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TThe Story of Cambridge

The Mediaeval Town Series

-ASSISI. By LiNA Duff Gordon. [t,th Edn.

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The Story /Cambridge

by Charles W. Stubbs, D.D.

Dean of Ely, Illustrated by
Herbert Railton ^ ^ ^

London : J- M. Dent 2f Sons, LicL
Aldine House ^ ^ Bedford Street
Covent Garden W,C.. ^ ^, 1912

First Edition, 1 90 5
Reprinted. 1912

Ali 'I'h's resftt-tJ

PREFACE

'T'HE condensation of a history, covering so many
centuries, and involving tiie consultation of so many
authorities, monastic records, college annals, dry-as-
dust monographs, antiquarian and architectural papers,
into a readable story, which shall be at once con-
tinuous, picturesque, and consistent, can never be an
easy task. ^'Emmvus eupiaxsro.' Obviously for a
complete presentation of the many and various forces
at work, and the large issues involved for both
university and nation, a much wider canvas than mine
would be needed. Apart from the history of the
Colleges, it has been possible for me to do little more
than to disengage the leading lines of academic history,
and to mark the influences and tendencies which seem
most to have governed the results as we see them in
the university life of to-day. If historical truth is to
be reached, even partially, many trivial details are
necessary, and such details make dull reading. I trust,
however, that I have not anywhere been so absorbed in
detail that my reader v/ill find it difficult to see the
wood for the trees. And at least where some detail
seemed necessary, I am not ashamed to confess that I
have always tried to keep an open eye for picturesque
and an open ear for humorous detail. I hope also I
have shown that I know the value to historical study
of a wide grasp of general principles and tendencies,
and yet at the same time am not unaware how danger-
ous a generalised view may become, if it be forgotten
that as generalisations grow wider, they also too often
b V

321870

Preface

are apt to become obscurer and more useless. I wish
that I had had more space to give to the great per-
sonalities of Cambridge academic history. 1 feel, as
all must feel, how much life and colour must always be
given to any picture of Cambridge by the possibility of
placing upon its canvas such historic figures as Queen
Margaret and Bishop Fisher, as Erasmus and Matthew
Parker, as Bacon and Newton and Bentley, as Oliver
Cromwell and John Milton, and the long line of
Cambridge poets and divines. We cannot afford
certainly in such a sketch to lose sight wantonly of
great men and memorable lives. The spell of their
presence still hovers about the old courts and halls, and
is the secret perhaps of the eager patriotism which
Cambridge always provokes in a Cambridge man.
That some of the poetic glamour of the place and of
the witchery and charm of its old romance should have
found its way into my pages I fain would hope. At
least I have written con amore. If my words have
failed in warmth, it certainly has not been because my
heart is cold. Ever since the October night, forty
years ago now, when for the first time I walked the
streets of Cambridge, and saw her buildings dreaming
in the moonlight, I have been a reverent and impas-
sioned lover of my Alma Mater. And to a lover
some touch of poetry must surely come to the expres-
sion of his love. If it has been otherwise in this book.
I trust my readers may be prepared to forgive much to
an author who at least has loved much.

In addition to the authorities, to whom I have, I
hope, fully acknowledged my obligations in the foot-
notes, I should wish to thank my friend Mr T. D.
Atkinson, our excellent custos operatorum at Ely, for
the assistance I have derived from his " Cambridge
Described and Illustrated," especially in compiling
the lists of College Portraits, and for his kindness
vi

Frtface

in preparing for me the interesting map of the Fen
district as it must have appeared in the early days
described in my first chapter.

For the rest, I conclude with the hope that, in the
spirit of my book, I have not altogether failed to
reach something of that simplicity and moderation of
judgment which Thomas Fuller, whose words I have
so often quoted in these pages, has rightly declared to
be "the silken string running through the pearl-chain
of all the virtues."

c. w. s.

Deanery, Elt.

CONTENTS

PAGE

Introduction . , . . . , xv

Itinerary ....... xix

CHAPTER I
Legendary Origin of the University ... I

CHAPTER II
Cambridge in the Norman Time . . . 22

CHAPTER III
I he Beginnings of University Life . . . 44

CHAPTER IV

The Earliest College Foundation : Peterhouse , 63

CHAPTER V
The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century . . 90

CHAPTER VI

The College of the Cambridge Guilds o . 122

Coiitents

CHAPTER VII
TtL'o Royal Foundations . . . . I40

PACE

CHAPTER VIII
Tavo oj the Stualler Halls . . . .189

CHAPTER IX
B'tshop Alcock and the Nuns of S. Rhadegund 203

CHAPTER X
Colleges of the Neav Learning . . 227

CHAPTER XI
A Small and a Great College . . .268

CHAPTER XII
Ancient and Protestant Foundations . 301

CHAPTER XIII
The University Buildings . . . . 3^3

ILLUSTRATIONS

PA<iE

The Lady Margaret, Countess of Richmond and
Derby ^ mother of Henry VII., foundress of
Christ' s and S. John s Colleges, from a cast
of the recumbent figure on the Tomb in West-
minster Abbey .... Frontispiece

Map of the Fenland ..... 9

Courtyard of the Falcon Inn . . . . 20

Saxon Toiuer, S. Benedict's Church . . 27

The Abbey House . . . . . 35

The Round Church . . . . . 38

Oriel IVindo'ws from House in Petty Cury, noiv

demolished . . . . . . 41

Plan of Cambridge, made by order of Archbishop

Parker, 1574 . . . . facing 56

Arms of Peterhouse or S. Peter^s College . , 67

Peterhouse College .... facing 74

Arms of Clare College . . . . . 95

Clare College and Bridge . . . . 97

Arms of Pembroke Coltege . . . . 103

Pembroke College . . . . .104

Pembroke College, Oriels and Entrance . . to6

Illustrations

PAGE
123

facing 124

'+3

Arms of Gonv'ille and Caius College »

Cams College^ the Gate of Honour .

Arms of Corpus Christi College

The Churches of S. Edicard and S. Mary the

Great from Peas Hill
Corpus Christi College .
Arms of King s College
King s College Quadrangle . . . . 1 45

Kings College Chapel . . . . .148

King s Parade . . . . - .153

Arms of Queen s College . . . . 168

Oriel IVindozu, Queens College , . . 173

Cloister Courts Queens College . . . 177

The Bridge and Gables^ Queen s College . . 183

Erasmus^ from the portrait in Queen s

College ..... facing 1^6

Arms oj Trinity Hall . . . . .190

Arms of S. Catherine's College . . . 199

Gateiuay in Great Courts S. Catherine's

College ....

Arms of Jesus College .
•S". John's and Divinity Schools
Oriel IVindoiUj Jesus College .
Norman Pl^ork N. 'Transept y Jesus

Chapel ....
Arms of Christ's College
The Chapel y Christ' s College .

xii

. facing 200
206
212

. facing 216

College

221
232

. facing 234

Illustrations

PAGE

from the bust in

QhrtsC s

facing 240
243
247
251
256
269
278

facing 282
286

John Milton

College
Arms of S. Johns College
■ S. Johns College from the " Backs

• Entrance to S. John s College

• Bridge of Sighs, S. John's College
Arms of Magdalene College .
Arms of Trinity College
The Fountain, Trinity College
Neville's Court, Trinity College
Sir Isaac Newton, from the statute by RouhiUac

in the Ante' Chapel of Trinity College facing 290
Arms of Emmanuel College . . , . 303

Hall and Chapel, Emmanuel College
Arms of Sidney Sussex College
The Garden Front, Sidney Sussex College
A Bit from Sidney Street
Oliver Cromwell, from the chalk drawing by
Cooper in the Hall of Sidney Sussex
College . . c . . f (icing 3 1 8

Arms of Doivning College . , . . 34O

Downing College .... facing 34O

Map of Cambridge . . . . facing 346

facing 304

312

facing 314

Xlll

INTRODUCTION

LJ O W happy is the traveller who gets his first vision
of a great historic place from some other vantage-
ground than the carriage window of a railway train,
speeding along some high embankment, over the
squalid or the commonplace streets of its outlying
suburbs, or through the dank and murky darkness of
alternate rock cutting or tunnel to a central terminus
of crowded confusion, and all the distracting dis-
comfort which too often makes disembarkation in a
strange place a misery and a penance. How, on the
other hand, does the emotion of a first visit remain an
acute pleasure for years, notwithstanding the experience
of after knowledge, if the contemplative enchantment
of distance can be given to a traveller's first impressions
of a place, even though he may not have upon his
memory's picture the added radiance of sunset or
moonrise to sublimate it. I fear, however, that it is
not possible to arrange for the visitor to Cambridge
that the first impression of his approach to the city
should be one of aesthetic pleasure. The modern visitor
to Cambridge will almost certainly reach the place by
railway along the level flats over which no distant view
of dreaming spires or piled up battlements can be seen,
and must perforce make his entry to the ancient town by
a very modern and second-rate suburban station road.
One suggestion only can I make by way of mitigating
commonplace. Let any reader of the following
chapters, and especially perhaps of the topographical
details in Chapter II., who is paying his first visit to the

Introduction

university, make a careful comparison of the two maps of
Cambridgc-^one ancient, a copy of the map prepared in
1 574 by order of Archbishop Parkei", facing page 56,and
one modern, prepared for the visit of the British Asso-
ciation in 1 904, facing page 346 — and then remember-
ing that as he leaves the railway and makes his first turn
10 the right out of the station road, and follows the long
gently winding street, known in its various sections by
the modern names of Hills Road, Regent Street, S.
Andrew's Street, Sidney Street, Bridge Street, Mag-
dalen Street, Castle Street, he is following the ancient
Roman way, the Via Devana, along which, more than
a thousand years ago, the Roman legionaries passed on
their way from Colchester to Chester, and rested for
the night at the military station of Cambor'itum^ whose
site he may well visit close by the Castle Hill across
the river ; and if then retracing his steps across the
bridge to the ancient Round Church of the Knight's
Templars, and turning down the line of still more
winding road, now known as John's Street, Trinity
Street, King's Parade, Trumpington Street, but in
mediasval days as Trumpington Street only, and earlier
still as the High Street of the village, on the
south bank of the river, terminating with the ancient
church of S. Benedict, he will meet in imagination
the many pilgrims, kings and queens, knights and
ladies, statesmen and scholars, who must, through so
many centuries, always have made their first entrance
into the city by this road from London ; he may chance
perhaps to recover some of that poetry and glamour
which the thought of an old historic past, and the
memory of the mighty dead, should always have power
to create.

These two historic roads at any rate, which through
all changes have remained the two main thoroughfares
of Cambridge, and upon which or between which
xvi

fntroduction

nearly all its famous buildings are placed, may use-
fully, I think, suggest for the modern pilgrim a
methodical plan for his visitation of the city and
university. A first visit to a new city is always made
more profitable by a well-arranged itinerary. I would
venture then to suggest to the visitor, who can at
least spare the necessary time, as a preliminary to a
more detailed examination, that he should take first a
leisurely drive up and down the two great thorough-
fares I have mentioned, noting as he goes the main
buildings right and left, and conclude perhaps with
a complete circular tour round the outskirts of the
town by Lensfield Road and Parker's Piece to Mid-
summer Common and the river, to the backs of the
colleges. Such an itinerary would arrange itself
much in the following order. The main buildings
seen right and left in the outward direction of the
drive are indicated in the printed column as read
upwards from the bottom of the page to the top.
The numbers indicate the page of the text where the
buildings are described.

xvn

ITINERARY

Westminster College

S. Peter's Church
Northampton Street

l/3

n
n

Castle Hill, 23

S. Giles' Church, 32

Chesterton Road

School of Pythagoras, 25

The
Br

S. John's College, 243
S. John's Street
leading to King's Parade

Trinity College, 278
Market Street

Trinity Church
Petty Cury

S. Andrew the Great
Downing Street

Police Station
Downing College, 340

Lensfield Road

WW
PI — .

01 a.

i-» n

j; a.
n 3
« n

r* ft

ni?

Magdalene College, 269

ver — — — —

S. Clement's Church

Holy Sepulchre— Round Church, 36

The Union Club
Jesus Lane, leading to Jesus College, 206

Sidney Sussex College, 312

Christ's College, 232
Emmanuel College, 303

Theatre

Parker's Piece

Gonville Place

Roman Catholic Church
Perse School, Girls

Bateman Street

Botanic Garden

University Cricket Ground
Perse School, Boys
S. Paul's Church

Railway

XIX

It'uierar

Botanic Gardens
Ijensfield Road

Ley's School

Downing College, 340

Addenbrooke's Hospital
Fitzwilliam Street

Pembroke College and Street

The Museums

S. Botolph Church

Corpus Chri>ti College

S. Benedict's Church Benet Street

Market Square

Great S. Mary's
Church, 323

S. Michael's Church
Green Street

Divinity
Schools

"2.
5'
w

3
•-I

H
5'

r* O

3 3"

Fitzwilliam Museum, 338
Pcterhouse, 67

Little S. Kfar^'S Church

Congregational Church

University Press rRidley

Silver Street, leading to-/ Newnham
Queen's College, 168 l& Selwyn
S. Catharine's College, 199

King's, 143
College University

Library
Senate House, 326

Caius College. 109
Trinity Lane

Clare College, 95
Trinity Hall. 190

Trinity College, 278

S. John's College, 243

(T
<r3
n

Bridge Street

+ Round Church, 36

The Story of Cambridge

CHAPTER I
Legendary Origin of the University

«« Next then the plenteous Ouse came far from land,
By many a city and by many a town,
And many rivers taken under-hand
Into his waters as he passeth down,
The Cle, the Were, the Grant, the Sture, the Bowne,
Thence doth by Huntingdon and Cambridge flit,
My Mother Cambridge, whom as with a crowne
He doth adorne, and is adorned by it
With many a gentle Muse and many a learned wit."
— Spenser's Faerie Queene^ iv. xi. 34.

Geographical and commercial importance of the city site —
Map of the county a palimpsest — Glamour of the Fen-
land — Cambridge the gateway of East Anglia — I'he
Roman roads — The Roman station — The Castle Hill —
Stourbridge Fair — Cambridge a chief centre of English
commerce.

/^NE could wish perhaps that the story of Cam-
^-^ bridge should begin, as so many stories of men
and cities have begun, in the antique realm of poetry
and romance. That it did so begin our forefathers
indeed had little doubt. John Lydgate, the poet, a
Benedictine monk of Bury, " the disciple " — as he is
proud to call himself — " of Geoffrey Chaucer," but
best remembered perhaps by later times as the writer

A I

l[ht Story of Catnbi^idge

of "London Lackpenny " and "Troy Book," has
left certain verses on the foundation of the Town
and University of Cambridge, which are still pre-
served to us.i Some stanzas of that fourteenth
century poem will serve to show in what a cloud-
land of empty legend it was at one time thought that
the story of the beginning of Cambridge might be
found : —

" By trew recorde of the Doctor Bede

'1 hat some tyme wrotte so mikle with his hande,
And specially remembringe as I reede
In his chronicles made of England
Amounge t.ther thynges as ye shall understand,
Whom for myne aucchour I darealleage,
Seith the translacion and baylding of Cambridge.
« • • •

" Touchino^ the date, as I rehearse can
Fro thiike ryme that the world began
Four thowsand complete by accomptes clere
And three hundred by computacion
Joyned thereto eight and fortie yt-are,
When Cantebro gave the foundacion
Of this cytie and this famous towne
And of this noble universitie
bette on this river which is called Cante.
• • • • *

«' This Cantebro, as it well knoweth
At Atheiies scholed in his yoiigt,
All hi> wvttes greatlye di i applie
To have acquaintance by great affection
With folke-experte in philosophie.
From Athens he brought witli hym downe
Philosophers most sovereigne ol renowne
Unto Cambridge, playnlyethis is the case,
Anaxamander and Anaxagoras
With many other myne .\ucthors dothe fare,
To Cami)ridge fast came hym spede
With philosophers and let for no cost spare
In the ScHooles to stujdie and to reede;
Of wliose teachinges great piotit that gan spreade

1 Cf. Baker MS. in the University Library.
2

Legendary Origin of the University

And great increase rose of his doctrine ;
Thus of Cambridge the name gan first shyne
As chief schoole and universitie
Unto this tyme fro the daye it began
By cleare reporte in manye a far countre
Unto the reign of Cassibeilan.

• • • •

" And as it is put eke in memorie,

Howe Julius C^sar entrinj; this region

On Cassybellan after his victorye

Tooke with hym clarkes of famous renowne

Fro Cambridg and ledd theim to Rome towne,

Thus by processe remembred here to forne

Cambridg was founded long or Chryst was borne."

But it is not only in verse that this fabric of fable is
to be found. Down even to the middle of the last
century the ears of Cambridge graduates were still
beguiled by strange stories of the early renown of
their University — how it was founded by a Spanish
Prince, Cantaber (the " Cantebro " of Lydgate's
verses), "in the 4321st year of the creation of the
worM," and in the sixth year of Gurgant, King of
Britain ; how Athenian astronomers and philosophers
" because of the pleasantness of the place," came to
Cambridge as its earliest professors, ** the king having
appointed them stipends'*; how King Arthur, **on
the 7th of April, in the year of the Incarnacion of
our Lord, 531," granted a charter of academic privi-
leges '* to Kenet, the first Rector of the schools " ;
and how the University subsequently found another
royal patron in the East Anglian King Sigebert, and
had among its earlier Doctors of Divinity the great
Saxon scholars Bede and Alcuin.

I have before me as I write a small octavo volume,
a guide-book to Cambridge and its Colleges, much
worn and thumbed, probably by its eighteenth-century
owner, possibly by his nineteenth-century successor,
in which all these fables and legends are set out in

The Story of Cambridge

order. The book has lost its title page, but it is
easily identifiable as an English translation of Richard
Parker's Skeletos Cantahrigiensis^ written about 1622,
but not apparently published until a century later, when
the antiquary, Thomas Hearne, printed it in his edition
of Lelland's Collectanea. My English edition of the
Skeletos is presumably either that which was " printed
for Thomas Warner at the Black Boy, Pater Noster
Row," and without a date, or that published by " J.
Bateman at the Hat and Star in S. Paul's Church-
yard," and dated 1721. As an illustration of the
kind of record which passed for history even in the
last century — for the early editions of Hallam's
" History of the Middle Ages " bear evidence that
that careful historian still gave some credence to these
Cambridge fables — it may be interesting to quote one
or two passages from the legendary history of Nicholas
Cantelupe, which is prefixed to this English version
of Parker's book : —

*' Anaximander, one of the disciples of Thales, came to
this city on account of his Philosophy and great Skill in
Astrolog-y, where he left much Improvement in Learning
to Posterity. After his Example, Anaxagoras, quitting his
Possessions, after a long Peregrination, came to Cambridge,
where he writ Books, and instructed the unlearned, for which
reason that City was by the People of the Country call'd the
City of Scholars

'•King Cassibelan, when he had taken upon him the
Government of the Kingdom, bestowed such Preheminence
on this City, that any Fugitive or Criminal, desirous to acquire
Learning, flying to it, was defended in the sight of His
Enemy, with Pardon, and without Molestation, Upbraiding
or Affront offer'd him. For which Reason, as also on
account of the Richness of the Soil, the Serenity of the Air,
the great Source of Learning, and the King's Favour, young
and old. from many Parts of the Earth, resorted thither,
some of whom Julil'S CiESAR, having vanquished Cassibelan,
carry'd away to Rome, where they afterwards flonrish'd."

There then follows a letter, given without any doubt

Legendary Origin of the University

of authenticity, from Alcuin of York, purporting to be
written to the scholars of Cambridge from the Court of
Charles the Great : —

"To the discreet Heirs of Christ, the Scholars of
the unspotted Mother Cambridge, JFAquinus^ by Life a
Sinner, Greeting and Glory in the Virtues of Learn-
ing. Forasmuch as Ignorance is the Mother of
Error, I earnestly intreat that Youths among you be
us'd to be present at the Praises of the Supreme King,
not to unearth Foxes, not to hunt Hares, let them
now learn the Holy Scriptures, having obtain'd Know-
ledge of the Science of Truth, to the end that in their
perfect Age they may teach others. Call to mind, I
beseech you dearly beloved the most noble Master of
our Time, Bede the Priest, Doctor of your University,
under whom by permission of the Divine Grace, I
took the Doctor's Degree in the Year from the In-
carnation of our Lord 692, what an Inclination he had
to study in His Youth, what Praise he has now among
Men, and much more what Glory of Reward with
God. Farewell always in Christ Jesu, by whose
Grace you are assisted in Learning. Amen."

We may omit the mythical charter of King Arthur
and come to the passage concerning King Alfred,
obviously intended to turn the flank of the Oxford
patriots, who too circumstantially relate how their
University was founded by that great scholar king.

" In process of time, when Alfred, or Aired, sup-
ported by divine Comfort, after many Tribulations,
had obtained the Monarchy of all England, he trans-
lated to Oxford the scholars, which Penda, King of
the Mercians, had with the leave of King Ceadwald
carried from Cambridge to Kirneflad (rather Crick=^
lade, as above), to which scholars he was wont to
distribute Alms in three several Places. He much

The Story of Cambridge

honourM the Cantabrigians and Oxonians, and granted
them many Privileges.

"Afterwards he erected and establish'd Grammar
Schools throughout the whole Island, and caus*d the
Youth to be instructed in their Mother Tongue.
Then perceiving that the Scholars, whom he had
conveyed to Oxford, continually applied themselves
to the Study of the Laws and expounded the Holy
Scriptures : he appointed Grimwald their Rector,
who had been Rector and Chancellor of the City of
Cambridge.'*

The severer canons of modern historical criticism
have naturally made short work of all these absurd
fables ; nor do they even allow us to accept as
authentic the otherwise not unpleasing story quoted
from the Chronicle, or rather historical novel, of
Inpulph, in the quaint pages of Thomas Fuller,
written a generation later than Richard Parker's book,
which tells how, early in the twelfth century, certain
monks were sent to Cambridge by Joffrey, Abbot of
Crowland, to expound in a certain public barn (by
later writers fondly thought to be that which is now
known by the name of Pythagoras' School) the pages
of Priscian, Q^uintilian, and Aristotle.

There is little doubt, I fear, that we may find the
inciting motive of all this exuberant fancy and in-
vention in the desire to glorify the one University
at the expense of the other, which is palpably present
in that last quotation from Parker's book, and which
is perhaps not altogether absent from the writings and
the conversation of some academic patriots of our own
day. We may, however, more wisely dismiss all
these foolish legends and myths as to origins in the
kindlier spirit of quaint old Fuller in the Introduction
to his ** History of the University of Cambridge" : —
6

Legendary Origin of the University

" Sure I am/' he says, " there needeth no such
pains to be took, or provision to be made, about the
pre-eminence of our English Universities, to regulate
their places, they having better learned humility from
the precept of the Apostle, In honour preferring one
another. Wherefore I presume my aunt Oxford will
not be justly offended if in this book I give my
own mother the upper hand, and first begin with her
history. Thus desiring God to pour his blessing
upon both, that neither may want milk for their
children, or children for their milk, we proceed to
the business."

Descending then from the misty cloudland of Fable
to the hard ground of historic Fact, we are '•hortly
met by a question which, I hope. Fuller would have
recognised as businesslike. How did it come about
that our forefathers founded a University on the site
which we now call Cambridge — "that distant marsh
town," as a modern Oxford historian somewhat con-
temptuously calls it ? The question is a natural one,
and has not seldom been asked. We shall find, I
think, the most reasonable answer to it by asking a
prior question. How did the town of Cambridge
itself come to be a place of any importance in the
early days ! The answer is, in the first place, geo-
graphical ; in the second, commercial. We may fitly
occupy the remaining space of this chapter in seeking
to formulate that answer.

And first, as to the physical features of the district
which has Cambridge for its most important centre.
*' The map of England," it has been strikingly said by
Professor Maitland, ** is the most wonderful of all
palimpsests." Certainly that portion of the map of
England which depicts the country surrounding the
Fenlands of East Anglia is not the least interesting

Tloe Story of Cambridge

part of that palimpsest. Let us take such a map and
try roughly to decipher it.^

If we begin with the seaboard line we shall perhaps
at first sight be inclined to think that it cannot have
changed much in the course of the centuries. And
most probably the coast-line of Lincolnshire, from a
point northwards near Great Grimsby or Cleethorpes
at the mouth of the Humber to a point southwards
near Waynefleet at the mouth of the Steeping River,
twenty miles or less north of Boston, and again the
coast-line of Norfolk and Suffolk from Hunstanton
Point at the north-east corner of the Wash, round past
Brancaster and Wells and Cromer to Yarmouth, and
then southwards past South wold and Aid borough to
Harwich at the mouth of the Orwell and Stour
estuary, has not altered much in ten or even twenty
centuries. But that can hardly be said with regard to
the coast-line ot the Wash itself. For on its western
side our palimpsest warns us that there is a con-
siderable district called Holland \ that on its south
side, a dozen miles or more from the present coast-
line, is a town called Wisbech (or Ouse-beach) ; that
still farther inland, within a mile or two of Cambridge
itself, are to be found the villages of Waterheach and
Landheach ; that half-way between Huntingdon and
Peterborough there is a place called Saiutrey (or
Sahreche, the Salt-reach) ; and that scattered through-
out the whole district of the low-lying lands are
villages and towns whose place-names have the termi-
nation "ey" or **ea," meaning "island" — such as
Thorney, Splnny^ Ramsey, IVhhtlesea, Hornmgsea\
and that one considerable tract of slightly higher

1 See the very excellent map given in " Fenland Past and
Present," by S. H. Miller and Sidney Skertchley (published,
Longmans, 1878), a book full of information on the natural
features of the Fen country, its geology, its antiquarian
relics, its Hora and fauna.

'Fte^e-rervce^

e^rv

•'-. "^cr -*"*-- —

Dyke.s

tor est ^-^r^'-ih-i

0 /cT 26* JC 41^ SO

I , , , -. 1 — , — (, ^1

Scale of Miles

THE AMCILMT i; EN LAND.

Legendary Origin of the University

ground, though now undoubtedly surrounded by dry
land, is still called the Isle of Ely. These place-
names are significant, and tell their own story. And
that story, as we try to interpret it, will gradually lead
us to the conclusion that the ancient seaboard line of
the Wash, instead of being marked on the map of
England as we have it now, by a line roughly joining
Boston and King's Lynn, would on the earliest text
of the palimpsest require an extended sea boundary on
which Lincoln, and Stamford and Peterborough, and
Huntingdon and Cambridge, and Brandon and Down-
ham Market would become almost seaboard towns,
and Ely an island fifteen miles or so off the coast at
Cambridge.

Such a conclusion, of course, would be somewhat of
an exaggeration, for the wide waste of waters which
thus formed an extension of the Wash southwards was
not all or always sea water. So utterly transformed,
however, has the whole Fen country become in modern
times — the vast plain of the Bedford level contains
some 2000 square miles of the richest corn-land in
England — that it is very difficult to restore in the
imagination the original scenery of the days before the
drainage, when the rivers which take the rainfall of
the central counties of England — the Nene, the Wel-
land, the Witham, the Glen, and the Bedfordshire
Ouse — spread out into one vast delta or wilderness of
shallow waters.

The poetic glamour of the land, now on the side of
its fertility and strange beauty, now on the side of its
monotony and weird loneliness, has always had a
strange fascination for the chroniclers and writers of
every age. In the first Book of the Liher El'iensis
(ii. 105), written by Thomas, a monk of Ely, in the
twelfth century, there is a description of the fenlands,
given by a soldier to William the Conqueror, which

1 1

The Story of Cambridge

reads like the report of the land of plenty and promise
brought by the spies to Joshua. In the Htstoria Major
of Matthew Paris, however, it is described as a place
"neither accessible for man or beast, affording only
deep mud, with sedge and reeds, and possest of b:rds,
yea, much more by devils, as appeareth in the Life of
S. Guthlac, who, iinding it a place of horror and
great solitude, began to inhabit there." At a later
time Drayton in his Polyolbion gives a picture of the
Fenland life as one of manifold industry : —

" The toiling fisher here is towing of his net;
The fowler is employed his limed twigs to set ;
One underneath his horse to get a shoot doth stalk ;
Another over dykes upon his stilts doth walk :
There other with their spades the peats are squaring out,
And others from their cars are busily about
To draw out sedge and reed to thatch and stover fit :
That whosoever would a landskip rightly hit,
Beholding but my Fens shall with more shapes be stored
Than Germany or France or Thuscan can atTord."

This eulogy of the Fenland, however, Drayton is

careful to put into the mouth of a Fenland nymph,

who is not allowed to pass without criticism by her

sister who rules the uplands : —

«* O how I hate
Thus of her foggy fens to hear rude Holland prate
That with her fish and fowl here keepeth such a coil,
As her unwholesome air, and more unwholesome soil,
For these of which she boasts the more might sutTered be."

But probably the most picturesque and truthful
imaginative sketch of the old fenlands is that which
was given in our own time by the graphic pen of
Ch:irles Kingsley in his fine novel of " Hereward the
Wake," somewhat amplified afterwards in the chapters
of " The Hermits," which he devoted to the history
of St Guthlac : —

"The Fens in the seventh century," he says, "were
probably very like the fore>ts at the mouth of the Mississippi

Legendary Orig'm of the University

or the swampy shores of the Carolinas. Their vast plain is
now in summer one sea of golden corn ; in winter, a black
dreary fallow, cut into squares by stagnant dykes, and
broken only by unsightly pumping mills and doleful lines
of poplar trees. Of old it was a labyrinth of black wander-
ing streams, broad lagoons, morasses submerged every
springtide, vast beds of reed and sedge and fern, vast copses
of willow and alder and grey poplar, rooted in the floating
peat, which was swallowing up slowly, all devouring, yet
preserving the forests of fir and oak, ash and poplar, hazel
and yew, which had once grown on that low, rank soil,
sinking slowly (so geologists assure us) beneath the sea from
age to age. Trees torn down by flood and storm floated
and lodged in rafts, damming the waters back on the land.
Streams bewildered in the flats, changed their channels,
mingling silt and sand with the peat moss. Nature left to
herself ran into wild riot and chaos more and more, till the
whole fen became one 'dismal swamp,* in which at the
time of the Norman Conquest 'the Jast of the English,'
like Dred in Mrs Stow's tale, took refuge from their tyrants
and lived like him a free and joyous life awhile."

Such was one aspect, then, in the early days of
English history, of the great plain that stretches from
Cambridge to the sea. But our map-palimpsest has
further physical facts to reveal which had an important
influence on the civic and economic development of
Cambridge. To the south-east of this great plain of
low-lying fenlands rises the upland country of boulder
clay, stretching in a line almost directly west and east
from the downs at Royston, thirteen miles below Cam-
bridge, to Sudbury-on-the-Stour. The whole of
this ridge of high ground, which roughly corres-
ponds with the present boundaries between Cam-
bridgeshire and Suffolk and Essex, was in the early
days covered with dense forest. Thus the Forest and
the Fen between them formed a material barrier separa-
ting the kingdom of East Anglia from the rest of
Britain. At one point only could an entrance be gained.
Between the forest and the fen there runs a long belt
of land, at its narrowest point not more than five

The Story of Cambridge

miles wide, consisting partly of open pasture, partly of
chalk down. In the neck, so to say, of this natural
pass into East Anglia lies the town of Cambridge. A
careful scrutiny of our map will show, on the under-
text of our palimpsest, a remarkable series of British
earthworks, all crossing in parallel lines this narrow
belt of open land between the fen and the forest,
marked on the map as Black Ditches, Devil's Dyke,
the Fleam or Balsham Dyke, the Brent or Pampis-
ford Ditch, and the Brand or Heydon Way. Of
these the longest and most important is the well-
known Devil's Dyke, near Newmarket. It is some
eight miles long in all, and consists of a lofty bank
twelve feet wide at the top, eighteen feet above the
levfl of the country, and thirty feet above the bottom
of the ditch, which is itself some twenty feet wide.
The ditch is on the western side of the bank, thus
showing that it was used as a defence by the people
on the east against those on the west. It was near
this ditch that the defeat of the ancient British tribe
of the Iceni by the Romans, as described by Tacitus
(" Annals," xii. 3 i ), took place in a.d. 50.^

At Cambridge itself the ancient earthwork known as
Castle Hill m.iy belong to this British period, and have
formed a valu ible auxiliary to the line of dykes in
defending the ford of the river and the pass behind ;
but upon this point authorities are divided.'-^ Indeed,
there is good ground for the opinion that the Castle
Hill is a construction of the later Saxon period, and
may, in fact, be referred to the time of the Danish
incursions in the ninth century, during which time

1 Cf. Paper by Professor Ridgeway, Proc, Cam. Antiq. Soc,
vii. 200.

2 C/. Professor M'Kenny Huglies, Proc. Cam. Antiq. Soc,
vol. viii. (1893) 173. C/. also Freeman, "Norman Con-
quest," vol. i. 323, &c., and also English Chronicle, under
year mx.

Ldgetidary Origin of the University

Cambridge is known to have been sacked more than
once.

However that may be, there is ample proof that the
site of the Castle at any rate was occupied by the
Romans, for the remains of a fosse and vallum, forming
part of an oblong enclosure within which the Castle
Hill, whether early British or later Saxon, is included,
seem to indicate the position of a Roman station here.
Moreover, to this place converge the two great Roman
roads, of which the remains may still be traced :
Akeman Street, leading from Cirencester (Corinium)
in the south throu(;h Hertfordshire to Cambridge, and
thence across the fen (by the Aldr<.th Causeway, the
scene of William the Conqueror's two years* cam-
paign against Hereward) to Ely, and so onwards to
Brancaster in Norfolk ; and the Fia Devana, which,
starting from Colchester (Colonia or Camelodunum),
skirted the forest lands of Essex through Cambridge
and Huntingdon (Durolifons) northwards to Chester
(Deva). Whether the Roman station, however, at
the junction of these two roads can be identified as the
ancient Camboritum is still a little doubtful. Certainly
the common identification of Cambridge with Cambori-
tum, because of the resemblance between the two
names, cannot be justified. That resemblance is a
mere coincidence. The name Cambridge, in fact, is
comparatively modern, being corrupted, by regular
gradations, from the original Anglo-Saxon form which
had the sense of Granta-bridge. The name of the
town is thus not, as is generally supposed, derived from
the name of the river (Cam being modern and artificial),
but, conversely, the name of the river has, in the course
of centuries, been evolved out of the name of the
town.^

1 The easiest way for those who are not much acquainted
with phonetic laws to understand this rather difficult point

The Story of Cambridi^e

To return, however, to the Castle Hill. It may be
doubtful, as we have said, whether the Roman station
there was Camboritum or not, but there can be no
doubt that the station, whatever it may have been
called by the Romans, must have been a fairly im-
portant one, not only as commanding the open pass-way
between the forest and the fen leading into East Anglia,
but also as standing at the head of a waterway leading
to the sea. It is difficult, of course, to estimate the
extent of the commerce in these early days, or even
perhaps to name the staple article of export that must
have found its way by means of the fenland rivers to
the Continent, but that it must have been at times
considerable we may at least conjecture from the fact

is to observe the chronology of this place-name. It is thus
condensed by Mr T. D, Atkinson ("Cambridge Described
and Illustrated," p. 4) from Professor Skeat's "Place-Names
of Cambridgeshire," 29-30: — " The name of the town was
Grant ebrijcge in A.D. 875, and in Doomsday Book it is
Grenlelrite. About 1 142 we first meet with the violent
change Cantcbrieggescir (for the county), the change from Gr
to C being due to the Normans. This form lasted, with
slight changes, down to the fifteenth century. Grau/itbrigo-e
(also spelt Cauntbriggt in the name of the same person^ sur-
vived as a surname till 1401. After 1142 the form Cantcbrigge
is common ; it occurs in Chaucer as a word of four syllables,
and was Latinised as Cantabrigia in the thirteenth century.
Then the former e dropped out ; and we come to such forms
as Cantbrigge and Cauntbriftge (fourteenth century) ; then
Canbrhrge (1436) and Caiviibr cge {idfSi^ wit\\ n. Then the b
turned the n into «;, giving Cambrig^e (after 1400) and
Caumbrege (1458). The long a, formerly aa in baa, but now
ei in "ve'iti, was never shortened. The old name of the river,
Granta^ still survives. Cant occurs in 1372. and le Ee and le
Rei in the fifteenth century. In the sixteenth century the
river is spoken of as the Canij, now called the Rhee\ and
later we find both Granta and the Latinised form of Camus.
Cam, wliich appears in Speed's map of 16 10, was suggested
by the written form Cam-bridge, and is a product of the six-
teentli century, having no connection with the Welsh Can.
or the British Cambos, "crooked."
16

Legendary Origin of the University

that in the records of the sacking of the Fenland abbeys
— Ely, Peterborough, Ramsey, and Crowland — by the
Danes in the seventh century there is evidence of a
great store of weahh, costly embroideries, rich jewels,
gold and silver, which can hardly have been the pro-
duct of native industry alone, but seem to indicate a
fair import trade from the Continent.

The geographical position, in fact, of Cambridge at
the head of a waterway directly communicating with
the sea is a factor in the history of the town the im-
portance of which cannot be exaggerated. In direct
communication with the Continent by means of the
river, and on the only, or almost the only, Hne of traffic
between East Anglia and the rest of England, it
naturally became the chief distributing centre of the
commerce and trade of eastern England, and the seat
of a Fair which in a later age boasted itself the largest
in Europe.

In his ** History of the University," Thomas Fuller
gives an account of the origin of this Fair, which is
perhaps more picturesque than accurate : —

"About this time," he says — that is, about a.d. 1103, in
the reign of the first Henry — ** Barnwell, ^ that is, Children's
Well, a village within the precincts of Cambridge, got both
the name thereof and a Fair therein on this occa&ion. Many
little children on Midsummer (or St John Baptist's) Eve met
there in mirth to play and sport together; their company
caused the confluence of more and bigger boys to the place :

1 " The old spelling is Bernewell, in the time of Henry III.
and later. Somewhat earlier is Beornewelle, in a late copy
of a charter dated 1060 (Thorpe, Diplnm.^ p. 383). So also
in the Ramsey Cartulary. The prefix has nothing to do with
the Anglo-Saxon beam, ' a child,' as has often, I believe, been
suggested ; but represents Beoman, gen. of Beorna, a pet name
for a name beginning with Beorn-. . . . The difference
between the words, which are quite distinct, is admirably
illustrated in the New Eng. Diet, under the words heme and
bairn.'' — Skeat's Place-Names of Cambriageshire^ p. 35,

B 17

The Story of Cambridge

then bigger than they : even their parents themselves came
thither to be delighted with the activity of their children.
Meat and drink must be had for their refection, which
brought some victualling booths to be set up. Pedlers with
toys and trifles cannot be supposed long absent, whose packs
in short time swelled into tradesmen's stalls of all com-
modities. Now it is become a great fair, and (as I may term
it) one of the townsmen's commencements, wherein they take
their degrees of wealth, fraught with all store of wares and
nothing (except buyers) wanting therein."

This description of Fuller is obviously a rough
translation of a passage from the Liber Memorandorum
Ecclesia He Berneiuelle, commonly called the '* Barne-
well Cartulary/* given at page xii of Mr J. W.
Clark's " Customs of Augustinian Canons," and dated
about 1296.

It is possible, of course, that the celebrated Stour-
bridge Fair, which in later centuries was held every
autumn in the river Meadow, a mile or so below the
town, adjoining Barnwell Priory, did date back to
these early times, but its two earliest charters un-
doubtedly belong to the thirteenth century, one belong-
ing to the reion of King John, granting the tolls of
the Fair to the Friars of the Leper Chapel of S.
Mary Magdalene, the other to Henry II I. 's time,
fixing the date of the Fair for the four days com-
mencing October 17, being the Festival of S.
EtheJdreda, Virgin, Queen and Abbess of Ely. From
this time onward at any rate the annual occurrence of
this Fair furnishes incidents, not always commendable,
in the annals of both town and University. It is said
with probability that John Bunyan, who in his Bedford-
shire youth may well have been drawn to its attrac-
tions, made the Fair at Stourbridge Common the
prototype of his "Vanity Fair." And certainly any
one who will take the trouble to compare the descrip-
tion of the Fair given by the Cambridgeshire historian
18

Legendary Origin of the University

Carter with the well-known passage in the " Pilgrim's
Progress," cannot but feel that the details of Bunyan's
picture are touches painted from life : —

"Then I saw in my dream, that when they were got out
of the Wilderness, they presently saw a Town before them,
and the name of that Town is Vanity ; and at the Town
there is a Fair kept, called Vanity Fair . . . therefore at this
Fair are all such Merchandise sold, as Houses, Lands, Trades,
Places, Honours, Preferments, Titles, Countries, Kingdoms,
Lusts, Pleasures, and Delights of all sorts, as Whores, Bawds,
Wives, Husbands, Children, Masters, Servants, Lives, Blood,
Bodies, Souls, Silver, Gold, Pearls, Precious Stones, and
what not.

" And moreover at this Fair there is at all times to be seen
Jugglings, Cheats, Games, Plays, Fools, Apes, Knaves, and
Rogues, and that of all sorts.

'<And as in other Fairs of less moment, there are the
several Rows and Streets under their proper names, where
such and such wares are vended ; so here likewise you have
the proper places. Rows, Streets . . . where the wares of
this Fair are soonest to be found. Here is the Britain Row.
the French Row, the Italian Row, the German Row, where
several sorts of vanities are to be sold."

The historian, it is true, speaks of '* the Sturbridge
Fair as like to a well-governed city, with less disorder
and confusion than in any other place where there is
so great a concourse of people," yet when one reads
in Bunyan's "Progress" of the Peremptory Court of
Trial, "under the Great One of the Fair," ever ready
to take immediate cognisance of any " hubbub," one
cannot but remember that the judicial rights of the
University in the regulation of the ale-tents and show-
booths on Midsummer Common were at least a fertile
theme for satire with the licensed wits of both
Universities, whether of " Mr Tripos " at Cam-
bridge, or of the " Terrx Filius " at Oxford, and
wonder what amount of truth there may have been in
the rude statement of the latter that " the Cambridge
proctors at Fair time were so strict in forbidding

The Story of Cambridge

under-graduates to enter public-houses in the town
because it would spoil their own trade in the ** Fair."
But as Fuller would say, " Enough hereof. It
tends to slanting and suppositive traducing of the

records." Let us
proceed with our
history. And that
we may do so let
us end this intro-
ductory chapter of
Fable and Fact by
enforcing the point,
of which the in-
cident of Stour-
bridge Fair was
but an illustration,
that Cambridge
became the seat of
an English Uni-
versity, because it
had already become
a chief centre of
English trade and
commerce, and had
so become because
in the early cen-
turies it had stood
as guardian of the
only pass - way
which crossed the frontier line of the kingdoms of
Mercia and the West Saxons and the kingdom of
the East Anglians, and at a later time had been the
busy porter of the river gate, by which the merchan-
dise of northern Europe, borne to the Norfolk Wash
and the Port of Lynn by the ships of Flanders and
the Hanse towns of the Baltic, found its way, by
20

\T^'

Legendary Origin of the University

the sluggish waters of the Cam and the Ouse, to a
place which was thus well fitted to become the great
distributing centre of trade for southern England and
the Midlands. Stourbridge Fair is a thing of the past.
Cambridge as a distributing centre for the trade of
northern Europe has ceased to be. The long line of
river barges no longer float down the stream. The
waters of the Wash are silting up. The fame of the
Town has been eclipsed by the fame of the University.
But Town and University alike may still gaze with
emotion at the old timbered wharfs and clay hithes
of the river, the green earthwork of the Castle Hill,
the far-stretching roads once known as Akeman Street
and the Icknield Way, the grass-grown slopes of the
Devil's Dyke, as the symbols of mighty forces which
in their day brought men from all parts of Europe
to this place, and have been potent to make it through
many centuries a centre of light and learning to
England and the world.

