Finally, nearly all universities, whether they owed their existence to ecclesiastical or civil power, received many and far-reaching _privileges_ from the Popes. Not the least one was for clerical students the dispensation to free them from the requirement of residence for the enjoyment of their benefices, which made it possible for them to study in remote university towns, where they were free to study not only theology, but other sciences as well. This dispensation was quite common. Furthermore, the Popes protected in the most energetic way the universities in their privileges and freedom every time they were applied to for aid. This happened, for instance, at Bologna. The students there had their free guilds. The municipal authorities began to restrict their privileges by forbidding native students under heavy penalties to study outside of Bologna, which was later on extended to the alien students. The professors sided with the city. _Honorius III._ in 1220 called upon the latter to repeal those statutes; if they wanted to confine the students to the city, it should be done by clemency, not with severity and coercion. The city relented. But we see again in 1224 the students appeal, for the third time since 1217, to the Pope, begging for protection. The tension had grown; the city was actually beginning to use force. _Honorius_ sharply rebuked the city for this action, threatening excommunication if the authorities continued to suppress freedom. The city yielded completely, and the freedom of the students was saved, thanks to their protector. Later on the Popes had to interfere again. _Clement V._ had already ordered the Bishops to protect the students at Bologna. His successor, _John XXII._, received complaints that privileges of students in Italy were being violated by authorities and citizens of the city. Against the Podesta of Bologna especially complaints were made. The Pope, in 1321 and 1322, bade the Bishops and Archbishops to take measures against those who _directe et indirecte impedire dieuntur, ne ad praedictum studium valeant declinare contra apostolica et imperialia privilegia_. He appointed at Bologna a special protector and conservator of the university. Some years after, when the Podesta declined to take the _juramentum de observandis statutis ejusdem studiis factis et faciendis_, he was commanded to take the oath.