Alban Francis (died 1715) was an English Roman Catholic Benedictine monk. Francis was a native of

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

. He became a professed

Benedictine monk The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, they ...

on 9 May 1670, in the abbey of St Adrian and St Denis at

Lamspringe Lamspringe is a village and a municipality in the district of Hildesheim, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 km south of Hildesheim. Since 1 November 2016, the former municipalities Harbarnsen, Neuhof, Sehlem and Wo ...

in the

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.Ralph Weldon, ''A Chronicle of the English Benedictine Monks'', App. p. 24 He assumed in religion the name of Placid. He was sent to the mission in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

and acted as chaplain to Joshua Basset, appointed master of

Sidney Sussex College Sidney Sussex College (historically known as "Sussex College" and today referred to informally as "Sidney") is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England. The College was founded in 1 ...

by a royal mandate dated 3 January 1687. On 7 February 1686–7 James II addressed a mandatory letter under his signet manual to

John Peachell John Peachell (1630–1690) was an English academic, Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge at the moment when James II was aiming to impose his will on the universities. Life He was son of Ro ...

, vice-chancellor of Cambridge University, commanding him to admit Francis to the degree as

master of arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

"without administering unto him any oath or oaths whatsoever, or tendering any subscription to be made by him", thus ignoring the

Test Act 1673 The Test Acts were a series of penal laws originating in Restoration England, passed by the Parliament of England, that served as a religious test for public office and imposed various civil disabilities on Catholics and nonconformist Prote ...

. This letter was laid before a congregation of the university on 21 February, and the

senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

advised that the king should be petitioned to revoke his mandate. The esquire-bedels and the registrars were sent to inform Francis that the senate were ready to admit him to the degree provided that he would swear as the law appointed, but he refused to do so, insisting upon the royal dispensation. On the same afternoon the heads met in the consistory, and agreed to send a letter to the Duke of Albemarle and another to the Earl of Sunderland, secretary of state, through whose hands the mandate had passed. A second letter from the king dated 24 February was read in the senate on 11 March. The senate, confirmed by the approval of several eminent lawyers, persisted in its refusal to comply with the royal letters. Consequently, the vice-chancellor and the senate (by its deputies) were cited to appear before the Ecclesiastical Commission at Whitehall. The lord chancellor (

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) pronounced the decision of the commissioners on 7 May 1687. Peachell was deprived of the office of vice-chancellor and was suspended, ''ab officio et beneficio'', of his mastership during his majesty's pleasure. At a subsequent sitting (12 May) the lord chancellor reprimanded the deputies of the senate. Another vice-chancellor was elected, John Balderston, master of Emmanuel College, but Francis never got his degree. At the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution, also known as the Revolution of 1688, was the deposition of James II and VII, James II and VII in November 1688. He was replaced by his daughter Mary II, Mary II and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange ...

, Francis withdrew to Lamspringe, whence he removed in 1699 to the English Benedictine college of St Gregory at

Douai Douai ( , , ; ; ; formerly spelled Douay or Doway in English) is a city in the Nord (French department), Nord département in northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the department. Located on the river Scarpe (rive ...

. He was again sent to the mission in the south province of England, where he died on 27 July 1715.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Francis, Alban 17th-century births 1715 deaths English Benedictines