CHAPTER II
Cambridge in the Norman Time

"At this time the fountain of learning in Cambridge was
but little, and that very troubled. . . . Alars then frighted
away the Muses, when the Mount of Parnassus was turned
into a fort, and Helicon derived into a trench. And at this
present, King William the Conqueror, going to subdue the
monks of Ely that resisted him, made Cambridgeshire the
seat of war." — Fuller.

William I. at Cambridge Castle — Cambridge at the Domes-
day Survey — Roger Picot the Sheriff — Pythagoras
School — Castle and Borough — S. Bennet's Church and
its Parish — The King's Ditch — I'he Great and the
Small Bridges — The King's and the Bishop's Mills —
The River Hithes — S. Peter by the Castle and S. Giles'
Church — The early streets of the City — The Augus-
tinian Priory of Barnwell — The Round Church of the
Holy Sepulchre — the Cambridge Jewry — Debt of early
Scholars to the Philosophers of the Synagogue —
Benjamin's House — Municipal Freedom of the Borough.

/^N the site of the ancient Roman station of which
^"^ we have spoken in the preceding chapter, as
guarding the river ford and the pass between forest and
fen into East Anglia, William the Conqueror, return-
ing from the conquest of York in the year ic68,
founded Cambridge Castle, that "it might be" — to
quote Fuller's words — *' a check-bit to curb this
country, which otherwise was so hard-mouthed to be
ruled." Here, in the following year, he took up his
abode, making the castle the centre of his operations

Cambridge in the Norman Time

against the rebel English who had raUied to the
leadership of Hereward the Wake, in his camp of
refuge at Ely. But the castle at Cambridge never
became a military centre of importance. No important
deed of arms is recorded in connection with it. It
was a mere outpost, useful only as a base of operations.
It was so used by William the Conqueror. It was so
used by Henry III. in his futile contest with the
English baronage. It was so used by the Duke of
Northumberland in his unsuccessful attempt to crush
the loyalist rising of East Anglia against his plot to
place Lady Jane Grey on the throne. It was so
used by Oliver Cromwell when he was organising the
Eastern Counties Association, and forming "his
lovely company " of Ironsides. But beyond these
episodes Cambridge Castle has no history. In the
early part of the fourteenth century it was used as a
prison for common criminals. Edward III. built his
College of King's Hall with some of its materials, and
from that time onwards it appears to have been used
as a quarry by the royal founders of more than one
college. Its last remaining outwork, the Gate House,
was demolished in 1842. Now there is nothing left
but the grass-grown mound, still known as Castle
Hill, the resort of occasional American tourists who
are wise enough to know how fine a view of the town
may be obtained from that position, and, so it is said,
a less frequent place of pilgrimage also to certain
university freshmen who are foolish enough to accept
the assurance of their fellows that "at the witching
hour of night " they may best observe from Castle
Hill those solemn portents which, on the doubtful
authority of the University Calendar, are said to
happen when " the Cambridge term divides at mid-
night."

But if the Castle at Cambridge, as a " place of

The Story of Cambridge

arms," had practically no history, much less had the
town over which nominally it stood guard. The old
streets of Cambridge show no sign of ever having
been packed closely within walls in the usual medigeval
fashion. In the early days the town seems to have
been limited to a little knot of houses round the Castle
and along the street leading down to the river ford at
the foot of the Castle Hill. From the Domesday
Survey we learn that in the time of Edward the Con-
fessor the town had consisted of 400 dwelling-houses,
and was divided into ten wards, each governed by its
own lawman ("lageman") or magistrate, a name
which appears to suggest that the original organisation
of the town was of Danish origin. By the year 1086
two of these wards had been thrown into one, owing
to the destruction of twenty-seven houses — "pro
castro " — on account of the building of the Castle,
and in the remaining wards no fewer than fifty-three
other dwellings are entered as " waste." Alto-
gether, in Norman times the population of Cam-
bridge can hardly have exceeded at the most a couple
of thousand. The customs of the town were assessed
at ;2^7, the land tax at £']^ 2s. 2d. Both of these
seem to have been new impositions, payable to the
royal treasury. How this came about one cannot say,
but from this time onward, all through the Middle Ages,
the farm of Cambridge appears frequently to have been
given as a dower to the Queen. The earldom of
Cambridge and Huntingdon has been almost invariably
held by a member of the Royal Family. The first
steps, indeed, towards municipal independence on the
part of the borough were taken when the burgesses
demanded the privilege of making their customary
payments direct to the King, and ridding themselves
of this part, at any rate, of the authority of the sheriff.
Certainly, there was much complaint made to the
24

Cambridge in the Norman Time

Domesday Commissioners concerning the first
Norman sheriff of Cambridgeshire, one Roger Picot,
because of his hard treatment of the burgesses.
Among other things, it was said that he had "re-
quired the loan of their ploughs nine times in the year,
whereas in the reign of the Confessor they lent their
ploughs only thrice in the year and found neither cattle
nor carts," and also that he had built himself three
mills upon the river to the destruction of many dwell-
ing-houses and the confiscation of much common
pasture. Reading of these things one is almost
tempted to wonder, whether the old stone Norman
house still standing, styled, by a tradition now lost,
" the School of Pythagoras," in close proximity as it
is to the river, the ford, and the castle, may not have
been the residence of this sheriff or of one of his
immediate successors. The house cannot, certainly,
be of a later date than the latter part of the twelfth
century. Originally, it appears to have consisted of a
single range of building of two storeys, the lower one for-
merly vaulted, the upper one serving as a hall. How
it came by its present name of " Pythagoras School "
we do not know and certainly there is no reason to
suppose that it was at any time a school. The Nor-
man occupier, however, of this stone house, with his
servants and retainers, could hardly have been other
than a leading personage in the community, and must
have contributed in no slight degree to its importance.
Possibly it may have been owing to the destruction of
houses caused by the clearing of the sites for both this
mansion and for the Castle, that the dispossessed popula-
tion sought habitation for themselves on the low-lying
ground across the ford, on the east bank of the river.
Whether this was the cause or not, certainly the town
on the west bank — " the borough," as the castle end
of Cambridge was still called in the memory of persons

The Sto7'y of Camhridge

still living ^ — overflowed at an early period to the
other side of the river, and gradually extending itself
along the line of the Via Devana, evantually coalesced
with what had before been a distinct village clustering
round the ancient pre-Norman church of S. Benedict.
This church, or rather its tower, is the oldest building
in Cambridge and one of the most interesting. It is
thus described by Mr Atkinson.^

" The tower presents those features which are usually
taken to indicate a Saxon orig^in. It is divided into three well-
marked stages, each one of which is rather narrower than the
one below it. The quoins are of the well-known long-and-
short work (a sign of late date), and the lowest quoin islet into
a sinking prepared for it in the plinth. The belfry windows
are of two sorts ; the central window on each face is of two
heights, divided by a mid-wall balister shaft, supporting a
through-stone of the usual character. On each side of this
window there is a plain lancet at a somewhat higher level,
and with rubble jambs. Above these latter there are small
round holes — they can hardly be called windows. Over each
of the central windows there is a small pilaster, stopped by
a corbel which rests on the window head ; these pilasters
are cut off abruptly at the top of the tower, which has pro-
bably been altered since it was first built ; most likely it was
originally terminated by a low spire or by gables. The
rough edges of the quoins are worked with a rebate to receive
the plaster which originally covered the tower. The arch
between the tower and the nave springs from bold imposts,
above which are rude pieces of sculpture, forming stops to
the hood mould. The quoins remaining at each angle of
the present nave show that it is of the same length and
width as the nave of the original cliurch and they seem to
show also that the original church had neither aisles nor
transepts. The chancel is also the same size as that of
the early church, for though the east and north walls have

1 '* The Borough Boys " is a nickname still remembered as
being applied to the men of the castle end by the dwellers
in \.\\^. cast side of the river. A public-house, with the sign
of " The Borough Boy," still stands in Northampton Street.

3 "Cambridge, Described and Illustrated," by T. D,
Atkinson, p. 133.

^1-^ ■ ■ f rf"?'

Cambridge in the Norman lime

been rebuilt, they are in the positions of the Saxon walls.
The south wall of the chancel has been altered at many
ditferent peiods, but has probably never been rebuilt. The
bases of the chancel arch remain below the floor. The
early church was probably lighted by small lancets about
three inches wide, placed high in the wall, and without
glass."

The present nave is of the thirteenth century. The
chancel was built as late as 1872. The building which
still abuts against the south chancel wall belongs,
however, to the fifteenth century, and was a connecting
hall or gallery with "the old court'* of Corpus
Christi College, which not only took its early name
of S. Benet from the ancient church, but for some
century and more possessed no other College chapel.
The bells of S. Benet, we read in the old College
records, were long used to call the students "to ye
schooles, att such times as neede did require — as to
acts, clearums, congregations, lecturs, disses, and such
like." But this belongs to its story in a later age.
The pre-Conquest Church of S. Benet, as we have
said, probably served a township separate and distinct
from the Castle-end " borough " on the west bank of
the river. After the two villages became united, the
Norman Grantebrigge, and indeed the mediaeval
Cambridge of later days, seemed to have formed a
straggling and incompact town, stretching for the most
part along the Roman road which crossed the river by
the bridge at the foot of Castle hill, and so eastward
past S. Benet's, and onward to the open country,
eventually reached Colchester across the forest up-
lands. This Roman Way, following the line of the
modern Bridge Street, Sidney Street, S. Andrew
Street, Regent Street, ran close to the eastern limit of
the town, marked roughly at a later time by the King's
Ditch. This was an artificial stream constructed as
a defence of the town by King John in the year 1215.

The Story of Cambridge

It was strengthened later by King Henry III., who
had also intended to protect the town on this side by
a wall. The wall, however, was never built, and the
Ditch itself could never have been much of a defence,
except, perhaps, against casual marauders, though for
centuries it was a cause of insanitary trouble to the
town. Branching out of the river at the King's and
Bishop's Mills, just above Queen's College, it joined
the river again, after encirclmg the town, just below
the Great Bridge and above the Common now called
Jesus Green. The Ditch was crossed by bridges on
the lines of the principal roads. One of these, built
of stone, still remains under the road now called Jesus
Lane. There appears to have been a drawbridge also
at the end of Sussex Street. The river itself, which
formed the western boundary of the town, was spanned
by two bridges, the Great Bridge at Castle End and
the Small Bridge or Bridges at Newnham by the Mill
pond. Between the two bridges were the principal
wharfs or river hithes — corn hithe, flax hithe, garlic
hithe, salt hithe. Dame Nichol's hithe. These
have all now given place to the sloping lawns and
gardens of the colleges, the far-famed *' Cambridge
Backs." The common hithe, however, below the
Great Bridge still continues in use. It is with
certain rights in regard to these hithes that the earliest
Royal charter of which we have record deals. It is
an undated writ of Henry I. (1100-1135) addressed
to Henry, Bishop of Ely (1109-1131), and attested
by an unnamed Chancellor and by Miles of Gloucester
and by Richard Basset. The main object of the
King's writ seems to be to make " his borough of
Cambridge" the one *'port" and emporium of the
shire. " I forbid " — so runs the writ — " that any
boat shall ply at any hithe in Cambridgeshire save at
the hithe of my borough at Cambridge, nor shall

Cambriagc in the Norman Time

barges be laden save in the borough of Cambridge,
nor shall any take toll elsewhere, but only there."

Numerous narrow lanes, all now vanished, with the
exception of John's Lane, Gareth Hostel Lane, and
Silver Street, led down from High Street to the
quays. The town was intersected by three main streets.
From the Great Bridge ran the streets already men-
tioned as following the line of the old Roman Way
(the Via Devana). From this old roadway, at a
point opposite the Round Church, there branched off
the High Street — now Trinity Street and King's
Parade — leading to Trumpington Gate. Parallel to
the High Street, and between it and the river, ran
Milne Street, leading from the King's Mill at the
south end of the town, and continuing northwards to
a point about the site of the existing sun-dial in
Trinity Great Court, where it joined a cross-street
leading into the High Street. Parts of Milne Street
still exist in the lanes which run past the fronts of
Queen's College and Trinity Hall. In mediaeval
times the entrance gateways of six colleges opened
into it — King's Hall, Michael House, Trinity Hall,
King's College, S. Catharine's Hall, and Queen's
College. Of the most ancient church of the town,
that of S. Benedict, we have already spoken. Of
the possibly contemporary church of S. Peter by the
Castle, the only architectural remains of any importance
now existing are a rich late Norman doorway and
the bowl of an ancient font. The tower and spire
belong to the fourteenth century. The rest of the
building is entirely modern. Bricks, however, said
to be Roman, appear to have been used in the new
walls. Similarly of the other two ancient Castle-end
churches. All Saints by the Castle, and S. Giles. Of
the former nothing now remains, and its actual site is
doubtful, for the parish attached to it has been united

The Story of Cambridge

with S. Giles ever since the time when in the four-
teenth century the Black Death left it almost without
inhabitants. Of the Church of S. Giles there remains
the ancient chancel arch of late Saxon or early
Norman character (the familiar long-and-short work
seems to date it about the middle of the eleventh
century), and the doorway of the nave, which have
been rebuilt in the large new church opened in
1875.

It was, however, from this old church of S. Giles
by the Castle that the first religious house in Cambridge
of which we have any record, and quite possibly the
most important factor in the early development of the
University, the wealthy Augustinian Priory of Barn-
well, took its origin. The story of that foundation
is this.i

Ro"er Picot, Baron of Bourne and Norman Sheriff
of Cambridgeshire, of whose hard treatment the
Cambridge burgesses complained to the commissioners
of the Domebday Survey, had married a noble and
pious woman named Hugoline. Hugoline being taken
very ill at Cambridge, and on the point, as she
thought, of death, vowed a vow, that if she recovered
she would build a church in honour of God and S.
Giles. *< Whereupon," says the legend, " she re-
covered in three days." And in gratitude to God
she built close to the Castle the Church of S. Giles
in the year 1092, together with appropriate buildings,
and placed therein six canons regular of the order of
S. Augustine, under the charge of Canon Geoffrey of
Huntingdon, a man of great piety, and prevailed upon
her husband to endow the Church and house with half
the tithes of his manorial demesnes. Some vestiges
of this small house {^veterts canobioli vestigia) were still

1 Cf. '« Customs of Augustinian Canons," by J. Willis,
Clark, p. xi. ^

Cambridge in the Norman Time

extant in Leland's time. Before, however, this
Augustinian house had been thoroughly established,
Earl Picot and his wife Hugoline died, committing
the foundation to the care of their son Robert.
Robert unfortunately became implicated in a conspiracy
against Henry I., was charged with treason, and
obliged to fly the country. The estates were con-
fiscated, and the canons reduced to great want and
misery. In this extremity a certain Pain Peverel,
a valiant young Crusader, who had been standard-
bearer to Robert Curthose in the Holy Land, and
who had received the confiscated estates of Picot's
son, Robert, came to the rescue, declaring that as he
had become Picot's heir, so he would succeed him in
the care of this foundation, and increase the number of
canons to the number of the years of his own age,
namely thirty. He determined also to move the house
to a more convenient situation, and accordingly, in the
year 1112, he transferred it to an excellent site in
Barnwell, a mile and a half or so down the river,
just off the high-road leading from Cambridge to
Newmarket. This transaction is related as follows : —

" Perceiving that the site on which their house stood was
not sufficiently large for all the buildings needful for his
canons, and was devoid of any spring of fresh water, Pain
Peverel besought King Henry to give him a certain site
beyond the borough of Cambridge, extending from the high-
way to the river, and sufficiently agreeable from the pleasant-
ness of its position. Besides, from the midst of that site
there bubbled forth springs of clear fresh water, called at
that time in English Barneivelle^ the children's springs,
because once a year, on St John Baptist's Eve, boys and lads
met there and amused themselves in the English fashion
with wrestling matches and other games, and applauded
each other in singing songs and playing on musical instru-
ments. Hence by reason of the crowd of boys and girls
who met and played there, a habit grew up that on the
same day a crowd of buyers and sellers should meet in the
same place to do business. Thertf^ too, a man of great

c 33

The Story of Cainb ridge

sanctity, called Godesone, used to lead a solitary life in a
small wooden oratory that he had built in honour of S.
Andrew. He had died a short time before, leaving the place
without any habitation upon it, and his oratory without a
keeper." ^

In this pleasant place accordingly the house was
rebuilt on a very large scale, and by the liberality of
Peverel and his son William richly endowed. In the
year 1112, we read in the Cartulary that Peverel at
once set about building ** a church of wonderful beauty
and massive work in honour of S. Giles." To this
church he gave " vestment, ornaments, and relics of
undoubted authenticity which he had brought back
from Palestine " ; but before he could carry out his
intention of completing it, he died in London of a
fever " barely ten years after the translation of the
canons. His body was brought to Barnwell and
buried in a becoming manner on the north side of the
high altar." By the munificence, however, of a later
benefactor, the church was finished and consecrated
in 1 191, and before the end of the next century the
conventual buildings, cloister, chapter-house, frater,
farmery, guest hall, gate house, were complete, and the
Priory of Augustinian Canons at Barnwell took its
place in the monastic history of Cambridgeshire, a
place only second probably to that of the great Bene-

"^ Lib. Mem., Book i. chap. 9. — The principal authority
for the history of Barnwell Priory is a manuscript volume in
the British Museum (MSS. Harl. 3601) usually referred to
as the " Barnwell Cartulary " or the " Barnwell Register."
The author's own title, however, " Liber Memorandorum
Ecclesix de Bernewelle," is far more appropriate, for the
contents are by no means confined to documents relating to
the property of the house, but consist of many chapters of
miscellanea dealing; with the history of the foundation from
its commencement down to the forty-fourth year of Edward
111.(1370-71.)

Cambridge t?t the Norman Time

dictine House at Ely.^ All that now remains of the
Priory is a small church or chapel standing near the
road, and the fragment of some other building. The
whole site, however, was excavated for gravel in the
beginning of the last century, so that it is impossible to
speak with any certainty of the disposition of the
buildings, although Mr Willis Clark, in his " Customs
of Augustinian Canons," has from documentary

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imi

sources made an ingenious attempt to reconstruct the
whole plan of the priory. The small chapel of S.
Andre\y the Less, although it has long been known as
the Abbey Church, has, of course, strictly no right
to that name. Obviously it cannot be the church
of " wondrous dimensions " built by Pain Peverel.
The chapel, although in all likelihood it did stand
within the Priory precincts, was most probably built
for the use of the inhabitants of the parish by the

1 At the time of the Dissolution, Dugdale states the gross
yearly value of the estates to have been £'^$1, 15s. 4d.. that
of Ely to have been £io%/\. 6s. gd.

The Story of Cambridge

canons, in order that they themselves might be left
undisturbed in the exclusive use of the Conventual
Church. It is a building of the early English style,
with long, narrow lancet windows, evidently belonging
to the early part of thirteenth century.

The material remains of the Priory are therefore
very meagre, but a most interesting insight into the
domestic economy of a monastic house is afforded by
the " Consuetudinarium ; or, Book of Observances of
the Austin Canons," which forms the Eighth Book of
the Barnwell Cartulary, to which we have already
alluded. A comparison of the domestic customs of a
monastic house in the thirteenth century, as shown in
this book, and of the functions of its various officers,
with many of the corresponding customs and functions
in the government of a Cambridge college, not only in
mediaeval but in modern times, throws much light on
the origin of some of the most characteristic features of
college life to-day.^

Let us retrace our steps, however, along the Barn-
well Road from the suburban monastery to the ancient
town. There are still some features, belonging to the
Norman structure ot Cambridge, which demand our
notice before we pass on.

At a point where the High Street, now Trinity
Street, branches off from Bridge Street stands the
church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the four round

1 Such a small matter, for example, in the domestic
economy of a modern college as the separate rendering of a
"buttery bill" and a ''kitchen bill," containing items of
expenditure which the puzzled undergraduate might natur-
ally have expected to find rendered in the same weekly
account, finds its explanation wlien we learn tliat in the
economy of tiie monastery also the roll of '• the celererarius "
and the roll of the " camcr^rius " were always kept rigidly
distinct. So also more serious and important customs may
probably be traced to monastic origin,

Cambridge in the Norman Time

churches of England.^ Presumably it must have been
built by some confraternity connected with the newly
established Military Order of the Templars, and, to
judge by the style of its architecture — the only real
evidence we have as to its date, for the conjecture that
it owes its foundation to the young crusader, Pain
Peverel, is purely fanciful, and of " the Ralph with a
Beard," of which we read in the Ramsey cartularies as
receiving ** a grant of land to build a Minster in honour
of God and the Holy Sepulchre," we know nothing —
probably between 1 1 20 and 1 1 40. In its original
shape, the church must have consisted of its present
circular nave with the ambulatory aisle, and in all pro-
bability a semi-circular eastern apse. The ambulatory
was vaulted, as in all probability was also the central
area, while the apse would doubtless be covered with a
semi-dom^. The chancel and its north aisle, which
had apparently been remodelled in early English times,
was again reconstructed in the fifteenth century. At
about the same time an important alteration was made
in the circular nave by carrying up the walls to form a
belfry. The additional stage was polygonal and ter-
minated in a battlemented parapet. The Norman
corbel table, under the original eaves of what was pro-
bably a dwarf spire, was not destroyed, and thus serves
to mark the top of the Norman wall. Windows of
three lights were not only inserted in the additional
stage, but were also substituted for the circular-headed
Norman windows of both ambulatory and clerestory.

'' Such," says Mr Atkinson, " was the condition of the
Church when, in 1841, the Cambridge Camden Society
undertook its ' restoration.' The polygonal upper storey of

^ The others are : S. Sepulchre at Northamption, c. iioo-
II 27; Little Maplestead in Essex, c, 1300; The Temple
Church in London, finished 1185. To these may be added
the chapel in Ludlow Castle, c. 1120.

The Story oj Cambridge

the circular nave, containing four bells, was destroyed ; sham
Norman windows, copied from one remaining old one, re-
placed those which had been inserted in the 15th century;
and new stone vaults and high pitched roofs were constructed
over the nave and ambulatory. The chancel, with the ex-
ception of one arch and the wall above it, were entirely re-
built ; the north aisle, with the exception of the entrance
arch from the west, was rebuilt and extended eastwards to

the same length as the chancel ; a new south aisle of equal
dimensions with the enlarged north aisle was added; and a
small turret for two bells was built at the north-west corner
of the north aisle; the lower stage of this turret was con-
sidered a sufficient substitute for the destroyed vestry. A
new chancel arch of less width than the old one was built,
and a pierced stone screen was formed above it. In addition
to all this, those old parts which were not destroyed were
'repaired and beautified,' or 'dressed and pointed,' or
'thoroughly restored.' What these processes involved is
clear from an inspection of the parts to which they were
applied; in the west doorway, for instance, theie is not ontr
old stone left."^

1 " Cambridge Described," by T. D. Atkinson, p. 164.
38

Cambridge in the Norman Time

Across the road from the Round Church, in the
angle of land caused by the branching apart of the
High Street and the Bridge Street, was planted one
of the earliest Jewries established in England. The
coming of the Jews to England was one of the in-
cidental effects of the Norman Conquest. They had
followed in the wake of the invading army as in modern
times they followed the German hosts into France,
assisting the Normans to dispose of their spoil, finding
at usurious interest ready-money for the impoverished
English landowner, to meet his conqueror's requisitions,
and generally meeting the money-broking needs of
both King and subject. In a curious diatribe by
Richard of Devizes (1190), Canterbury, Rochester,
Chichester, Oxford, Exeter, Worchester, Chester,
Hereford, York, Ely, Durham, Norwich, Lincoln,
Bristol, Winchester, and of course London are all
mentioned as harbouring Jewish settlements. The
position of the Jew, however, in England was all along
anomalous. As the member of an alien race, and still
more of an alien religion, he could gain no kind of
constitutional status in the kingdom. The common
law ignored him. His Jewry, like the royal forest,
was outside its domain. He came, indeed, as the
King's special man — nay, more, as the King's special
chattel. And in this character he lived for the most
part secure. The romantic picture of the despised,
trembling Jew — the Isaac of York, depicted for us
in Scott's '* Ivanhoe " — cringing before every Christian
that he meets, is, in any age of English history, simply
a romantic picture. The attitude of the Jew almost to
the last is one of proud and even insolent defiance.
In the days of the Red King at any rate, he stood
erect before the prince, and seemed to have enjoyed
no small share of his favour and personal familiarity.
The presence of the unbelieving Hebrew at his court

Tloe Story of Cambr'tdge

supplied, it is said, William Rufus with many oppor-
tunities of mocking at the Christian Church and its
bishops. In a well-known story of Eadmer, the Red
King actually forbids the conversion of a Jew to the
Christian faith. " It was a poor exchange," he said,
" which would rob me of a valuable property and give
me only a subject." The extortion of the Jew was
therefore sheltered from the common law by the pro-
tection of the King. The bonds of the Jew were kept,
in fact, under the royal seal in the royal archives, a
fact of which the memory long remained in the name
of ** The Star " chamber ; a name derived from the
Hebrew word [tshtar^ for a " bond."

The late Mr. J. R. Green, in a delightful sketch on
the early history of Oxford in his " Stray Studies,"
afterwards incorporated into the pages of his '* History
of the English People," seems inclined to give some
support to the theory which would connect the origin
of the University with the establishment of the Oxford
Jewry. This theory, however, can hardly be ac-
cepted.^ It is very probable indeed that the medical
school which we find established at Oxford and in
high repute during the twelfth century is traceable to
Jewish origin ; and the story is no doubt true also,
which tells how Roger Bacon penetrated to the older
world of material research by means of the Hebrew
instruction and the Hebrew books which he found
among the Jewish rabbis of the Oxford Synagogue.
It is reasonable also to suppose that the history of
Christian Aristotelianism, and of the Scholastic Theo-
logy that was based upon it, may have been largely
influenced by the philosophers of the Synagogue. It
seems, indeed, to be a well-established conclusion, that
the philosophy of Aristotle was first made known to
the West through the Arabic versions brought from

' Cf. Neubauer's Collectanea, ii. p. ii-j sq.
40

Cambridge in the Norman Time

Spain by Jewish scholars and rabbis. But it is un-
doubtedly " in a more purely material way " that, as
Mr Green truly says, the Jewry most directly influenced
academic history. At Oxford, as elsewhere, "the
Jew brought with him something more than the art or
science which he had gathered at Cordova or Bagdad ;
he brought with
him the new power
of wealth. The
erection of stately
castles, of yet statelier
abbeys, which fol-
lowed the Conquest,
the rebuilding of
almost every cathe-
dral or conventual
church, marks the
advent of the Jewish
capitalist. No one
can study the earlier
history of our great
monastic houses
without finding the
secret of that sudden
outburst of industrial

1^ tffl^m: •

a V > [J

"Vlsl'V.ii-.ocv;/ y)ao

activity, to which

we owe the noblest of our Ministers, in the loans of

the Jew."

Certainly at Cambridge, though perhaps hardly to
the same extent as at Oxford, the material influence
of the Jewry on the town is traceable. At Oxford,
it is said that nearly all the larger dwelling-houses,
which were subsequently converted into hostels, bore
traces of their Jewish origin in their names, such as
Moysey's Hall, Lombard's Hall, Jacob's Hall, and
each of the successive Town Halls of the borough

The Story of Cambridge

had previously been Jewish houses. We have some
evidence of a similar conversion at Cambridge. In
the first half of the thirteenth century, before we hear
either of Tolbooth or of Guildhall, the enlarged
judicial responsibilities of the town authorities made
it necessary that they should be in possession of some
strong building suitable for a prison. Accordingly, in
1224, we find King Henry III. granting to the
burgesses the House of Benjamin the Jew, for the
purposes of a gaol. It is said that either the next
house or a part of Benjamin's House had been the
Synagogue of the Jewry, and was granted in the first
instance to the Franciscan Friars on their arrival in the
city. Benjamin's House, although it had been altered
from time to time, appears never to have been entirely
rebuilt, and some fragments of this, the earliest of
Cambridge municipal buildings, are perhaps still to be
found embedded in the walls of the old Town Arms
public-house — a room in which, as late as the seven-
teenth century, was still known as " The Star
Chamber " — at the western side of Butter Row, in
the block of old buildings at the corner of Market
Square, adjoining the new frontage of the Guildhall.

With this relic of the ancient Jewry we reach the
last remaining building in Cambridge that had any
existence in Norman times. And with the close of
this age — the age of the Crusades — we already find the
Cambridge burgess safely in possession, not only of
that personal freedom which had descended to him
by traditional usage from the communal customs of
his early Teutonic forefathers, but also of many privi-
leges which he had bought in hard cash from his
Norman conqueror. Before the time ot the first
charter of King Joim (1201) Cambridge had passed
through most of the earlier steps of emancipation
which eventually led to complete self-government.
42

Cambridge in the Norman Time

The town-bell ringing out from the old tower of S.
Benet's already summoned the Cambridge freemen to
a borough mote in which the principles of civic justice,
of loyal association, of mutual counsel, of mutual aid,
were acknowledged by every member of a free, self-
rulins assembly.

CHAPTER III
The Begirinttigs of University Life

" Si toUis liberatatem, tollis dignitatem." — S, Columban.

'• Record we too with just and faithful pen,
That many hooded csenobites there are
Who in their private cells have yet a care
Of public quiet ; unambitious men,
Counsellors for the world, of piercing ken ;
Whose fervent exhortations from afar
Move princes to their duty, peace or war;
And oft times in the most forbidding den
Of solitude, with love of science strong,
How patiently the yoke of thought they bear.
By such examples moved to unbought pains
The people work like congregated bees ;
Eager to build the quiet fortresses
Where piety, as they believe, obtains
From heaven a general blessing ; timely rains
And sunshine ; prosperous enterprise and peace and equity."

— Wordsworth.

Monastic Origins — Continuity of Learning in Early England
— The School of York — The Venerable Bede — Alcuin
and the Schools of Charles the Great — The Danish
Invasions — The Benedictine Revival — The Monkish
Chroniclers — The Coming of the Friars — The Franciscan
and Dominican Houses at Cambridge — The Franciscan
Scholars — Roger Bacon — Bishop Grosseteste — 'i'he New
Aristotle and the Scientific Spirit — The Scholastic
Philosophy — Aquinas — Migration of Scholars trom
Paris to Cambridge — The term *' University "' — The

The Beginnings of University Life

Colleges and the Hostels — The Course of Study—
Trivium and Quadrivium — The Four Faculties — Eng-
land a Paradise of Clerks — Parable of the Monk's Pen.

N the centuries which preceded the rise of the
Universities, the monks had been the great
educators of England, and it is to monastic origins
that we must first turn to find the beginnings of
University and Collegiate life at Cambridge.

In the library of Trinity College there is preserved
a catalogue of the books which Augustine and his
monks brought with them into England. " These are
the foundation or the beginning of the library of the
whole English Church, a.d. 66 i," are the words
with which this brief catalogue closes. A Bible in
two volumes, a Psalter and a book of the Gospels, a
Martyrology, the Apocryphal Lives of the Apostles,
and the exposition of certain Epistles, represented at
the commencement of the seventh century the sum-
total of literature which England then possessed. In
little more than fifty years, however, the Latin culture
of Augustine and his monks had spread throughout the
land, and before the eighth century closed England
had become the literary centre of Western Europe.
Probably never in the history of any nation had there
been so rapid a development of learning. Certainly few
things are more remarkable in the history of the intel-
lectual development of Europe than that, in little more
than a hundred years after knowledge of literature had
first dawned upon this country, an Anglo-Saxon scholar
should be producing books upon literature and philo-
sophy second to nothing that had been written by any
Greek or Roman author after the third century. But
the great writer whom after-ages called the " Vener-
able Bede," and who was known to his own con-
temporaries as "the wise Saxon," was not the only
scholar that the seventh and the eighth centuries had

The Story of Cambridge

produced in England. Under the twenty-one years
of the Archiepiscopate of Theodore (669-690), schools
and monasteries rapidly spread throughout the country.
In the school established under the walls of Canter-
bury, in connection with the Monastery of S. Peter,
better known in after-times as S. Augustine's, and over
which his friend the Abbot Adrian ruled, were trained
not a few of the great scholars of those days — Albinus,
the future adviser and assistant of Bede, Tobias of
Rochester, Aldhelm of Sherborne, and John of
Beverley. The influence of these and other scholars
sent out from the school at Canterbury soon made
itself felt. In Northumbria, too, the torch of learning
had been kept alight by the Irish monks of Lindisfarne,
and of Melrose and of lona, " that nest from which,"
as an old writer playing on its founder S. Columba's
name had said, " the sacred doves had taken their
flight to every quarter."

While Archbishop Theodore and the Abbot
Adrian were organising Anglo-Latin education in the
monasteries of the south, Wilfrith, the Archbishop of
York, and his friend Benedict Biscop were performing
a no less extensive work in the north. The schools
of Northumbria gathered in the harvest of Irish learn-
ing, and of the Franco-Gallican schools, which still
preserved a remnant of classical literature, and ot Rome
itself, now barbarised. Of Bcde, in the book-room
of the monastery at Jarrow, we are told by his disciple
and biographer, Cuthbert, that in the intervals of the
regular monastic discipline the great scholar found time
to undertake the direction of the monastic school.
*' He had many scholars, all of whom he inspired with
an extraordinary love of learning." " It was always
sweet to me," he writes himself, "to learn to teach."
At the conclusion of his *' Ecclesiastical History " he
has liimsclf given a list of some thirty-eight books
46

The Beginnifigs of University Life

which he had written up to that time. Of these not a
few are of an educational character. Besides a large
body of Scripture commentary, we have from his pen
treatises on orthography, grammar, arithmetic, geometry,
and astronomy. His book on " The Nature of
Things" was the science primer of the Anglo-Saxons
for many generations. He wrote, in fact, to teach.
At the school of York, however, was centred nearly
all the wisdom of the West, and its greatest pupil was
Alcwyne. He became essentially the representative
schoolmaster of his age. For fourteen years, attracted
by the fame of his scholarship, students not only from
all parts of England and Ireland, but also from France
and Germany, flocked to the monastery school at
York. In 782 Alcwyne left England to join the
court of Charles the Great and to take charge of the
Palatine schools, carrying with him to the Continent
the learning which was about to perish for a time in
England, as the result of the internal dissensions of its
kings and the early ravages of the Norsemen.
'* Learning," to use the phrase of William of Malmes-
bury, " was buried in the grave of Bede for four
centuries." The Danish invader, carrying his ravages
now up the Thames and now up the Humber, de-
vastated the east of England with fire and sword.
*' Deliver us, O Lord, from the frenzy of the North-
men ! " had been a suffrage of a Utany of the time, but
it was one to which the scholars and the bookmen, no
less than the monks and nuns of that age, found no
answer. The noble libraries which Theodore and the
Abbots Adrian and Benedict had founded were
given to the flames. The monasteries of the Bene-
dictines, the chief guardians of learning, were com-
pletely broken up. " It is not at all improbable," says
Mr Kemble, " that in the middle of the tenth century
there was not a genuine Benedictine left in England."

l^he Story of Cambridge

A revival of monastic life — some attempt at a retuin
to the old Benedictine ideal — came, however, with that
century. Under the auspices of S. Dunstan, the
Benedictine Order — renovated at its sources by the
Cluniac reform — was again established, and surviving a
second wave of Danish devastation was, under the
patronage of King Cnut and Edward the Confessor,
further strengthened and extended. The strength of
this revival is perhaps best seen in the wonderful galaxy
of monastic chroniclers which sheds its light over that
century. Florence of Worcester, Henry of Hunting-
don, William of Malmesbury, Ingulf, Geoffrey Gaimar,
William de Monte, John and Richard of Hexham,
Jordan Fantosme, Simeon of Durham, Thomas and
Richard of Ely, Gervase, Giraldus Cambrensis, William
of Newburgh, Richard of Devizes all follow one an-
other in close succession, while Robert of Gloucester,
Roger of Wendover, and Matthew Paris carry on the
line into the next age. But apart from the Chroniclers,
though the monasteries once more flourished in England,
the early Benedictine ideal of learning did not at once
revive. Indeed, the tendency of the monastic re-
formers of the twelfth century was distinctly hostile to
the more intellectual side of the monastic ideal. Bv

the end of the century the majority of the Benedictine
convents had sunk into rich corporations of landed pro-
prietors, whose chief ambition was the aggrandisement
of the house to which they belonged. The new im-
pulse of reform, which in its indirect results was to give
the thirteenth century in England so dominant a place
in the history of her civili.sation, came from a quite
different direction. Almost simultaneously, without
concert, in different countries, two great minds, S.
Francis and S. Dominic, conceived a wholly new
ideal of monastic perfection. Unlike the older
monastic leaders, dilibcrately turning their backs upon
48

The Beginnings of University Life

the haunts of men in town and village, and seeking in
the wilderness seclusion from the world which they
professed to forsake, these new idealists, the followers
of S. Dominic and S. Francis, the mendicant Orders,
the Friars Preachers and the Friars Minors, turned to
the living world of men. Their object was no longer
the salvation of the individual monk, but the salvation
of others through him. Monastic Christianity was no
longer to flee the world ; it must conquer it or' win it
by gentle violence. The work of the new Orders,
therefore, was from the first among their fellow-men,
in village, in town, in city, in university.

"Like the great modern Order (of the Jesuits) which,
when their methods had in their turn become antiquated,
succeeded to their influence by a still further departure from
the old monastic routine, the mendicant Orders early per-
ceived the necessity of getting a hold upon the centres of
education. With the Dominicans indeed this was a primary
object ; the immediate purpose of their foundation was re-
sistance to this Albigensian heresy ; they aimed at obtaining
influence upon the more educated and more powerful classes.
Hence it was natural that Dominic should have looked to the
universities as the most suitable recruiting ground for his
Order: to secure for his Preachers the highest theological
training that the age afforded was an essential element of the
new monastic ideal. . . . The Franciscan ideal was a less
intellectual one . . . but though the Franciscans laboured
largely among the neglected poor of crowded and pestilential
cities, they too found it practically necessary to go to the
universities for recruits and to secure some theological educa-
tion for their members." ^

The Black Friars of S. Dominic arrived in England
in 1 22 1, the Grey Friars of S. Francis in 1224.
The Dominicans met with the least success at first, but
this was fully compensated by the rapid progress of the
Franciscans. Very soon after the coming of the Grey
Friars they had formed a settlement at Oxford, under
the auspices of the greatest scholar-bishop of the age,
1 Cf. Rashdall's <* Universities of Europe," vol. i. p. 347.
D 49

The Story of Cambridge

Grosseteste of Lincoln, and had built their first rude
chapel at Cambridge. In the early days, however, the
followers of S. Francis made a hard fight against the
taste for sumptuous buildings and for the greater personal
comfort which characterised the time. " I did not
enter into religion to build walls," protested an English
Provincial of the Order when the brethren begged for
a larger convent. But at Cambridge the first humble
house of the Grey Friars, which had been founded in
1224 in "the old Synagogue," was shortly removed
to a site at the corner of Bridge Street and Jesus Lane
— now occupied by Sydney Sussex College — and that
noble church commenced, which, three centuries later,
at the time of the Dissolution, the University vainly
endeavoured to save for itself, having for some time
used it for the ceremony of Commencement.^ But of
this we shall have to speak later in our account of the
Foundation of Sidney College.

But if the Franciscans, in their desire to obey the
wishes of their Founder, found a difficulty in combating
the passion of the time for sumptuous buildings, they
had even less success in struggling against the passion
of the time for learning. Their vow of poverty ought
to have denied them the possession even of books. " I
am your breviary ! I am your braeviary ! " S. Francis
had cried passionately to the novice who desired a
Psalter. And yet it is a matter of common knowledge
that Grosseteste, the great patron of the Franciscans,
brought Greek books to England, and in conjunction
with two other Franciscans, whose names are known —
Nicholas the Greek and John of Basingstoke — gave to

^ The earliest notice of tliis practice occurs in the
University Accounts for 1507-8, when carpenters are em-
ployed to carry the materials used for the stages from the
scliools to the Church of the Franciscans, to set them up
tlicre, and to carry them back again to the schools. Similar
notices are to be found in subsequent years.
50

The Beginnings of University Life

the world Latin versions of certain Greek documents.
Foremost among these is the famous early apocryphal
book, The Testament of the Ttuelve Patriarchs, the Greek
manuscript of which is still in the Cambridge University
Library. There is no better statement, perhaps, of
those gaps in the knowledge of Western Christendom,
which the scholars of the Franciscan Order did so
much to fill, than a passage in the writings of the
greatest of all English Franciscans, Roger Bacon,
which runs to this effect : —

*' Numberless portions of the wisdom of God are wanting to
us. Many books of the Sacred Text remain untranslated, as
two books of the Maccabees which I know to exist in Greek ;
and many other books of divers Prophets, whereto reference
is made in the books of Kings and Chronicles. Josephus
too, in the books of his Antiquities, is altogether falsely rendered
as far as concerns the Chronological f'ide, and without him
nothing can be known of the history of the Sacred Text.
Unless he be corrected in a new translation, he is of no
avail, and the Biblical history is lost. Numberless books
again of Hebrew and Greek expositors are wanting to the
Latins: as those of Origen, Basil, Gregory Nazianzen,
Damascene, Dionysius, Chrysostom, and other most noble
Doctors, alike in Hebrew and in Greek. The Church there-
fore is slumbering. She does nothing in this matter, nor
hath done these seventy years : save that my Lord Robert,
Bishop of Lincoln, of holy memory, did give to the Latins
some part of the writings of S. Dionysius and of Damascene,
and some other holy Doctors. It is an amazing thing this
negligence of the Church ; for, from the time of Pope
Damascus, there hath not been any Pope, nor any of less
rank, who hath busied himself for the advantaging of the
Church by translations, except the foresaid glorious
Bishop." 1

The truth to which Roger Bacon in this passage
gave expression, the scholars of the Franciscan Order
set themselves to realise and act upon. For a con-
siderable time the Franciscan houses at both Oxford
and Cambridge kept alive the interest of this " new

1 Cf. "The Cambridge Modern History," vol. i. p. 585.

The Story of Cambridge

learning" to which Robert Grosseteste and Roger
Bacon opened the way. The work, of the Order at
Oxford is fairly well-known. And in the Cambridge
House of the Order there was at least one teacher of
divinity, Henry of Costessey, who, in his Commentary
on the Psalms^ set the example of a type of scholar-
ship, which, in its close insistence on the exact meaning
of the text, in its constant reference to the original
Hebrew, and in its absolute independence of judgment,
has, one is proud to think, ever remained a character-
istic of the Cambridge school of textual criticism down
even to our own day.

