be unjust to represent their authors as hostile to learning or to public education. Throughout its history, the Long parliament gave occasional attention to the latter; through Hartlib, some of its members invited Comenius to London, where he stayed during the months preceding the civil war. The Long parliament initiated the parliamentary subvention for education, voting an annual grant of £20,000 for the stipends of ministers and schoolmasters, and reserving £2000 of it for the better emolument of heads of colleges in the universities. The same body appointed a committee for the advancement of learning, which soon found itself considering many of the plans then current for the extension of schools and the reform of curriculum. Finally, Cromwell brought the project of a northern university to a head in 1657 by issuing letters patent for the foundation of a university of Durham; but the scheme did not take material shape.