A site was acquired in February 1610 and the architect William Arnold was commissioned for the construction of the college. A letter from King James I to Oxford City Council persuaded the Council to lower the asking price for the site. Dorothy managed to loosen Davis's ties by way of a collusive suit in chancery in July 1610, which established a trust excluding him. Her brother John Petre, 1st Baron Petre was key in raising support in Parliament, but Dorothy refused his offer of taking over the responsibility "which my dear husband so solely and absolutely trusted me with".