But if the Franciscans, impelled by their desire to
illustrate the Sacred Text, had thus become intellectual
in spite of the ideal of their Founder, the Dominicans
were intellectual from their starting-point. They had,
indeed, been called into being by the necessity of com-
bating the intellectual doubts and controversies of the
south of France. That they should become a prominent
factor in the development of the universities was but
the fulfilment of their original design. With their
activity also is associated one of the greatest intellectual
movements of the thirteenth century — the introduction
of the new Philosophy. The numerous houses of the
Order planted by them in the East brought about an
increased intercourse between those regions and Western
Europe, and helped on that knowledge of the new
Aristotle, which, as we have said in a previous chapter,
England probably owes largely to the philosophers of
the Synagogue. It is round the University of Paris,
however, that the earlier history, both of the Dominican
scholars and of the new Aristotle, mainly revolves.
Here the great system of Scholastic Philosophy was
elaborated, by which the two great Dominican teachers,
Albertus Magnus — *' the ape of Aristotle," as he was

T^he Begifinitigs of University Life

irreverently and unjustly called by his Franciscan con-
temporaries— and his greater pupil, Thomas Aquinas,
"The seraphic Doctor," vindicated the Christian Creed
in terms of Aristotelian logic, and laid at least a solid
foundation for the Christian Theology of the future, in
the contention that Religion is rational, and that Reason
is divine, that all knowledge and all truth, from what-
ever source they are derived, are capable of being re-
duced to harmony and unity, because the name of
Christianity is both Wisdom and Truth.

In the year 1229 there broke out at Paris a feud
of more than ordinary gravity between the students and
the citizens, undignified enough in its cause of origin,
but in the event probably marking a distinct step in the
development of Cambridge University. A drunken
body of students did some act of great violence to the
citizens. Complaint was made to the Bishop of Paris
and to the Queen Blanche. The members of the
University who had not been guilty of the outrage were
violently attacked and ill-treated by the police of the
city. The University teachers suspended their classes
and demanded satisfaction. The demand was refused,
and masters and scholars dispersed. Large numbers,
avaiUng themselves of the invitation of King Henry III.
to settle where they pleased in this country, migrated
to the shores of England ; and Cambridge, probably
from its proximity to the eastern coast, and as the
centre where Prince Louis, in alliance with the
English baronage, but a few years before had raised the
Royal standard, seems to have attracted a large majority
of the students. A Royal writ, issued in the year
1 23 1, for the better regulation of the University, pro-
bably makes reference to this migration when it speaks
of the large number of students, both within the realm
and " from beyond the seas," who had lately settled in
Cambridge, and gives power to the Bishop of Ely *'to

The Story of Cambridge

signify rebellious clerks who would not be chastised by
the Chancellor and Masters," and if necessary to invoke
the aid of the Sheriff in their due punishment. Another
Royal writ of the same reign expressly provides that
no student shall remain in the University unless under
the tuition of some Master of Arts — the earliest trace
perhaps of that disciplinary organisation which the
motley and turbulent crowd representing the student
community of that age demanded. ^

It will be observed that in these Royal writs the
term "university" occurs. But it must not be supposed
that the word is used in its more modern signification,
of a community or corporation devoted to learning and
education formally recognised by legal authority. That
is a use which appears for the first time towards the
end of the fourteenth century. In the age of which
we are speaking, and in the writs of Henry III.,
universtfas magistrorum et d'lsc'ipulorum or scholar'ium
simply means a " community of teachers and scholars."
The common designation in mediaeval times of such a
body as we now mean bv " university " was stud'wm
qenerale, or sometimes studium alone. It is necessary,
moreover, to remember that universities in the earliest
times had not infrequently a very vigorous life as places
of learning, long before they received Royal or legal
recognition ; and it is equally necessary not to forget
that colleges for the lodging and maintenance and educa-
tion of students are by no means an essential feature of
the mediaeval conception of a university.

" The University of the Middle Ages was a corporation of
learned men, associated for the purposes of teaching, and
possessing the privilege that no one should be allowed to
teach within their dominions unless he had received their
sanction, which could only be granted after trial of his
ability. The test applied consisted of examinations and

^ Cooper's " Annals," i. 42
54

l.he Beginnings of University Life

public disputations ; the sanction assumed the form of a
public ceremony and the name of a degree : and the teachers
or doctors so elected or created carried out their office of in-
struction by lecturing in the public schools to the students,
who, desirous of hearing them, took up their residence in
the place wherein the University was located. The degree
was, in fact, merely a license to teach. The teacher so
licensed became a member of the ruling body. The Univer-
sity, as a body, does not concern itself with the food and
lodging of the students, beyond the exercise of a super-
intending power over the rents and regulations of the houses
in which they are lodged, in order to protect them from
exaction ; and it also assumes the care of public morals. The
only buildings required by such a corporation in the first
instance were a place to hold meetings and ceremonies, a
library, and schools for teaching, or, as we should call them,
lecture rooms. A college, on the other hand, in its primi-
tive form, is a foundation erected and endowed by private
munificence solely for the lodging and maintenance of de-
serving students, whose lack of means rendered them unable
to pursue the university course without some extraneous
assistance."^

It must be remembered, moreover, that when a
mediaeval benefactor founded a college his intentions
were very different from those which would actuate a
similar person at the present day. His object was to
provide board and lodging and a small stipend, not for
students, but for teachers. As for the taught, they
lodged where they could, like students at a Scottish or
a Continental university to-day ; and it was not until
the sixteenth century was well advanced that they were
admitted within the precincts of the colleges on the
payment of a small annual rent or " pension '* — whence
the modern name of" pensioner " for the undergraduate
or pupil members of the college. Indeed, the term
"college" {^collegium), 2ls applied to a building, is a
modern use of the word. In the old days the term
"college" was strictly and accurately applied to the

^ Willis and Clark, "Architectural History of the Univer-
sity of Cambridge," Introduction, vol. i. p. xiv.

The Story of Cambridge

persons who formed the community of scholars, not to
the building which housed them. For that building
the correct term always used in mediaeval times was
"domus" (house), or "aula" (hall). Sometimes,
indeed, the two names were combined. Thus, in an
old document we find the earliest of the colleges —
Peterhouse — entitled, Domus Sancti Petriy s'tve Aula
Scholarium Episcopi Eliensis — The House of S. Peter,
or the Hall of the Scholars of the Bishop of Ely.

In all probability the University in early days took
no cognisance whatever of the way in which students
obtained lodgings. It was the inconvenience and dis-
comfort of this system, no doubt, which led to the
establishment ofwhat were afterwards termed" Hostels,"
apparently by voluntary action on the part of the students
themselves. In the first half of the sixteenth century
there seem to have been about twenty of these hostels, ^
but at the end of the century there appears to have been
only about nine left. There is an interesting passage
in a sermon by Lever at Paul's Cross, preached in
1550, which throws light upon this desertion of the
hostels, where he speaks of those scholars who " havyng
rych frendes or beyng benefyced men dyd lyve of them-
selves in Ostles and Inns, be eyther gon awaye, or
elles fayne to crepe into colleges, and put poore men
from bare lyvynges."

The University then, or, more strictly speaking, the
Studium Generale^ existed as an institution long before
the organisation of the residential college or hall ; and
as a consequence, for many a year it had an organisa-
tion quite independent of its colleges. The Univer-
sity of Cambridge, like the University of Oxford, was
modelled mainly on the University of Paris. Its
course of study followed the old classical tradition of

^ Cf. list of names given in "Willis and Clark," vol. i. pp.
xxv-xxvii.

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The Beginnings of University Life

the division of the seven liberal sciences— grammar,
logic, rhetoric, music, arithmetic, geometry, and astro-
nomy— into two classes, the Trlvium and Quadrivium,
a system of teaching which had been handed down by
the monastic schools in a series of text-books, jejune
and meagre, which were mainly compilations and
abridgments from the older classical sources. One
such treatise, perhaps the most popular in the monastery
schools, was a book by Martianus Capella, a teacher of
rhetoric at Carthage, in the fifth century. The treatise
is cast in allegorical form, and represents the espousals
of Mercury and Philology, in which Philology is re-
presented as a goddess, and the seven liberal arts as
handmaidens presented by Mercury to his bride. The
humour of this allegory is not altogether spiritless, if
at times somewhat coarse. Here is a specimen. The
plaudits that follow upon the discourse delivered by
Arithmetica are supposed to be interrupted by laughter,
occasioned by the loud snores of Silenus asleep under
the influence of his deep potations. The kiss where-
with Rhetorica salutes Philologia is heard throughout
the assembly — nihil enim silens, ac si cuperet, faciehat.
So popular did this mythological medley become, that
in the tenth century we find certain learned monks em-
broidering the subject of the poem on their Church
vestments. A memoria techntca in hexameter lines has
also come down to us, showing how the monastic
scholar was assisted to remember that grammar, dia-
lectics, and rhetoric belonged to the first division of
the sciences called the Trivium, and that the four other
sciences belonged to the Quadrivium : —

"Gram.: loquitur; Dia. : vera docet ; 7?^^/. : verba colorat,
Mus. : canit ; Ar. : numerat ; Geo. : ponderat ; Ast. : colit
astra."

In a further classification given by another scholar
of the end of the twelfth century, Alexander Neckham,

T^he Beginnings of University Life

the division of the seven liberal sciences — grammar,
logic, rhetoric, music, arithmetic, geometry, and astro-
nomy— into two classes, the Trivium and Quadrivium,
a. system of teaching which had been handed down by
the monastic schools in a series of text-books, jejune
and meagre, which were mainly compilations and
abridgments from the older classical sources. One
such treatise, perhaps the most popular in the monastery
schools, was a book by Martianus Capella, a teacher of
rhetoric at Carthage, in the fifth century. The treatise
is cast in allegorical form, and represents the espousals
of Mercury and Philology, in which Philology is re-
presented as a goddess, and the seven liberal arts as
handmaidens presented by Mercury to his bride. The
humour of this allegory is not altogether spiritless, if
at times somewhat coarse. Here is a specimen. The
plaudits that follow upon the discourse delivered by
Arithmetica are supposed to be interrupted by laughter,
occasioned by the loud snores of Silenus asleep under
the influence of his deep potations. The kiss where-
with Rhetorica salutes Philologia is heard throughout
the assembly — nihil enim silens, ac si cuperet, faciebat.
So popular did this mythological medley become, that
in the tenth century we find certain learned monks em-
broidering the subject of the poem on their Church
vestments. A memoria technica in hexameter lines has
also come down to us, showing how the monastic
scholar was assisted to remember that grammar, dia-
lectics, and rhetoric belonged to the first division of
the sciences called the Trivium, and that the four other
sciences belonged to the Quadrivium : —

"Gram.: loquitur; Dia. : vera docet ; ^^^'?. ; verba colorat,
Afus. : canit ; Ar. : numerat ; Geo. : ponderat ; Ast. : colit

astra."

In a further classification given by another scholar
of the end of the twelfth century, Alexander Neckham,

The Story of Cambridge

we have enumerated the four Faculties recognised by
the mediaeval University : Arts, Theology, Law,
Medicine.

" Hie florent Artes, Coelestis Pagina regnat,
Stant Leges, lucet Jus: Medicina viget."

Such, then, was the cycle of mediasval study. And
the student whose ambition it was to become a master
of this cycle — a magtster or doctor (for in early days
the two titles were synonymous) facultatis — must attain
to it through a seven years' course. In the school
attached to a monastery or a cathedral, or from the
priest of his native parish, we may suppose that the
student has learnt some modicum of Latin, "the
scholar's vernacular," or failing that, that the first
stage of the Trivium — Grammatka — has been learnt
on his arrival at the University. For this purpose, if
he is a Cambridge student at least, he is placed under
the charge of a special teacher, called by a mysterious
name, Magtster Glomeria, and he himself becomes a
"glomerel," giving allegiance oddly enough during
this state of pupilage not to the Chancellor, the head
of his Universit)^, but to the Archdeacon of Ely. Of
the actual books read in the grammar course it is
difficult to give an account. They may have been few
or many. Indeed, at this period when the works of
Aristotle were coming so much into vogue, it would
seem as if the old Grammar course gave way at an
early period to Philosophy. In a curious old French
fabliau of the thirteenth century, entitled " The Battle
of the Seven Arts," ^ there is evidence of this innova-
tion ; incldentnlly also, a list of the books more properly
belonging to the Grammar course is also given.

1 Juhinal's «' Rutebeuf." quoted by Wright in hi« Bio-
qraf'hia Britanuicu Litlerar'ui, p. 40.

The Beginnings of University Life

" Savez por qui est la descorde ?
Qu'il ne sont pas d'une science:
Car Logique, qui toz jors tence,
Claime les auctors autoriaus
Et les clers d'Orliens ^/o»/fr/<7«j.
Si vaut bien chascuns iiii Omers,
Quar il boivent a granz gomers,
At sevent bien versefier
Que d'une fueille d'un figuier
Vous ferent-il le vers.

Aristote, qui fu a pie,
Si fist ciieoir Gramaire enverse,
Lors i a point Mesire Perse
Dant Juvenal et dant Orasce,
Virgile, Lucain, et Elasce,
Et Sedule, Propre, Prudence,
Arator, Omer, et Terence :
Tuit chaplerent sor Aristote,
Qui fu fers com chastel sor mote."

" Do you know the reason of the discord ?
'Tis because they are not for the same science,
For Logic, who is always disputing,
Claims the ancient authors,
And the glomerel clerks of Orleans,
Each of them is quite equal to four Homers,
For they drink by great draughts
And know so well how to make verse,
That about a single fig leaf
They would make you fifty verses.

Aristotle who was on foot

Knocked Grammar down flat

Then there vode up Master Persius,

Dan Juvenal and Dan Horace.

Virgil, Lucan, and Statius,

And Sedulius, Prosper, Prudentius,

Arator, Homer, and Terence:

They all fell upon Aristotle

Who was as bold as a castle upon a hill."

The Story of Cambridge

And so for the Cambridge " glomerel," if Aristotle
held his own against the classics, Dan Homer, and the
rest, in the second year of his university course the
student would find himself a " sophister," or disputant
in the Logic school. To Logic succeeded Rhetoric,
which also meant Aristotle, and so the "trivial " arts
were at an end, and the " incepting " or " commenc-
ing " bachelor of arts began his apprenticeship to a
"Master of Faculty." In the next four years he
passed through the successive stages of the Quadr'tvluniy
and at the end received the certificate of his professor,
was admitted to the degree of Master of Arts, and
thereby was admitted also to the Brotherhood of
teachers, and himself became an authorised lecturer.
A post-graduate course might follow in Theology or
Canon or Civil Law involving another five or six
years of university life. In the course for the Canon
Law the candidate for a doctor's degree was required
to have heard lectures on the civil law for three years,
and on the Decretals for another three years ; he must,
too, have attended cursory lectures on the Bible for
at least two years, and must himself have lectured
" cursorily " on one of four treatises, and on some one
book, of the Decretals.

Obviously, if this statutory course was strictly ob-
served in those days, the scarlet hood could never
grace the shoulders of one who was nothing more than
a dexterous logician, or the honoured title of Doctor
be conferred on one who had never taught. Disce
docendo was indeed the motto of the University of
Cambridge in the thirteenth century.

The great constitutional historian of our country, the
late Bishop Stubbs, in one of the wisest and wittiest of
his statutable lectures at Oxford, ^ speaks of England

1 Stubbs, ••Lectures on Mediaeval and Modern History,"
p, i66.
60

The Beginnings of University Life

in this age as " the paradise of clerks." He illustrates
the truth of his characterisation by drawing an imagin-
ary picture of a foreign scholar making an Iter Anglicum
with the object of collecting materials for a history of
the learning and literature of England. The Bishop
is able readily to crowd his canvas with the figures of
eminent Englishmen drawn from centres of learning in
every part of the land, from Dover, from Canterbury,
from London, from Rochester, from Chichester, from
Winchester, from Devizes, from Salisbury, from
Exeter, from S. Albans, from Ely, from Peterborough,
from Lincoln, from Howden, from York, from
Durham, from Hexham, from Melrose ; scholars,
historians, chroniclers, poets, philosophers, logicians,
theologians, canonists, lawyers, all going to prove by
the glimpse they give us into circles of scholastic
activity, monastic for the most part, how comparatively
wide was the extent of English learning and English
education in the thirteenth century — an age which it
has usually been the fashion to regard as barbarous and
obscure — and how germinant of institutions, intellectual
as well as political, which have since become vital
portions of our national existence.

From the point of view of a later age there is
doubtless something to be said on the other side.
D'lsce docendo remained perhaps the academic motto,
but the learning and the teaching was still under the
domination of monasticism, and the monastic scholar,
however patient and laborious he might be and certainly
was, was also for the most part absolutely uncritical.
He cultivated formal logic to perfection ; he reasoned
from his premise with most admirable subtlety, but he
had usually commenced by assuming his premise with
unfaltering, because unreasoning, faith. We shall see,
however, as we proceed with our history of the
collegiate life of the University, in the succeeding

The Story of Cambridge

centuries, that the critical spirit which gave force to
the genius ot the great Franciscan teachers, Roger
Bacon and Bishop Grosseteste, in resisting the ten-
dencies of their age, which found practical application
also in the textual interpretation of Holy Writ in such
writings as those of Henry of Costessey, or in the
sagacious "treatise on the Laws and Customs of
England" — the oldest of our legal classics — by
Ranulf Glanville, or in the " Historia Rerum Angli-
canum," of the inquisitive and independent-minded
Yorkshire scholar, William of Newburgh, was a factor
not to be ignored in the heritage of learning bequeathed
by the great men of the thirteenth century to their
more enlightened and liberal successors, the theologians,
the lawyers, and the historians of the future.

There is a medissval legend of a certain monkish
writer, whose tomb was opened twenty years or so
after his death, to reveal the fact, that although the
remainder of his body had crumbled to dust, the hand
that had held the pen remained flexible and undecayed.
The legend of the Monk's Pen is a parable. Some of
the lessons of that parable we may expect to find
interpreted in the academic history of Cambridge in
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

CHAPTER IV

The Earliest College Foundation :
Peterhouse

•' Re unius
Exemplo omnium quoquot extant
CoUegiorum, fundatori."

— Epitaph of Walter de Merton.

The Early Monastic Houses in Cambridge — Student Pro-
selytising by the Friars — The Oxford College of Merton
a Protest against this Tendency — The Rule of Merton
taken as a Model by Hugh de Balsham, Founder of
Peterhouse — The Hospital of S. John — The Scholars of
Ely — Domestic Economy of the College — The Dress of
the Medizeval Student — Peterhouse Buildings — Little
S. Mary's Church — The Perne Library — The College
Chapel.

THE first beginnings of the University of Cam-
bridge are, as we have seen in the preceding
chapters, largely traceable to a monastic inspiration.
The first beginnings of the Cambridge Colleges, on
the other hand, are as certainly traceable to the pro-
test which, as early as the middle of the thirteenth
century, it became necessary to make against the pro-
selytising tendencies of the monastic Orders. At a
time when, as we have seen, the University authorities
took no cognisance whatever of the way in which the
student was lodged, and when even the unsatisfactory
hostel system — eventually organised, as it would appear,
by voluntary action on the part of the students them-

The Story of Ctunb ridge

selves — did not exist, the houses of the monastic Orders
were already well established. We have described
the fully-equipped house of the Augustinian Canons
at Barnwell. Within the town the Franciscans had
established themselves, as early as 1224, in the old
synagogue, and fifty years later had erected, on the
present site of Sidney College, a spacious house,
which Ascham long afterwards described as an orna-
ment to the University, and the precincts of which
were still, in the time of Fuller, to be traced in the
College grounds. In 1274 the Dominicans had settled
where Emmanuel now stands. About the middle of
the century the Carmelites, who had originally occu-
pied an extensive foundation at Newnham, but were
driven from thence by the winter floods, settled near
the present site of Queens. Towards the close of the
century the Augustinian Friars took up their residence
near the site of the old Botanic Gardens. Opposite
to the south part of the present gardens of Peterhouse,
on the east side of Trumpington Street, were the
Gilbertines, or the canons of S. Gilbert of Sempring-
ham, the one purely English foundation. In 1257
the Friars of the Order of Bethlehem settled also in
Trumpington Street, and in 1258 the Friars of the
Sack, or of the Penitence of Jesus Christ, settled in
the parish of S. Mary the Great, removed soon after-
wards to the parish of S. Peter without the Trumpington
Gate.

It was natural, therefore, that these well-equipped
houses should hold out great attractions and oppor-
tunities to the needy and houseless student, and that
complaint should shortly be made that many young
and unsuspicious boys were induced to enrol them-
selves as members of Franciscan, or Dominican, or
other Friars' houses long before they were capable ot
judging the full importance of their action. One
64

The Earliest College Fou?idation

cannot read the biographies of even such strong per-
sonalities as those of Roger Bacon or William of'
^Occam without surmising that their adoption of the
Franciscan vow was the result rather of the exigency
of the student and the proselytising activity to which
they were exposed, than of any distinct vocation for
the monastic life, or of their own deliberate choice.
'* Minors and children," as Fuller says in his usual
quaint vein, "agree very well together." To such
an extent at any rate had the evil spread at Oxford
that, in a preamble of a statute passed in 1358, it is
asserted, as a notorious fact, that "the nobility and
commoners alike were deterred from sending their
sons to the University by this very cause ; and it was
enacted that if any mendicant should induce, or cause
to be induced, any member of the University under
eighteen years of age to join the said Friars, or should
in any way assist in his abduction, no graduate belong-
ing to the cloister or society of which such friar was a
member should be permitted to give or attend lectures
in Oxford or elsewhere for the year ensuing." ^ It
is not perhaps, therefore, surprising to find that the
earliest English Collegiate foundation — that of Walter
de Merton at Oxford in 1264 — should have expressly
excluded all members of the religious Orders. The
dangers involved in the ascendency of the monks and
friars were already patent to many sagacious minds,
and Bishop Walter de Merton, who had filled the
high office of Chancellor of England, and was already
by his position an adversary of the Franciscan interest,
was evidently desirous of establishing an institution
which should not only bafiie the encroaching spirit of
Rome which had startled Grosseteste from his alle-
giance, but should also give an impulse to a system of
education which should not be subservient to purely

1 Anstey, Munimenta Academlca^ i. pp. 204-5.
E 65

l^he Story of Cambridge

ecclesiastical ideas. This is obviously the principle
which underlies the provisions of the statutes of his
foundation of Merton College. Bishop Hobhouse in
his Life of Walter dc Merton has thus carefully inter-
preted this principle : —

" Our founder's object I conceive to have been to secure
for his own order in the Church, for the secular priesthood,
the academical benefit which the religious orders were so
largely enjoying, and to this end I think all his provisions
are found to be consistently framed. He borrowed from the
monastic institutions the idea of an aggregate body, living
by common rule, under a common head, provided with all
things needful for a corporate and perpetual life, fed by its
secured endowments, fenced from all external interference,
except that of its lawful patron ; but after borrowing thus
much, he differenced his institution by giving his beneficiaries
quite a distinct employment, and keeping them free from all
those perpetual obligations which constituted the essence of
the religious life. . . . His beneficiaries are from the first
designated as Scholares in scholis Jegentes ; their employment
was study, not what was technically called ' the religious
life' {i.e.. the life of a monk). . . He forbade his scholars
even to take vows, they were to keep themselves free of
every other institution, to render no one else's obsequium. He
looked forward to their going forth to labour in seculo, and
acquiring preferment and property. . . . Study being the
function of the inmates of his house, their time was not to
be taken up by ritual or ceremonial duties, for which
special chaplains were appointed ; neither was it to be
bestowed on any handicrafts, as in some monastic orders.
Voluntary poverty was not enjoined, though poor circum-
stances were a qualification for a fellowship. No austerity
was required, tliough contentment with simple fare was
enforced as a duty, and the system of enlarging the number
of inmates according to the means of the house was framed
to keep the allowance to each at the very moderate rate
which the founder fixed. Tiie proofs of his design to benefit
the Church through a better educated secular priesthood are
to be found, not in the letter of their statutes, but in the
tenour of their provisions, especially as to studies, in the
direct averments of some of the subsidiary documents, in the
fact of his providing Church patronage as part of his system,

The Earliest College Foundation

and in the readiness of prelates and chapters to grant him
impropriation of the rectorial endowments of the Church."

Such was the Regula Mertonensis, the Rule of
Merton, as it came to be called, which served as the
model for so many subsequent statutes.

This Reguia Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely
(1257-12 86), evidently had before him, when, some
twenty years after his consecration to the bishopric, he
proceeded, by giving a new form to an earlier bene-
faction of his own, to open a new chapter in the history
of the University of Cambridge.

PETERHOUSE

St Peter's College

Founded by Hugo de Balsham,
Bishop of Ely 1281, and re-
moved by him to the present
site in a.d, 1284.

[The original arms were identi-
cal with those of the See of Ely,
gules, three croivns or ; the present
shield granted in 1572, or four
pallets gules, ivithin a bordure of the

last charged ivith 8 gold croiins, is a combination of the first
shield, with a second shield, that traditionally assigned to
the Founder, in use about 1573, or, three pallets gules.'\

Hugh de Balsham, before his elevation to the
bishopric, had been sub-prior of the Ely monastery,
and at first sight therefore it might seem a little sur-
prising that he should have thought of encouraging a
system of education which was not to be subject to the
monastic rule. But Hugh de Balsham was a Benedic-
tine monk, and the Benedictines in England at this
time were the upholders of a less stringent and ascetic
discipline than that of the mendicant orders, and were,
in fact, endeavouring in every way to counteract their

The Story of Cambridge

influence. It had been the aim of Bishop Balsham, in
the first instance, to endeavour to bring about a kind
of fusion between the old and the new elements in
university life, between the Regulars and the Seculars.
But this first effort was not fortunate. About the year
1280 he introduced a body of secular scholars into the
ancient Hospital of S. John. This Hospital of the
Brethren of S. John the Evangelist had been founded,
in the year 1135, by Henry Frost, a wealthy and
charitable burgess of the city, and placed under the
management of a body of regular canons of the
Augustinian Order. At a somewhat later time. Bishop
Eustace, the fifth Bishop of Ely, added largely by his
benefactions to the importance of the house. It was
he who appropriated to the Hospital the Church of S.
Peter without the Trumpington Gate. Hugh of North-
wold, the eighth bishop, is said, at least by one
authority, to have placed some secular scholars there,
who devoted themselves to academical study rather
than to the services of the Church, and he certainly
obtained for the Hospital certain exemptions from
taxation in connection with their two hostels near St
Peter's Church. The endowment of the secular
students was still further cared for by Bishop Hugh
de Balsham. In the preamble to certain letters
patent of Edward I. (1280) authorising the settle-
ment, the Bishop, after a wordy comparison, in
mediaeval phrase, of King Edward's wisdom with
that of King Solomon, is credited with the intention
of introducing " into the dwelling place of the
secular brethren of his Hospital of S. John studious
scholars who shall in everything live together as
students in the University of Cambridge, according
to the rule of the scholars of Oxford who are called of
Merton." ^ This document fixes the date of the royal
^ "Commis. Doct8..''ii. i.

The Earliest College Foundation

license, on which there can be little doubt that action
was immediately taken. The change of system was
most unpalatable to the original foundationers and led
to unappeasable dissension. The regulars, it may be
conjectured, were absorbed in their religious services
and in the performance of the special charitable offices
of the Hospital ; while the scholars were, doubtless,
eager to be instructed in the Latin authors, in the new
Theology, in the civil and the canon law, perhaps in
the " new Aristotle," which at this time was beginning
to excite so much enthusiasm among western scholars.
Anyhow, the two elements were too dissimilar to
combine. Differences arose, feuds and jealousies
sprang up, and eventually the good bishop found
himself under the necessity of separating the Ely
scholars from the Brethren of the Hospital. This
he did by transplanting the scholars of the two
hostels [hospicia) adjoining the Church of S. Peter
without the Trumpington Gate, assigning to them
the Church itself and certain revenues belonging to
it, inclusive of the tithes of the church mills. This
was in the year 1284, and marks the foundation of
Peterhouse as the earliest of Cambridge colleges. The
Hospital of S. John, thus freed from the scholarly
element, went quietly on its career, to become, as we
shall see later, the nucleus of the great foundation of
S. John's College. It may have been a disappoint-
ment to Bishop Hugh that he had not been able to
fuse together the two dissimilar elements — " the
scholars too wise, and the brethren possibly over-
good " — in one corporation. But, as Baker, the
historian of S. John's College, has said : " Could
he but have foreseen that this broken and imperfect
society was to give birth to great and lasting
foundations, he would have had much joy in his
disappointment."

The Story of Cambridge

In the year 1309 the new foundation of "the
Scholars of the Bishops of Ely " obtained certain
adjoining property hitherto occupied by the Friars
of the Sack [De Penitent'ia Jesu), an Order doomed
to extinction by the Council of Lyons in 1274. ^^^
slender resources were further added to on the death
of its founder by his bequest of 300 marks for the
erection of new buildings. With this sum a consider-
able area to the west and south of the original hostels
was acquired, and a handsome hall [aulum perpulchram)
was built. This hall is substantially the building still
in use. It was left, however, to his successor in the
Bishopric of Ely, Simon Montagu ( I337-I345)> ^o
give to the new college its first code of statutes.
Bishop Simon, one is glad to think, did not forget the
good intentions of Bishop Hugh, for in his code of
statutes, dated April 1344, he thus speaks of his
predecessor ; —

" Desirous for the w^eal of his soul while he dwelt in this
vale of tears, and to provide wholesomely, as far as in him
lay, for poor persons wishing to make themselves proficient
in the knowledge of letters, by securing to them a proper
maintenance, he founded a house or College for the public
good in our University of Cambridge, with the consent of
King Edward and his beloved sons, the prior and chapter of
our Cathedral, all due requirements of law being observed;
which House he desired to be called the House of S. Peter or
the Hall {aula) of the scholars of tlie Bishops of Ely at Cam-
bridge ; and he endowed it and made ordinances for it {in
aliquibus orJina-vit) SO far as he was then able ; but not as he
intended and wished to do, as we hear, had not death frus-
trated his intention. In this house he willed that there
should be one master and as many scholars as could be
suitably maintained for the possessions of the house itself in
a lawful manner." 1

There can be little doubt that the statutes which
Bishop Montagu gave to the college represent the

1 <' Documents,'' ii. 78
70

The Earliest College Foundation

wishes of his predecessor, for the Peterhouse statutes
are actually modelled on the fourth of the codes of statutes
given by Merton to his college, and dated T274.
The formula "a^ instar Aulce de Merton " is a con-
stantly recurring phrase in Montagu's statutes. The
true principle of collegiate endowments could not be
more plainly stated, and certainly these statutes may
be regarded as the embodiment of the earliest concep-
tion of college life and discipline at Cambridge. A
master and fourteen perpetual fellows,^ " studiously
engaged in the pursuit of literature," represent the
body supported on the foundation; the "pensioner"
of later times being, of course, at this period provided
for already by the hostel. In case of a vacancy
among the Fellows *' the most able bachelor in logic "
is designated as the one on whom, cateris paribus^ the
election is to fall, the other requirement being that,
" so far as human frailty admit, he be honourable,
chaste, peaceable, humble, and modest." " The
Scholars of Ely " were bound to devote themselves
to the " study of Arts, Aristotle, Canon Law,
Theology," but, as at Merton, the basis of a sound
Liberal Education was to be laid before the study
of theology was to be entered upon ; two were to be
admitted to the study of the civil and the canon law,
and one to that of medicine. When any fellow was
about to " incept " in any faculty, it devolved upon
the master with the rest of the Fellows to inquire in
what manner he had conducted himself and gone

^ The actual expression is, of course, scholares, but it is best
to translate the word by the later title of yV//o.«j to avoid
the erroneous impression which would otherwise be given.
That the scholares were occasionally called felloivs even in
Chaucer's day may be inferred from his lines —

" Oure corne is stole, men woll us fooles call,
Both the warden and our fellowes all."

The Story of Cambridge

through his exercises in the schools, how long he had
heard lectures in the faculty in which he was about to
incept, and whether he had gone through the forms
according to the statutes of the university. The
sizar of later times is recognised in the provision,
that if the funds of the Foundation permit, the
master and the two deacons shall select two or three
youths, " indigent scholars well grounded in Latin "
— juvenes indigentes scholares in grammatica notahU'iter
fundatos — to be maintained, " as long as may seem lit,"
by the college alms, such poor scholars being bound
to attend upon the master and fellows in church, on
feast days and other ceremonial occasions, to serve the
master and fellows at seasonable times at table and in
their rooms. All meals were to be partaken in
common ; but it would seem that this regulation was
intended rather to conduce towards an economical
management than enacted in any spirit of studied
conformity to monastic life, for, adds the statute,
"the scholars shall patiently support this manner of
living until their means shall, under God's favour, have
received more plentiful increase." ^

An interesting feature ifi these statutes is the regula-
tion with reg.ird to the distinctive dress of the student,
showing how little regard was paid at this period, even
when the student was a priest, to the wearing of a
costume which might have been considered appropriate
to the staid character of his profession.

"The Students," writes Mr Cooper,^ disdaining the
tonsure, the distinctive mark of their order, wore their hair
either hanging down on their shoulders in an erfeminate
manner, or curled and powdered : they had long beards,
and their apparel more resembled that of soldiers than of

^ Document II. 1-42, quoted from Mullinger's " University
of Cambridge," i. 232.

'^ " Annals of the University," i. 95.

The Earliest College Foundation

priests ; they were attired in cloaks with furred edges, long
hanging sleeves not covering their elbows, shoes chequered
with red and green and tippets of an unusual length ; their
fingers were decorated with rings, and at their waists they
wore large and costly girdles, enamelled with figures and
gilt ; to the girdles hung knives like swords.

In order to repress this laxity and want of discipline,
Archbishop Stratford, at a later period in the year
1342, issued an order that no student of the uni-
versity, unless he should reform his " person and
apparel," should receive any ecclesiastical degree or
honour. It was doubtless in reference to some such
order as this that one of the statutes of Peterhouse ran
to this effect : —

''Inasmuch as the dress, demeanour, and carriages of
scholars are evidences of themselves, and by such means it is
seen more clearly, or may be presumed what they themselves
are internally, we enact and ordain, that the master and all
and each of the scholars of our house shall adopt the clerical
dress and tonsure, as becomes the condition of each, and wear
it conformably in respect, as far as they conveniently can,
and not allow their beard or their hair to grow contrary to
canonical prohibition, nor wear rings upon their fingers for
their own vain glory and boasting, and to the pernicious
example and scandal of others. "^^

" The Philosophy of Clothes," especially in its
application to the mediseval universities, is no doubt an
interesting one, and may even — so, at least, it is said
by some authorities — throw much light upon the
relations of the universities to the Church. The
whole subject is discussed in some detail in the
chapter on " Student Life in the Middle Ages," in
Mr Rashdall's " History of the Universities of
Europe," to which, perhaps, it may be best to refer
those of our readers who are desirous of tracing the
various steps in the gradual evolution of modern
academic dress from the antique forms. There it

1 "Documents," ii. 72.

The Story of Cambridge

will be seen how the present doctor's scarlet gown
was developed from the magisterial " cappa " or
'* cope," a sleeveless scarlet cloak, lined with miniver,
with tippet and hood attached of the same material — a
dress which, in its original shape, is now only to be
seen in the Senate House at Cambridge, worn by the
Vice-Chancellor on Degree days ; how the present
gown and hood of the Master of Arts and Bachelor
is merely a development of the ordinary clerical dress
or "tabard " of the thirteenth century, which, however,
was not even exclusively clerical, and certainly not
distinguished by that sobriety of hue characteristic of
modern clerical tailordom — clerkly prejudice in the
matter of the "tabard" running in favour of green,
blue, or blood red ; — and how the modern " mortar-
board," or square college cap, — now usurped by
undergraduates, and even choristers and school-boys —
was originally the distinctive badge of a Master of
Faculty, being either a square cap or " biretta," with
a tuft on the top, in lieu of the very modern tassel, or
a round cap or "pileum," more or less resembling the
velvet caps still worn by the Yeomen of the Guard, or
on very state occasions by the Cambridge or Oxford
doctors in medicine or law. The picturesque dress of
university students of the thirteenth century, still
surviving in the long blue coat and yellow stockings,
and red leather girdle and white bands of the boys ol
Christ's Hospital, is sufficient to show how much we
have lost of the warmth and colour of medieval life by
the almost universal change to sombre black in clerical
or student costume, brought about by the Puritan
austerity of the sixteenth century.

To return to the fabric of Bishop Hugh de
Balsham's College. We have seen how a handsome
hall [auhim perpukhrnni) was built with the 300 marks
of the Bishop's legacy. This is substantially the

?S?*s:

■*«?t w

v0-

^'•^"^Jl!^' '

The Earliest College Foundation

building of five bays, which still exists, forming the
westernmost part of the south side of the Great Court
of the College. The three easternmost bays are
taken up by the dining-hall or refectory, the western-
most is devoted to the buttery, the intervening bay is
occupied by the screens and passage at either end of
which there still remain the original north and south
doorways, interesting as being the earliest example of
collegiate architecture in Cambridge. The windows
of this hall on the south side date from the end of the
fifteenth century. The north-east oriel window and
the buttresses on the north side of the hall were added
by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1870, who also built the new
screen, panelling, and roof. At about the same time
the hall was decorated and the windows filled with
stained glass of very great beauty by William Morris.
The figures represented in the windows are as follows
(beginning from the west on the north) : John
Whitgift, John Cosin, Rd. Tresham, Thos. Gray,
Duke of Grafton, Henry Cavendish ; in the oriel —
Homer, Aristotle, Cicero, Hugh de Balsham, Roger
Bacon, Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton ; on the south side
— Edward I., Queen Eleanor, Hugh de Balsham, S.
George, S. Peter, S. Etheldreda, John Holbroke,
Henry Beaufort, John War k worth.

After the building of this hall, the College evi-
dently languished for want of funds for more than a
century. But in the fifteenth century the College
began to prosper, and a good deal of building was
done. The character of the work is not expressly
stated in the Bursar's Rolls — of which there are some
thirty-one still existing of the fifteenth century, and a
fairly complete set of the subsequent centuries — but the
earliest buildings of this date are probably the range of
chambers forming the north and west side of the great
court. The kitchen, which is immediately to the

"The Story of Cambridge

west of the hall, dates from 1450. The Fellows'
parlour or combination room, completing the third
side of the quadrangle, and immediately east of the
dining-hall, was built some ten years later.

Cole has given the following precise description of
this room ; —

••This curious old room joins immediately to the east end
of the dining-hall or refectory, and is a ground floor called
The Stone Parlour, on the south side of the Quadrangle,
between the said hall and the master's own lodge. It is a
large room and wainscotted with small oblong Panels. The
two upper rows of which are filled with paintings on board
of several of the older Masters and Benefactors to the
College. Each picture has an Inscription in the corner, and
on a separate long Panel under each, much ornamented with
painting, is a Latin Distic.^ . , ."

Then follows a description of each portrait — there
are thirty in all — with its accompanying distich.

1. A view of the two antient Hostles of the Brothers

of Penance and of Jesus Christ : on the spot where
they stood, Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely
founded this College in 1280.
H'lc Una fuerunt ScholasUcorum Hosp'itia in qua
fratres Secu/nres extra HospUale Dhn Johanms
trailucehantur, quorum loco hoc collegium est
CEclificatum,
Qua prceit Oxonium Cancestria longa Vetustas,
Primitus a Petri dicitur orsa Domo.

2. King Edward the First in his robes, crown and

cap, a globe in his left hand, and a sword in

his right, with a Profile Face, and the Arms of

England by him.

Rdivanlus Rex y^ngliie ejus Nominis primus

iJcenticin dedit fnndandi hoc Collegium^ A,D.

1283.

' British Museum, Cole, MSS. xxxv. 112.

The Earliest College Foundation

Omnia dum curat Princeps, non ultima Cura est,
Si Pius est, artes sustinuisse bonas.

3. Hugh de Balsham in his episcopal robes, mitre,

pastoral staff in his right hand and a book in his
left, with these arms by him, gules three crowns
or, for the See of Ely, impaling gules two keys
in saltire or ; being designed possibly for those of
S. Peter.

Hugo de Balsam decimus Episcopus, Ellensis primus
Fundator Collegii, Anno Dom. 1284.
Utere Divitiis si te Fortuna bearit

Hac iter ad Coeluni est, sic ubi Dives eris.

4. Simon de Montacute, Bishop of Ely in his episcopal

robes, mitre and crosier : See of Ely impales
Argent, a fess lozengee gules, a bordure Barry
vert and or for Montacute.

Simon Mo7itis-acuti decimus septimus Episcopus
Eliensis, Anno Dom. 1344.
Lex ubi pulsa silet, regnat pro Lege Libido ;
Jusque Pudorque ruunt, mox ruitura magis.

5. Simon Langham, Episcopus Eliensis, Anno Dom,

The See of Ely impales Gules two keys in saltire
or. But these are not Bishop Langham's arms :
neither is the date in Mr Earle's account just :
for Bishop Langham succeeded to Ely 1361,
removed to Canterbury five years after, and died
at Avignon in 1376. He is habited as a Bishop.
Laus Pueris, Doctrina, Decus florentibus Annis.
Solamen Senio, Perfugiumque Malis.

6. Thomas de Castro-Bernard in a clerical habit,

holding an open book.

Thomas de Castro- Bernard^ fuit Magis ter Collegiiy

Anno Dom. 1 430.

The Story of Cambridge

Omnibus impendas ultro, tibi Nemo rependat,
Non Hominis vox ha?c, sic jubet ipse Deus.

7. John Holbroke, Master in 1430, in a clerical

habit, holding a book in his right hand, and a

roll in his left.

Johannes Holbroke, Magister Collegi'i, Anno Dom.

1430-
Partus dant Similes Usura, et Vipera foeta
Qui juvat afflictos, foenerat ille Deo.

8. Thomas Lane, Master, 1472, in a clerical habit,

holding a book with both his hands.
Thomas Lane^ Magister CoUegii, Anno Dom.
1472.
Faelix Centurio Synagogae Conditor olim :
Nam Deus huic charus, charus et ipse Deo.

9. John Warkeworth, Master in 1498, in a clerical

habit, holding an open book with both his hands.
Johannes Warkeworthe, Magister Collegii, Anno
Dom. 1498.
Dives adoptata gaudet Prole ; probates
Non cuicunque libet progcnuisse licet.

10. Thomas Denman, Master in 1500; in a Doctor
of Physic's robes, with a book in his right hand
and an urn in his left.

Thomas Denman, Doctor artis Medicina Magister
Co//egii, Anno Dom. 1500.

11. Henry Hornbie, Master in 15 16, in a clerical
habit, with an open book in both his hands.
Henricus Hornbie, Magister Collegii, Anno Dom.
1519.

Christus laudator mundus ne Cornua tollat
Tollentur justis cornua nulla malis.

12. Edmund Hanson, D.D., in Doctor of Divinity's
robes, with a shut book in both his hands.

The Earliest College Foundation

Edmundus Hanson^ Doctor Theologia^ Anno Dom.
1516.
Pectoribus Scopulos Marmorgue evellite prudens
Qui se stravit Humi, succubuitque Deo.

13. Mr Lownde, D.D., in Doctor's robes and
holding an open book with both his hands.
Mcig'tster Loivnde, Doctor Theoligia (sic) Socius
Co/kgii, Anno Dom. 1519.

Ite procue Zoilus Momusque et livida Turba
Et vos Frons, oculus, Lingua superba procul.

14. William Martin, Priest and Fellow of the College
in sacerdotal robes, and a closed book in both his
hands.

M agister Wdlelmus Martin, Sacerdos et Socius
Collegii, Anno Dom. i 5 1 6.
Qui Dominum metuit, Divinaque Jussa capessit
Filius ille Dei, et Filius ejus erit.

15. Thomas Burgoyne, Master in 1520, in his
Doctor's robes and holding a closed book with
both his hands. These Arms by him Vert a
lion salient or, impales argent a Fess Sab. in
chief three crows and in base a chevron sable.
But these Arms are either painted falsely or so
taken : for the Arms of Burgoyne are azure, a
talbot passant, and the impaled coat was no
doubt designed for this Master's mother Margaret,
the wife of John Burgoyne of Impington, near
Cambridge, whose Arms on brass are twice on
her monument in that church impaled by those of
her husband as above, viz. : a Talbot passant
impales a fess and in chief three leopard's faces
and in base a chevron.

Thomas Burgon, Doct. Theol. Magister Collegii,
Anno Dom. 1520.

The Story of Cambridge

1 6. John Edmondcs, Master in 1527, in Doctor's

robes and holding a closed book with both his

hands.

Johannes Edmondesy Doct. Theol. Maglster Collegii,

Anno Dom. I 51 7.

Tdui/ /'epc 1/ ay)ioia ypa.(pMV /J^spo-rreffffe Bporo/iJi

Movvov ^v/M'rdvrajv alriov sffTi xaxwv.

17. Doctor Shirton, Master of the Pembroke Hall, in

his Doctor's robes and holding a book closed in
his left hand and a roll in his right, with these
Arms by him, viz. : Pembroke Hall impaling
party per fess, or in the chief part, paly of four
nebule . . . and gules, in chief a table of three
points vert.

Doctor Shirton y M agister AuU Pemhrokia [j/Vl,
Anno Dom. 15 30.
Proximus ille Deo, qui paret recte monenti,
Dignus et ille Deo qui sibi recta cavet.

18. The widow of Mr Wolfe, in widow's weeds,

holding an open book in both hands.
Vidua Magistri Wolfe^ Anno Dom. 154O.
Mortalem Tabithce Pietas bis vivere Vitam
Caslestem vidu?e perpetuamque dedit.

19. Andrew Perne, Master, in his Doctor's robes and

holding a closed book in both his hands, by him
are his Arms, viz. : or on a chevron between
three pelican's heads erased azure, three mullets
of the field ; and this motto :

AAH0KONTE2 AEN ATAFH [Sic)
Bibliothecae Libri Redditus pulcherrima Dona
Perne, pium Musis te, Philomusc, probant.
Andreas Perne, Doctor Theol., Decanus Ecclesice
Elicnsis, Magister Collegii, obiit 26 Aprills Anno

Dom. 1573 C^**^^'"]-
80

The Earliest College Foundation

20. Sir Edward North. He has a golden chain

round his neck and a flower in his left hand, with
these Arms by him : azure a lion passant or,
inter three fleurs de lis, argent, for North ; impales
sab. on a chevron embattled inter three eaglets
displayed argent, three trefoils slipped, vert.
This last bearing is wrong taken or falsely painted;
for on Sir Edward North's tomb in Kirthing
Church, they are quatrefoils.
Domimus Ednvardus North, Anno Dom, 1564.
Nobilis hie vere, vere si nobilis ullus.
Qui sibi Principium Nobilitatis erat.

21. Robert Smith, scholar of the house, in robes
turned up with ermine, in a ruff, and a roll in
his left hand.

Robertus Smith, quondam Scholaris hujus Collegii,
ohiit Anno Dom. 1565*
Dulcia Musarum qui Pauper Tecta reliqui,
Nunc Dives, studiis, consulo, Musa tuis.

22. Archbishop Whitgift in the robes of a Doctor of
Divinity, and holding a book closed in his hands.
Doctor Whitgift, quondam socius Collegii, Anno
Dom. 1569.

Quod Paci Whitgifte faves, Studiisque piorum
Dat tibi, Pacis amans, Candida Dona Deus.

23. Henry Wilshawe, in a clerical habit, holding a
closed book in his left hand.

Henricus IVillshawe, Doctor Theologia, Anno
Dom. 1578.
Quam minime quasris Bona ? te doctissime Willshawe
Vita vel invitum Nobilitate beat.

24. Ralph Ainsworth, Master in 1644, in his Bachelor
of Divinity's habit holding a book closed in his
hand.

F 81

The Story of Cambridge

M agister Radulpus Ainsavorth^ Raccalarius [sic)
in TheologiUy Magtster Col/egiiy Anno IJom.
1644.

25. Robert Slade, in grey hair, in a ruff, and holding
an open book in his hands.

Rohertus Slade, CEtatls sua 66, Anno Dom. 16 16.

26. John Blythe, in a ruff and clerical habit, holding a

book closed in his hands.

Johann'is Blythe, Baccalaureus Theologia, Socius

Collegii an : Mtat, sua 57, Anno Dom. 1617.

27. Bernard Hale, Master, in a clerical habit.
Bernardus Hale, S.T.P. El'unsis E celesta turn
Canonicus, turn Arch'idiaconus, hujus Collegii Custos,
obitt Anno Dom. 1663.

28. Bishop Cosins in his episcopal robes, without
any inscription.

29. Joseph Beaumont, Master of the College, in his

Doctor of Divinity's robes.

Josephus Beaumont, S.T. P. Regius, Eliensis Ecclesia
canonicus, atque hujus, Collegii Custos, ohiit 23
Novembris, 1699.

30. Charles Beaumont in his Doctor of Divinity's

robes.

Carolus Beaumont, S.T.P. Collegii Socius, Magni,

illius Beaumonti fl'ius, obiit 13 Martii, 1726.

Most of these pictures have now been brought back
from the Master's Lodge, where they had been
removed in the eighteenth century and have been
placed in the Hall, with the Latin distichs restored
according to the above account of them, by Cole. In
addition to these ancient panel pictures, there also
hang on the walls of the Dining Hall the following
portraits —
82

The Earliest College Foundation

Left side: — Edmund Law, Master 1754; Bishop of
Carlisle, d. 1788.

Edward Law, Lord Ellenborough, son of
Bishop Law ; Lord Chief Justice, d. 1818.

End wall: — Sir William Thomson (Lord Kelvin).
Francis Barnes, Master, 1788, d. 1838.

Right side : — William Smyth, Professor of Modern
History, 1807, d. 1849.

William Hopkins, Mathematician and Geologist,
1793-1866.

Edward John Routh, Sc.D. Mathematician. In
the combination room, there are also portraits of
James Porter, Master, by Ouless in 1897. James
Dewar, Jacksonian Professor, 1875, by Richardson;
and in the Master's Lodge there are also (dining
room) portrait of a man, inscribed *' ^tatis suae 20,
Anno 1615." Dr Charles Beaumont, son of Dr
Joseph Beaumont. Dr Bernard Hale, Master, 1660-
1663. Dr Joseph Beaumont, Master, 1663- 1699.

The windows of the combination room have been
filled with stained glass by William Morris, represent-
ing ten ideal women from Chaucer's " Legend of
Good Women."

On the upper storey of the combination room was
the master's lodge. The situation of these rooms at
the upper end of the hall is almost as invariable in
collegiate plans as that of the buttery and kitchen at
the other end. The same may be said of that most
picturesque feature of the turret staircase leading from
the master's rooms to the hall, parlour, and garden,
which we shall find repeated in the plans of S. John's,
Christ's, Queen's, and Pembroke Colleges. About
the same period (1450) the range of chambers on the
north side of the court was at its easternmost end

The Story of Cambridge

connected by a gallery with the Church of S. Mary,
which remained in use as the College chapel down to
the seventeenth century. This gallery, on the level
of the upper floor of the College chambers, was carried
on arches so as not to obstruct the entrance to the
churchyard and south porch from the High Street, by
a similar arrangement to that which from the first
existed between Corpus Christi College and the ancient
Church of S. Benedict.

The Parish Church of S. Peter, without the
Trumpington Gate, had from the first been used as the
College Chapel of Peterhouse. Indeed, the earliest
college in Cambridge was the latest to possess a private
chapel of its own, which was not built until 1628.
All that remains, however, of the old Church of S.
Peter is a fragment of the tower, standing at the north-
west corner of the present building and the arch which
led from it into the church. This probably marks the
west end of the old church, which, no doubt, was
much shorter than the present one. It is said that
this old church fell down in part about 134O, and
a new church was at once begun in its place. This
was finished in 1352 and dedicated to the honour of
the blessed Virgin Mary. The church is a very
beautiful one, though of an unusual simplicity of design.
It is without aisles or any structural division between
nave c nd chancel. It is lighted by lofty windows and
deep buttresses. On the south side and at the eastern
gable are rich flowing decorated windows, the tracery
of which is designed in the same style, and in many
respects with the same patterns, as those of Alan de
Walsingham's J^ady Chapel at Ely. Indeed, a com-
parison of the Church of Little S. Mary with the Ely
l>ady Chapel, not only in its general concej)tion, but
in many of its details, such as that of the stone taber-
nacles on the outer face of the eastern gable curiously

The Earliest College Foundation

connected with the tracery of the window, would lead
a careful observer to the conclusion that both churches
had been planned by the same architect. The change
of the old name of the church from S. Peter to that
of S. Mary the Virgin is also, in this relation, sug-
gestive. For we must remember that it was built at
a time — the age of Dante and Chaucer — when Catholic
purity, in the best natures united to the tenderness of
chivalry, was casting its glamour over poetic and
artistic minds, and had already led to the establishment
in Italy of an Order — the Cavalieri Godenti — pledged
to defend the existence, or, more accurately perhaps,
the dignity of the Virgin Mary, by the establishment
everywhere throughout western Europe of Lady
Chapels in her honour. Whether Alan de
Walsingham, the builder of the Ely Lady Chapel,
and the builder of the Church of Little S. Mary at
Cambridge — if he was not Alan — belonged to this
Order of the Cavaliers of S. Mary, we cannot say ;
but at least it seems probable that the Cambridge
Church sprang from the same impulse which inspired
the magnificent stone poem in praise of S. Mary, buij'
by the sacrist of Ely.

At this period Peterhouse consisted of two courts,
separated by a wall occupying the position of the
present arcade at the west end of the chapel. The
westernmost or principal court is, save in some small
details, that which we see to-day. The small eastern
court next to the street has undergone great alteration
by the removal of certain old dwelling-houses —
possibly relics of the original hostels — fronting the
street, which left an open space, occupied at a later
period partly by the chapel and by the extension
eastward of the buildings on the south side of the
great court to form a new library, and subsequently by
a similar flanking extension on the north.

The Story of Caynbj^idge

The earliest of these buildings was the library, due
to a bequest of Dr Andrew Perne, Dean of Ely, who
was master of the College from 1 553 to 1 589, and who
not only left to the society his own library, ''supposed to
be the worthiest in all England," but sufficient property
for the erection of a building to contain it. Perne had
gained in early life a position of importance in the
University — he had been a fellow of both S. John's
and of Queen's, bursar of the latter College and five
times vice-chancellor of the University — but his success
in life was mainly due to his pliancy in matters of
religion. In Henry's reign he had publicly maintained
the Roman doctrine of the adoration of pictures of
Christ and the Saints ; in Edward VI. 's he had argued
in the University pulpit against transubstantiation ; in
Queen Mary's, on his appointment to the mastership of
Peterhouse, he had formally subscribed to the fully
defined Roman articles then promulgated ; in Queen
Elizabeth's he had preached a Latin sermon in denuncia-
tion of the Pope, and had been complimented for his
eloquence by the Queen herself. No wonder that
immediately after his death in 1590 he should be hotly
denounced in the Martin Marprelate tracts as the friend
of Archbishop Whitgift, and as the type of fickleness
and lack of principle which the authors considered
characteristic of the Established Church. Other writers
of the same school referred to him as "Old Andrew
Turncoat," "Old Father Palinode," and "Judas."
The undergraduates of Cambridge, it is said, invented
in his honour a new Latin \tihy pernare^ which they
translated "to turn, to rat, to change often." It
became proverbial in the University to speak of a cloak
or a coat which had been turned as "perned," and
finally the letters on the weathercock of S. Peter's,
A.P.A.P., might, said the satirists, be interpreted as
Andrew Perne, a Protestant, or Papist, or Puritan.
86

The Earliest College Foundation

However, it is much to be able to say that he was
the tutor and friend of Whitgift, protecting him in early
days from the prosecution of Cardinal Pole ; it is
something also to remember that he was uniformly
steadfast in his allegiance to his College, bequeathing
to it his books, with minute directions for their chaining
and safe custody, providing for their housing, and
moreover, endowing two college fellowships and six
scholarships ; and perhaps charity might prompt us
to add, that at a time when the public religion of the
country changed four times in ten years, Perne probably
trimmed in matters of outward form that he might be
at hand to help in matters which he truly thought were
really essential.

The Perne Library at Peterhouse has no special
architectural features of any value ; its main interest in
that respect is to be found in the picturesque gable-end
with oriel window overhanging the street, bearing
above it the date 1633, which belongs to the brick-
work extension westward at that date of the original
stone building. The building of the library, however,
preluded a period of considerable architectural activity
in the College, due largely to the energy of Dr Matthew
Wren, who was master from 1625 to 1634. It is
recorded of him that " seeing the public offices of
religion less decently performed, and the services of
God depending upon the services of others, for want
of a convenient oratory within the walls of the college,'*
he began in 1629 to build the present chapel. It was
consecrated in 1632. The name of the architect is not
recorded. The chapel was connected as at present
with the buildings on either side by galleries carried on
open arcades. Dr Cosin, who succeeded Wren in the
mastership, continued the work, facing the chapel walls,
which had been built roughly in brick, with stone.
An elaborate ritual was introduced into the chapel by

The Story of Cambridge

Cosin, who, it will be remembered, was a friend and
follower of Archbishop Laud. A puritan opponent
of Cosin has written bitterly that "in Peter House
Chappell there was a glorious new altar set up and
mounted on steps, to which the master, fellows, and
schollers bowed, and were enjoyned to bow by Dr
Cosens, the master, who set it up ; that there were
basons, candlesticks, tapers standing on it, and a great
crucifix hanging over it . . . and on the altar a pot,
which they usually call the incense pot. . . . And the
common report both among the schollers of that House
and others, was that none might approach to the altar
in Peter House but in sandalls." ^

It is not surprising, therefore, to read at a little later
date in the diary of the Puritan iconoclast, William
Dowsing : —

"We went to Peterhouse, 1643, Decemb. 21 with officers
and souldiers and . . . we pulled down 2 nnghty great
Angells with wings and divers others Angells and the 4
Evangelists and Peter, with his keies, over the Chapell dore
and about a hundred chirubims and Angells and divers
superstitious Letters . . ."

These to-day are all things of the past. The interior
of the chapel is fitted partly with the genuine old
mediaeval panelling, possibly brought from the parochial
chancel of Little S. Mary's, or from its disused
chantries, now placed at the back of the stalls, and in
front of the organ gallery, partly with oakwork, stalls
and substalls, in the Jacobaean style. The present altar-
piece is of handsome modern wainscot. The entrance
door is mediiisval, probably removed from elsewhere
to replace the doorway defaced by Dowsing. The
only feature in the chapel which can to-dav be called —
and that only by a somewhat doubtful taste — " very

' Prynne, " Canterlniry's Doom," quoted from Willis and
Clark, i. 46.

The Earliest College Foundation

magnificial/' is the gaudy Munich stained-glass work
inserted in the lateral windows, as a memorial to
Professor Smythe, in 1855 and 1858. The subjects
are, on the north side, "The Sacrifice of Isaac,"
"The Preaching of S. John the Baptist," "The
Nativity " ; and on the south side, " The Resurrection,"
"The Healing of a Cripple by SS. Peter and John,"
" S. Paul before Agrippa and Festus." The east
window containing " The History of Christ's Passion,"
is said by Blomefield to have been '* hid in the late
troublesome times in the very boxes which now stand
round the altar instead of rails."

CHAPTER V
The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

** High potentates and dames of royal birth
And mitred fathers in long order go." — Gray.

The Fourteenth Century an Age of Great Men and Great
Events but not of Great Scholars — Petrarch and Richard
of Bury — Michael House — The King's Scholars — King's
Hall— Clare Hall— Pembroke College— GonviUe Hall—
Dr John Caius — His Three Gates of Humility, Virtue,
and Honour.

THE dates of the foundation of the two Colleges,
Clare and Pembroke, which, after an interval of
some fifty and seventy years respectively, followed that
of Peterhouse, and the names of Lady Elizabeth,
Countess of Clare, and of Marie de Valence, Countess
of Pembroke, who are associated with them, remind
us that we have reached that troublous and romantic
time which marked the close of the long and varied
reign of the Great Edward, and was the seed-time of
those influences which ripened during the longer and
still more varied reign of Edward III. Between the
year 1326, which was the date of the first foundation
of Clare College, the date also of the deposition and
murder of Edward II., and the year 1348, which is
the date of the foundation of Pembroke and the
twenty-first year of Edward III., the distracted
country had passed through many vicissitudes. It
had seen the great conllict of parties under the leader-
ship of the great houses of Lancaster, Gloucester, and
90

The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

Pembroke, culminating in the king's deposition and in
the rise of the power of the EngHsh Parliament, and
in its division into the two Houses of Lords and
Commons. It had seen the growth of the new class
of landed gentry, whose close social connection with
the baronage on the one hand, and of equally close
political connection with the burgesses on the other,
had welded the three orders together, and had given
to the Parliament that unity of action and feeling on
which its powers have ever since mainly depended.
It had seen the Common Law rise into the dignity of
a science and rapidly become a not unworthy rival of
Imperial Jurisprudence. It had seen the close of the
great interest of Scottish warfare, and the northern
frontier of England carried back to the old line of the
Northumbrian kings. It had seen the strife with
France brought to what at the moment seemed to be
an end, for the battle of Crecy, at which the power of
the English chivalry was to teach the world the lesson
which they had learned from Robert Bruce thirty
years before at Bannockburn, was still in the future,
as also was the Hundred Years' War of which that
battle was the prelude. It had seen the scandalous
schism of the Western Church, and the vision of a
Pope at Rome, and another Pope at Avignon, awaken-
ing in the mind of the nations an entirely new set of
thoughts and feelings with regard to the position of
both the Papacy and the Church. The early four-
teenth century was indeed an age of great events and
of great men ; but it was not an age, at least as far as
England was concerned, of great scholars. There
was no Grosseteste in the fourteenth century. Petrarch,
the typical man of letters, the true inspirer of the
classical Renaissance, and in a sense the founder of
really modern literature, was a great scholar and
humanist, but he had no contemporary in England who

The Story of Cambridge

could be called an equal or a rival. His one English
friend, Richard of Bury, Bishop of Durham, book
lover as he was — for his Philohihlon we all owe him a
debt of gratitude — was after all only an ardent amateur
and no scholar. When Petrarch had applied to
Richard for some information as to the geography of
the Thule of the ancients, the Bishop had put him off
with the statement that he had not his books with him,
but would write fully on his return home. Though
more than once reminded of his promise, he left the
disappointed poet without an answer. The fact was,
that Richard was not so learned that he could afford
to confess his ignorance. He corresponds, in fact, to
the earlier humanists of Italy — men who collected
manuscripts and saw the possibilities of learning,
though they were unable to attain to it themselves.
There is much in his Phtlohthlon of the greatest in-
terest, as, for example, his description of the means by
which he had collected his library at Durham College,
and his directions to students for its careful use, but
despite his own fervid love and somewhat rhetorical
praise of learning, there is still a certain personal pathos
in the expression of his own impatience with the ignor-
ance and superficiality of the younger students of his
day. Writing in the Philohihlon of the prevalent char-
acteristics of Oxford at this time, he writes : —

" Forasmuch as (the students) are not grounded in their
first rudiment at the proper time, they build a tottering
edifice on an insecure foundation, and then wlien grown up
they are ashamed to learn that which they should have
acquired when of tender years, and thus must needs even
pay the penalty of havin*";- too hastily vaulted into the posses-
sion of authority to wliich they had no claim. For these
and like reasons, our young students fail to g;ain by their
scanty lucubrations that sound learning to whicli the ancients
attained, however they may occupy iionourable posts, be
called by titles, be invested with tiie garb of office, or be
solemnly inducted into the seats of tlieir seniors. Snatched
92

The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

from their cradle and hastily weaned, they get a smattering
of the rules of Priscian and Donatus ; in their teens and
beardless they chatter childishly concerning the Categories
and the Perihermenias in the composition of which Aristotle
spent his whole soul." 1

It is to be feared that the decline of learning, which
at this period was characteristic, as we thus see, of
Oxford, was equally characteristic of Cambridge.
Certainly there was no scholar there of the calibre of
William of Ockham, or even of Richard of Bury, or
of the Merton Realist, Bradwardine, afterwards Arch-
bishop of Canterbury. It is not indeed until more
than a century later, when we have reached the age of
WyclifFe, the first of the reformers and the last of the
schoolmen, that the name of any Cambridge scholar
emerges upon the page of history.

But meanwhile the collegiate system of the University
was slowly being developed. Some forty years after
the foundation of Peterhouse, in the year 1324,
Hervey de Stanton, Chancellor of the Exchequer and
Canon of Bath and Wells, obtained from Edward II.
permission to found at Cambridge the College of " the
Scholars of S. Michael." The college itself, Michael-
house, has long been merged in the great foundation of
Trinity, but its original statutes still exist and show
that they were conceived in a somewhat less liberal
spirit than that of the code of Hugh de Balsham.
The monk and the friar are excluded from the society,
but the Rule of Merton is not mentioned. Two years
afterwards, in 1326, we find thirty-two scholars known
as the " King's Scholars " maintained at the University
by Edward II. It seems probable that it had been
the intention of the King in this way to encourage the
study of the civil and the canon law, for books on
these subjects were presented by him, presumably for
the use of the scholars, to Simon de Bury their warden,

1 Philobiblon, c. 9.

The Story of Cambridge

and were subsequently taken away at the command of
Queen Isabella. The King had also intended to
provide a hall of residence for these *' children of our
chapel," but the execution of this design of establishing
a " King's Hall " was left to his son Edward III.
The poet Gray, in his *' Installation Ode," has repre-
sented Edward III. —

" Great Edward with the lilies on his brow,
From haughty Gallia torn,"

in virtue of his foundation of King's Hall, which was
subsequently absorbed in the greater society, as the
founder of Trinity College. But the honour evidently
belongs with more justice to his father. It was, how-
ever, by Edward III. that the Hall was built near the
Hospital of S. John, " to the honour of God, the
Blessed Virgin, and all the Saints, and for the soul of
the Lord Edward his father, late King of England, of
famous memory, and the souls of Philippa, Queen of
England, his most dear consort, and of his children
and progenitors." ^

The statutes of King's Hall give an interesting con-
temporary picture of collegiate life. The preamble
moralises upon " the unbridled weakness of humanity,
prone by nature and from youth to evil, ignorant how
to abstain from things unlawful, easily falling into
crime." It is required that each scholar on his
admission be proved to be of *' good and reputable
conversation." He is not to be admitted under four-
teen years of age. His knowledge of Latin must be
such as to qualify him for the study of logic, or ol
whatever other branch of learning the master shall
decide, upon examination of his capacity, he is best
fitted to follow. The scholars were provided with
lodging, food, and clothing. The sum allowed for

^ Cooper's " Memorials," ii. p. 196.

The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

the weekly maintenance of a King's scholar was four-
teen pence, an unusually liberal allowance for weekly
commons, suggesting the idea that the foundation was
probably designed for students of the wealthier class,
an indication which is further borne out by the prohibi-
tions with respect to the frequenting of taverns, the
introduction of dogs within the College precincts, the
wearing of short swords and peaked shoes {^contra
honestatem clericalem) ^ the use of bows, flutes, catapults,
and the oft-repeated exhortation to orderly conduct.

CLARE COLLEGE.

Founded by the University as Uni-
versity Hall, 1326; refounded
by Lady Elizabeth de Clare
as Clare Hall, 1338; rebuilt
1638-1715. Name changed to
Clare College, 1856.

[The arms of the College from
the seal of 1338-9. They are those
which the foundress adopted on
the death of her third husband in
1322. They consist of the arms
of De Clare, impaling those of De

Burgh, all within a bordure sable guttee or. "She seems in
fact " — says Mr St John Hope — *' to have put her shield into
mourning by adding to it this black bordure bedewed w^ith
tears. The drops are now^ always represented as gold, but I
think they should more properly be silver."]

Following upon the establishment of Michaelhouse
and King's Hall, in the year 1326 the University in
its corporate capacity obtained a royal licence to settle
a body of scholars in two houses in Milne Street. This
college was called University Hall, a title already
adopted by a similar foundation at Oxford. The
Chancellor of the University at the time was a certain
Richard de Badew. The foundation, however, did
not at first meet with much success. In 1336 its

Ihe Story of Cambridge

revenues were found insufficient to support more than
ten scholars. In 1338, however, we find EHzabeth
de Burgh, Countess of Clare and granddaughter of
Edward L, coming to the help of the struggling
society. By the death of her brother, the Earl of
Gloucester, at the battle of Bannockburn, leaving no
issue, the whole of a very princely estate came into
the possession of the Lady Clare and her two sisters.
Having, by a deed dated 6th April 1338, received
from Richard de Badew, who therein calls himself
'* Founder, Patron, and Advocate of the House called
the Hall of the University of Cambridge," all the
rights and titles of University Hall, the Lady Clare
refounded it, and supplied the endowments which
hitherto it had lacked. The name of the Hall was
changed to Clare House [Domus de Clare). As early,
however, as 1346 we find it styled Clare Hall, a name
which it bore down to our own times, when, by resolu-
tion of the master and fellows in 1856, it was changed
to Clare College. The following preamble to the
statutes of the College, which were granted in 1359, is
perhaps worthy of quotation as exhibiting, in spite of
its quaint confusion of the " Pearl of Great Price "
with " the Candle set upon a Candlestick," the pious
and withal business-like and sensible spirit of the
foundress : —

"To all the sons of our Holy Mother Church, who shall
look into these pages, EHzabeth de Burgh, Lady de Clare,
wishes health and remembrance of this transaction. Exper-
ience, which is the mistress of all things, clearly teaches that
in every rank of life, as well temporal as ecclesiastical, a
knowledge of literature is of no small advantage: which
though it is searched into by many persons in many different
ways, yet in a University, a place that is distinguished for
tlie flourishing of general study, it is more completely
acquired ; and after it has been obtained, she sends forth her
scholars wiio have tasted its sweets, apt and suitable men in
the Church of God and in the State, men who will rise to

•:■'/

■/ivviif;;:..

The Colleges of the Fourteefith Century

various ranks according to the measure of their deserts.
Desiring therefore, since this consideration has come over us,
to extend as far as God has allovired us, for the furtherance
of Divine worship, and for the advance and good of the
State, this kind of knowledge which in consequence of a
great number of men having been taken away by the fangs
of pestilence, is now beginning lamentably to fail ; we have
turned the attention of our mind to the University of Cam-
bridge, in the Diocese of Ely ; where there is a body of
students, and to a Hall therein, hitherto commonly called
University Hall, which already exists of our foundation, and
which we would have to bear the name of the House of
Clare and no other, for ever, and have caused it to be
enlarged in its resources out of the wealth given us by God
and in the number of students ; in order that the Pearl of
Great Price, Knowledge, found and acquired by them by
means of study and learning in the said University, may not
lie hid beneath a bushel, but be published abroad ; and by
being published give light to those who walk in the dark
paths of ignorance. And in order that the Scholars residing
in our aforesaid House of Clare, under the protection of a
more steadfast peace and with the advantage of concord, may
choose to engage with more free will in study, we have
carefully made certain statutes and ordinances to last for
ever."^

The distinguishing characteristic of these statutes is
the great liberality they show in the requirements with
respect to the professedly clerical element. This, as
the preamble, in fact, suggests, was the result of a
desire to fill up the terrible gap caused in the ranks of
the clergy by the outbreak of the Black Death,
which first made its appearance in England in the
year 1348, and caused the destruction of two and
a half millions of the population in a single year.^

1 Cooper's " Memorials," vol. i. p. 30.

2 Cf. Rogers' "Six Centuries of Work and Wages," p.
224. "The disease made havoc among the secular and
regular clergy, and we are told that a notable decline of
learning and morals was thenceforward observed among the
clergy, many persons of mean acquirements and low
character stepping into the vacant benefices. Even now

The Story of Cambridge

The Scholars or Fellows are to be twenty in
number, of whom six are to be in priest's orders at
the time of their admission. The remaining fellows
are to be selected from bachelors or sophisters in arts,
or from " skilful and well conducted " civilians and
canonists, but only two fellows may be civilians, and
only one a canonist. The clauses relating to the
scheme of studies are, moreover, apparently intended
to discourage both these branches of law.

Of the further progress of the College in the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries we have no record,
for the archives perished in the fire which almost
totally destroyed the early buildings in the year 1521.
In the seventeenth century, shortly before the outbreak
of the Civil War, it was proposed to rebuild the whole
College, but owing to the troubles of that time it was
not until the beginning of the eighteenth century, in
the year 1 7 1 5, that the work was finished. " The
buildings are,'* said the late Professor Willis, " among
the most beautiful, from their situation and general
outline, that he could point out in the University."

There is extant an amusing account of the con-
troversy between Clare Hall and King's College,
caused by the desire of the former to procure a certain
piece of land for purposes of recreation on the east side
of the Cam, called Butt Close, belonging to King's.
Here are two of the letters which passed between the
rival litigants.

the cloister of Westminster Abbey is said to contain a
monument in the great flat stone, which we are told was
laid over the remains of the many monks who perished in
the great death. . . . Some years ago, being at Cambridge
while the foundations of the new Divinity Schools were
being laid. I saw that the ground was full of skeletons,
thrown in without any attempt at order, and I divined that
this must have been a Cambridge j)lague pit.''
100

T^he Colleges of the Fourteenth Lenfury"

' The Ansiver of Clare- Hall to Certaine Reasons oy King's College

touching Butt-Close.

" 1. To the first we answer: — 1°. That y annoyance of
ye windes gathering betweene y® Chappell and our CoUedge
is farre greater and more detriment to y* Chappell, then
any benefitt which they can imagine to receiue by y® shelter
of our Coliedge from wind and sunne.

" 2°. That ye Coliedge of Clare-hall being sett so neare as
now it is, they will not only be sheltered from wind and
sunne, but much deprived both of ayre and light.

" 3°. That ye removeall of Clare Hall 70 feet westward
will take away little or no considerable privacy from their
gardens and walkes ; for yt one of their gardens is farre
remote, and ye nearer fenced with a very high wall, and
a vine spread upon a long frame, under which they doe and
may privately walke." .

" A Reply of Kings Coliedge to f Answer of Clare-Hall.

**i. The wind so gathering breeds no detriment to our
Chappell, nor did ever putt us to any reparacions there.
The upper battlements at the west end haue sometimes
suffered from y^ wind, but y^ wind could not there be
straightned by Clare-hall, w^'i scarce reacheth to y fourth
part of ye height.

"2°. No whit at all, for our lower story hath fewer
windowes y*: way : the other are so high yt Clare Hall
darkens them not, and hath windows so large y* both for
light and ayre no chambers in any Coll. exceed them.

" 3°. The farther garden is not farre remote, being scarce
25 yards distant from their intended building ; ye nearer is
on one side fenced with a high wall indeed, but y^ wall is
fraudulently alleaged by them, and beside ye purpose : for
y' wall y' stands between their view and ye garden is not
much aboue 6 feet in height: and y"^ we haue any vine or
frame there to walke under is manifestly untrue."^

However, the controversy was settled in favour of
Clare Hall by a letter from the King.

A tradition has long prevailed that Clare Hall was

the College mentioned by the poet Chaucer in his

" Reeve's Tale," in the lines —

" And nameliche ther was a greet collegge,
Men clepen the Soler-Halle at Cantebregge."

i^. Clarke, '' Cambridge." pp. 85, 86.

lOI

The Story of Cambridge

There appears, however, to be good reason for
thinking that the Soler Hall was in reality Garrett
Hostel, a soler or sun-chamber being the equivalent of
a garret. For the tradition also that Chaucer himself
was a Clare man there is no authority. The College
may well be satisfied with the list of authentic names
of great men which give lustre to the roll of its scholars
— Hugh Latimer, the reformer and fellow-martyr of
Ridley ; Nicholas Ferrar, the founder of the religious
community of Little Gidding ; Wheelock, the great
Saxon and oriental scholar ; Ralph Cudworth, leader
of the Cambridge Platonists ; Archbishop Tillotson
and his pupil the philosopher, Thomas Burnett ;
Whiston, the translator of " Josephus " ; Cole, the
antiquary ; Maseres, the lawyer and mathematician.

College Portraits
In the Hall: — Thomas Cecil, K.G., Earl of Exeter,
benefactor, 1542- 1623 : by Mirevelt.

Thomas Pelham Holies, Duke of Newcastle,
Chancellor of the University, d. 1768.

Hugh Latimer, Bishop of Worcester, 1491-

1555-

Peter Gunning, Bishop of Chichester and of

Ely, 1613-1684.

Martin Polkes, President Royal Society, 1690-

1754.

Marquis Cornwallis, Governor-General of

India, 1738-1805.

Rt. Hon. Charles Townsend 1 725-1 767.
In the Combination Room: — Lady Elizabeth de Clare,
foundress, d. 1360 : a copy by Freeman.

Nicholas Ferrar of f^ittle Gidding, 1592-
1637 : a recent copy.

Humphrey Henchman, Bishop of Salisbury and
of London, d. 1675.
102

l^he Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

John Moore, Bishop of Ely, formerly of
Norwich, d. 17 14.

John Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury,
1630-95.

Richard Terrick, Bishop of Peterborough and
of London, d. 1777.

Thomas Henry Coles, D.D., benefactor, d.
1868.
In the Master s Lodge : — William Butler, M.D., d.
1617,

John Moore, Bishop of Norwicii and of Ely,
d. 1714.

Peter Stephen Goddard, D.D., Master, d.
1781.

John Pearson, Bishop, Chester 1673, d. 1686 ;
a miniature by Loggan 1682.
PEMBROKE COLLEGE ' -TtT^rrTrr

Founded 1 347 by Marie de Saint
Paul, widow of Aymar De Val-
ence, Earl of Pembroke.

[The arms of the Foundress used
by the College from its foundation.
They are those of De Valence
dimidiated with those of de Saint
Paul.]

The foundation of Pembroke
College, like that of Clare Hall,
was also due to the private

sorrow of a noble lady. The poet Gray, himself a
Pembroke man, in the lines of his " Installation Ode,"
where he commemorates the founders of the university —

" All that on Granta's fruitful plain
Rich streams of royal bounty poured,"

speaks of this lady as

«* . . . sad Chatillon on her bridal morn,
That wept her bleeding love."

103

^he Story of Catnbridge

This is in allusion to the somewhat doubtful story thus
told by Fuller —

"Mary de Saint Paul, daughter to Guido Castillion, Earl
of S. Paul in France, third wife to Audomare de Valentia,
Earl of Pembroke, maid, wife, and widow all in a day (her
husband being unhappily slain at a tilting at her nuptials),

sequestered herself

rf !i

r • i

on that sad accident
from all worldly de-
lights, bequeathed
her soul to God, and
her estate to pious
uses, amongst which
this is principal, that
she founded in Cam-
bridge the College of
Mary de Valentia,
commonly called
Pembroke Hall."

All that authentic
history records is
that the Earl of
Pembroke died
suddenly whilst on
a mission to the
Court of France
in June 1324. His
widow expended a
large part of her very considerable fortune both in
France and England on works of piety. In 1342
she founded the Abbey of Denny in Cambridgeshire
for nuns of the Order of S. Clare. The Charter of
Foundation of Pembroke College is dated 9th June
1348. It is to be regretted that the earliest Rule
given to the College, or to the y/z/A? seu Domus de
Faience Alarie, the Hall of Valence Marie, as it was
at first called, is not extant. A revised rule of the
conjectural date of 1366, and another of perhaps not
1 04

The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

more than ten years later, furnished, however, the
data upon which Dr Ainslie, Master of the College
from 1828 to 1870, drew up an abstract of its con-
stitution and early history. ^ The most interesting
feature of this constitution is the provision made in the
first instance for the management of the College by
the Franciscans, and its abolition on a later revision.
According to the first code — " the head of the College
was to be elected by the fellows, and to be distin-
guished by the title of the Keeper of the House.
There were to be annually elected two rectors, the one
a Friar Minor, the other a secular. This provision
of the two rectors was abolished in the later code, and
with it apparently all official connection between the
College and the Franciscan Order, and it may be
perhaps conjectured all association also with the sister
foundation at Denny, concerning which the foundress,
in her final Vale of the earlier code, had given to the
fellows of the House of Valence Marie the following
quaint direction, that " on all occasions they should
give their best counsel and aid to the Abbess and
Sisters of Denny, who had from her a common origin
with them.''

The exact date at which the building of the College
was begun is not known, but it was probably not long
after the purchase of the site in 1346. Many of the
original buildings which remained down to 1874 were
destroyed in the reconstruction of the College at that
time. It is now only possible to imagine many of the
most picturesque features of that building, of which
Queen Elizabeth, on her visit to Cambridge in 1564,
enthusiastically exclaimed in passing, ** 0 domus antiqua
et religiosa / " by consulting the print of the College
published by Loggan about 1688. Of the interesting
old features still left, we have the chapel at the corner
1 Cf. Mullinger, << Cambridge," vol. i., footnote, p. 237.

105

The Story of Cambridge

of Trumpington Street and Pembroke Street, built in
1630 and refaced in 1663, and the line of buildings
extending down Pembroke Street to the new master's

V /^ *

^nibioke ^kf«

Oriel/- 5^Ijilr<My»

lodge and the Scott building of modern date. The
old chapel has been used as a library since 1663, when
the new chapel, whose west end abuts on Trumpington
Street, was built by Sir Christopher Wren. The
cloister, called Hitciiam's Cloister, which joins the
Wren Chapel to the fine old entrance gateway, and
106

The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

the Hitcham building ^ on the south side of the inner
court are dated 1666 and 1659 respectively. All the
rest of the College is modern.

College Portraits

In the Hall, right side: — Richard Fox, 1448-1528;
Bishop of Winchester ; founder of Corpus Christi
College, Oxford (copy of original at C. C,
Oxford).

Charles Edward Searle, late Master; by Ouless.
East wall ; — Sir Robert Hitcham, Attorney-General ;
d. 1636.

Marie de Valence, foundress, d. 1377-
Copied from Faber's Mezzotint, 17 15.
King Henry VI., 1421-1471.
Left side: — WilHam Pitt, 17 59- 1806, by Harlow.

Edmund Spenser, 1553-98 : copy by Wilson.
On the screens: — Ralph Brownrigg, D.D., Fellow
1592-1659, Bishop of Exeter, 1642; Master
of S. Catherine's Hall, 1635-45.

Nicholas Felton, 1556-1626; Master, 1616 ;
Bishop of Ely, 1619-28.

Nicholas Ridley, D.D.; Master, 1540; Bishop
of Winchester, 1547; London, 1550; burnt
1555, (copied from Herologia).

John Bradford, Martyr, 1510-55 (copied
from Herologia).

Lancelot Andrewes, 1565- 1626 ; Master,
1559; Bishop of Chichester, 1605; of Ely,
1609; of Winchester, 161 8.

1 The poet Gray, it is said, occupied the rooms on the
ground floor at the west end of the Hitcham building.
Above them are those subsequently occupied by William
Pitt.

107

The Story of Cambridge

Busts ; — William Pitt, by Chantry.

Thomas Gray.
Medallion ; — William Mason.

In the Comhinat'ton Room

East wall: — Edward Maltby, D.D., 1770-1859;
Bishop of Chichester, 1831 ; of Durham,
1836-56.

Matthew Wren, 1585-1667 ; Fellow; Master,
of Peterhouse, 1625 ; Bishop of Hereford,
1634; Norwich, Ely, 1638 ; imprisoned in the
Tower, 1641-59 ; built the Chapel.

Benjamin Lany, Master, 1630-44 and 1660-
62 ; Bishop of Ely.
End wall:— Sir Henry S. Maine, K.C.S.I., LL.D.,
d. 1888; Professor of Civil Law, 1847;
Master of Trinity Hall, 1877 ; by Lowes
Dickinson.

Sir George G. Stokes, Bart., LL.D., late
Master, M.P. of the University ; Lucasian Pro-
fessor, 1849 : by Lowes Dickinson.
West wall: — Lancelot Andrewes, 1565-1626; Master
1 589 ; successively Bishop of Chichester ; of Ely,
and of Winchester : by Boxburne, from sketch by
Samuel Wright.

S. Francis of Assissi.

William Pitt, 1759-1806: by Gainsborough.

Edmund Grindall, 1519-83; Fellow; Master,
1559-62; Bishop of Lincoln, 1559; Arch-
bishop of York, 1570; Archbishop of Canter-
bury, 1575-82, act. 61, 1580, on panel.
North wall: — Tlionias Grey, 1716-71 : painted after
death by B. Wilson.

John Couch Adams, 1819-92; Fellow;
Professor of Astronomy, 1858: by Hcrkomer.
108

The Colleges of the Fourteefith Century

William Mason, 1725-97; Fellow: by
Reynolds.

Roger Long, D.D., c. 1680-1770; Master,
1733; Professor of Astronomy, 1749: by B
Wilson.

Joseph Turner, D.D. ; Master, 1784-1828:
by Dawe.

In the Library

Charles E. Coetlogon, 1746- 1820.

In the Master s Lodge

Hall : — Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York,
1480-14O1.

Princess Amelia, daughter of George TIL,
1783-1810: by Sir T. Lawrence.

Gilbert Ainslie, D.D. ; Master, 1828-1870,
d. 1870.

Robert Shorton ; Master, 1519-34 ; original at
S. John's College.
Stairs: — Sir Benjamin Keere ; ambassador, d. 1757.
Dining-room: — John Power, D.D. ; Master, 1870-
80 : by Vizard.

GONVILLE AND CAIUS
COLLEGE

Founded, as Hall of" the Annunci-
ation, by Edmund Gonville,
1348. Removed to present
site, 135 1. Court building,
1 35 1- 1490. Second founda-
tion by Dr Caius, 1557.

[The College appears to have
had no arms until it was refounded
by Dr Caius. It then bore the
arms of Gonville ; arg, on a chevron
betiveen tzvo couple closes indented sable

3 escallops or, impaled w^ith those of Dr Caius, or, service
ivith floivers garth on a square marble stone vert, Z serpents erect

109

The Story of Cambridge

their tails noivea together azure, betiveen a book sable bossed or
garnished gules and in the miadle chief a sengreen proper. In 1 5 75
they were formally granted, with the addition of a bordure
company org. and sable, ]

The early foundation of Pembroke College had
some connection, as we have seen, with the Franciscan
Order. The early foundation of Gonville Hall,
which followed that of Pembroke in 1348, had a
somewhat similar connection with the Dominicans.
Edward Gonville, its founder, was vicar-general of
the diocese of Ely, and rector of Ferrington and
Rushworch in Norfolk. In that county he had been
instrumental in causing the foundation of a Dominican
house at Thetford. Two years before his death he
settled a master and two fellows in some tenements he
had bought in Luteburgh Lane, now called Free
School Lane, on a site almost coinciding with the
present master's garden of Corpus, and gave to his
college the name of '* the Hall of the Annunciation of
the Blessed Virgin." But he died in 13 51, and left
the completion of his design to his executor. Bishop
Bateman of Norwich. Bateman removed Gonville
Hall to the north-west corner of its present site,
adjoining the " Hall of the Holy Trinity," which
he was himself endowing at the same period. How-
ever, he too died within a few years, leaving both
foundations immature. The statutes of both halls are
extant, and exhibit an interesting contrast of ideal —
the one that of a country parson of the fourteenth
century, moved by the simple desire to do something
for the encouragement of learning, and especially of
theology, in the men of his own profession — the other
that of a Bishop, a learned canonist and busy man of
affairs, long resident at the Papal court at Avignon,
regarded by the Pope as ** the flower of civilians and
canonists," desirous above all things by his College
I 10

The Colleges of the Fotirtee?ith Century

foundation of recruiting the ranks of his clergy, thinned
by the Black Death, with men trained, as he himself
had been, in the canon and civil law. It was the
Bishop's ideal that triumphed. Gonville's statutes
requiring an almost exclusively theological training for
his scholars were abolished, and the course of study in
the two halls assimilated ; Bateman, as founder of the
two societies, by a deed dated 1353, ratifying an
agreement of fraternal affection and mutual help
between the two societies, as " scions of the same
stock"; assigning, however, the precedence to the
members of Trinity Hall, *' tanquam fratres primo
geniti.'' 1 The fellows were by this agreement bound
to live together in amity like brothers, to take counsel
together in legal and other difficulties, to wear robes
or cloaks of the same pattern, and to consort together
at academic ceremonies. Thus Gonville Hall was
fairly started on its way. It ranked from the first as
a small foundation, and though it gradually added to
its buildings and acquired various endowments, it did
not materially increase its area for two centuries. The
ancient walls of its early buildings — its chapel, hall,
library, and master's lodge — are all doubtless still
standing, though coated over with the ashlar placed on
them in 1754. The ancient beams of the roof ot the
old hall are still to be seen in the attics of the present
tutor's house. The upper room over the passage
which leads from Gonville to Caius Court is the
ancient chamber of the lodge where the early masters
used to sleep, very little changed. The old main
entrance to the College was in Trinity Lane, a
thoroughfare so filthy in the reign of Richard II. that
the King himself was appealed to in order to check
the " horror abomtnabiUs *' through which students had
to plunge on their way to the schools. From time to

^ Cooper's <' Memorials," i, p. 99.

1 1 1

The Story of Cambridge

time new benefactors of the College came, though for
ihe most part of a minor sort ; some of whom, how-
ever, have left quaint traces behind them. Of such
was a certain Cluniac monk, John Household by
name, a student in 15 13, who in his will dated 1543
thus bequeaths — " To the College in Cambrydge
called Gunvyle Hall, my longer table-clothe, my two
awter (altar) pillows, with their bears of black satten
bordered with velvet pirled with goulde : also a
frontelet with the salutation of Our Lady curely
wroughte with goulde ; and besides two suts of veste-
ments having everythinge belonging to the adorning of
a preste to say masse : the one is a light green having
white ends, and the other a dunned Taphada," what-
ever that may be. He also leaves his books, " pro-
testing that whatsoever be founde in my bookes I intend
to dye a veray Catholical Christen man, and tHe King's
letheman and trewe subjecte." This might seem to
speak well, perhaps, for the catholicity of the College
in the thirty-fourth year of Henry VHI., and yet
thirteen years earlier Bishop Nix of Norwich had
written to Archbishop Warham : *' I hear no clerk
that hath come out lately of Gonwel Haule but
saverith of the frying panne, though he speak never so
holely." Anyhow, about this time the College
became notorious as a horbed of reformed opinions.
It was, however, at this time also that a young student
was trained within its walls, who, after a distinguished
career at Cambridge — it would be an anachronism to call
him senior wrangler, but his name stands first in that
list which afterwards developed into the Mathematical
Tripos — passed to the university of Padua to study
medicine under the great anatomist, Versalius, ulti-
mately becoming a professor there, and returning to
England, and to medical practice in London, and
having presumably amassed a fortune in the process,
I 12

The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

formed the design of enlarging what he pathetically
describes as "that pore house now called Gonville
Hall." On September 4, 1557, John Caius obtained
the charter for his new foundation, and the ancient
name of Gonville Hall was changed to that of Gonville
and Caius College. In the following year the new
benefactor was elected Master, and the remaining
years of his life were spent, on the one hand, in
quarrelling with Fellows about " College copes, vest-
ments, albes, crosses, tapers . . . and all massynge
abominations " ; and, on the other, in designing and
carrying out those noble architectural additions to the
College which give to the buildings of Caius College
their chief interest.

'< In his architectural works," says Mr Atkinson, " Caius
shews practical common sense combined with the love of
symbolism. His court is formed by two ranges of building
on the east and west, and on the north by the old chapel
and lodge. To the south the court is purposely left open,
and the erection of buildings on this side is expressly for-
bidden by one of his statutes, lest the air from being confined
within a narrow space should become foul. The same care
is shewn in another statute which imposes on any one who
throws dirt or offal into the court, or who airs beds or bed-
linen there, a fine of three shiUings and fourpence. In his
will also he requires that < there be mayntayned a lustie and
healthie, honest, true, and unmarried man of fortie years
of age and upwards to kepe cleane and swete the pave-
mentes.'"!

The love of Dr Caius for symbolism is shown most
conspicuously in his design of the famous three Gates
of Humility, of Virtue, and of Honour, which were
intended to typify, by the increasing richness of their
design, the path of the student from the time of his
entrance to the College, to the day when he passed to
the schools to take his Degree in Arts. The Gate of
Humility was a simple archway with an entablature

1 " Cambridge Described," by T. D. Atkinson, p. 326.
H 113

^he Story of Cambridge

supported by pilasters, forming the new entrance to the
College from Trinity Street, or as it was then called,
High Street, immediately opposite S. Michael's
Church. On the inside of this gate there was a frieze
on which was carved the word HUMILITATIS.
From this gate there led a broad walk, bordered by
trees, much in the fashion of the present avenue
entrance to Jesus College, to the Gate of Virtue, a
simple and admirable gateway tower in the range of
the new buildings, forming the eastern side of the
court, still known as Caius Court.

*' The word VIRTUTIS is inscribed on the frieze above
the arch on the eastern side, in the spandrils of which are
two female figures leaning forwards. That on the left
holds a leaf in her left hand, and a palm branch in her right ;
that on the right a purse in her right hand, and a cornucopia
in her left. The western side of this gate has on its frieze.
'10. CAIUS POSUIT SAPIENTIiE, 1567,' an inscription
manifestly derived from that on the foundation stone laid by
Dr Caius. Hence this gate is sometimes described as the
Gate of Wisdom, a name which has however no authority.
In the spandrils on this side are the arms of Dr Caius." ^

In the centre of the south wall, forming the frontage
to Schools Street, stands the Gate of Honour. It is
a singularly beautiful and picturesque composition, *♦ built
of squared hard stone wrought according to the very form
and figure which Dr Caius in his lifetime had himself
traced out for the architect." 2 It was not built until
two years after Caius' death, that is, about the year
1575. It is considered probable that the architect was
Theodore Havens of Cleves, who was undoubtedly
the designer of *' the great murall diall " over the
archway leading into Gonville Court, and of the
column *' wrought with wondrous skill containing 60
sun-dials . . . and the coat armour of those who were

1 "Willis and Clark," i. 177.

2 Cooper's ''Annals," 140.
114

il5

The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

of gentle birth at that time in the College/* standing
in the centre of Caius Court, and of the " Sacred
Tower," on the south side of the Chapel, all since
destroyed.

Beautiful as the Gate of Honour still remains, it
must have had a very different appearance when it left
the architect's hand. Many of its most interesting
features have wholly vanished. Among the illustra-
tions to Willis and Clark's " History " there is an
interesting attempt to restore the gateway with all its
original details. At each angle, immediately above the
lowest cornice, there was a tall pinnacle. Another
group of pinnacles surrounded the middle stage, one at
each corner of the hexagonal tower. On each face of
the hexagon there was a sun-dial, and " at its apex a
weathercock in the form of a serpent and dove." In the
spandrils of the arch next the court are the arms of Dr
Caius, on an oval shield, " two serpents erect, their
tails nowed together," and " between them a book."
On the frieze is carved the word HONORIS. The
whole of the stone-work was originally painted white,
and some parts, such as the sun-dials, the roses in the
circular panels, and the coats-of-arms, were brilliant
with colour and gold. The last payment for this
" painting and gilding " bears date 1696 in the Bursar's
book. Dr Caius died in 1573, and was buried in
the Chapel. On his monument are inscribed two short
sentences — Viv'tt post funera virtus and Fui Caius.

And so we may leave him and his College, and also
perhaps fitly end this chapter with the kindly words
with which Fuller commends to posterity the memory
of this great College benefactor : —

"Some since have sought to blast his memory by report-
ing him a papist ; no great crime to such who consider the
time when he was born, and foreign places wherein he was
bred : however, this I dare say in his just defence, he never
mentioneth protestants but with due respect, and sometimes

117

The Story of Cambridge

occasionally doth condemn the superstitious credulity of
popish miracles. Besides, after he had resigned his master-
ship to Dr Legg, he lived fellow-commoner in the College,
and having built himself a little seat in the chapel, was
constantly present at protestant prayers. If any say all this
amounts but to a lukewarm religion, we leave the heat of
his faith to God's sole judgment, and the light of his good
works to men's imitation." ^

The new buildings of Caius at the corner of Trinity
Street and Senate House passage, were buih by Water-
house, 1868-70, forming the north, east and south
sides of the court, commonly called Tree Court. They
took the place of either dwelling-houses or ranges of
chambers erected after the death of Dr Caius. On
the opposite side of Trinity Street a fine block of
buildings has been lately erected (1904) by the
College, on the north side of S. Michael's Church,
replacing a portion of the south side of Rose Crescent,
a passage way leading from Trinity Street to the Market
Square, which marks the site of the yard of the
" Rose and Crown," formerly one of the principal inns
of Cambridge, a house which faced to the Market
Hill.

College Portraits

In the Hall

Left side : — Portrait of a man.

William Kirby, naturalist, 1759-1850.
Christopher Green, M.D. ; Professor of
Physic, d. 174I.

Charles Frederick Mackenzie, Missionary
Bishop, 1825-62.
Portrait of a man.
Upper end : — John Warren, Bishop of Bangor, d.
1800.

1 Fuller's '< History of the University," p. 255.

The Colleges of the Fourtee?ith Century

Norman Macleod Ferrers, D.D. ; late Master.
West side: — Portrait of a man.

Jeremy Taylor, 1613-67 : copy of picture at
All Souls, Oxford.

Sir George E. Paget, M.D., 1809-92.
John Cosin, D.D. ; Bishop of Durham, aet. 72,
1594-1672.

Samuel Parr, D.D. : copy of picture in Emanuel
College by Romney.
Lower end: — Samuel Clark, D.D., 1675-1729:
copy of picture in Vestry Room, S. James, West-
minster,
(above) William Harvey, M.D., 1 569-1657.
(below) John Caius, M.D., 1510-1573.

Sir Edward Hale Alderson, 1 787-1 857.

In the Combination Room

On right of S. door:— Lord Thurlow, 1732-1806:
by Philips.

William Harvey, M.D., 1569- 1657 : copy of
a picture at the College of Physicians.

Rt. Hon. Sir W. B. Brett, Baron Esher, b.

1815.

Johanna Trapps, second wife of Robert Trapps,

benefactress.

Jocosa Frankland, daughter of Robert Trapps

Robert Trapps, citizen and goldsmith of
London, d. i 560.

John Caius, M.D., 15 10-1573.

Samuel Clarke, D.D., 167 5- 17 29.

William Harvey, M.D.

Portrait of a man.

Robert Murphy, 1806-43 : by D. Woodhouse

119

The Story of Cambridge

John Brinkley, D.D. ; Astronomer Royal of
Ireland; Bishop of Cloyne, 1763-1835.
On the landing outside four portraits unknown.

In the Library

Dr Caius.

Theodore Havens, architect (of gate of
Honour ?).

In the Master' s Lodge

Dining-room, right : — Thomas Legge, LL.D. ;
Master, 153 5- 1607.

William Braithwaite, D.D. ; Master, d. 1619.

John Gostlin, M.D. ; Master, aet. 53, c. 1566-
1626.

Thomas Batchcroft, Master, d. 1660.

James Halman, Master d. 1702.

Sir John Eleys, Master, d. 1716.

William Dell (?) Master, 1646- 1660.

John Smith, D.D. ; Master, d. 1795: by
Reynolds.

Richard Fisher Belward, D.D. ; Master, d.
1803 : by Opie.

Martin Davy, D.D.; Master, 1863-1839: by
Opie.

Benedict Chapman, D.D. ; Master, d. 1852 :
by Philips.
Over fireplace : — Robert Brady, M.D. ; Master, d.
1700.

William Harvey, M.D., 1569-1657: by
Rembrandt.

Edwin Guest, LL.D. ; Master, d. 1880 : by
Watson Gordon.

Dranv'ing-room

Martin Davy, D.D. ; Master, 1763-1839.
120

The Colleges of the Fourteenth Century

Sir Thomas Gooch, Bart., Master ; Bishop of
Ely, 1674-1754.

Study
Dr Caius.

Passage to D'tning'room
Bartholomew Wortley, Fellow, B.A., 1675.

lai

CHAPTER VI
The College of the Cambridge Guilds

"The noblest memorial of the Cambridge gilds consists of
the College which was endowed by the munificence of St.
Mary's Gild and the Corpus Christi Gild: it perpetuates
their names in its own. ... In other towns the gilds devoted
their energies to public works of many kinds — to maintaining
the sea-banks at Lynn, to sustaining the aged at Coventry,
and to educating the children at Ludlow. In embarking on
the enterprise of founding a College, the Cambridge men
seem, however, to stand alone; we can at least be sure
that the presence of the University here afforded the conditions
which rendered it possible for their liberality to take this
form." — Cunningham.

Unique Foundation of Corpus Christi College — The Cam-
bridge Guilds— The Influence of "the Good Duke"—
The Peasant Revolt — Destruction of Charters — "Perish
the skill of the Clerks ! "—The Black Death— LoUardism
at the Universities — The Poore Priestes of Wycliffe.

"LIE RE at this time were two eminent guilds or fra-
^ ternities of towns-folk in Cambridge, consisting
of brothers and sisters, under a chief annually chosen,
called an alderman.

"The Guild of Corpus «< The Guild of the Blessed
Christi, keeping their prayers Virgin, observing their offices
in S. Benedict's Church in S. Mary's Church.

" Betwixt these there was a zealous emulation, which
of them should amortize and settle best maintenance
for such chaplains to pray for the souls of those of their
brotherhood. Now, though generally in those days
the stars outshined the sun ; I mean more honour (and

122

The College of the Cambridge Guilds

consequently more wealth) was given to saints than to
Christ himself; yet here the Guild of Corpus Christi
so outstript that of the Virgin Mary in endowments,
that the latter (leaving off any further thoughts of con-
testing) desired an union, which, being embraced, they
both were incorporated together. 2. Thus being happily
married, they were not long issueless, but a small
college was erected by their united interest, which,
bearing the name of both parents, was called the College
of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Mary. However,
it hath another working-day name,_ commonly called
(from the adjoined church) Benet College ; yet so,
that on festival solemnities (when written in Latin, in
public instruments) it is termed by the foundation name
thereof." 1

So picturesquely writes Thomas Fuller of the
Foundation of Corpus Christi College.

CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE

The House of Scholars of Corpus
Christi and Blessed Mary was
projected between 1342 and
1346 by Members of the Guild
of Corpus Christi, and founded
by them in conjunction with
the Guild of S. Mary in 1352.

[The College appears to have
used at first the arms of the Guilds
of Corpus Christi and our Lady,
namely, its verbal emblem of the
Holy Trinity and the instruments
of our Lord's Passion. The present arms, granted by Cooke
at the instance of Archbishop Parker, are; Quaterly, i and ^
gu, a pelican in her piety org. ; 2 and 3 az., 3 lily JJotvers arg'^

The colleges of Cambridge owe their foundation to
many and various sources. We have already seen two

1 Fuller's "History of the University," p. 98.

123

The Story of Cambridge

of the most ancient tracing their origin to the liberaHty
and foresight of wise bishops, two others to the
widowed piety of noble ladies, one to the unselfish
goodness of a parish priest. Later we shall find the
stately patronage of kings and queens given to great
foundations, and on the long roll of university bene-
factors we shall have to commemorate the names of
great statesmen and great churchmen, philosophers,
scholars, poets, doctors, soldiers, " honoured in their
generation and the glory of their days." One college,
however, there is which has a unique foundation, for
it sprang, in the first instance, from that purest fount of
true democracy, the spirit of fraternal association for
the protection of common rights and of mutual re-
sponsibility for the religious consecration of common
duties, by which the Cambridge aldermen and burgesses
in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were striving by
their guild life to cherish those essential qualities of the
English character — personal independence and faith in
law-abidingness — which lie at the root of all that is
best in our modern civilization, and were undoubtedly
characteristic of the English people in the earliest times
of which history has anything to tell us.

The history of the guild life of Cambridge is one of
unusual interest. The story breaks o?i far oftener than
we could wish, but in the continuity of its religious
guild history Cambridge holds a very important place,
second only perhaps to that of Exeter. All the Cam-
bridge guilds of which we know anything seem to have
been essentially religious guilds, so prominent throughout
their history remained their religious object. It is only
indeed in connection with one of the earliest of which
we have any record, the guild of Cambridge Thegns
in the eleventh century, associated in devotion to
S. Etheldreda, the foundress saint of Ely, that we find
any secular element. That Guild does imleed offer to
124

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■«•

The College of the Cambridge Guilds

its members a secular protection of which the latter
guilds of the thirteenth century knew nothing, for they
were religious guilds pure and simple. It is true that
in the first charter of King John, dated 8th Jan. 1201,
there appears to be a confirmation to the burgesses of
Cambridge of a guild merchant granting to them certain
secular rights of toll. But there does not appear to be
any historical evidence to show that the Guild Merchant
of Cambridge ever took definite shape, or stood apart
in any way from the general body of burgesses. King
John's charter simply secured to the town those liberties
and franchises which all the chief boroughs of England
enjoyed at the beginning of the thirteenth century. ^

The first religious guild of which we have any
record is the Guild of the Holy Sepulchre, known to
us only by an isolated reference in the history of
Ramsey Abbey, which tells us of a fraternity existing
in 1 1 14-36, whose purpose was the building of a
Minster in honour of God and the Holy Sepulchre,
and which resulted in the erection of the Cambridge
Round Church. Of Cambridge guild life we hear
nothing more until the reign of Edward I., when we
find record of certain conveyances of land being made
to the Guild of S. Mary. From the first this guild is
closely associated with Great S. Mary's Church, the
University Church of to-day, the Church of S. Mary
at Market, as it was called in the early days. The
members of it were called the alderman, brethren and
sisters of S. Mary's Guild belonging to the Church of
the Virgin. Its benefactors direct that should the
guild cease, the benefaction shall go to the celebration
of Our Lady Mass in her Church. The underlying
spirit, however, whatever may have been the super-
stitious ritual connected with the organisation, was very

1 Cf. Introduction by Professor Maitland to the ''Cam-
bridge Borough Charters," p. xvii.

125

The Story of Cambridge

much the same as that of the English Friendly Society
of to-day. " Let all share the same lot," ran one of
the statutes; '< if any misdo, let all bear it." "For
the nourishing of brotherly love," — so the members of
another society took the oath of loyalty — " they would
be good and true loving brothers to the fraternity,
helping and counselling with all their power if any
brother that hath done his duties well and truly come
or fall to poverty, as God them help."

*<The purpose of S. Mary's Gild was primarily the pro-
vision of prayers for the members. The 'congregation' of
brethren, sometimes brethren and sisters, met at irregular
intervals, to pass ordinances and to elect officers. In 1300
they agree to attend S. Mary's Church on Jan. 2, to celebrate
solemn mass for dead members. The penalty for absence
was half a pound of wax, consumed no doubt in the pro-
vision of gild lights before the altar of Our Lady. Richard
Bateman and his wife, in their undated grant, made tlie ex-
press condition that in return they should receive daily
prayers for the health of their souls. ... In the year 1307
. . . the gild passed an ordinance directing the gild
chaplains to celebrate two trentals of masses (60 in all) for
each dead brother. If the deceased left anything in his will
to the gild, then as the alderman might appoint, the chaplains
should do more or less celebration according to the amount
bequeathed to the gild. The rule is naive, but its spirit is
unpleasing. Individualism has thrust itself in where it seems
very much out of place. The enrolment of the souls of the
dead further witnesses to the purely religious character of
the gild, and the purchase of a missal should also be
noticed."^

The minutes and bede roll of the guild, which have
lately been published by the Cambridge Antiquarian
Society, show that the association continued to flourish
down to the time of the Great Plague. On its bede
roll we find such names as those of Richard Hokyton,
vicar of the Round Church ; of " Alan Parson of

1 Miss Mary Bateson, " Introduction to Cambridge Gild
Records," published by Cambridge Antiquarian Society,
1903.

126

The College of the Cambridge Guilds

Seint Beneytis Chirche " ; of Warinus Bassingborn,
High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire in 1341 ; of Walter
Reynald, Chancellor of the University and Archbishop
of Canterbury, who died in 1327 ; and of Richard of
Bury, Bishop of Durham, and author of the Philohihlon^
who died in 1345. In 1352, on "account of poverty."
the Guild, by Royal Charter, was allowed to coalesce
with the Guild of Corpus Christi, for the purpose of
founding a college.

Of this latter guild we have no earlier record than

1349, three years only before the date of union with
S. Mary's. Its minute-book, however, which begins
in 1350, shows it to have been at that time a flourishing
institution. It had probably been founded, hke that
which bore the same dedication at York, for the pur-
pose of conducting the procession on the Feast of
Corpus Christi on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday,
a festival instituted about 1264. There are no exist-
ing bede rolls of the guild, and therefore no means of
knowing the names of any members who entered before

1350. It appears to have been attached from the first
to the ancient Church of S. Benet. The reversion of
the advowson of that Church was in 1350 held by a
group of men, several of whom were leading members
of the guild. In 1353 the then Rector entered the
guild, and "by the ordinance of his friends" resigned
the Church to the Bishop " gratis," that " the brethren
and those who had acquired the advowson " might
enter upon their possession. It is disappointing to find
that there are no guild records telling of the union of
S. Mary's guild with that of Corpus Christi, or of the
circumstances which led to the creation of the college
bearing the joint names of the two guilds. Such founda-
tion, was, as we have said, a remarkable event in the
history of Cambridge collegiate life. Not that these
guilds were the first or the last to take part in the

127

The Story of Cambridge

endowment of education ; for many of the ancient
grammar schools of the country owe their origin to, or
were greatly assisted by, the benefactions of reHgious
guilds. For example, Mr Leach in his " English
Schools at the Reformation " has noted, that out of
thirty-three guilds, of whose returns he treats, no less
than twenty-eight were supporting grammar schools.
But the foundation of a college was a more ambitious
task. It has a peculiar interest also, as that of an
effort towards the healing of what was, even at this
time, an outstanding feud between town and gown,
between city and university.

The principal authority for the history of the site
and buildings of the college is the Hist or'wla of Josselin,
a fellow of Queen's College, and Latin secretary to
Archbishop Parker. According to his narrative, the
guild of Corpus Christi had begun seriously to entertain
the idea of building a college as early as 1342, for
about that date, he says : —

"Those brethren who lived in the parishes of S. Benedict
and S. Botolph, and happened to have tenements and dwell-
ing-houses close together in the street called Leithburne
Lane, pulled them down, and with one accord set about the
task of establishing a college there : having also acquired
certain other tenements in the same street from the Univer-
sity. By this means they cleared a site for their college,
square in form and as broad as the space between the pre-
sent gate of entrance (J.e., by S. Benet's Church) and the
Master's Garden." ^

The original mover in the scheme for a guild
college may well have been the future master,
Thomas of Eltisley, chaplain to the Archbishop of
Canterbury and rector of Lambeth. Among the
Cambridge burgesses William Horwood, the mayor,
was treasurer of the Guild in 1352, and used the
mayoral seal for guild purposes, because the seals of

^Josselin, Historiolu, § 2.
128

--••'til .£lW 1 A tfl^fi'tf'B'r';^

0--
1

The College of the Cambridge Guilds

the alderman and brethren of the Guild " are not
sufficiently well known." Another mayor of Cam-
bridge about this time, Robert de Brigham, was a
member of the other associated Guild of S. Mary.
How the support of Henry, Duke of Lancaster — the
** Good Duke," as he was called — was secured does
not appear, but he is mentioned as alderman of the
Guild, in the letters patent of Edward III. in 1352,
establishing the College. His influence perhaps may
have been gained through Sir Walter Manny, the
countryman and. friend of Queen Philippa, whose
whole family was enrolled in the Guild.

At any rate, with the enrolment of the " Good
Duke " as alderman of the Guild, the success of the
proposed college was secured. In 1355 the Founda-
tion received the lormal consent of the chancellor and
masters of the University, of the Bishop of Ely, and
of the Prior and Chapter of Ely. The College
Statutes, dated in the following year, 1356, show
that "the chaplain and scholars were bound to appear
in S. Benet's or S. Botolph's Church at certain times,
and in all Masses the chaplains were to celebrate '* for
the health of the King and Queen Philippa and their
children, and the Duke of Lancaster, and the brethren
and sisters, founders and benefactors of the Guild and
College," and although this perhaps, rather than the
love of learning, pure and simple, was the chief aim
which influenced the early founders of Corpus Christi
College, the Society has in after ages held a worthy
place in the history of the University, and *' Benet
men " have occupied positions in Church and State
quite equal to those of more ample foundations.
Three Archbishops of Canterbury — Parker, Tenni-
son, and Herring — have been Corpus men, one of
whom, Matthew Parker, enriched, it with priceless
treasures, and gave to its library a unique value by
I 129

The Story of Cambridge

the bequest of what Fuller has called "the sun of
English antiquity." Indeed, if they have done nothing
else, the men of the Cambridge guilds have laid all
students of English history under a supreme debt of
gratitude in the provision of a place where so many
of the MSS. so laboriously collected by Archbishop
Parker are housed and preserved. From the walls
of Benet College, also, there went out many other
distinguished men : statesmen, like Nicholas Bacon,
the Lord Keeper of the Seal ; bishops, like Thomas
Goodrich and Peter Gunning, of Ely ; translators
of the Scriptures, like Taverner, and Huett, and
Pierson ; commentators on the old Testament, like
the learned and ingenious Dean Spenser of Ely, the
Wellhausen of the seventeenth century ; soldiers, like
the brave Earl of Lindsey, who fell at Edgehill, or
like General Braddock, who was killed in Ohio in
the colonial war against the French ; learned anti-
quaries, like Richard Gough ; sailors, like Cavendish,
the circumnavigator ; poets, like Christopher Marlowe
and John Fletcher.

The College as originally built consisted of one
court, which still remains, and is known as " the Old
Court." It still preserves much of its ancient
character, and is specially interesting as being probably
the Jirst originally planned quadrangle. Josselin speaks
of it as being *' entirely finished, chiefly in the days of
Thomas Eltisle, the first master, but chiefly in the
days of Richard Treton, the second master." It
consisted simply of a hall range on the south and
chambers on the three other sides. The former con-
tained at the south-east corner the master's chambers,
communicating with the common parlour below,
and also with the library and hall. As in most of
the early colleges, both the gateway tower and the
chapel were absent. The entrance was by an archway
130

^he College of the Cambridge Guilds

of the simplest character in the north range, opening
into the southern part of the churchyard of S. Benet,
and thus communicating with Free School Lane,
running past the east end of the church, or north-
wards past the old west tower, with Benet Street.
At the end of the fifteenth century two small
chapels, one above the other, were built adjoining
the south side of S. Benet's chancel. They were con-
nected with the College buildings by a gallery carried
on arches like that already described in connection
with Peterhouse. This picturesque building still
exists. S. Benet's Church was used as the College
chapel down to the beginning of the seventeenth
century, when a new chapel was built, mainly due tt)
the liberality of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper
of the Great Seal. This chapel occupied nearly the
same site as the western part of the present building,
which took its place in 1823, as part of the scheme of
buildings which gave to Corpus the large new court
with frontage to Trumpington Street. This new court
was built in 1823 and 1826 from designs by William
Wiikins, architect. Wilkins succeeded, though not
without difficulty, in persuading the Society to autho-
rise the destruction of the ancient chapel, because it
would not be exactly in the centre of the range of
buildings he proposed to erect. The principal feature
of these buildings is the new library occupying the
whole of the upper floor of the range of building on
the south side of the quadrangle. It is here that
the celebrated collection of ancient MSS. collected by
Archbishop Parker are housed. They contain,
among many other treasures, the Winchester text of
the " Old English Chronicle," that great national
record, which at the bidding of King Alfred, in part
quite probably under his own eye, was written in the
scriptorium of Winchester Cathedral ; ancient copies

131

T[he Story of Cambridge

of the " Penetentiale '* of Archbishop Theodore ;
King Alfred's translation of Pope Gregory's " Pas-
torale " ; Matthew Paris' own copy of his " History ";
a copy of " John of Salisbury " which once belonged
to Thomas a Becket ; the Peterborough " Psalter " ;
Chaucer's " Troilus," with a splendid frontispiece of
1 450; a magnificent folio of Homer's " Iliiad " and
" Odyssey " — a note by Josselin tells how " a baker
at Canterbury rescued it from among some waste
paper, remaining from S. Augustine's monastery after
the dissolution,"- and how the Archbishop welcomed
it as "a monstrous treasure"; and Jerome's Latin
version of the " Four Gospels," sent by Pope Gregory
to Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury,
"the most interesting manuscript in England."

No wonder that in handing over such a priceless
gift to the charge of the College, Archbishop Parker
should have striven to secure its future safety by this
stringent regulation set out in his Deed of Gift.

<' . . . That nothing be wanting for their more careful
preservation, the Masters of Gonville and Caius College and
of Trinity Hall, or their substitutes, are appointed annual
supervisors on the 6th of August ; on which occasion they
are to be invited to dinner with two scholars of his founda-
tion in those colleges ; when each of the former is to have
3s. 4d. and the scholars is, each for their trouble in over-
looking them ; at which time they may inflict a penalty of
4d. for every leaf of MS. that may be found wanting; for
every sheet 2S. ; and for every printed book or MS. missing,
aod not restored within six months afrer admonition, what
sum they think proper. But ii" 6 MSS. in folio, 8 in quarto.
and 12 in lesser size, sliould at any time be lost through
supine negligence, and not restored witliin 6 months, then
with the consent of the Vice-Chancellor and one senior
doc'or, not only all the books but likewise all the plate he
gave shall be forfeited and surrendered up to Cninville and
Caius Colltgc within a month following. .And if they should
afterwards be guilty of tlie like neglect they are then to be
delivered over to Trinity Hall, and in case of their default to

132

The College of the Cambridge Guilds

revert back in the former order. Three catalogues of these
books were directed to be made, whereof one was to be
delivered to each College, which was to be sealed with their
common seal and exhibited at every visitation."

We have spoken of the early foundation of the
Guild College as in some sense an effort on the part
of the Cambridge burgesses of the fourteenth century
to take some worthy share in the development of uni-
versity life. Unfortunately the good feeling between
town and gown was not of long duration. As the older
burgesses who had been brethren of the guilds of Corpus
Christi and S. Mary died off, an estrangement sprang
up between the members of the college they had
founded and the new generation of townsmen. The
initial cause of trouble arose from the character of some
of the early endowments of the College. It would
seem that in addition to the many houses and tenements
in the town which had been bequeathed to the College,
a particularly objectionable rate in the form of " candle
rent" was exacted by the College authorities. It is
said that so numerous were the Cambridge tenements
subjected to this rate, that one-half of the houses in
the town had become tributary to the College. The
townsmen did not long confine themselves to mere
murmuring or "passive resistance." In 1381 the
populace, taking advantage of the excitement caused
by the Wat Tyler rebellion, vented their animosity
and unreasoning hatred of learning by the destruction
of all the College books, charters, and writings, and
everything that bespoke a lettered community, on the
Saturday next after the feast of Corpus Christi,
prompted perhaps by their hatred of the pomp and
display of wealth in connection with the great annual
procession of the Host through the streets. The
bailiffs and commonalty of Cambridge, so we read in
the old record, assembled in the town hall and elected

133

The Sto?'y of Ca?7ibridge

James of Grantchester their captain. " Then going to
Corpus Christi College, breaking open the house and
doors, they traitorously carried away the charters,
writings, and muniments." On the following
Sunday they caused the great bell of S. Mary's
Church to be rung, and there broke open the university
chest. The masters and scholars under intimidation
surrendered all their charters, muniments, ordinances,
and a grand conflagration ensued in the market-place.
One old woman, Margaret Steere, gathered the ashes
in her hands and flung them into the air with the cry,
" Thus perish the skill of the clerks ! away with it !
away with it ! " Having finished their work of
destruction in the market-place, the crowd of rioters
marched out to Barnwell, "doing," so Fuller tells the
story, " many sacrilegious outrages to the Priory there.
Nor did their fury fall on men alone, even trees were
made to taste of their cruelty. In their return they
cut down a curious grove called Green's Croft by the
river side (the ground now belonging to Jesus College),
as if they bare such a hatred to all wood they would
not leave any to make gallows thereof for thieves and
murderers. All these insolences were acted just at
that juncture of time when Jack Straw and Wat Tyler
played Rex in and about London. More mischief had
they done to the scholars had not Henry Spencer, the
warlike Bishop of Norwich, casually come to Cam-
bridge with some forces and seasonably suppressed
their madness." ^

And so the story of the seven earliest of the Cam-
bridge colleges closes in a time of social misery and of
national peril. The collapse of the French war after
Crecy, and the ruinous taxation of the country which
was consequent upon it, the terrible plague of the
Black Death sweeping away half the population of
^ Fuller'B "History of Cambridge," j^. ii6.

The College of the Cambridge Guilds

England, and the iniquitous labour laws, which in face
of that depopulation strove to keep down the rate of
wages in the interests of the landlords, had brought
the country to the verge of a wide, universal, social,
political revolution. It was no time, perhaps, in which
to look for any great national advance in scholarship or
learning, much less for new theories of education or of
academic progress. It is not certainly in the subtle
realist philosophy and the dry syllogistic Latin of the
De Domino Divino of John Wycliffe, the greatest
Oxford schoolman of his age, but in the virile, homely
English tracts, terse and vehement, which John
Wycliffe, the Reformer, wrote for the guidance of his
"poore priestes " (and in which, incidentally, he made
once more the English tongue a weapon of literature),
that we find the new forces of thought and feeling
which were destined to tell on every page of our later
history. It is not in the good-humoured, gracious
worldliness of the poet Chaucer — most true to the
English life of his own day as is the varied picture of
his "Canterbury Tales" — but in the rustic shrewdness
and surly honesty of " Peterkin the Plowman " in
William Langland's great satire, that we find the true
" note " of English religion, that godliness, grim,
earnest, and Puritan, which was from henceforth to
exercise so deep an influence on the national
character.

But while what was good in the Lollard spirit
survived, the Lollards themselves, with the death of
Wycliffe and of John of Gaunt, his great friend and
protector, fell upon evil times. Their revolution by
force had almost succeeded. For a short time they
were masters of the field. But with the passing of the
immediate terror of the Peasant Revolt, the conserva-
tive forces of the state rallied to the protection of that
social order whose very existence the Lollards had,

^35

The Story of Cambridge

by their ferocious extravagance and frantic communism,
seemed to threaten. The wiser contemporaries of this
movement agreed to abandon its provocation and to
consign it to obHvion or misconception. At Oxford,
the Government threatened to suppress the University
itself unless the Lollards were displaced. And Oxford,
to outward appearance, submitted. Its Lollard chan-
cellor was dismissed. The "poore priestes " and
preachers were silenced, or departed to spread the
new Gospel of the " Biblf-men " across the sea.
Some recanted and became bishops, cardinals, perse-
cutors. But many remained obscure or silent and
cautious. Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canter-
bury, speaking of Oxford, said that there were wild
vines in the University, and therefore little grapes;
that tares were constantly sown among the pure wheat,
and that the whole University was leavened with
heresy. " You cannot meet," said a monkish his-
torian, *' five people talking together but three of them
are Lollards." At Cambridge, on the i6th Sep-
tember 1 40 1, holding a visitation in the Congregation
House, the Archbishop had privately put to the
Chancellor and the Doctors ten questions with regard to
the discipline of the University. One question was
significant. *' Were there any,^^ the Archbishop asked,
" suspected of Lollardism ? " The terrible and infamous
statute, " De Herctico Comburendo," had been passed
in the previous year, and but a few months before the
first victim of that enactment had been burnt at the
stake.

It is an historic saying, that " Cambridge bred the
Founders of the EngliNh Reformation and that Oxford
burnt them." The statement is not without its grain
of truth. The Puritan Reformation of the sixteenth
century found, no doubt, its strongest adherents in the
eastern counties of England ; but it was not so much

,36

The College of the Cambridge Guilds

because the scholars of Cambridge welcomed more
heartily than their brothers in the western university
the teaching of the scholars of Geneva, but because
the people of East Anglia, two centuries before, had
been saturated with the Bible teaching of the " poore
priestes " of Wycliffe's school, and throughout the
whole of the intervening period had secretly cherished
it. For the present, however, the curtain drops on
the age of the schoolmen with the death of Wycliffe.
When it rises again, we shall find ourselves in the age
of the New Learning. What the transition was from
one time to the other, how deeply the Revival oF
learning influenced the reformation of religion, we
shall hear in the succeeding chapters.

College Portraits
In the Hall

T. G. Ragland, Fellow ; Missionary in S. India :
posthumous portrait by Lowes Dickinson.

Sir Charles Clarke, Baron of the Exchequer, 1742.

John Owen, Founder of the Bible Society, 1765-
1822.

Thomas Herring, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1747.

Matthew Parker, Master, 1 544 ; Archbishop of
Canterbury, 1559.

Thomas Tennison, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1695.

Edward Tennison, D.D. ; Bishop of Ossory, 1731 :
by Kneller.

Edward H. Perowne, D.D. ; Master : by Rudolph
Lehmann.

Samuel S. Lewis, d. 1891 : by Brock.

John Bowstead, Bishop of Lichfield, 1840: by
Sir M. A. Shee.

John T. S. Perowne, D.D. ; Bishop of Worcester,
1891 : by Hon. John Collier.

The Story of Cambridge

Edward Byles Cowell, Professor of Sanscrit : by
Brock.

In the Combination Room

John Spencer, Master, 1667; Dean of Ely, 1667-93.

Thomas Tooke, 1 7 1 2.

Erasmus.

Sir John Cust, Speaker : by Reynolds.

John Colet, Dean of S. Paul's, 1505.

Portrait of a man.

Sir Nicholas Bacon, 15 10- 1579, Lord Keeper.

In the Master s Lodge

Dining-room'. — William Colman, Master, 1778: by
Romney.

John Barnardiston, Master, 17 64- 177 8: by Van
der Myn,

Richard Love, Master, 1632 ; Dean of Ely, 1660.

Thomas Greene, Master, 1698; Bishop of Ely, 1 7 2 3 .

MatthiasMawson,Master, i724;BishopofEly, 1754.

Samuel Bradford, Master ; Bishop of Rochester ;
Chaplain of the Order of the Bath, 1723-31.

William Stanley, Master, 1693 ; Dean of St Asaph.

John Jegon, Master, 1590- 1602; Bishop of Norwich,
1603.

Matthew Parker, Master, 1544; Archbishop of
Canterbury, 1559.

Philip Douglas, Master, 1795 '• ^Y Kirkby.

John Spencer, Master, 1667 ; Dean of Ely, 1667 :
by Van der Myn.

John Lamb, D.D., Master, 1822 ; Dean of Bristol :
by Sir W. Beechey.

James Pulling, Master, 1850-79.

In the Hall: — Queen Mary, 15 16- 15 58.

Cardinal Wolsey, 1471-1530.

Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, 1490-1540.

*3«

The College of the Cambridge Guilds

Prince Arthur, son of James I.

Prince Charles, afterwards King Charles I.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.

King James I.

King Edward IV.

Elizabeth, daughter of James I.

John Fox, the Martyrologist.

Dame Wilsford.

Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury.

Henry Butts, D.D. ; Master, 1625-1632.

Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury.

John Duncombe, Fellow, 1751-1786.

Spencer Room: — Queen Elizabeth.

King James I.

Sir Thomas More.

139

CHAPTER VII
TvDo Royal Foundations

<*Tax not the royal saint with vain expense,
With ill-matched aims the architect who planned,
Albeit labouring for a scanty band
Of white-robed scholars only — this immense
And glorious work of fine intelligence!
Give all thou can'st : high Heaven rejects the lore
Of nicely calculated less or more ;
So deemed the man who fashioned for the sense
These lofty pillars, spread that branching roof
Self-poised, and scooped into ten thousand cells.
Where light and shade repose, where music dwells
Lingering — and wandering on as loth to die ;
Like thoughts whose very sweetness yieldeth proof
That they were born for immortality."

— Wordsworth's Sonnet on Kind's College Chapel.

Henry VI. — The most pitiful Character in all English
History — His devotion to Learning and his
Saintly Spirit — His foundation of Eton and King's
College — The Building of King's College Chapel —
Its architect, Reginald of Ely, the Cathedral Master-
Mason — Its relation to the Ely Lady Chapel — Its
stained glass Windows — Its close Foundation —
Queen's College — Margaret of Anjou and Elizabeth
Wydville — The buildings of Queen's — Similarity to
Haddon Hall — Its most famous Resident, Erasmus —
His Novum Instrumentum edited within its Walls.

r\^ the 6th of December 1421, being S. Nicolas'
^^^ Day, the unhappy Henry of Windsor was born.
On the 1st of September in the following year, as an
infant of less than a year old, he began his reign of
forty miserable years as Henry VI. There is no
1 40

Two Royal Foundations

rflore pitiful character in all English history than his.
Henry V., his father, had been by far the greatest
king of Christendom, and England, under his rule,
had rejoiced in a light which was all the brighter for
the gloom that preceded and followed it. The dying
energies of mediaeval life sank into impotency with his
death. The long reign of his son is one unbroken
record of divided counsels, constitutional anarchy,
civil war, national exhaustion ; only too faithfully
fulfilling the prophecy which his father is said to have
uttered, when he was told in France of the birth of
his son at Windsor : " I, Henry of Monmouth, shall
gain much in my short reign, but Henry of Windsor
will reign much longer and lose all ; but God's will
be done."

" Henry VI." — I quote the pathetic words of my
kinsman, the historian of the Constitution —

"Henry was perhaps the most unfortunate king who
ever reigned ; he outlived power and wealth and friends ;
he saw all who had loved him perish for his sake, and, to
crown all, the son, the last and dearest of the great house
from which he sprang, the centre of all his hopes, the
depositary of the great Lancastrian traditions of English
polity, set aside and slain. And he was without doubt most
innocent of all the evils that befell England because of him.
Pious, pure, generous, patient, simple, true and just, humble,
merciful, fastidiously conscientious, modest and temperate,
he might have seemed made to rule a quiet people in qniet
times. ... It is needless to say that for the throne^ of
England in the midst of the death struggle of nations, parties,
and liberties, Henry had not one single qualification." ^

And yet he did leave an impression on the hearts of
Englishmen which will not readily be erased. For
setting aside the fabled visions and the false miracles
with which he is credited, and upon which Henry
VII. relied when he pressed the claims of his pre-

1 Stubbs, "Constitutional History," vol. iii. p. 130.

141

The Story of Cambridge

decessor for formal canonisation on Pope Julius II.,
it was certainly no mere anti-L-ancastrian loyalty or
party spirit which led the rough yeoman farmers of
Yorkshire to worship before his statue on the rood-
screen of their Minster and to sing hymns in his
honour, or caused the Latin prayers which he had
composed to be reverently handed down to the time
of the Reformation through many editions of the
*' Sarum Hours.'' One enduring monument there is
of his devotion to learning and of his saintly spirit,
which must long keep his memory green, namely, the
royal and religious foundation of the two great colleges
which he projected at Eton and at Cambridge.

Of Eton we need not speak. The fame of that
college is written large on the page of English history.
And that fame and its founder's memory we may
safely leave to the " scholars of Henry " in its halls
and playing fields to-day.

" Christ and His Mother, heavenly maid,
Mary, in whose fair name was laid
Eton's corner, bless our youth
With truth, and purity, mother of truth!

O ye, 'neath breezy skies of June,
By silver Thames' lulling tune,
In shade of willow or oak, who try
The golden gates of poesy ;

Or on the tabled sward all day
Match your strength in England's play,
Scholars of Henry giving grace
To toil and force in game or race;

Exceed the prayer and keep the fame
Of him, the sorrowful king who came
Here in his realm, a realm to found
Where he might stand for ever crowned." *

1 Robert Bridges.
142

Tiioo Royal Foundations

KING'S COLLEGE

Founded by King Henry VL, on
first site, 1440. Second site
bougiit, 1443-49. First stone
of Chapel lai^, 1446. Fabric
finished, 1515. Fellow's Build-
ings, 1724. Hall, Library,
Provost's Lodge, Screen, 1824.
Scott Building, 1870. Bodley
Building, 1893.

[The present arms of the College
are : Sable, three roses argent ; a chief
per pale azure, ajleur de lis of France,
and gules, a Lion of England,^

It was on the 12th of February 1441, when Henry
of Windsor was only nineteen years old, that the first
charter for the foundation of King's College, Cam-
bridge, was signed. On the 2nd of April in the
same year he laid the first stone. It is difficult to
say from whence the first impulse to the patronage of
learning came to the King. He had always been a
precocious scholar, too early forced to recognise his
work as successor to his father. Something of his
uncle Duke Humphrey of Gloucester's ardent love of
letters he had imbibed at an early age. No doubt,
too, the Earl of Warwick, ** the King's master " for
eighteen years, had faithfully discharged his duty to
"teach him nurture literature^ language, and other
manner of cunning as his age shall suffer him to com-
prehend such as it fitteth so great a prince to be learned
of," and had made his royal pupil a good scholar and ac-
complished gentleman : though perhaps he had suffered
the young king's mind to take somewhat too ascetic
and ecclesiastic a bent for the hard and perilous times
which he had to face : a feature of his character
which Shakespeare emphasises in the speech which he
puts into the mouth of Margaret of Anjou, his affianced
bride, in the first act of the play in which he draws

143

The Story of Cambridge

the picture of the decay of England's power under the
weak and saintly Lancastrian king with so masterly
a pencil : —

" I thought King Henry had resembled (Pole)
In courage, courtship, and proportion :
But all his mind is bent to holiness,
To number Ave-Maries on his beads :
His champions are the Prophets and Apostles :
His weapons holy saws of sacred writ :
His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves
Are brazen images o' canonized saints.
I would the college of the cardinals
Would choose him Pope, and carry him to Rome,
And set the triple crown upon his head :
That were a state fit for his holiness."^

However, the first fruits of the royal " holiness "
was a noble conception. A visit to Winchester in the
July of 1 440, where Henry studied carefully from
personal observation the working of William of
Wykeham's system of education, seems to have fired
him with the desire to rival that great pioneer of
Schoolcraft's magnificent foundations at Winchester
and Oxford. The suppression of the alien priories,
decreed by Parliament in the preceding reign and
carried out in his own, provided a convenient means
of carrying out the project. Henry V. had already
appropriated their revenues for the purposes of war in
France. Henry VI. proceeded to confiscate them
permanently as an endowment for his college founda-
tions. It would appear, however, that the first inten-
tion of the King had been that his two foundations
should have been independent of one another, and
that the connection of Eton with King's, after the
manner of W^inchester and New College, came rather
as an afterthought and as part of a later scheme. The
determination, however, that the Eton scholars should

^ Second Part of King lieuri/ FL, Act i. SC 3.
144

■■^.

-^v ^'

>yj(J

•45

Two Royal Foundations

participate in the Cambridge foundation forms part of
the King's scheme in the second charter of his college
granted on loth July 1443, '^^ which he says: —

" It is our fixed and unalterable purpose, being moved
thereto, as we trust, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
that our poor scholars of our Royal foundation of S. Mary
of Eton, after they have been sufficiently taught the first
rudiments of grammar, shall be transferred thence to our
aforesaid College of Cambridge, w^hich we will shall be
henceforth denominated our College Royal of S. Mary and
S. Nicholas, there to be more thoroughly instructed in a
liberal course of study, in other branches of knowledge, and
other professions."

The first site chosen for the College was a very
cramped and inconvenient one. It had Milne Street,
then one of the principal thoroughfares of the town,
on the west, the University Library and schools on
the east, and School Street on the north. On the
south side only had it any outlet at all. A court was
formed by placing buildings on the three unoccupied
sides, the University buildings forming a fourth.
These buildings, however, were never completely
finished, except in a temporary manner, and indeed
so remained until the end of the last century, when
they were more or less incorporated in the new build-
ings of the University Library facing Trinity Hall
Lane, erected by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1868. The
old gateway facing Clare College, which had been
begun in 1444, was at last completed from the designs
of Mr Pearson in 1890, to become one of the most
beautiful architectural gates in Cambridge.

It very soon, however, became evident that the
selected site was much too small for the projected
college. Little time was lost by the earliest provost
and scholars in petitioning the King to provide an
ampler habitation for their needs.

The Story of Cambridge

** The task was beset with difficulties that would have
daunted a mind less firmly resolved on carrying out the end
in view than the king's ; difficulties indeed that would have
been insuperable except by royal influence, backed by a
royal purse. The ground on which King's College now

;5^ "' •

> I

"K-

'>■!■

\ -1'^

stands was then densely populated. It occupied nearly the
whole of the parish of S. John Baptist, whose churcli is
believed to have stood near the west end of the chapel.
Milne Street crossed the site from north to south, in a
direction that may be easily identified from the two ends of
the street that still remain, under the name of 'I'rinity Hall
Lane and Queen's Lane. The space between Milne Street
148

IvDo Royal Foundations

and Trumpington Street, then called High Street, was
occupied by the houses and gardens of different proprietors,
and was traversed by a narrow thoroughfare called Piron
Lane, leading from High Street to S. John's Church. At
the corner of Milne Street and this lane, occupying the
ground on which about half the ante-chapel now stands,
was the small college called Goits House, founded in 1439
by William Byngham for the study of grammar, which, as
he observes in his petition to Henry VI. for leave to found
it, is 'the rote and ground of all other sciences.' On the
west side of Milne Street, between it and the river, were
the hostels of S. Austin, S. Nicholas, and S. Edmund, besides
many dwelling-houses. This district was traversed by
several lanes, affording to the townspeople ready access to
the river, and to a wharf on its bank called Salthithe. No
detailed account has been preserved of the negotiations
necessary for the acquisition of this ground, between six and
seven acres in extent, and in the very heart of Cambridge.
. . . The greatest offence appears to have been given by the
closing of the lanes leading down to the river, which was
of primary importance to mediaeval Cambridge as a highway.
In five years' time, however, the difficulties were all got over ;
the town yielded up, though not with the best grace, the
portion of Milne Street required and all the other thorough-
fares ; the hostels were suppressed, or transferred to other
sites ; the Church of S. John was pulled down, and the
parish united to that of S. Edward, whose church bears
evidence, by the spacious aisles attached to its choir, of the
extension rendered necessary at that time by the addition of
the members of Clare Hall and Trinity Hall to the number
of its parishioners." ^

On this splendid site of many acres, where now the
silent green expanse of sunlit lawn has taken the place
of the busy lanes and crowded tenements, which in
Henry's time hummed with the life of a mediaeval river-
side city, there rises the wondrous building, the crown
of fifteenth-century architecture, beautiful, unique — a
cathedral church in size, a college chapel in plan —
seeming in its lofty majesty so solitary and so aloof, and
yet so instantaneously impressive.

1 J. W. Clark, ''Cambridge," p. 145.

149

The Story of Cambridge

Who was the architect of this masterpiece ? The
credit has commonly been given to one of two men —
Nicholas Close or John Langton. Close was a man
of Flemish family, and one of the original six Fellows
of the College. He had for a few years been the
vicar of the demolished Church of S. John Zachary.
He afterwards became Bishop of Carlisle. Langton
was Master of Pembroke and Chancellor of the Uni-
versity, and was one of the commissioners appointed
by the King to superintend the scheme of the works at
their commencement. But both of these men were
theologians and divines. We have no evidence that
they were architects. Mr G. Gilbert Scott, in his
essay on " English Church Architecture," has, how-
ever, given reasons, which seem to be almost conclusive,
that the man who should really have the credit of con-
ceiving this great work was the master-mason Reginald
of Ely, who as early as 1443 was appointed by a
patent of Henry VI. "to press masons, carpenters, and
other workmen " for the new building. According to
Mr Scott's view, Nicholas Close and his fellow sur-
veyors merely did the work which in modern days
would be done by a building conmiittee. It was the
master-mason who planned the building, and who con-
tinued to act as architect until the works came to a
standstill with the deposition of the King and the en-
thronement of his successor Edward IV. in 1462.
Moreover, the character of the general design of King's
Chapel and even its architectural details, such as the
setting out of its great windows, the plan ol its vaulting
shafts, and the groining of the roofs of the small chapels
between its buttresses, lend force to Mr Scott's con-
tention. It is evident from the accuracy and minute-
ness of the directions given in "the Will of King Henry
VI." (a document which w.is not in reality a testament,
but an expression of his deliberate purpose and design
150

^voo Royal Foundations

with regard to his proposed foundation), that complete
working plans had been prepared by an architect.
Whoever that architect may have been, he had evi-
dently been commissioned to design a chapel of mag-
nificence worthy of a royal foundation. And where
more naturally could he look for his model for such a
building as the King desired than to that chapel, the
largest and the most splendid hitherto erected in
England, that finest specimen of decorated architecture
in the kingdom, Alan de Walsingham's Lady Chapel
at Ely. The relationship between the two buildings
is obvious to even an uninstructed eye, but Mr Scott
has shown how closely the original design of King's
follows the Ely Lady Chapel lines.

"Any one," he truly says, "who will carry up his eye
from the bases of the vaulting shafts to the springing of the
great vault will perceive at once that the section of the shait
does not correspond with the plan of the vault springers.
There is a sort of cripple here. The shaft is, in fact, set out
with seven members, while the design of the vault plan re-
quires but five. Thus two members of the pier have nothing
to do, and disappear somewhat clumsily in the capital. The
section of these shafts was imposed by the first architect, and
does not agree with the requirement of a fan-groin (designed
by the architect of a later date). . . . The original sections,
and the peculiar distribution of their bases, unmistakably in-
dicate a ribbed vault, with transverse, diagonal, and inter-
mediate ribs. Now, if we apply to the plan of these shaftings
at Cambridge the plan of the vaulting at Ely, we find the
two to tally precisely. Each member of the pier has its
corresponding rib, in the direction of the sweep of which
each member of the base is laid down. This might serve as
proof sufficient, but it is not all. There exist in the church
two lierne-groins of the work of the first period, those
namely of the two easternmost chapels of the north range,
and these are identical in principle with the great vault at
Ely, and with the plan that is indicated by the distribution of
the ante-chapel bases. We know then that the first designer
of the church did employ lierne and not fan-vaulting, even in
the small areas of the chapels, and that these liernes resemble
not the later form — such as we may observe in the nave of

The Story of Cambridge

Winchester Cathedral — but the earlier manner which is ex-
hibited at Ely. There can, therefore, as I conceive, be no
doubt that this great chapel was designed to be ' chare-
roofed ' with such a lierne-vault — it is practically a Welsh-
groin — as adorns the next grandest chapel in England only
sixteen miles distant." ^

There seems little doubt then that the architect of
King's Chapel was its first master-builder, Reginald of
Ely, who, trained under the shadow of the great Minster
buildings in that city, probably in its mason's yard,
naturally took as his model for the King's new chapel
at Cambridge one of the most exquisite of the works
of the great cathedral builder of the previous century,
Alan de Walsingham.

Had the original design of Reginald been completed,
several of the defects of the building, as we see it to-day,
would have been avoided. The chapel vault would
have been arched, and the great space which is now
left between the top of the windows and the spring of
the vaulting would have been avoided. Much of the
heaviness of effect also, which is felt by any one studying
the exterior of the chapel, and which is due to the low
pitch of the window arches, rendered necessary by the
alteration in the design of the great vault, would have
been avoided.

Reginald of Ely's work, however, indeed all work
on the new chapel, ceased in 1461, when the battle of
Towton gave the crown to the young Duke of York,
and the Lancastrian colleges of his rival fell upon barren
days. On the accession of Richard III. in 1483, the
new king not only showed his goodwill to the College
by the gift of lands, but ordered the building to go on
with all despatch. In 1 485, however, there commenced
another period of twenty years' stagnation. Then in
1506, Henry VIL, paying a visit with his mother to

^ G. Gilbert Scott, "History of English Architecture,"
p. 181.

152

;:r^-5 ^ v,A-,/C=

-TOT- ■" ' ._/ - ■■■

.., M'^^

,«_:.; I

153

^iJDo Royal Foundations

Cambridge, attended service in the unfinished chapel,
and determined to become its patron. In the summer
of 1508 more than a hundred masons and carpenters
were again at work, and henceforth the building suffered
no interruption. By July 1515 the fabric of the church
was finished, and had cost in all, according to the present
value of money, some ;^ 160,000.

In November of the same year a payment of ^100,
is made to Bernard Flower, the King's glazier, and a
similar sum in February 15 17. It would seem that
the same artist completed four windows, that over the
north door of the ante-chapel being the earliest. Upon
his death agreements were made in 1526 for the
erection of the whole of the remaining twenty-two
windows. They were to represent " the story of the
old lawe and of the new lawe." Above and below the
transome in each window are two separate pictures, each
pair , being divided by a " messenger," who bears a
scroll with a legend giving the subject represented. In
the lower tier the windows from north-west to south-
west represent the Life of the Blessed Virgin, the Life
of Christ, and the History of the Church, as recorded
in the Acts of the Apostles. The upper tier has scenes
from the Old Testament or from apocryphal sources
which prefigure the events recorded below. The whole
of the east window is devoted to the Passion and
Crucifixion of our Lord. The west window containing
a representation of the Last Judgment, is entirely
modern. It was executed by Messrs Clayton and
Bell, and was erected in 1879.

The following list of the subjects in these windows
will be found useful.

The Heraldry which fills the smaller lights of the
tracery consists of these devices : — -

I. The Arms of Henry VII. (not crowned) en-
circled with the garter.

^55

The Story of Cambridge

2. The Red Rose for Lancaster.

3. The Hawthorn Bush for Richard III.

4. The PortcuUis for Beaufort.

5. The Fleur de Lys.

6. H. E. for Henry VII. and EHzabeth of York.

7. H. R. for Henricus Rex.

8. The Tudor Rose.

9. The White Rose en sole'il for York.

10. H. K. for Henry VIII. and Katharine of
Aragon, as Prince and Princess of Wales.

11. The ostrich feather with a scroll of Ich d'ten.
The west window contains the arms of Stacy
(as donor), of the See of Lincoln, impaling those of
Wordsworth (as visitor), of Okes (as provost) and
others.

North Side

WINDOW 1 (westernmost)

The rejection of Joachim's Joachim among the shep-
offering by the High herds, an angel appear-

Priest because he was ing to him.

childless.

Joachim and Anna meet- The Birth of the Virgin,
ing at the golden gate
of the Temple.

WINDOW n

Presentation of the golden Marriage of Tobit and

tablet (found by fisher- Sara.

man in the sand) in the

Temple of the Sun.
Presentation of the Virgin Marriage of Joseph and

in the Temple. Mary.

* ^ * In this window there is a small compartment
at the bottom of each light containing a half figure of
a man or angel bearing a legend.

.56

Two Royal Foundations

WINDOW III

Eve tempted by the Moses and the Burning

serpent. Bush.

The Annunciation. The Nativity.

WINDOW IV

The Circumcision of Visit of Queen of Sheba to

Isaac. Solomon.

The Circumcision of Adoration of the Magi.

Jesus.

WINDOW V

The Purification of Women Jacob's flight from Esau.

under the Law.
The Purification B. V. M. The Fhght into Egypt.

WINDOW VI

The Golden Calf. The Massacre of the seed

royal by Athaliah.
The Idols of Egypt falling The Massacre of the Inno-

down before the Infant cents.

Jesus.

WINDOW VII

Naamanwashing in Jordan. Esau tempted to sell his

birthright.
The Baptism of Christ. The Temptation of Christ.

WINDOW VIII

Elisha raising the Shuna- David with the head of

mite's son. Goliath.

The raising of Lazarus. Entry of Christ into

Jerusalem.

WINDOW IX

The Manna in the wilder- The fall of the Rebel

ness. Angels.

The Last Supper. The Agony in the Garden.

The Story of Camb?'ldge

WINDOW X

Cain killing Abel. wShimei cursing David.

The Betrayal of Christ. Christ blindfolded and

mocked.

WINDOW XI

Job vexed by Satan. Solomon crowned.

The Flagellation of Christ crowned with
Christ. thorns.

EAST WINDOW

Christ nailed to the Cross. Pilate washing his hands.

Ecce Homo. The Deposition.

The Crucifixion. Christ bearing the Cross.

South Side

WINDOW XII (easternmost)

Moses and the Brazen Serpent
^ * ^ The upper portion of this window formerly
contained what is now below. The old glass was
moved into the lower lights in 1841 ; in 1845 the
upper half was filled with new lights, forming
a single picture intended to serve as a type to the
Crucifixion in the east window.
Naomi and her daughter- Christ bewailed,
in-law.

WINDOW XI

The casting of Joseph into The Exodus.

the pit.
The Entombment. The release of the Spirits

from prison.

WINDOW X

Jonah cast up by the Tobias returning to his

whale. mother.

The Resurrection. Christ appearing to the

158

Virgin.

Two Royal Foundations

WINDOW IX

Reuben seeking Joseph Darius finding Daniel alive
finds the pit empty. in the Lion's den.

The Three Maries at the Christ recognised by Mary
empty sepulchre. Magdalene.

WINDOW VIII

The Angel appearing to Habbakuk feeding Daniel.

Habbakuk.
Christ and the Disciples The Supper at Emmaus.

at Emmaus.

WINDOW VII

The return of the Prodigal Joseph welcoming Jacob.

Son.

The incredulity of S. Christ blessing the

Thomas. Apostles.

WINDOW VI

Elijah's Translation. Moses receiving the

Tables of the Law.

Christ's Ascension. The Descent of the Holy

Spirit.

WINDOW V

S. Peter and S. John heal The arrest of S. Peter
the lame man at the and S. John.
Beautiful Gate.

S. Peter preaching on the Ananias struck dead.
Day of Pentecost.

WINDOW IV

The Conversion of S. S. Paul disputing with

Paul. Jews at Damascus.

S. Paul and S. Barnabas S. Paul stoned at Lystra.
worshipped at Lystra.

The Story of Cambridge

WINDOW HI

S. Paul casting out a S. Paul before Nero.

Spirit of Divination.

S. Paul setting out from S. Paul before the chief

Philippi. Captain.

WINDOW II

The Death of Tobias. The Burial of Jacob.

The Death of the Virgin. The Burial of the Virgin.

WINDOW I (westernmost)

TheTranslation of Enoch. Solomon receiving Bath-

sheba.
The Assumption of the The Coronation of the
Virgin. Virgin.

WEST WINDOW

The Last Judgment (^one scene)

Apostles and Saints. S. Michael between two

Other angels.

Angels with the Blessed Apostles and Saints.

among whom is King

Henry VI.

Christ on the Throne of Angels with the Lost

Judgment. Souls.

The Glass in the Side Chapels

The second chantry from the west on the south
side is that of Provost Hacombleyn, who gave the
great Lectern, was Provost at the time of the glazing
of the upper windows and died in 1538. In the
tracery or croisette lights are various badges and angels,
and on the right the four beasts symbolic of the
evangelists, and on the left the four Latin Doctors —
Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine (holding a heart) and
160

Two Royal Foundations

Gregory. In the lower lights are two half length
figures. That on the left is King Henry VI. he is
crowned and holds a martyr's crown upon an open
book. An engraving of this is a common object in
Cambridge. That on the right is S. John the
Evangelist.

In the lower light of the lower window which looks
into the ante-chapel are quarries representing lily, rose,
pansy and daisy, and the initals R. H. and R. h.
one standing for Robertus Hacombleyn and the other
for Rex Henricus. In the tracery lights are various
devices of the Five Wounds, Sun and Moon, etc. and
six figures. These counting from the left are —

1. S. Christopher. 4. The Blessed Virgin.

2. S. Ursula. 5. S. Anne.

3. Angel Gabriel. 6. S. John Baptist.

The next chantry to the east is that of Robert
Brassie, Provost, 1556-58, who endowed the
chapel, during the brief revival of the old religion
during Queen Mary's time. The glass in the screen
contains the initials R. B. and little else. The outer
window contains, however, specially interesting glass.
It is part of a series older by many years than any
other glass in the chapel, being all of fifteenth century
date, and probably not late in that century. There
is a vague tradition that this glass came from Ramsey
Abbey. The figures from left to right are : —

1. S. Peter, with keys and an extraordinary uncouth

visage.

2. S. Philip with a long cross-staff.

3. A Bishop in cope, tunicle, dalmatic and alb, with

crosier and book. He is beardless and seems to
have a modern head.

4. The Prophet Zephaniah (or ? Daniel) facing

right with open book and turban. On his
L 161

The Story of Cambridge

scroll is Accedam ad nos in indicia et ero {^testis
velox). The words are from Malachi, but are
often given to Daniel or Zephaniah.

5. King David se;ited with turban and harp. His

scroll reads redcmisli me domine deus veritatis.

6. A doctor, possibly a canonist or writer like S. Yves

of Chartres.

7. S. Erasmus (?).

8. S. James the Great, with scallop on shoulder, long

staff and book.

Passing to the chantries on the north side, in the
fourth chantry from the east is a mass of fragments of
glass belonging to the series of Apostles and Prophets.
On the fragments of scrolls may be deciphered almost
the whole of the Apostles' Creed, and many portions
of the prophecies corresponding thereto.

In the Chapel east of this are the remains of the
figure of Hosea, which belonged to same series —
with a fairly perfect scroll, which reads 0 morsy ero
mors tiia.

" A bare enumeration of the subjects, however, can give
but a poor idea of these glorious paintings. What first
arrests the attention is the singularly happy blending of
colours, produced by a most ingenious juxta-position of pure
tints. The half-tones so dear to the present generation
were fortunately unknown when they were set up. Thus
though there is a profusion of brilliant scarlet, and liglit
blue, and golden yellow, there is no gaudiness. Again all
the glass admits light without let or hindrance, the shading
being laid on with sparing hands, so that the greatest amount
of brilliancy is insured. This is further enhanced by a very
copious use of white or slightly yellow glass. It must not,
however, be supposed that a grand effect of colour is all that
has been aimed at. The pictures bear a close study as works
of art. The figures are rather larger than life, and boldly
drawn, so as to be well seen from a great distance; but the
faces are full of expression and individuality, and each scene
is beautiful as a composition. They would well bear reduc-
tion within the narrow limits of an easel picture. . . . There
162

Two Royal Foundations

is no doubt that a German or Flemish influence is discernible
in some of the subjects ; but that is no more than might have
been expected, when we consider the number of sets of
pictures illustrating the life and passion of Christ that had
appeared in Germany and Flanders during the half century-
preceding their execution. . . . That these windows should
(at the time of the Puritan destruction of such things) have
been saved is a marvel ; and how it came to pass is not
exactly known. The story that they were taken out and
hidden, or, as one version of it says, buried, may be dismissed
as an idle fabrication. More likely the Puritan sentiments
of the then provost, Dr Whichcote, were regarded with such
favour by the Earl of Manchester during his occupation of
Cambridge, that he interfered to save the chapel and the
college from molestation." ^

The magnificent screen and rood-loft are carved
with the arms, badge, and initials (H. A.) of Henry
and Anne Boleyn, and with the rose, fleur-de-lis, and
portcullis. Doubtless, therefore, they were erected
between 1532 and 1535. The doors to the screen
were renewed in 1636, and bear the arms of Charles I.
The stalls were set up by Henry VHL, but they were
without canopies, the wall above them being probably
covered with hangings, the hooks for which may still
be seen under the string-course below the windows.
The stalls are in the Renaissance manner, and are the
first example of that style at Cambridge. They appear
to differ somewhat in character from Torregiano's
works at Westminster, and to be rather French than
Italian in feeling, although some portions of the figure-
carving recalls in its vigour the style of Michael
Angelo. The stall canopies and the panelling to the
east of the stalls were the work of Cornelius Austin,
and were put up about 1675. '^^^ north and south
entrance doors leading to the quire and the side chapel
are probably of the same date as the screen. The
lectern dates from the first quarter of the sixteenth

1 J. W. Clark, " Cambridge," p. 171.

163

The Story of Cambridge

century, having been given by Robert Hacombleyn,
provost, whose name it bears.

As to the remaining buildings of King's College it
is sufficient to say that the great quadrangle projected
by the founder was never built. The old buildings at
the back of the schools, hastily finished in a slight and
temporary manner, continued in use until the last
century. In 1723 a plan was furnished by James
Gibbs for a new quadrangle, of which the chapel v/as
to form the north side. The western range — the
Gibbs building — was the only part actually built.
The hall, library, provost's lodge, and several sets of
rooms at each end of the hall, as well as the stone
screen and the porter's lodge, were erected in 1 824-28,
at a cost of rather more than ^^ 100,000, from the
designs of WilHam Wilkins. A range of rooms facing
Trumpington Street were added by Sir Gilbert Scott
in 1870. The new court, which when completed will
form a court with buildings on three sides and the
river on the fourth, was commenced by Mr Bodley
in 1 89 1. At present this third side of the court is
still left open.

To return, however, to the history of the foundation.
It is an illustration of the way in which at this time
ultramontanist theories were contending for supremacy
in England, in the universities as elsewhere, that the
King should have applied to the pope for a bull grant-
ing him power to make his new college not only in-
dependent of the bishop of the diocese, but also of the
University authorities. Such a bull was granted, and
in 1 448 the University itself consented, by an instru-
ment given under its common seal, that the College, in
the matter of discipline as distinguished from Instruc-
tion, should be entirely independent of the University.
By the limitation also of the benefits of this foundation
to scholars only of Eton, the founder, perhaps, un-
164

TvDo Royal Foundations

consciously, certainly disastrously, created an exclusive
class of students endowed with exclusive privileges, an
anomaly which for more than four centuries marred the
full efficiency of Henry's splendid foundation. This
imperium in imperio was happily abolished by a new
code of statutes which became law in 1861.
" A little flock they were in Henry's hall

• • • • • ■

Hardly the circle widened, till one day
The guarded gate swung open Avide to all."

It may certainly be hoped that there is truth in the
late provost's gentle prophecy, that " it is hardly
possible that the College should relapse into what was
sometimes its old condition, that of a family party,
comfortable, indeed, but inclined to be sleepy and self-
indulgent, and not wholly free from family quarrels." ^

And yet at the same time it should not be forgotten,
as good master Fuller reminds us, that " the honour of
Athens lieth not in her walls, but in the worth of her
citizens," and that during the lengthened period in
which the society was a close foundation only open to
scholars of Eton, with a yearly entry therefore of new
members seldom exceeding half-a-dozen, it could still
point to a long list of distinguished scholars and of
men otherwise eminent — mathematicians like Oughtred,
moralists like Whichcote, theologians like Pearson,
antiquarians like Cole, poets like Waller — who had
been educated within its walls. In Cooper's
" Memorials of Cambridge," the list of eminent
King's men down to i860 occupies twenty pages,
a similar list of Trinity men, the largest college in
the university, only ten pages more. This hardly
seems to justify Dean Peacock's well-known epigram
on the unreformed King's as " a splendid Cenotaph of
learning."

^ " History of King's College," by A. Austen Leigh, p. 293.

.65

The Story of Cambridge

CoLLEGF Portraits

In the Hall

On Left of Door \ — Thomas Rotherham, 1 42 3-1 500 ;
Fellow, Archbishop of York, 1480: a modern
picture.

Henry Bradshaw, Fellow ; University Librarian,
1867-86: by Herkomer.

Rev. Richard Okes, D.D., died 1889; Provost,
1850-1889: by Herkomer.

Sir Stratford Canning, K.G., Viscount Strat-
ford de Retcliffe, 1787-1880 : by Herkomer.
End Wall: — John Bird Sumner, D.D., Archbishop
of Canterbury, 1848-62 : by E. K. Eddie,

1853-

Sir Robert Walpole, K.G., Earl of Oxford,

1676-1745.

Sir John Patteson, Judge of King's Bench,
1830 (copy of the picture at Eton).
Right Side: — Rev. Charles Simeon, D.D. ; Fellow.

Horace Walpole (copy of the picture at Lans-
downe House).

Charles Pratt, first Earl Camden, 1713-94;
Lord Chancellor : by Nathaniel Dance.

Sir Henry Dampier, Judge of King's Bench,
1813.

In the Large Combination Room

Robert Browning, Fellow, 1807.

John Price, a Benefactor.

William Cox, Archdeacon of Wilts, 1807.

King Henry VI., Founder.

Frederick Whitling, Vice Provost : by C. W. Furse.

Edward Waddington, D.D.; Bishop of Chichester,

1730.

166

TisDo Royal Foundations

Stephen Weston, D.D. ; Bishop of Exeter, 1734.
Fred. Browning, D.D. ; Fellow, 1770.

In the Small Combination Room

Sir Robert Walpole, K.G., Earl of Oxford, 1676-

T745-
Portrait of a man.

King Henry VI., Founder (apparently a copy of
the picture in Large Combination Room).

John Cox, D.D. ; Tutor of Edward VI, ; Dean
of Christ Church, Oxford, 1550; Bishop of
Ely, I 559, at the age of 84.

In the Provost's Lodge

Dining-room, Left: — Lady Jane Grey (?).

A maid-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth.
Jane Shore or (Diana of Poitiers ? The same
as picture at Eton).

Samuel Collins, Provost, 1615-44.
Portrait of a man.

Anthony Allen, Master in Chancery, d. 1754.
George Thackeray, Provost, 1814-50.
King Edward VI.

T. Okes, M.D., of Exeter, grandfather (?)
of Provost Okes.
Stairs: — Sir Robert Walpole.

Thackeray, Headmaster of Harrow.
Thomas Crouch, Fellow ; Provost of Eton ;
M.P. for the University, d. 1679, inscribed Anno
Dom. 1647.

Cardinal Wolsey (copy of the picture at

Christ Church, Oxford).

The fountain in the centre of the lawn of the Great

Court, surmounted by a statue of King Henry VI.,

was designed by H. A. Armstead and completed in

1879.

167

The Story of Cambr^idge

QUEEN'S COLLEGE

Founded on this site i447 by
Andrew Doket, under the
Patronage of Margaret of
Anjou, Queen of Henry VI.
Refounded 1465 by Elizabeth
Widville, Queen of Edward
IV.

[The College has since its
foundation borne five different
shields. The first appears on the
original seal of 1448 : it bears the
six quarteringSj Hungary, Naples,
Jerusalem, Anjou, De Barre and Loraine, of Queen Margaret
without any bordure or difl~erence. The second shield occurs
together with the arms of Edward IV. and his Queen, Eliza-
beth Widville, when the College was refounded 1465, and a
new common seal was made to commemorate the Yorkish
Queen's magnanimity. In addition to the arms of Edward IV.
and Elizabeth, which appear at the sides, there is placed in
the base of the seal a shield bearing a Cross of S. George with
a sword in the first quarter. These arms are identical with
the City of London, but it is difficult to explain their mean-
ing or presence on the College seal. The third seal of
Queen's Colle^^e is a very interesting composition It is
properly blazoned as : Sable, a cross ana crosier in saltire or,
surmounted by a boards head argent. The boar's head is usually
represented gold, but is obviously derived from Richard lll.'s
badge of a white boar, and should therefore be silver. The
two staves are the cross generally worn by S. Margaret, and
the crosier of S. Bernard. It is interesting to note in connec-
tion with these arms, that in 1544 the College possessed an
ancient silver seal, " insculptum porcellis seu apris " the gift
of Richard, King of England. Fuller ingeniously suggests
that the crossed staves in this shield " in form of S. Andrew's
cross, might in their device relate to Andrew Doket, so
much meriting of this foundation." During the days of the
Tudor kings, or at any rate during the second of that family,
the arms suggestive of further benefactors seem to have been
wholly or in part suspended, and in their stead Queens'
College used for its fourth shield the royal arms. France
modern and England quarterly, as may be seen in the com-
mon seal made in 1529. Finally, in 1575, Robert Cooke,
Clarencieux, granted to the College the present arms.
168

Two Royal Foundations

together with a crest. The original patent is preserved in
the College Treasury. It grants to the College the arms of
Queen Margaret of Anjou, but with the addition of a bordure
vert, and ior a crest, a black eagle with gold wings issuing
from a golden coronet.]

" Let us now turn from King Henry's College to the
other royal foundation of his reign which claims his
consort, the Lady Margaret of Anjou, as its foundress.
The poet Gray in his " Installation Ode," speaking of
Queen Margaret in relation to Queens' College, calls
her *' Anjou's heroine." But those Shakespearean
readers who have been accustomed to think of his
representation of the Queen in The Second Part of
King Henry Fl.y as a dramatic portrait of considerable
truth and historic consistency, will hardly recognise
the " heroic " qualities of Margaret's character.
Certainly she is not one of Shakespeare's "heroines."
She has none of the womanly grace or lovableness
of his ideal women. A woman of hard indomitable
will, mistaking too often cruelty for firmness, using
the pliancy and simplicity of her husband for mere
party ends, outraging the national conscience by stir-
ring up the Irish, the French, the Scots, against the
peace of England, finally pitting the north against the
south in a cruel and futile civil war, with nothing left of
womanhood but the almost tigress heart of a baffled
mother, this is the Queen Margaret as we know her
in Shakespeare and in history. But *< Our Lady the
Queen Margaret," who was a "nursing mother" to
Queens' College, seems a quite different figure. She
has but just come to England, a wife and queen
when little more than a child, *' good-looking and
well-grown" [specie et forma prastans), precocious,
romantic, a " devout pilgrim to the shrine of Boc-
caccio," delighting in the ballads of the troubadour,
a lover of the chase, inheriting all the literary tastes

169

The Story of Cambridge

of her father, King Rene of Anjou. The motives
which led her to become the patroness of a college
lire thus given by Thomas Fuller : —

"As Miltiades' trophy in Athens would not suffer
Themistocles to sleep, so this queen, beholding her
husband's bounty in building King's College, was restless
in herself with holy emulation until she had produced
something of the like nature, a strife wherein wives with-
out breach of duty may contend with their husbands which
should exceed in pious performance."'

Accordingly we read that in 1447 Queen Margaret,
being then but fifteen years old, sent to the King the
following petition : —

"Margaret, — To the king my soverain lord. Besechith
niekely Margaret, quene of England, youre humble wif.
Forasmuche as youre moost noble grace hath newely ordeined
and stablisshed a Collage of S. Bernard, in the Universite of
Cambrigge, with multitude of grete and faire privilages
perpetuelly apparteynyng unto the same, as in your lettres
patentes therupon made more plainly hit appereth. In the
whiche Universite is no Collage founded by eny quene of
England hidertoward. Plese hit therfore unto your high-
nesse to geve and graunte unto your seid humble wif the
fondacon and determinacon of the seid collage to be called
and named the Queue's Collage of Sainte Margarete and
Saint Bernard, or ellis of Sainte Margarett, vergine and
maitir, and Saint Bernard Confessour, and thereupon for
ful evidence therof to have licence and pouir to ley the furst
stone in her own persone or ellis by other depute of her
assignement, so that beside the moost noble and glorieus
collage roial of our Lady and Saint Nicholas, founded by
your highnesse may be founded and stablisshed the seid so
called Quenes Collage to conservacon of oure feithe and
augmentacon of pure clergie, nanily of the imparesse of alle
sciences and facultees theologie ... to the ende accus-
tomed of plain lecture and exposicon botraced with docteurs
sentence autentiq performed daily twyse by two docteurs
notable and well avised upon the bible aforenone and maistre
of the sentences afternone to the publique audience of alle
men frely, both seculiers and religieus to the magnificence

^ Fuller, " University of Cambridge," p. 161.
170

Two Royal Foundations

of denominacon of such a Quene's Collage, and to laud and
honneure of sexe feminine, like as two noble and devoute
contesses of Pembroke and of Clare, founded two collages in
the same Universite called Pembroke hall and Clare hall, the
wiche are of grete reputacon for good and worshipful clerkis
that by grete multitude have be bredde and brought forth in
theym. And of your more ample grece to graunte that alle
privileges, immunitees, profites and comoditees conteyned.in
the lettres patentes above reherced may stonde in their
strength and pouir after forme and effect of the conteine in
theyme.

" And she shal ever preye God for you."

The College of S. Bernard, mentioned in the first
paragraph of the Queen's petition, was a hostel, estab-
lished by Andrew Dokett, the rector of S. Botolph's
Church, situated on the north side of the churchyard
in Trumpington Street, adjoining Benet College. For
this hostel, Dokett had obtained from the King in
1445 a charter of incorporation as a college, but a
year later procured another charter, refounding the
College of S. Bernard on a new site, between Milne
Street and the river, adjoining the house of the
Carmelite Friars. The true founder, therefore, of
Queens' College was Andrew Dokett, but he was
forcsighted enough to seek the Queen's patronage for
his foundation, and no doubt welcomed the absorption
of S. Bernard's hostel in the royal foundation of Queens'
College. Anyhow, the foundation stone of the new
building was laid on the i 5th April 1 448. The outbreak
of the Civil War stopped the works when the first court
of the College was almost finished. Andrew Dokett,
the first master, was still alive when Edward IV. came
to the throne, and about the year 1465, he was
fortunate to secure for his College the patronage of
the new queen, Elizabeth Wydville. Elizabeth had
been in earlier days a lady-in-waiting to Margaret
of Anjou, and had herself strongly sympathised with
the Lancastrian party. It is probable, therefore, that

171

The Story of Cambridge

in accepting the patronage of the College she did so,
not in her character as Yorkist queen, but rather as
desirous of completing the work of the old mistress
whom she had faithfully served before the strange
chances of destiny had brought her as a rival to the
throne. At any rate from this period onwards the
pc^sition of the apostrophe after and not before the " s "
in " Queens' " adequately corresponds to the fact that
the College commemorates not one, but two queens
in its title.

The earliest extant statutes appear to be those of
the second foundress, the Queen Consort of Edward
IV., revised at a later time undtr the authority of
Henry VIII. It seems indeed likely that the absence
of canon law from the subjects required by statute
from all fellows, after regency in arts, and the provision
of Bible lectures in College, and divers English
sermons to be preached in chapel by the fellows,
indicates a somewhat remarkable reforming spirit for
the end of the fifteenth century, and rather points to
the conclusion that these provisions belong to the
later revised code of Henry VIII. At the time of
the foundation of Queens' College the plan of a
collegiate building had been completely developed. It
followed the lines not so much of a monastery, though
it had, of course, some features in common with the
monastic houses, but of the normal type of the large
country houses or mansions of the fifteenth century.
The late Professor Willis, in his archceological lectures
on Cambridge, was accustomed, we are told, to
exhibit in support of this view a ground plan of
Haddon Hall and Queens' College side by side.
And certainly it is surprising to notice how striking is
the similarity of the two plans. The east and west
position of the chapel at Haddon Hall happens to be
the reverse of that of Queens' College, but with that
172

Or'ui IVindoiv,

Queens' College

173

TisDo Royal Foundations

exception, and the position of the entrance gateway
to the first quadrangle, the arrangement of the build-
ings in the two mansions is practically identical. The
hall, buttery, and kitchen occupy in both the range of
buildings between the two courts ; the private dining-
room beyond the hall at Haddon is represented at
Queens' College by the fellows' combination room ;
the long gallery in the upper court of Haddon has
more or less its counterpart at Queens' in the President's
gallery in the cloister court ; the upper entrance at
Haddon is similarly placed to the passage to the old
wooden bridge at Queens'.

The principal court of Queens' was almost com-
pleted before the Wars of the Roses broke out. '< It
is," says Mr J. W. Clark, " the earliest remaining
quadrangle in Cambridge that can claim attention for
real architectural beauty and fitness of design." It is
built in red brick, and has a noble gateway flanked by
octagonal turrets, and there are square towers at each
external angle of the court. The employment of
these towers is a peculiarity which perhaps offers
presumptive evidence that the architect of the other
two royal colleges of Eton and King's may also have
been employed at Queens'. This court probably
retains more of the aspect of ancient Cambridge than
any other collegiate building in the town. Whether
Professor Willis' supposition that the original builders
had in their minds the intention of making their
College a direct copy of the design of such a house as
Haddon Hall, or were merely following the customary
arrangements of a large Manor House of the period,
there is no doubt that the first addition to the principal
court was the range of building along the river front,
forming the west side of what by still later additions
has become the cloister Court. This building with a
cloister work on the ground floor was completed

The Story of Cambridge

about 1460. Some thirty years later, about 1495,
this building was connected with the principal court by
brick, cloisters on the north and south thus forming an
irregular quadrangle, of which the west side measures
75 ft. 9 in., the east side 66 ft., the north side 102 ft.
4 in., and the south side 79 ft. The picturesque
building overhanging the cloister on the north side
with its double storied oriel windows which give so
characteristic a charm to this beautiful cloister court
was probably added about 15 10. In its original con-
dition it must have been even more picturesque, for
Loggan's print, taken about 1688, shows each of the
three large oriels on the side next to the Court
carried up above the roof as a complete octagon, the
top stage being contracted, covered with a conical
roof, surmounted by a tall ornamental iron vase. The
two smaller oriels on both the north and south sides
were carried up only as far as the eaves and had gables
above. The whole building is of timber, the walls
being carried by carved brackets springing outwards
from the cloister walls. The interior of this gallery
which now forms the long drawing-room of the
President's Lodge is one of the most beautiful and
interesting sixteenth century rooms in Cambridge.
It has a plain flat ceiling, but the walls were panneled
with oak by Humphrey Tyndale, President in 1576
and Dean of Ely and hung with portraits of one of
the Foundress Queens, Elizabeth of Widville, of
Erasmus and of other worthies of the College. In
the corner of the College ground south of the cloister
court a third court was formed by the erection of
chambers in 1564, which gave place two hundred
years later to the Essex building which at its corner
overlooks the town bridge. This court is known as
Pump Court, or Erasmus Court, the staircase of the
Erasmus Tower being in its S.E. corner. To
176

»'■ '^..'

v^^^—

^%r?i

•_■ . P ,^^

> ^,—

177

Tijoo Royal Foundations

this period also belong the ancient dial and clock over
the old chapel on the north side of the principal court,
and the famous wooden Bridge which is one of the
features of the river front. The Dial is thus described
by Cole ; —

" Over ye west end (of the chapel) is a small tower and
against ye side of it which fronts ye court is lately placed a
very handsome clock, 1733, and directly under it on ye
wall of ye Chapel and over ye Door which leads to it is also
lately painted a very elegant sun dial with all ye signs.
This is no small ornamental to ye Court to enliven it."

This tower was taken down in 1804, and replaced
by a classical turret, which itself gave place in 1848
to the present wooden turret. The present Dial and
the Bridge are commonly associated with the name of
Sir Isaac Newton. "Newton's Clock," ** Newton's
Bridge," " Erasmus' Walk," " Milton's Mulberry
Tree " — the popular association of the great names
has so much poetic glamour about it that one would
wish to believe in each case in the authenticity of the
attribution. But the historic conscience and Cambridge
accuracy alike compel the statement, as to clock and
bridge, that Newton died in 1728, and the clock and
dial are very precisely dated by Cole as being constructed
in 1733, ^"^ ^^^ bridge as precisely by Dr Plumptre
as built by Essex and designed by Etheridge in 1749.
It is true that the Bridge built then, replaced another
built in 1700, and that about this earlier bridge it is
certainly possible that Newton may have been con-
sulted, although it is only fair to remember that just
at that time Newton was temporarily absent from Cam-
bridge, having been appointed Master of the Mint,
and was so conscientiously zealous about his work that he
wrote to a friend. ^ ** I do not love to be dunned and
teased by foreigners about mathematical things, or to

1 Baily, " Life of Plumsteed," p. 164.

179

The Story of Cambridge

be thought by our own people to be trifling away my
time about them when I should be about the king's
business " But after all perhaps " the mathematical
thing " of the Queens' Bridge, complicated and in-
genious in its design as it seems, would hardly trifle
away much of Newton's time. Of Erasmus' Walk
under the trees in the garden across the Bridge, Dr
Plumptre in his MS. History writes thus : —

<<The Walk called Erasmus' Walk was, I believe, first
made in the time of Dr James, viz., in the year 1685.
(Erasmus died 1536;. For in the accounts of that year it is
spoken of as made and as planted, not replanted : and King's
College was at the expense of planting the side next the
ditch, Oueens' of that next the common. The title was
probably given it therefore in honour of that distinguished
member of the College, rather than on account of its being
a favourite walk of his. if it was so, he enjoyed I doubt no
other shade there than what arose from the adjoining grove
of Kings College : for I find no direct mention nor anything;
which may seem to imply the plantation or forming of any
walk here till this time."

The turret at south-west angle of the great court,
approached however by the staircase in the south-east
of Pump Court, overlooking Silver Street and the
town bridge and mill pond, adjoins the rooms which,
according to tradition, were occupied by Erasmus, and
whose top storey was used by him as a study. It is
commonly known as The Tower of Erasmus.
" Queens' College," says Fuller, " accounteth it
no small credit thereunto that Erasmus (who no
doubt might have pickt and chose what house he
pleased) preferred this for the place of his study for
some years in Cambridge. Either invited thither
with the fame of the learning and love of his friend
Bishop Fisher, then master thereof, or allured with
the situation of this colledge so near the river (as
Rotteidam, his native place, to the sea) with pleasant
180

TvDo Royal Foundations

walks thereabouts." An interesting account of
Erasmus' residence in Queens' is quoted by Mr
Searlei from a letter written by a fellow of the
College, Andrew Paschal, Rector of Chedsey, in the
year 1680, which pleasantly describes at least the
traditional belief.

"The staires which rise up to his studie at Queens'
College in Cambr. doe bring into two of the fairest chambers
in the ancient building; in one of them which lookes into
the hall and chief court, the Vice-President kept in my
time ; in that adjoyning it was my fortune to be, when
fellow. The chambers over are good lodgeing roomes ;
and to one of them is a square turret adjoyning, in the
upper part of which is the study of Erasmus and over it
leads. To that belongs the best prospect about the CoUedge,
viz, upon the river, into the corne fields, and country ad-
joyning. So yt it might very well consist with the civility
of the house to that great man (who was no fellow, and I
think stayed not long there) to let him have that study.
His sleeping roome might be either the President's, or to be
neer to him the next. The roome for his servitor that
above it, and through it he might goe to that studie, which
for the height and neatnesse and prospect might easily take
his phancy."

It was in this study no doubt that much of the
work was done for his edition of the New Testament
in the original Greek, that epoch-making book which
he published at Basle in 15 16; and from hence also
he must have written those amusing letters to his
friends, Ammonius, Dean Colet, Sir Thomas More,
in which comments on the progress of his work
alternate with humorous grumblings about the Cam-
bridge climate, the plague, the wine, the food : '* Here
I live like a cockle shut up in his shell, stowing myself
away in college, and perfectly mum over my books.
... I cannot go out of doors because of the plague.
... I am beset with thieves, and the wine is no

1 '< History of Queens'/' P- 154-

181

The Story of Cambridge

better than vinegar. ... I do not like the ale of
this place at all . . . if you could manage to send me
a cask of Greek wine, the very best that can be
bought, you would be doing your friend a great kind-
ness, but mind that it is not too sweet. ... I am
sending you back your cask, which I have kept by me
longer than I otherwise should have done, that I
might enjoy the perfume at least of Greek wine. . . .
My expenses here are enormous ; the profits not a
brass farthing. Believe me as though I were on my
oath, I have been here not quite five months, and yet
have spent sixty nobles : while certain members of my
(Greek) class have presented me with just a single
one, which they had much difficulty in persuading me
to accept. I have decided not to leave a stone un-
turned this winter, and in fact to throw out my sheet
anchor. If this succeeds I will build my nest here ;
if otherwise, I shall wing my flight — whither I know
not." Perhaps there is some playful exaggeration in
all this. Anyhow Erasmus stayed at Cambridge seven
years in all. He may have been justly disappointed
in his Greek class-room : *' I shall have perhaps a
larger gathering when I begin the grammar of
Theodorus," he writes plaintively ; but disappointed
there, he took refuge in his college study, and there,
high up in the south-west tower of Queens', we may
picture him, " outwatching the Bear " over the pages
of S. Jerome, as Jerome himself in his time had out-
watched it writing those same pages^ eleven hundred
years before, in his cell at Bethlehem ; or poring over
the text of his Greek Testament and its translation,
the boldest work of criticism and interpretation that
had been conceived by any scholar for many a century,
a Novum Instrumentum indeed, by which the scholars
of tlie new learning were to restore to the centuries
which tollowcd, the old true theology which had
182

;]■

^■'

iii| ;; ,.

l^'^

5^ .0^^\'.^1

i j .-f

1 ,24lW.li^'''(rTJc'('-'G

IB3

Two Koyal Foundations

been so long obscured by the subtleties of the school-
men, the new and truer theology which while based
on a foundation of sound method and historical apparatus
rests also in the joyous and refreshing story of the Son
of God, in that unique figure of a Divine Personality,
round whom centre the love, the hopes, the fears, the
joys of the coming ages.

Queens' College has many claims upon the gratitude
of EngHsh scholars and English churchmen — it would
have been sufficient that she had been the " nursing
mother " of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester —
" vere Episcopus, vere Theologus " — under whose
cautious supervision Cambridge first tasted of the fruits
of the Renascence, who "sat here governor of the
schools not only for his learning's sake, but for his
divine life " — but she can lay no claim to greater
honour than this, that within her walls three hundred
years ago, these words were written — they form part
of the noble " Paraclesis " of the Novum Test amentum
of Erasmus : —

" If the footprints of Christ are anywhere show^n to us
we kneel down and adore. Why do we not rather venerate
the living and breathing picture of him in these books? If
the vesture of Christ be exhibited, where will we not go to
kiss it? Yet were his whole wardrobe exhibited, nothing
could exhibit Christ more vividly and truly than these
Evangelical writings. Statutes of wood and stone we
decorate with gold and gems for the love of Christ. They
only profess to give us the form of his body ; these books
present us with a living image of his most holy mind.
Were we to have seen him with our own eyes, we should not
have so intimate a knowledge as they give of Christ,
speaking, healing, dying, and rising again, as it were in our
actual presence.

■ ••••••

''The sun itself is not more common and open to all than
the teaching of Christ. For I utterly dissent from those
who are unwilling that the Sacred Scriptures should be
read by the unlearned translated into their vulgar tongue,

.8;

The Story of Cambridge

as thougli Christ had taught such subtleties that they can
scarcely be understood even by a few theologians, or as
though the strength of the Christian Religion consisted in
men's ignorance of it. The mysteries of kings it may be
safer to conceal, but Christ wished his mysteries to be
published as openly as possible. I wish that even the
weakest woman should read the Gospel — should read the
Epistles of Paul. And I wish these were translated into all
languages, so that they might be read and understood, not
only by Scots and Irishmen, but also by Turks and Saracens.
To make them understood is surely the first step. It may
be that they might be ridiculed by many, but some would
take them to heart. I long that the husbandman should
sing portions of them to himself as he follows the plough,
that the weaver should hum them to the tune of his shuttle,
that the traveller should beguile with their stories the tedium
of his journey." 1

College Portraits
In the Hall

Erasmus, 1465-1 536.

Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of Edward TV. second

Foundress.
Sir Thomas Smith, LL.D. ; Fellow ; Secretary of

State, d. 1577.
[These three are copies of older pictures.]

In the Combination Room

Elizabeth Woodville.

Isaac Miiner, D.D. ; President, 1788-1820; Dean

of Carlisle : by H;irlow.
William Magan Campion, D.D. ; President; 1892-

96.
Portrait of a man.
Simon Patrick, D.D. ; Bishop of Ely, 1691-1707;

Fellow.
Thomas Penny White, Benefactor, 1778-1845.
Busts : — Sir Isaac Newton and William Pitt.

^ Erasmus, Novum Imtrumentum, leaf, aaa. 3 to bbb.

186

Erasmus
Frojn the portrait in Queen's College

Two Royal Fou7idations

In the President's Lodge

Staircase : — Commander John Honing, M.P. for Eye,

1597.

Portrait of a man.

Duchess of Rutland : by Leiy.

Duchess of Kingston : by Lely.

Portrait of a Bishop.

Jhon Ryder, Archbishop of Tuam, 1697- 177 5.

Joshua King, LL.D. ; President, 1832-57 :
by Sir W. Beechey.

John Lodge Habersty, M.D. ; Barrister at
Law ; Fellow.

In the Long Gallery

Left of entrance '. — General George Monck, Duke of
Albemarle, 1608- 1670.

King Charles IL

Oliver Cromwell.

Hugh Peters, chaplain to Oliver Cromwell, d.
1660.

Fitzwilliam : by (?) Reynolds.

William Attwood, Adm., 1688.

Sir Thomas Smith, Fellow; Secretary of State,
d. 1577.

Portrait of a man.

Queen Elizabeth Woodville, Foundress.

Erasmus.

Admiral Caleb Barnes, Adm., 1675.

Sir Henry Bridgman, Bart., 1763, aet. 37.

George Phillips, D.D. ; Preaident, 1857-
1892: by Herkomer.

Sir George Saville, Bart., 1750, aet. 23, d.
1784. •

Anne of Denmark, Queen of James L, d.
1619.

187

The Story of Cambridge

Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I., d.
1662.

Prince Henry, son of James I. d. 161 2.

Queen Elizabeth Woodville.

Prince Charles, afterwards King Charles 1.

In the Audit Room

John Davis, D.D. ; President, I7i7-i73i,d. 1753.
Thomas Walker, LL.D. ; Fellow, d. 1764.
William Sedgwick, D.D. ; President, 1731-60.
John Thornagh Hewit, LL.D. ; 1731, aet. 2y.
Robert Plumptre, D.D. ; President, 1760-S8.
Daniel Wray: by Dance.
Benjamin Langwith, D.D. ; Fellow, d. 1743.
John Lewis Petit, M.D. ; Pres. Coll. Physicians,

d. 1746.
John Hayes, D.D.; Fellow, d. 1750.
Isaac Milner, D.D.; President, 1788-1820; Dean

of Carlisle : by Opie.
Henry, fifth Earl of Huntingdon, d. 1643.
Henry Plumptre, M.D. ; Fellow; Pres. Coll.

Physicians, d. 1746.
Erasmus : by Holbein.
John Fisher, D.D. ; President, 1500-1558; Bishop

of Rochester ; beheaded, 1535.
Anthony Sparrow, D.D.; President, 1662-1667 ;

Bishop of Exeter and of Norwich, d. 1685.
Margaret of Anjou, Queen of Henry VL, Foundress.
Queen Elizabeth Woodville.
John Davenant, D.D. ; President, 161 4- 162 2; Bishop

of Salisbury, d. 1641.
Henry James, D.D. ; President, 1675-1717.
Ralj)h Perkins, D.D. ; Fellow, d. 1751 .vr. 96.

In il.'f I Ah ran/
Erasmus.
188

CHAPTER VIII
TifDo of the Smaller Halls

«< To London hence, to Cambridge thence,
With thanks to thee, O Trinity !
That to thy hall, so passing all,

I got at last.
There joy I felt, there trim I dwelt.
Then heaven from hell I shifted well
With learned men, a number then,

The time I past.

When gains were gone and years grew on,
And Death did cry, from London fly,
In Cambridge then I found again

A resting plot :
In College best of all the rest,
With thanks to thee, O Trinity!
Through thee and thine for me and mine,

Some stay I got ! "

— Thomas Thsser.

The Foundation of Trinity Hall by Bishop Bateman of
Norwich — On the Site of the Hostel of Student-Monks
of Ely — Prior Crauden — Evidence of the Ely Obedient-
ary Rolls— The College Buildings— The Old Hall- S.
Edward's Church used as College Chapel — Hugh
Latimer's Sermon on a pack of Cards — Harvey Goodwin
— Frederick Maurice — The Hall— The Library — Its
Ancient Bookcases — The Foundation of S. Catherine's
Hall.

HUS sang Thomas Tusser — the author of " Five
Hundred Points of Good Husbandry united to
as many of Good Housewifery " — of Trinity Hall and
his residence there about the year 1542. And the
words of the homely old rhymer — the most fluent

189

The Story of Cambridge

versifier, I suppose, among farmers since Virgil, wise
in his advice to others, most unlucky in the application
of his own maxims — have been echoed in spirit by
many generations of " Hall " men from his time
onwards. And indeed there is hardly perhaps another
college in Cambridge which stirs the hearts of its
members v/ith a more passionate enthusiasm of loyalty
than this, which yet never speaks of itself as a
" College," but always proudly as " The Hall."

TRINITY HALL

Founded by William Bateman,
Bishop of Norwich, 1350.

[I'he original College seal of
1350 clearly shows by the shield
in base that the College at first
bore the arms of its founder, sable,
a crescent ermine, within a bordure
engrailed argent. These arms
occur both on the seal of dignity
and the seal ad causas, by Bishop
Bateman, who followed a practice
common among Bishops during the
fourteenth century uf ditferencing
his paternal arms with an engrailed bordure. In 1575 these
fnteresting arms were set aside by Robert Cooke, Clarencieux,
who granted the College a new shield of arms with the
anomalous and absurd addition of a crest. These are, iabUs
a cressant a border ermyns and to the crest upon the healme
on a wreathe silver and sables, a lion seant gules holding a
book, the cover sables, the leaves gold. Mantilled gules
dobled silver.]

It was founded by William Bateman, Bishop of
Norwich, in i 350, but it had an earlier origin than this.
On the southern part of the present site there stood an
old house, which had been provided some thirty years
earlier for the use of the student-monks of Ely attend-
ing the University by the then Prior. This was John
of Crauden, Prior of Ely from 1321 to 1341, a man
190

Two of the Smaller Halls

of noble personal character, a model administrator of
the great possessions of his abbey, a patron of art and
learning, the friend on the one hand of Queen PhiHppa,
and on the other of the greatest cathedral builder of
the fourteenth century, Alan de Walsingham. The
portrait bust of him, which may still be seen carved at
the end of one of the hood moulds of the great octagon
arches in the Minster, shows a strong, handsome face,
dignified, benignant, pleasant ; a full, frank, eloquent
eye ; a mouth intelligent and firm, and yet with a
merry smile lurking unmistakably in its corner ; alto-
gether such a man as wc may well feel might not only
rightly be Queen Philippa's friend, as the chronicler
says, "propter amabilem et graciosam ipsius affabilitatem
et eloquentiam," ^ but one also who one might expect
to find anxious to maintain among his convent brothers
the Benedictine ideal of knowledge and learning. It
was no doubt to that end that somewhere about the
year 1325 he had purchased the house at Cambridge as
a hostel for the use of the Ely monks. In the
Obedientary Rolls of the monastery, still treasured
in the muniment room of the cathedral, there is
evidence that from his time onwards three or four of
the Ely monks were constantly residing at Cambridge at
the convent expense, taking their degrees there, and
then returning to Ely.^

^ Anglia Sacra, i. 6 50.

2 In the Ely " Obedientary Rolls " I find, for example, the
following entries for the expenses of these Cambridge
Scholars of the Monastery in the account of the chamberlain :
"20, Ed. III. scholaribus pro obolo de libra, 6|d. 31, 31,
Ed. III. fratri S de Banneham scholari pro pensione sua i/lj.
40, Ed. III. Solut' 3 schola' studentibus apud Cantabrig'
3/4J. Simoni de Banham incipient! in theologia 2/3. viz.
id de libra. 9, Hen iV. dat' ffrati Galfrido Welyngton ad
incepcionem suam in canone apud cantabrig' 6/8. 4, Hen.
V. ffratribus Edmundo Walsingham et Henry Madingley ad
incepcionem 3/4."

191

The Story of Cambridge

It is probable, however, that the residence of the
Ely monks was, shortly after Crauden's time, trans-
ferred from this hostel to the rooms provided in Monk's
College on the present site of Magdalene, for a register
among the Ely muniments shows that in the twenty-
fourth year of Edward III. John of Crauden's hostel
was conveyed by the Prior and Convent to the Bishop
of Norwich for the purpose of his proposed college.
The old Monk's Hali was still standing in 1 731, for
it is contained in a plan of the College of that date
preserved in the College library. A note in Warren's
" History of Trinity Hall " informs us that a part of
it was destroyed in 1823. Warren himself speaks of
it as " Y° Old Building for y° Monks, where y'' Pigeon
House is." Now all has vanished, unless perhaps some
underground foundations in the garden of the Master's
Lodge.

The buildings of the College, in their general
arrangement, have probably been little altered since
their completion in the fourteenth century. They had
the peculiarity of an entrance court between the principal
court and the street, like the outer court of a monastery.
The original gateway, however, of this entrance — the
Porter's Court, as it was called at a later date — has
been removed, and the College is now enteied directly
from the street.

It is probable that the Hall, forming one half of the
western side of the principal court, was built during
the lifetime of the founder, as also was the original
eastern range, rebuilt in the last century. This wou d
give a date, 1355, for these two ranges. The buttery
and the northern block of buildings belong to 1374.
In early days Trinity Hall shared with Clare Hall
the Church of S. John Zachary as a joint College
chapel. When in connection with the building of
King's College the Church of S. John was removed,
192

Two of the Smaller Halls

two aisles were added to the chancel of S. Edward's
Church for the accommodation of "the Hail " students.
The present chapel appears to date from the end of the
fourteenth, or probably the early part of the fifteenth
century. The only architectural features, however, at
present visible of mediasval character are the piscina and
the buttresses on the south side.

The advowson of the Church of S. Edward, the north
aisle of the chancel of which was for a time used as
the College chapel, was acquired by the College in the
middle of the fifteenth century, and has thus remained
to our own day.

"The complete control," says Mr Maiden in his lately
published " History of Trinity Hall," " of the Church by a
College whose Fellows, in course of time, were more and
more a lay body, while other Colleges continued to be ex-
clusively clerical, might be expected to give opportunity for
the ministrations of men whose opinions might not be those
preferred by the dominant clerical party at the moment. In
1529, for instance, during the mastership of Stephen Gardiner
be it observed, Hugh Latimer, who is said to have become a
reformer from the persuasions of Bilney, Fellow of Trinity
Hall, preached in S. Edward's on the Sunday before Christ-
mas. He preached there often, but on this occasion he sur-
passed himself in originality, taking apparently a pack, of
cards as his text, and illustrating from the Christmas game
of Triumph, with hearts as ' triumph,' or trumps as we say,
the superiority of heart-religion over the vain outward show
of the superstitious ornaments of the other court cards
Buckenham, Prior of the Dominicans, answered him from
the same pulpit, and preached on dice Latimer answered
him again. The whole must have been more entertaining
than edifying."

This tradition of independence, at any rate in pulpit
teaching, though in less eccentric ways, has been re-
tained by S. Edward's down to our own time. Here
in 1832, Henry John Rose, the Cambridge Tractarian,
the brother of Hugh James Rose, of "the Oxford
Movement," represented the moderate wing of the
N 193

The Story of Cambridge

new Anglican party. Here, during the years pre-
ceding his promotion to the Deanery of Ely in 1858,
Harvey Goodwin preached that series of sermons,
simple, pithy, robust, which Sunday by Sunday
crowded with undergraduates the Church of S.
Edward for nearly eight years, as a church in a
university city has seldom been crowded. Here, also,
in 1 87 I Frederick Denison Maurice — the most repre-
sentative churchman probably of the nineteenth century,
for it was he rather than Pusey or Newman, who, by
his interpretation of the Doctrine of the Incarnation,
has most profoundly moulded, inspired, and transfigured
the Church ideals of the present — found an oppor-
tunity of preaching when too many of the parochial
pulpits of England were closed to him.

The grave and the trivial mingle in college as in
other human affairs. And so it came about that the
possession of the spiritualities of S. Edward's parish
compelled the Fellows of the Hall to keep an eye on
its temporalities, and from time to time to beat its
bounds. Here is one record of such "beating." It
was May 23 id, viz., Ascension Day in 1734., when the
Fellows deputed for the purpose started from Three
Tuns and went by the Mitre, the White Hoise, and the
Black Bull before reaching S. Catherine's Hall. They
penetrated King's, but regretted to find that here the
Brewhouse was shut up. They encircled Clare and
Trinity Hall, therefore, and came back to the Three
Tuns whence they had started two hours before.
They had not, quite evidently — for the full circuit is
not great — been walking all the time. The account
ends : —

"N.B — One bottle of white wine given us at y"^ Tuns, and
one bottle of white wine given us at the Mitre. Ale and
bread and cheese given l)y the Minister of S. Kdward's at y
Ijencli in our College Hackside. Mem. — To be given by

'94

Two of the Smaller Halls

ye Minister twelve half-penny loaves, sixpenny worth of
Cheshire cheeses, seven quarts and a half of ale in y^ great
stone bottle for y® people in general, and a tankard of ale
for each church warden "^

It will be remembered that in the last chapter, in
speaking of the books left to Corpus Christi College
by Archbishop Parker, we mentioned that provision
of his deed of gift by which under certain contin-
oencies the books were to be transferred from Corpus
to Trinity Hall. It is quite probable that this pro-
vision drew the attention of the authorities of the
latter college to the possible need of a library. It is
unknown, however, when exactly the present library
was built. The style proclaims Elizabeth's reign or
thereabouts. Professor Willis conjectured about 1600.
But whatever the date may be, it is very fortunate
that the hand of the restorer which fell so heavily
upon so many other of the College buildings should
have mercifully spared the library, which to this day
retains its early simplicity of character, leaving it one
of the most interesting of the old book rooms in the
University. Mr J. W. Clark in his valuable essay on
the Development of Libraries and their fittings, pub-
lished two years ago under the title "The Care of
Books," has thus spoken of the library of Trinity
Hall :—

"The Library of Trinity Hall is thoroughly mediaeval
in plan, being a long narrow room on the first floor of the
north side of the second court, 65 feet long by 20 feet wide,
with eight equi-distant windows in each side wall, and a
window of four lights in the western gable. It was built
about 1600, but the fittings are even later, having been
added between 1626 and 1645 during the mastership of
Thomas Eden, LL.D. They are therefore a deliberate re-
turn to ancient forms at a time when a different type had
been adopted elsewhere.

^ Warren, Appendix, cxvi.

The Story of Cambridge

<' There are four desks and six seats on each side ol the
room, placed, as usual, at right angles to the side walls, in
the interspaces of the windows, respectively.

"These lecterns are of oak, 6 feet 7 inches long, and 7
feet high, measured to the top of the ornamental finial.
There is a sloping desk at the top, beneath which is a
single shelf. The bar for the chains passes under the desk,
through the two vertical ends of the case. At the end
furthest from the wall, the hasp of the lock is hinged to the
bar and secured by two keys. Beneath the shelf there is at
either end a slip of wood which indicates that there was
once a movable desk which could be pulled out when re-
quired. The reader could therefore consult his convenience,
and work either sitting or standing. For both these posi-
tions the heights are very suitable, and at the bottom of the
case was a plinth on which he could set his feet. The seats
between each pair of desks were of course put up at the
same time as the desks themselves. They show an advance
in comfort, being divided into two so as to allow of support
to the readers' backs." ^

The garden of the Hall was laid out early in the
last century, with formal walks and yew hedges and a
raised terrace overlooking the river. The well-known
epigram quoted by Gunning in his *' Reminiscences"-
has for its topic not this garden but the small triangular
plot next to Trinity Hall Lane, which was planted
and surrounded by a paling in 1793, ^Y ^^" -Joseph
Jowett, the then tutor.

»* A little garden little Jowett made
And fenced it with a little palisade.
But when this little garden made a little talk,
He changed it to a little gravel walk ;
If you would know the mind of little Jowett
Tliis little garden doth a little show it."

It has usually been attributed to Archdeacon Wranghnm.
There are several versions of it, and a translation into
Latin, whicli runs as follows : —

1 " Care of Books,'" pp. 168-69. '-' Vol. ii. 30.

196

livo of the Smaller Halls

" Exiguum hunc hortum, fecit Jowettulus iste
Exiguus, vallo et muniit exiguo:
Exiguo hoc horto forsan Jowettulus iste
Exiguus mentem prodidit exiguam."

College Portraits

In the Hall

Left of Entrance : — Philip Dormer, fourth Earl of
Chesterfield, 1694-1773: by W. Hoare.

Sir Edward Simpson, LL.D.; Master ; Dean
of Arches, d. 1764.

Samuel Halifax, D.D. ; Bishop of Gloucester,

1733-90-

Sir Henry Maine, K.C.S.I., LL.D. ; Master,

1877-88 : by Lowes Dickinson.

Richard, Viscount Fitzwilliam, Founder of
Fitzwilliam Museum, d. 181 6: copy of picture
in Museum.

Sir Alexander E. Cockburn, Lord Chief-
Justice, 1802-80: by Watts.

End of Hall'. — Sir Nathaniel Lloyd, LL.D.;
Master, 17 10- 173 5; King's Advocate, d.
1741.

Henry Latham, M.A.; Master: by Holl,
1884.

Rt. Hon. Henry Fawcett, M.P.; Fellow; Pro-
fessor of Political Economy ; Postmaster-General :
by Rathbone.

Edward Bulwer Lytton, 1803-73 : copy of
picture by Maclise.

Sir John Eardly Wilmot, Lord Chief- Justice,
1709-92.

Bust of Lord Mansfield : by Nollekens.

197

l^be Story of Cambridge

In the Combination Room

Left oj Entrance'. — Thomas Thirlb)'-, 1506-70;
Bishop of Westminster, 154O; Norwich, 15 50;

Ely, 1554-58.

Portrait of a Bishop: ? Home of Norwich.

Francis Dickens, LL.D. ; Professor of Civil
Law, d. 1755.

John Andrews, LL.D. ; Master of Faculties,
d. 1747.

James Johnson, LL.D. ; Master of Faculties,
d. 1729.

Portrait of a man.

Stephen Gardiner, 149 5 - ^555; Master;
Bishop of Winchester ; Lord Chancellor ; Chan-
cellor of the University.

Richard Cox, Bishop of Ely, d. 1572.

In the Master-' s Lodge

Dining-room, left of d. : — Nathaniel, Lord Crewe,
Bishop of Durham, 1633-1722.

Sir Henry Marten, Judge, time of James L

Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury,
1573-1650.

John Williams, Lord Keeper, Archbishop of
York, 1582-1650.

Stephen Gardiner, Master ; Bishop of Win-
chester ; Lord Chancellor ; Chancellor of Uni-
versity, c. 1495- I 555.

Clement Corbet, Master, d. 1626.
On the Stairs : — Henry Latham, Master : by Dickinson.

Thomas Cliarles Geldart, Master, 1852-77.

198

In the Drawing-room
Mr Justice Romer : by Dickinson, c. 1895.

TnjDo of the Smaller Halls

S. CATHERINE'S COLLEGE

Founded 1475 by Robert Wood-
larke, third Provost of King's
College

[Robert Woodlarke's ''College
or Hall of S. Katharine the Virgin "
seems always to have borne for its
arms : gules a Catherine ivheel or. In
his Sphere of Gentry, Sylvanus Mor-
gan gives the field of the shield
as sable instead of gules, perhaps
from analogy of the arms of the
Founder's College, but the red for

the Virgin Martyr seems more fitting. Bishop Browne, of
Bristol, himself a S. Catherine's man suggests that the College
should resume its arms as Woodlarke had them, the royal
lion of England and the royal lily of France impaling the
passion wheel of S. Catherine.]

At the end of the fifteenth century, just twenty years
after the fall of Constantinople, Dr Robert Woodlark,
third Provost of King's College and some time
Chancellor of the University, founded the small
" House of Learning," which he called S. Catherine's
Hall, possibly because Henry VI., whose mother was
a Catherine, was his patron, or possibly because at this
time S. Catherine of Alexandria, the patron saint of
scholars, was a popular saint. In the statutes he says,
" I have founded and established a college or hall to
the praise, glory, and honour of our Lord Jesus Christ,
of the most glorious Virgin Mary, His mother, and of
the Holy Virgin Katerine, for the exaltation of the
Christian faith, for the defence and furtherance of the Holy
Church, and growth of science and faculties of philo-
sophy and sacred theolof^y." In the autumn of 1473
a Master and three Fellows took up their residence
in a small court which had just been built on a site
in Milne Street, close to the Bull Inn. The chapel
and library, however, do not appear to have been

199

The Story of Cambridge

completed until a few years later. In 1520 a second
court was added, and a century later, in 1634, some
new buildings were commenced to the north of the
principal court and adjacent to Queen's Street. These
buildings, which are the only old buildings that still
remain, were completed two years later.

The appearance of" Kateryn's Hall " in the seven-
teenth century is thus described by FulK r : —

"This may be termed Aula Bella (if not a proper), a
pretty hall, even by the confession of the poet so critical in
the word

" Sed qui bellus homo, Cotta ' pusillus ' homo."
" What thing is in itself but small
That, Cotta, we do pretty call."

And the beholding of this house mindeth me of what
Sir Thomas More writeth of a she-favourite of King Edward
the Fourth, as to this particular conformity betwixt them
(otherwise far be it from me to resemble this virgin hall to a
wanton woman) namely that ' there was nothing in her
body one could have changed except one could have wished
her somewhat higher.' Lowness of endowment and little-
ness of receipt is all that can be cavilled at in this foundation,
otherwise proportionably most complete in chapel, cloisters,
library, hall, etc. Indeed this house was long town-bound
(which hindereth the growth thereof) till Dr Goslin, that
good physician cured it of that disease, by giving the Bull
Inn thereunto, so that since it hath flourished with buildings,
and students lately more numerous than in greater Colleges.

This last sentence is no doubt in allusion to the
timely and valuable gift of the property of the Bull
Inn, with its ground running through from Trump-
ington Street to Queens' Lane, by bequest of John
Gostlin, M.D., Master of Caius : of which bequest
it is said that in former days the fellows of Caius used
to drink despondently and deeply "to the unhappy
memory of Dr Gosling who was such a goose as to
leave the Bull to Catherine."

The rebuilding of the College was due to Dr
200

r-;>JK,'.

«j

Y.*-

M MA r

? U'^v.-z-

ir^

ft "I

'I flife

|_P III fS^ s »*; p»

•-^.frl

..^ — •«!•*■

^•^"i

.(^

.^■V

,^^C>..«rt^s-

^ ^. —

Two of the Smaller Halls

Eachard, master in 1675-97. He built the hall,
buttery, west range and south range of buildings as
far as the Ramsden Building. He died in 1697,
leaving his design incomplete, for Loggan's print of
1688 shows a complete four-sided court, the eastern
front of which to the street was to have contained the
library. The chapel was built in 1744, on the site
of the stables of Thomas Hobson, whose just but
despotic method of dealing with his customers gave
rise to the phrase " Hobson's choice " : and the
Ramsden Building opposite some fifty years later by
funds bequeathed by Mrs Mary Ramsden. The
original idea of a closed court was apparently abandoned
at this time, the frontage being completed by Essex
with the present railings and gateway. The ap-
pearance of the court has been much altered by the
addition in 1868 of an oriel window to the hall,
and by the introduction of other windows filled with
Gothic tracery.

College Portraits
In the Hall

Edwin Sandys, D.D. ; Archbishop of York, d. 1588.

Portrait of clergyman, eighteenth century.

John Lightfoot, D.D.; Master, 1650-167 5.

Mrs Ramsden of Norton, Yorkshire, Benefactress.

Robert Woodlarke, Founder and Master, 147 3- 147 5,
by Kneller.

Benjamin Hoadly, D.D. ; Fellow; Bishop of Win-
chester, 1 676- 1 76 1.

Thomas Sherlock, D.D. ; Master ; 1714-19 ; Bishop
of London, d. 1761.

Portrait of. a man.

Thomas Turton, D.D., as Dean of Westminster,
afterwards (1845-1864) Bishop of Ely.

201

The Story of Cambridge

Portrait of a man.

„ of a woman.

,, of a man.
Mrs Robinson ( ? mother of Mrs Ramsden.)
George Elwes Corrie, D.D. ; Fellow ; Master of
College, 1849-1885.

In the Combination Room

John Goslin, M.D. ; Master of Caius Coll., 1618-25 >

Professor of Physic ; Benefactor.
John, Lord Cutts.
Portrait of a man.

Joseph Proctor, D.D. ; Master. 1799-1845.
Portrait of a man.

,, of a man.

,, of a woman.

„ of a man.

,, of a man.
Prince Charles, Duke of York, afterwards Charles II.
A cleric, eighteenth century.
Francis Blackburne, Archdeacon of Cleveland.
A cleric, eighteenth century.

In the Master s Lodge

Hall: — Mrs Ramsden.
Stairs : — Mr Skyrne.

Bust — Thomas Turton, Bishop of Ely.
Drawing-Room : — Lady Ayscough.

A man, one of the Ayscough family.

Lady Ayscough.
Dining-room : — John W. Ray, inscribed Ex dono R.

Ray, 1752.

Lady Ayscough.

Portrait of a man.

A group of Dutch painters, time of Terburg.

Mrs Brearey : by Kneller.
202

CHAPTER IX

Bishop Alcock and the Nuns of
S, Rhadegund

" Yea, since his dayes a cocke was in the fen,
I knowe his voyce among a thousand men :
He taught, he preached, he mended every wrong :
But, Coridon, alas I no good thing abideth long.
He All was a Cocke, he wakened us from sleepe
And while we slumbered he did our foldes keep:
No cur, no foxes, nor butchers' dogges would
Coulde hurte our folds, his watching was so good ;
The hungry wolves which did that time abounde,
What time he crowed abashed at the sounde.
This Cocke was no more abashed at the Foxe
Than is a Lion abashed at the Oxe."

— Alexander Barclay, Monk of Ely, 15 13.

The New Learning in Italy and Germany — The English
"Pilgrim Scholars": Grey, Tiptoft, Linacre, Grocyn
— The practical Genius of England — Bishops Rother-
ham, Alcock, and Fisher — Alcock, diplomatist, financier,
architect — The Founder of Jesus College — He takes as
his model Jesus College, Rotherham — His Object the
Training of a Preaching Clergy — The Story of the
Nunnery of S. Rhadegund — Its Dissolution — Conversion
of the Conventual Church into a College Chapel — The
Monastic Buildings, Gateway, Cloister, Chapter House
— The Founder a Better Architect than an Educational
Reformer — The Jesus Roll of eminent Men from
Cranmer to Coleridge.

T^HE historical importance of the New Learning

depends ultimately on the fact that its influence

on the Western world broadened out into a new

203

The Stoj-y of Cambridge

capacity for culture in general, which took various
forms according to the dirferent local or national
conditions with which it came into contact. In Italy,
its land of origin, the Classical Revival was felt mainly
as an aesthetic ideal, an instrument for the self-culture
of the individual, expressing itself in delight for beauty
of form and elegance of literary style, bringing to the
life of the cultured classes a social charm and distinction
of tone, which, however, it is difficult sometimes to
distinguish from a merely refined paganism. In France
and Spain too, where the basis of character was also
Latin, the aesthetic spirit of classical antiquity was
readily assimilated. To a French or a Spanish
scholar sympathy with the pagan spirit was instinctive
and innate. The Teutonic genius, however, both on
the side of Literature and of Art, remained sturdily
impervious to the more aesthetic side of the Italian
Renaissance. In Germany the aesthetic influence was
evident enough — we can trace it plainly in the writings
of Erasmus and Melancthon, though with them Italian
humanism was always a secondary aim subservient to
a greater end — but it had a strongly marked character
of its own, wholly different from the Italian. The
Renaissance in Germany indeed we rightly know by
the name of the Reformation, and the paramount task
of the German scholars of the New Learning we
recognise to have been the elucidation of the true
meaning of the Bible. Similarly in England the
scholarly mind was at first little affected by the
.jbSthetic considerations which meant so much to a
Frenchman or an Italian. A few chosen Englishmen,
it Is true, "pilgrim scholars" they were called —
William Grey, Bishoj) of Ely, John 'i'iptoft. Earl if
Worcester, Thomas Linacre, William Grocyn stand
out perhaps most conspicuously — were drawn to Italy
by the rumours of the marvellous treasures rescued
204

Bishop Alcock

from monastic lumber rooms, or conveyed over seas by
fugitive Greeks, but they returned to England to iind
that there was little they could do except to bequeath
the books and manuscripts they had collected to an
Oxford or a Cambridge College, and hope for happier
times when scholars would be found to read them.
It was not indeed until the little group of Hellenists —
Erasmus and Linacre and Grocyn and Colet — had
shown the value of Greek thought as an interpreter of
the New Testament, that any enthusiasm for the New
Learning could be awakened in England. An increase
of a knowledge of the Bible was worth working for,
not the elegancies of an accurate Latin style. English-
men in the fifteenth century were busy in the task of
developing trade and commerce, and their intellectual
tone took colour from their daily work. It became
eminently utilitarian and practical. An English
scholar was willing to accept the New Learning if you
wou'd prove to him that it was useful or was true, that
it was only beautiful did not at first much affect him.
It was only therefore with an eye to strictly practical
results that at the universities the New Learning was
welcomed, and even there tardily.

Nowhere perhaps is this practical tendency of
English scholarship at this period more characteristically
shown than in the Cambridge work of Thomas Alcock
and John Fisher, the founders respectively of Jesus
College and of the twin colleges of Christ's and John's.
Alcock and Fisher were both of them Yorkshiremen,
born and educated at Beverley in the Grammar School
connected with the Minster there, and both proceed-
ing from thence to Cambridge : Alcock in all likeli-
hood, though there is some doubt about this, to
Pembroke, where he took his LL.D. degree in or
before 1461 ; Fisher to Michaelhouse, of which he
became a Fellow in 1491.

205

The Story of Cambridge

Of Alcock, the historian Bale has said that " no
one in England had a greater reputation for sanctity."
He was equally remarkable for his practical qualities,
as a diplomatist, as a financier, as an architect. He
had twice been a Royal Commissioner, under Richard
HI. and under Henry VII., to arrange treaties with
Scotland. By an arrangement, of which no similar
instance is known, he had conjointly held the office of
Lord Chancellor with Bishop Rotherham of Lincoln,
he himself at that time ruling the diocese of Rochester.
As early as 1462 he had been made Master of the
Rolls. In 1 476 he was translated to Worcester, and
at the same time became Lord President of Wales.
On the accession of Henry VII., he was made
Comptroller of the Royal Works and Buildings, an
office for which he was especially fitted, it is said, by
his skill as an architect. In i486 he was translated
to the See of Ely and again made Lord Chancellor.

JESUS COLLEGE

Founded 1497 by John Alcock,
Bishop of Ely, on the sup-
pression of the Nunnery of S.
Rhadegund.

[Bishop Alcock's College of
"Jesus, Mary, and John Evan-
gelist" displays in the base of its
first seal, which dates from the
foundation in 1496, a shield bearing
the five wounds of Christ. 'I'hese
arnr* were probably set aside at
the Reformation as savouring of
'= superstition ^ and in their stead the Cululogus of 1572 gives
the later arms of the founder: argent, on a fas hetivecii thre:
cocks' heads erased sable, hcakfd, combed and ivaiilfd o^nhs a mitre
or. The present arms, which are the founder's within a
bordure of the See of Ely, were granted with a crest by
Cooke in 1575. They are blazoned as: silver, a fess betiueen
three cocks' heads, erased sable combed and ivattled, a border gules
206

Bishop Alcock

semy croivns golden. In the Jesus grant the crowns are ten in
number. The crest g^ranted at the same time is a cock, sable,
membered gules, issuing from a gold coronet ."^

It was as Bishop of Ely that he undertook the
foundation of Jesus College. There can, I think, be
little doubt that for the idea of his projected college
he was indebted to his old Cambridge friend and co-
chancellor, Thomas Rotherham, at this time Arch-
bishop of York. At any rate, it is noteworthy that
each of the friends founded in his Diocese — the Arch-
bishop at his native place of Rotherham, the Bishop of
Ely at Cambridge — a college dedicated to the name
of Jesus. Jesus College, Rotherham, was founded in
1481 : Jesus College, Cambridge, followed fifteen
years later. The main object of the two prelates was
probably the same. In the license for the foundation
of Rotherham's college its objects are stated to be
twofold : " To preach the Word of God in the Parish
of Rotherham and in other places in the Diocese of
York ; and to instruct gratuitously, in the rules of
grammar and song, scholars from all parts of England,
and especially from the Diocese of York." There is
no reason to suppose that the needs of the Diocese of
Ely, even fifteen years later, were any different. For
the fact that Jesus College, Rotherham, should consist
of ten persons — a provost, six choristers, and three
masters — who can teach respectively grammar, music,
and writing, the Archbishop gave the fanciful reason,
that as he, its founder, had offended God in His ten
commandments, so he desired the benefit of the prayers
of ten persons on his behalf. Alcock's motive for
fixing the number of his new Society of Jesus at
Cambridge at thirteen seems to have been no less
characteristic. Thirteen, the number of the original
Christian Society of Our Lord and His Apostles,
was the common complement of the professed members

207

The Story of Cambridge

of a monastic society, and may in all likelihood have
been the original number of the nuns of S. Rhadegund,
whose house the Bishop was about to suppress to found
his new college.

" Rotherham's College, according to its measure, was in-
tended to meet two pressing needs of his time, and especially
of northern England — a preaching clergy, and boys trained
for the service of the Church. At the end of the fifteenth
century ' both theology and the art of preaching seemed in
danger of general neglect. At the English universities,
and consequently throughout the whole country, the sermon
was falling into almost complete disuse.' The disfavour
with which it was regarded by the heads of the Church was
largely due to fear of the activity of the Lollards, which
had brought all popular harangues and discourses under
suspicion. When the embers of heresy had been extinguished,
here and there a reforming churchman sought to restore
among the parish clergy the old preaching activity. In the
wide unmanageable dioceses of the north the lack of an
educated, preaching priesthood was most aj^parent. Bishop
Stanley is probably only echoing tlie language of Alcock
when he begins and closes his statutes with an exhortation
to the society, whom he addresses as ' scholars of Jesus,' so
to conduct themselves ' that the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ may be honoured, the clergy multiplied, and the
people called to the praise of God.' He enacts that of the
five Foundation Fellows (one of Alcock's having been sup-
pressed) four shall be devoted to the study of theology, and
he requires that tliey shall be chosen from natives of five
counties, which, owing to the imperfections of the single
existing copy of his statutes, are unspecified. If, as is
likely, this county restriction was re-introduced by Stanley
from the provisions made by Alcock, it is natural to surmise
that the founder's native county was one of those preferred.
Certain it is that his small society had a Yorkshireman,
Chubbes of Whitby, for its master. He had been a Fellow
of Pembroke, and probably from the same society and county
came one of the original Fellows of Jesus, William Atkynson.
"The same fear of Lollardism which had stiHed preaching
had caused the teaching profession to be regarded with
jealousy by the authorities of the Church. In a limited
part of north-eastern England, William Byngham, about
the year 1439, found seventy schools void for • grete scarstie
208

Bishop Alcock

of Maistres of Gramar' which fifty years previously had
been in active use. His foundation of God's House at
Cambridge was designed to supply trained masters to these
derelict schools. The boys' schools attached to Rotherham's
and Alcock's Foundations were intended to meet the same
deficiency. Presumably Alcock meant that one or other of
his Fellows should supply the teaching, for his foundation
did not include a school-master. The linking of a grammar
school with a house of university students was of course no
novelty ; the connection of Winchester with New College
had been copied by Henry VI. in the association of Eton
and King's. But Alcock's plan of including boys and ' dons '
within the same walls, and making them mix in the common
life and discipline of hall and chapel, if not absolutely a new
thing, had no nearer prototype in an English university
than Walter de Merton's provisions in the statutes of his
College for a Grammatkus and Pueri. Though the school
was meant to supply a practical need, the pattern of it seems
to have been suggested by Alcock's mediaeval sentiment.
There is indeed no evidence or likelihood that S. Rhadegund's
Nunnery maintained a school, but the same monastic pre-
cedent which Alcock apparently followed in fixing the
number of his society prescribed the type of his school. It
stood in the quarter where monastic schools were always
placed, next the gate, in the old building which had served
the nuns as their almonry." ^

The story of the nunnery of S. Rhadegund, which,
under the auspices of Bishop Alcock, became Jesus
College, is an interesting one. Luckily, the material
for that history is fairly complete. The nuns be-
queathed a large mass of miscellaneous documents —
charters, wills, account rolls — to the College, and the
scrupulous care with which they were originally housed,
and not less, perhaps, the wholesome neglect which
has since respected their repose in the College muni-
ment room, have fortunately preserved them intact to
the present time, and have enabled the present tutor
of the College, Mr Arthur Gray, to reconstruct a
fairly complete picture of this isolated woman's com-

1 "Jesus College," by A. Gray, p. 32.

o 209

The Story of Cambridge

munity in an alien world of men in pre- Academic
Cambridge, and of the depravation and decay which
came of that isolation, and which ended in the first
suppression in England of an independent House of
Religion. I am indebted for the following particulars
to Mr Gray*s monograph on the priory of S. Rhade-
gund, published a year or two ago by the Cambridge
Antiquarian Society, and to the first chapter of his
lately published College History.

Who the nuns were that first settled on the Green-
Croft by the river bank below Cambridge, and whence
they came thither, and by what title they became
possessed of their original site, the documents they
have handed down to us across the centuries apparently
do not record. It is true that in the letters patent of
Henry VH. for the dissolution of the nunnery and
the erection of a college in its room it is asserted —
evidently on the representation of Bishop Alcock —
that S. Rhadegund's Priory was "of the foundation
and patronage of the Bishop, as in right of his Cathedral
Church of Ely." The nun's " original cell " was no
doubt of the Benedictine Order, and the great Priory
of Ely, fifteen miles away dov/n the river, was also
Benedictine, and the good Bishop may have been
right in his assertion of the connection between the
two. but it is a little doubtful whether he could have
given chapter and verse for his assertion. What is
certain is this, that Nigel, the second Bishop of Ely,
in the opening years of Stephen's reign, gave to the
nuns their earliest charter. It is addressed with
Norman magnificence "to all barons and men of S.
Ethcldrytha, cleric or lay, French or English," and it
grants for a rent of twelve pence, "to the nuns of the
cell lately established without the vill of Cantebruge,"
certain land lying near to other land belonging to the
same cell. To the friendly interest of the same

2IO

Bishop Alcock

Bishop it seerrts probable that the nuns owed their
first considerable benefaction. This was a parcel of
ground, consisting of two virgates and six acres of
meadow and four cottars with their tenure in the neigh-
bouring village of Shelford, granted to them by a
certain William the Monk. The fact that after seven
centuries and a half the successors of the nuns of S.
Rhadegund, the Master and Fellow of Jesus College,
still hold possession of the same property is not only a
remarkable instance of continuity of title, but also, let
us hope, is sufficient proof that the original donor had
come by his title honestly — a fact about which there
might otherwise have been some suspicion, when we
read such a record as this of this same William the
Monk in the Historia Eliensis of Thomas of Ely :
'* With axes and hammers, and every implement of
masonry he profanely assailed the shrine (of S. Ethel-
dreda, the Foundress Saint in the Church of Ely),
and with his own hand robbed it of its metal.'' How-
ever, it is something that further on in the same record
we may read : " He lived to repent it bitterly. He,
who had once been extraordinarily rich and had lacked
for nothing, was reduced to such extreme poverty as
not even to have the necessaries of life. At last when
he had lost all and knew not whither to turn himself,
by urgent entreaty he prevailed on the Ely brethren to
receive him into their order, and there with unceasing
lamentation, tears, vigils, and prayers deploring his
guilt, he ended his days in sincere penitence."

Oiher benefactions followed that of William the
Monk, lands, customs, tithes, fishing rights, advowsons
of churches. At some time in the reign of Henry II.
the nuns acquired the advowson of All Saints Church
— All Saints in the Jewry — a living which still belongs
to the Masters and Fellows of Jesus, although the old
church standing in the open space opposite the gate of

21 I

The Story of Cambridge

John's was removed in the middle of the last century,
and is now represented by the memorial cross placed
on the vacant spot and by the fine new church of All

f^-^^-^fy

S. J (Jut's iind

Diviiiiti/ Schools, and
Memorial Cross.

Saints facing Jesus College. The advowson of S.
Clements followed in the year 1215, given to the nuns
by an Alderman of the Cambridge Guild Merchants.
Altogether the nunnery, though never a large house,
seems to have acquired a comfortable patrimony.
212

Bishop Alcock

''The Account Rolls which the departing sisters left
behind them in 1496 reveal pretty fully the routine of their
lives. Books — save for the casual mention of the binding of
the lives of the saints — were none of their business, and
works of charity, excepting the customary dole to the poor
on Maundy Thursday, and occasional relief to " poor soldiers
disabled in the wars of Our Lord the King,' scarcely con-
cerned them more. The duties of hospitality in the Guest
House make the Cellaress a busy woman. They cost a good
deal, but are not unprofitable ; the nuns take in ' paying
guests,' daughters of tradesmen and others. Being ladies,
the sisters neither toil nor spin ; but the Prioress and the
Grangeress have an army of servants, whose daily duties have
to be assigned to them ; carters and ploughmen have to be
sent out to the scattered plots owned by the Nunnery in the
open fields about Cambridge ; the neatherd has to drive the
cattle to distant Willingham fen ; the brewer has instructions
for malting and brewing the ' peny-ale ' which serves the
nuns for ' bevers ' ; and the women servants are despatched
to work in the dairy, to weed the garden, or to weave and
to make candles in the hospice. Once in a while a party of
the nuns, accompanied by their maid-servants, takes boat as
far as to Lynn, there to buy stock-fish and Norway timber,
and to fetch a letter for the Prioress." ^

There is not much sign, alas ! in all the record of
any great devotion to religion, such as we might have
expected to find in regard to such a House. Indeed,
it would seem that there was seldom a time in the
history of the Nunnery when a visit from the Bishop
of the Diocese or from one of his commissioners on a
round of inspection was other than a much-resented
occurrence. Discipline, indeed, appears to have been
generally lax in the Nunnery, and the sisters or some
of them easily got permission to gad outside the cloister.
Scandal is a key which generally unlocks the cloister
gate and permits a glance into the interior shadows.
Bene vixif qua bene latuit.

" Not such was Margaret Cailly, whose sad story was the
gossip of the nuns' parlour in 1389. She came of an old and

1 " History of Jesus," A. Gray, p. 16.

213

The Story of Cambridge

reputable family which had furnished mayors and bailiffs to
Cambridge and had endowed the nuns with land at Trump-
ington. For reasons sufficiently moving her, which we may
only surmise, she escaped from the cloister, discarded her re-
ligious garb, and sought hiding in the alien diocese of Lincoln.
But it so happened that Archbishop Courtenay that year was
making metropolitical visitation of that diocese, and it was the
ill-fortune of Margaret, ' a sheep wandering from the fold
among thorns,' to come under his notice. The Archbishop,
solicitous that ' her blood be not required at our hands,'
handed her over to the keeping of our brother of Ely. The
Bishop in turn passed her on to the custody of her own
Prioress, with injunctions that she should be kept in close
confinement, under exercise of salutary penance, until she
showed signs of contrition for her 'excesses'; and further
that when the said Margaret first entered the chapter-hou-e
she should humbly implore pardon of the Prioress and her
sisters for her offences. The story ends for us at Margaret's
prison-door." ^

Such a story, more or less typical, I fear, of much
and long continued lax discipline, prepares us for the
end. When Bishop Alcock visited the House in
1497, we are not surprised perhaps at the evidence
which is set forth in the Letters Patent authorising the
foundation of his College in the place of the Nunnery.
The buildings and properties of the house are said to
be dilapidated and wasted " owing to the improvidence,
extravagance, and incontinence of the nuns resulting
from their proximity to the University." Two nuns
only remain ; one of them is professed elsewhere, the
other is mfam'is. They are in abject want, utterly
unable to maintain Divine service or the works of
mercy and piety required of them, and are ready to
depart, leaving the home desolate.

From the nuns of S. Rhadegund then Jesus College
received no heritage of noble ideal. Two things only
they have left behind them for whicii they merit

1 *' History of Jesus," A. Gra) , p. 1 8,
214

Bishop Alcock

gratitude. Firstly, a bundle of deeds and manuscripts,
inconsiderable to them, very valuable to the scholars
and historians of the future ; and secondly, their fine
old church and monastic buildings.

In writing in a previous chapter of the buildings of
Queens' we drew attention to the fact that the general
plan of the College followed in the main the lines of a
large country house such as Haddon Hall. And in
degree this is true of the other college buildings in
Cambridge. A mere glance at a ground-plan of Jesus
will show at once that the arrangement of the buildings
is entirely different from that of any other college at
Cambridge, and it is clearly derived from that of a
monastery. This accords with what we know of its
history. However dilapidated the old Nunnery may
have become through the poverty and neglect of the
nuns, the outward walls of solid clunch, which under
a facing of later brick, still testify to the durability of
the Nunnery builders, were still practically intact, and
Bishop Alcock had too much practical skill as an
architect to destroy buildings which he could so easily
adapt to the needs of his college, and harmonise to
fifteenth century fashions in architecture.

In his conversion of the Nunnery buildings to the
purposes of his college. Bishop Alcock grouped the
buildings he required round the original cloister of the
nuns, increasing the size of that cloister by the breadth
of the north aisle of the Conventual Church which he
pulled down. The hall was placed on the north side,
the library on the west. The kitchens and offices
were in the angle of the cloister between the hall and
library. The master's lodge at the south-west corner
was partly constructed out of the altered nave of the
church, and partly out of new buildings connecting this
south-western corner of the cloister with the gate of
entrance. This gateway, approached by a long

21^

The Story of dunb ridge

gravelled path between nigh walls, known popularly as
"the chimney," is one of the most picturesque features
of the College. It is usually ascribed to Bishop
Alcock, but on architectural evidence only. It is thus
described by Professor Willis : —

"The picturesque red-brick gateway tower of Jesus
College (1497), although destitute of angle-turrets, is yet
distinguished from the ground upwards by a slight relief,
by stone quoins, and by having its string courses designedly
placed at different levels from those of the chambers on each
side of it. The general disposition of the ornamentation of
its arch and of the wall above it furnished the model for the
more elaborate gate-houses at Christ's College and St John's
College. Tlie ogee hood-mould rises upwards, and the stem
of its finial terminates under the base of a handsome taber-
nacle which occupies the centre of the upper stage, with a
window on each side of it. Each of the spandrel spaces
contains a shield, and a larger shield is to be found in the
triangular field between the hood-mould and the arch."

Professor Willis thus describes also the Conventual
Church and the changes which were made by the
Bishop in his conversion of it into a college chapel.

''The church . . . presented an arrangement totally
different from that of the chapel of Jesus College at the present
day. It was planned in the form of a cross, with a tower
in the centre, and had in addition to a north and south
transept, aisles on the north and south sides of the eastern
limb, flanking it along half the extent of its walls, and
forming chapels which opened to the chancel by two pier
arches in each wall. The structure was completed by a nave
of seven piers with side aisles . (The church) was an
admirable specimen of the architecture of its period, and two
of the best preserved remaining portions, the series of lancet
windows on the north and south sides of the eastern limb,
and the arcade that ornaments the inner surface of the tower
walls, will always attract attention and admiration for the
beauty of their composition.

" Under the direction of Bishop /Ucock the side aisles,
both of the chancel and of the nave, were entirely removed,
the pier arches by which they had communicated with the
216

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: --^r.c

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^\'-.v

Bishop Alcock

remaining centre portion of the building were walled up,
and the place of each arch was occupied by a perpendicular
window of the plainest description. The walls were raised,
a flat roof was substituted for the high pitched roof of the
original structure, large perpendicular windows were in-
serted in the gables of the chancel and south transept, and
lastly, two thirds of the nave were cut off from the church
by a wall, and fitted up partly as a lodge for the master,
partly as chambers for students.

" As for the portion set apart for the chapel of the college,
the changes were so skilfully effected and so completely
concealed by plaster within and without, that all trace
and even knowledge of the old aisles was lost ; but in the
course of preparations for repairs in 1846 the removal of
some of the plaster made known the fact that the present
two south windows of the chancel were inserted in walls
which were themselves merely the fiUing-up of a pair of
pier-arches and that these arches, together with the piers upon
which they rested, and the responds whence they sprang
still existed in the walls. When this key to the secret of
the church had been supplied, it was resolved to push the
inquiry to the uttermost ; all the plaster was stripped off
the inner face of the walls ; piers and arches were brought
to light again in all directions : old foundations were sought
for on the outside of the building, and a complete and
systematic examination of the plan and structure of the
original Church was set on foot, which led to very satis-
factory results."!

To-day the completely restored church, the work at
varying intervals from 1849 to 1869 of Salvin and
Pugin and Bodley, forms one of the most beautiful and
interesting college chapels in Cambridge. An import-
ant series of stained glass windows were executed by
Mr William Morris from the designs of Burne-Jones
between 1873-77.

The subjects are the following, beginning with the
north-east window in the south transept and counting
from left to right in each case : —

! Willis and Clark's "Architectural History of Cam-
bridge," vol. ii. p. 123.

217

The Story of Cambridge

I. NORTH WINDOW, FAST WALL.

The Incarnation

Sibylla Perslca. The Nativity.

The Annunciation. Sibylla Cumana.

S. MatthjEus. The Adoration of the

Magi.

II. SOUTH WINDOW, EAST WALL

The Passion
Sibylla Delphica. The Flagellationof Christ.

The Agony in the Garden. Sibylla Cimmeria.
S. Lucas. Christ bearing the Cross.

III. WINDOW IN THE SOUTH WALL

In the tracery : — The Heavenly Choir.

Seraphim, Cherubim, Throni, Potestates, Domina-
tiones, Principatus, Virtutes, Archangeli, Angeli,
Imago Dei, S. Ursula, S. Dorothea, S. Rhadegunda,
S. Cecilia, S. Catherina, S. Heironymus, S. Gregorius,
John Alcock, S. Ambrosius, S. Augustinus.

IV. SOUTH WINDOW, WEST WALL

The Resurrection
Sibylla Phrygia The Incredulity of

Thomas.
Christ recognised by Sibylla Tibyssa.

Mary Magdalene.
S. Marcus. The Supper at Emmaus.

V. NORTH WINDOW, WEST WALL

7 he Jlscension
Sibylla Erythraea. The Adoration of the

Lamb.
The Vision of S. Stephen. Sibylla Tiburtina.
S. Johannes. The Descent of the Holy

Spirit,

2jS

Bishop Alcock

NAVE

VJ. EAST WINDOW, SOUTH WALL

Adam. Noe Patriarcha.

The Fall. The Lord shows to Noah

the pattern of the ark.
Enoch. Abram heres Mundi.

An Angel leading Enoch.

VII. WEST WINDOW, SOUTH WALL

Moses. David.

The Burning Bush. David and Goliath.

Samuel. Solomon.

Eli and Samuel. Building of Temple,

VIII. WEST WINDOW, NORTH WALL

Isaiah. Ezekiel.

Destruction of Senna- The Resurrection of Dry
cherib. Bones.

Jeremiah. Daniel in the Lion's den.

Punishment of Nebuchad-
nezzar.

IX. EAST WINDOW, NORTH WALL

Temperance. Fortitude.

Anger. Cowardice.

Justice. Prudence.

Injustice. Folly.

NORTH TRANSEPT, West Wall

X. SOUTH WINDOW XI. NORTH WINDOW

Hope, Faith, Charity. Patience, Obedience, Do-

cility.
■^^■^ The legends are principally from the Bible.
The others are from S. Augustine's chapter on the
Sibyls ( De Civitate De'i^ Bk. xviii.. Chap. 23.).

219

The Story of Cambridge

In 1893 the Rev. Osmund Fisher, a former Dean
of the College, at this time elected an Honorary
Fellow, remembering to have seen in his undergraduate
days of fifty years before indications of old Gothic
work in the wall of the cloister, during some re-
pair of the plaster work, obtained leave of the
Master to investigate the wall. This led to the dis-
covery of the beautiful triple group of early English
arches and doorway which formed the original entrance
to the chapter-house of the Nunnery, one of the most
charming bits of thirteenth century architectural
grouping in all Cambridge.

Bishop Alcock was probably a better architect than
he was an educational reformer. He was successful
enough in converting the fabric of the dissolved
Nunnery into college buildings. It may be doubted
whether he was equally successful in translating his
friend Archbishop Rotherham's ideal of a grammar
school college into a working institution. In the con-
stitution which he gave to his college there were to be
places found for both Fellows and boys — Scholares et
Pueri — but the Scholares were obviously to be men,
and the Pueri simply schoolboys, for they were to be
under fourteen years of age on admission ; and Juveries,
undergraduate scholars, did not enter into his plan.
The amended statutes of his successors, Bishops
Stanley and West, gave some definition to the founder's
scheme, but they did not materially modify it. Within
fifty years, in fact, from its foundation, Jesus College,
as Alcock had conceived it, had become an ana-
chronism, and the claustral community of student
priests with their schoolboy acolytes, not seriously
concerned with true education, and unvivified by con-
tact with the real student scholar, came near to perish-
ing, as a thing born out of due season. The dawn
of what might seem to be a better state of things only
220

Bishop Alcock

began with the endowment of scholarships — scholar-
ships, that is to say, in the modern sense — in the reign
of Edward VI. It was only, however, with the
university reforms of the nineteenth century that the
proportion of college revenue allotted to such endow-
ment fund was reasonably assessed.

And yet with this somewhat meagre scholarship
equipment the
roll of eminent
men belonging to
Jesus College is
a worthy one.
On the very first
page of that roll
we are confronted
with the name of
Cranmer. We
do not know the
name of any
student whose
admission to the
College preceded
his. Wary and
sagacious then,
as in later life,
he had resisted
the tempting offer
of a Fellowship
at Wolsey's new
college of Christ Church at Oxford to come to
Cambridge, there, it is true at first, *' to be nursed in
the grossest kind of sophistry, logic, philosophy,
moral and natural (not in the text of the old philo-
sophers, but chiefly in the dark riddles of Duns and
other subtle questionists), to his age of 22 years," but
shortly, having taken his B.A. degree in 151 1, to

221

T^he Story of Cambridge

receive from Erasmus, who in that year began to
lecture at Cambridge as Lady Margaret Reader, his
first bent towards those studit-s which led eventually
to the publication of his *' Short Instruction into
Christian Religion," which it had been better had he
himself more closely followed, and possibly towards
that opportunist policy, which in the event ended so
sadly for himself, and meant so much, both of evil
and of good, to the future of both Church and State
in England. Closely associated with Cranmer were
other Jesus men, noted theologians of the reforming
party ; — John Bale, afterwards Bishop of Os-ory,
called " bilious Bale " by Fuller because of the
rancour of his attacks on his papal opponents, Geoffry
Downs, Thomas Goodrich, afterwards Bishop of
Ely, John Edmunds, Robert Okyng, and others. In
the list of succeeding archbishops claimed by the
College as Jesus men occur the names of Herring,
Huttun, Siernc. The Sterne family indeed con-
tribute not a few members through several generations
to the College, not the least eminent being the author
of "Tristram Shandy" and <' The Sentimental
Journey." The portraits of both Laurence Sterne
and his great grandfather the Archbishop hang on the
walls of the dining-hall, the severe eyes of the Caroline
divine looking across as if with much disfavour at the
trim and smiling figure of his descendant, the young
cleric so unlike his idea of what a priest and scholar
should be. Other than " Shandean " influence in the
College is, however, suggesteil by the name of Henry
Venn among the admissions of 1742, when he
migrated to Jesus after three months' residence at S.
John's, and exercised an inHuencc prophetic of the
great movement of Cambridge evangelicalism, pro-
longed far into the next century by Venn's pupil and
friend, Charles Simeon. It is probable, however,
222

Bishop Alcock

that there is no more brilliant page in the history of
Jesus College than that which tells the story of the
last decade of the seventeenth century, and which
contains the names of William Otter, E. D. Clarke,
Robert Malthus, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
Coleridge was elected a Rustat Scholar in 1791 and
a Foundation Scholar in 1793, ^^^ ^^ gained no
academic distinction. There was no classical tripos
in those days, and to obtain a Chancellor's medal it
was necessary that a candidate should have obtained
honours in mathematics, for which Coleridge had all
a poet's abhorrence. Among the poems of his college
days may be remembered, " A Wish written in
Jesus Wood, Feb. 10, 1792," and the well-known
"Monologue to a young Jackass in Jesus Piece."
Another poem more worthy of record perhaps, though
he scribbled it in one of the College chapel prayer-
books, is one of regretful pathos on the neglected
"hours of youth," which finds a later echo in his
" Lines on an Autumnal Evening," where he alludes
to his undergraduate days at Jesus : —

" When from the Muses' calm abode

I came, with learning's meed not iinbestowed ;
Whereas she twined a laurel round my brow,
And met my kiss, and half returned my vow."

And with that quotation from the Jesus poet we may
perhaps close this chapter, only adding one word of
hearty agreement with that encomium which was
passed upon the College by King James, who, because
of the picturesqueness of its old buildings and the
beauty and charm of its surroundings, spoke of Jesus
College as Musarum Cantabrigiensium Museum^ and
also with that decision which on a second visit to
Cambridge His Majesty wisely gave, that " Were
he to choose, he would pray at King's, dine at
Trinity, and study and sleep at Jesus."

223

The Story of Cambridge

College Portraits
In the Hall
T. E. Wilkinson, D.D. ; Bishop of North Europe.
Rev. Osmund Fisher, Hon. Fellow.
Laurence Sterne: by Alan Ramsay, 174O.
Francis Willoughby, Lord Middieton, M.P. for the

University.
S. T. Coleridge (copy of portrait in National Portrait

Gallery : by Washington Allston.)
Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1489-

1556.
Tobias Rustat, Benefactor: by Lely.
Richard Sterne, D.D. ; Archbishop of York, 1664-83 :

presented by Laurence Sterne.
H.A.Morgan, D.D. ; Master, 1885: by Hon. J.

Collier.
E. D. Clarke, M.D. ; Professor of Mineralogy, 1808-

22 : by Opie.
Richard Beadon, Bishop of Bath and Wells (copy of

the portrait in the Master's Lodge).
Benjamin Leigh Smith, Hon. Fellow; Arctic Explorer

(repHcaofportraitin the National Portrait Gallery).

In the Combination Room
The Hon. Thomas Willoughby, Adm., 1745.
Rev. Frederick Keller, Fellow.
Benjamin Leigh Smith.
King Henry VHL
John Alcock, Bishop of Ely, 1476- 1501 ; painted in

1596 (apparently a copy of a portrait on glass).
Mary Queen of Scots (a replica of the picture at

Hampton Court).
Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, dated

1548 (similar to the portrait dated 1543 by

Fliccius in National Portrait Gallery) presented

by Lord Middieton.

224

Bishop Alcock

George Stovin Venables, Q.C. ; late Fellow : chalk-
drawing.

George Elwes Corrie, D.D. ; Master, 1849-85.

Portrait of a man sitting, inscribed on frame as William
Harvey : it is a replica of a picture by Nicholas
Maas, now in the gallery at the Hague, the sub-
ject of which is said to be Grand Pensionary Cats :
presented by Frederick Keller, Fellow.

Charles Ashton, D.D. ; Master, 1701-52 (replica of
portrait in Lodge).

In the Library

Dr Jortin, Fellow.

Dr Brunsell, Fellow : pencil miniature.

In the Master s Lodge

Dining-room : — Charles Ashton, D.D. ; Master,
1701-52.

Humphry Gower, D.D. ; Master, 1679.

Richard Bancroft, D.D. ; Archbishop of Can-
terbury, 1 544-1610: presented by Rev. R.
Masters.

William French, D.D. ; Master, 1820-49.

Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury :
said to be copied from an original by Holbein,
by D. Mytens the elder, but evidently a copy of
the portrait in Combination Room : presented by
R. Masters.

Philip Yonge, D.D.; Master, 1752-58; Bishop
of Bristol, 1758-61 ; of Norwich, 1761-83; ? by
Reynolds.

Richard Beadon, D.D. ; Master, 1780-89;
Bishop of Gloucester, 1789- 1802; Bishop of Bath
and Wells, 1802-24.

William Pearce, D.D. ; Master, 1 789-1 820 ;
p 225

The Story of Cambridge

Master of the Temple and Dean of Ely : by
Sir W. Beechey.

Lynford Caryl, D.D. ; Master, 1758-80 : a
copy from the original by Wright of Derby.

Richard Sterne, D.D. ; Master, 1633; ejected
1644; restored 1 660; Bishop of Carlisle; 1660-64.
Archbishop of York, 1664-83.

226

CHAPTER X

Colleges of the New Learning

" No more as once in sunny Avignon,
The poet-scholar spreads the Homeric page,
And gazes sadly, like the deaf at song :
For now the old epic voices ring again
And vibrate with the beat and melody
Stirred by the warmth of old Ionian days."

— Mrs Browning.

The Lady Margaret Foundations — Bishop Fisher of Rochester
— The Foundation of Christ's — God's House — The
Buildings of the new College — College Worthies — John
Milton — Henry More — Charles Darwin — The Hospital
of the Brethren of S. John — Death of the Lady Margaret
— Foundation of S. John's College — Its Buildings — The
Great Gateway — The New Library — The Bridge of
Sighs — The Wilderness — Wordsworth's " Prelude " —
The Aims of Bishop Fisher — His Death.

WE may well in this chapter take together the
twin foundations of Christ's College and S.
John's, which both had the Lady Margaret, Countess
of Richmond and Derby, and mother of Henry VH.,
for their foundress. The father of this lady was
John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, and her mother
was Margaret, daughter and heiress of Sir John
Beauchamp, of Bletso. " So that," says Fuller,
punning on her parents' names, ^^fairfort and f airfield
met in this lady, who was fair body and fair soul, being
the exactest pattern of the best devotion those days
afforded, taxed for no personal faults but the errors of

227

The Story of Cambridge

the age she lived in. John Fisher, Bishop of
Rochester, preached her funeral sermon, wherein he
resembled her to Martha in four respects : firstly,
nobility of person ; secondly, discipline of her body ;
thirdly, in ordering her soul to God ; fourthly, in
hospitality and charity."

In that assemblage of noble lives, who from the
earliest days of Cambridge history have laboured for
the benefit of the University, and left it so rich a
store of intellectual good, there are no more honoured
names than these \.vjo : — the Lady Margaret, Countess
of Richmond, and her friend and confessor, Bishop
Fisher, under whose wise and cautious supervision
Cambridge first tasted of the fruits of the Renais-
sance, and welcomed Erasmus, I fear with but a
very tempered enthusiasm, to the newly-founded Lady
Margaret chair, and yet, nevertheless, in that en-
couragement of the New Learning laid the foundation
of that sound method and apparatus of criticism which
has enabled the University in an after age to take all
knowledge for its province, and to represent its con-
quest by the foundation of twenty-five professorial
chairs.

John Fisher, who came, as we have seen in the
last chapter, from the Abbey School at Beverley,
where, some twenty years or so before, he had been
preceded by Bishop Alcock, was Proctor of the
University in 1494, and three years later, in 1497,
was made Master of his College, Michaelhouse. The
duties of the proctorial office necessitated at that time
occasional attendance at Court, and it was on the
occasion of his appearance in this capacity at Greenwich
that Fisher first attracted the notice of the Lady
Margaret, who in 1497 appointed him her confessor.
It was an auspicious conjunction for the University.
Under his inspiration the generosity of his powerful
228

Colleges of the Neiz) Learnt fig

patron was readily extended to enrich academic re-
sources. It was the laudable design of Fisher to
raise Cambridge to the academic level which Oxford
had already reached. Already students of the sister
university had been to Italy, and had returned full of
the New Learning. The fame of Colet, Grocyn,
and Linacre made Oxford renowned, and drew to its
lecture-rooms eager scholars from all the learned
world. It hardly needed that such a man as Erasmus
should sing the praises of the Oxford teachers.
" When I listen to my friend Colet," he wrote, " I
seem to be listening to Plato himself. Who does not
admire in Grocyn the perfection of training ? What
can be more acute, more profound, or more refined
than the judgment of Linacre ? What has nature
ever fashioned gentler, sweeter, or pleasanter than the
disposition of Thomas More ? " ^

It was natural therefore that Fisher should be
ambitious in the same direction for his own university.
He began wisely on a small scale, with an object of
immediate practical usefulness, the foundation of a
Divinity professorship, which should aim at teaching
pulpit eloquence. On this point he rightly thought
that the adherents of the Old and the New Learning
might agree. And there was desperate need for the
adventure. For with the close of the fifteenth century
both theology and the art of preaching had sunk into
general neglect. Times, for example, had greatly
changed since the day when Bishop Grosseteste had
declared that if a priest could not preach there was
one remedy, let him resign his benefice. But now
the sermon itself had ceased to be considered necessary.

"Latimer tells us that in his own recollection, sermons
might be omitted for twenty Sundays in succession without

^ Erasmus, Roberto Piscatori, Epist. xiv.

229

The Story of Cambridge

fear of complaint. Even the devout More, in that ingenious
romance which he designed as a covert satire on many of the
abuses of his age, while giving an admirably conceived descrip-
tion of a religious service, has left the sermon altogether un-
recognised. In the universities, for one master of arts or
doctor of divinity who could make a text of Scripture the basis
of an earnest, simple, and effective homily, there were fifty
who could discuss its moral, analogical, and figurative meaning,
who could twist it into all kinds of unimagined significance,
and give it a distorted, unnatural application. Rare as was
the sermon, the theologian in the form of a modest, reverent
expounder of Scripture was yet rarer. Bewildered audiences
were called upon to admire the performances of intellectual
acrobats. Skelton, who well knew the Cambridge of these
days, not inaptly described its young scholars as men who
when they had 'once superciliously caught

A lytell ragge of rhetoricke,

A lesse lumpe of logicke,

A pece or patch of philosophy,

Then forthwith by and by

They tumble so in theology,

Drowned in dregges of divinite

That they juge themselfe alle to be

Doctours of the Chayre in the Vintre,

At the Three Cranes

To magnifye their names.' "^

It was to remedy this state of things that, in the
first instance, Fisher set himself to work. The Divinity
professorship was soon supplemented by the Lady
Margaret preachership, the holder of which was to go
from place to place and give a cogent example in
pulpit oratory : one sermon in the course of every two
years at each of the following twelve places : —

"On some Sunday at S. Paul's Cross, if able to obtain
permission, otherwise at S. Margartt's, Westminster, or if
unable to preach there, then in one of the more notable
churches of the City of London ; and once on some feast day
in each of the churches of Ware and Cheshunt in Hertford-

1 MuUinger, " History of the University of Cambridge," vol.
i. p. 439.
230

Colleges of the New Learning

shire; Bassingbourne, Orwell and Babraham in Cambridge-
shire; Maney, S. James Deeping, Bourn, Boston, and
Swineshead in Lincolnshire."^

We have already spoken in the chapter on Queens'
College of the work of Erasmus at Cambridge. He
was summoned to Cambridge in 15 n to teach Greek
and to lecture on the foundation of Lady Margaret.
He himself tells us that within a space of thirty years
the studies of the University had progressed from the
old grammar, logic, and scholastic questions to some
knowledge of the New Learning, of the renewed
study at any rate of Aristotle, and the study
of Greek.

The literary revival had no doubt been quicker and
more brilliant at Oxford, but Cambridge, owing to
Fisher's cautious and careful supervision, and his founda-
tion of the Lady Margaret Colleges of Christ's and S.
John's, was the first to give to the New Learning a
permanent home.

The religious bias of the Countess of Richmond
had inclined her to devote the bulk of her fortune to
an extension of the great monastery of Westminster.
But Bishop Fisher knew that active learning rather
than lazy seclusion was essential to preserve the Church
against the dangerous Italian type of the Renaissance,
and he persuaded her to direct her gift to educational
purposes. He pointed out that the Abbey Church
was already the wealthiest in England, "that the
schools of learning were meanly endowed, the provisions
of scholars very few and small, and colleges yet want-
ing to their maintenance — that by such foundations
she might have two ends and designs at once, might
double her charity and double her reward, by afford-
ing as well supports to learning as encouragement to

virtue."

1 Cooper's "Annals," vol. i. p. 273.

The Story of Cambridge

CHRIST'S COLLEGE

Founded by the Lady Margaret
Beaufort, Countess of Rich-
mond, mother of King Henry
VII., 1505. God's House,
founded by William Bingham,
1436, on part of site of King's
College, near Clue Hall, and
removed hither in 1446, was
absorbed in this foundation.

[The two colleges founded by the
Lady Margaret Beaufort, Christ's
and S. John's, have always borne the
same arms, namely, those of their foundress. France modem
and England quarterly ivith'm a hordure company argent and azure.
Splendid representations of these arms, surrounded by
various badges, are carved on the gateways of the two
Colleges, as at S. John's, the rising stem of the hood-mould
of the gateway arch at Christ's has a shield affixed to it,
bearing the arms of France and England quarterly, crowned,
and supported by the antelopes of Beaufort. In addition
to these arms an eagle collared, the crest of Beaufort, rises
out of the crown, and the string course which crosses the
gate and the flanking turrets at the same level is carried up
square above it thus forming a sort of panel. On each side
of it are three ostrich feathers, rising out of a band or
coronet, and below them three others not fastened together :
these were badges of John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset,
father of the foundress. The rest of the spandrel space
contains other badges peculiar to the foundress and her son :
the portcullis, the rose en soleil, crowned, and the Mar^rueriie
daisy. Daisies are also represented as growing out of the
ground on which these badges are set in relief.]

The foundation of Christ's College in i 505 is an
enduring memorial of the wisdom of the Bishop and
the charity of the Lady Margaret.

The. following passage from the Dean of West-
minster's (Dr Armytage Robertson) sermon on the
occasion of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of
the foundation of the College sets out impressively the
great debt which England owed to the Ladv Margaret.
232

Colleges of the Neiv Learning

■'Perhaps no woman not actually on the throne has ever
played so great and so beneficent a part in the life of Eng-
land. Her era was almost as remarkable as the correspond-
ing period of the nineteenth century, for it covered the fall
of Constantinople, the discoveiy of America, the invention
of gunpowder, and the introduction of printing. It was the
era of Renaissance ; and though the Lady Margaret was a
true child of the Middle Age, and told Bishop Fisher that, if
a new Crusade should be started, " she wolde be glad yet to go
folowe the Hoost and help to washe theyr clothes for the
love of Jhesu," yet she welcomed the new learning, founded
a Greek lecture in this place, and herself translated books
from French into English to be printed by Pynson and
Wynkyn de Worde. In politics she was a great reconciler;
and guided by the statesmanship of Bishop Morton she pro-
moted the marriage of Henry wirh Elizabeth, uniting the
red rose with the white, and so closing the desolating period
of civil strife. A poet of the time describes her as " Mother,
author, plotter, counsellor of union." The key to her whole
career is given by the title of '•' The King's Mother," which
for the last twenty-five years of her life was a household name
in England. A widowed mother at fifteen she spent her life
for her son. Here is the explanation of her self-suppression
and long retirement from the public gaze, the careful
husbandry of her unusual wealth, the second and third
maf-riages by which she sought protective alliances from great
cousins, the courage which parted with the son of her hope
and love in the long interval of waiting. And when at last
the reward was given, she was still "the King's Mother"
in the truest sense, the most loved and honoured of the
realm, influencing by her wisdom and her goodness, but
never interfering in affairs of State, loyal as a subject to a
King who was ever dutiful as a son. Through her there
passed' to the Tudor dynasty a peculiar strength : an instinct
of wise choice, a genius for being well served ; a natural
power of governing which, had her lot been cast half a
century later, would have made her one of our greatest
Queens ; which, in fact, made her a trusted arbitrator in a
host of petty causes, as well as a wise administrator of vast
and scattered estates."

There is a tradition that Fisher, who undoubtedly
had joined Michaelhouse before taking his B. A. degree
in 1487, had, upon his first entering Cambridge, been

233

The Story of Cambridge

a student of God's House. However that may be, it

was to this small foundation he turned as the basis of

his projected new college.

God's House, an adjunct of Clare Hall, founded

by William Byngham, Rector of S. John Zachary, in

London, in 1441, stood originally on a plot of land at

the west end of King's Chapel, adjoining the Church

of S. John Zachary. In the changes which were

necessary to secure a site for King's College, the

Church of S. John and God's House were removed.

In return for his surrender, Byngham had received

licence from Henry VI. to build elsewhere a college.

Land was accordingly secured on what is now the

site of the first and second courts of Christ's College,

and in the charter of the new God's House, dated

1 6th April 1448, it is stated that Byngham had

deferred the foundation owing to his ardent desire

that "the King's glory and his reward in heaven

might be increased " by his personal foundation of

God's House. Henry could not resist such an

argument, and thus God's House became, and Christ's

College, as its successor, claims to be, of Royal

Foundation. The little foundation, however, was

always cramped by lack of means. Within fifty years

of its first foundation the time had evidently come for

a reconstitution of God's House.

"In the year 1505 appeared the royal charter for the
foundation of Christ's College, wherein after a recital of the
facts already mentioned, together with other details, it was
notified that King Henry VIL, at the representation of his
mother and other noble and trustworthy persons — pncarissima
matrix nostra necnon aliorum uobil'tum at Jide digtiorum — and having
regard to her great desire to exalt and increase the Cliristian
faith, her anxiety for her own sjnritual welfare, and the
sincere love which she had ever borne 'our uncle' (Henry
VI.) wliile he lived — had conceded to her permission to carry
into full effect the designs of her illustrious relative ; that is
to say, to enlarge and endow the aforesaid God's House

234

J,.
c

"-3 v» ** l^/^

^^s.

' * "51 •

- — .:.,jiKi*s»

,%> J.

Colleges of the New Learning

sufficiently for the reception and support of any number of
scholars not exceeding sixty, who should be instructed in
grammar or in the other liberal sciences and faculties or in
sacred theology." ^

The arrival of the charter was soon followed by the
news of the Lady Margaret's noble benefactions —
consisting of many manors in the four counties of
Cambridge, Norfolk, Leicester, and Essex — which
thus exalted the humble and struggling Society of
God's House, under its new designation of Christ's
College, into the fourth place, in respect of revenue,
among all the Cambridge colleges.

The building of the College seems to have gone on

uninterruptedly between 1 505 and 1 5 1 1 . The amount

spent by the Foundress during her lifetime is not

ascertainable : but the cost, as given in the household

books of the Lady Margaret after her death, was more

than £1000.

" Though the College," says the present Master, Dr Peile,
'<hadno very striking architectural features, the general
effect, as seen in Loggan's view, is good. We see the old
mullioned windows supplanted by sash windows in the last
century: and the battlements inside the court as well as
without, which were displaced by Essex to make way for
the solid parapet, which still remains, and indeed suits the
new windows better. The original windows have recently
been restored with very good effect. We see a path called
the Regent's Walk, running from the great gate directly
across the court to a door which gave entrance to the great
parlour in the Lodge, then the reception-room of the
College, and now the Master's dining-room. That room
has been reduced in size by a passage made between it and
the Hall. The passage leads to the winding stone staircase
which gave the only access to the suite of three rooms on
the first f^oor, corresponding exactly with those below, and
reserved by the Foundress for her own use during life, while
the Master contented himself with the three rooms on the
ground floor. The Foundress's suite consisted of a large

1 Mullinger, "History of the University," vol. i. p. 44.

235

The Stary of Cambridge

ante-room (commonly but wrongly called the Foundress's
Bed-Chamber) with a little lobby in one corner at the
entrance from the old staircase. The second room (now
the drawing-room) was the Foundress's own living room ;
it has an oriel window looking into the court, not much
injured by the removal of the mullions."

We may interrupt the Master's record here to tell
the characteristic story of the Lady Margaret which
most probably has this oriel window for its scene :
" Once the Lady Margaret came to Christ's College
to behold it when partly built ; and looking out of a
window, saw the Dean call a faulty scholar to correction,
to whom she said, ^Lente! Lente! ' (Gently ! gently ! )
as accounting it better to mitigate his punishment than
to procure his pardon : mercy and justice making the
best medley to offenders." ^

"The Foundress's sitting-room has a very interesting
stone chimney-piece adorned with fourteen badges (originally
sixteen), including a rose (repeated twice), a portcullis —
the Beaufort badge (repeated once), three ostrich feathers
(a badge assumed by Edward III. in right of his wife), a
crown, a fleur-de-lis (repeated once), the letters H.R.,
doubtless Henricus Rex (repeated once), and lastly (twice
repeated though the form differs) the special badge of the
Lady Margaret — groups of Marguerites, in one case repre-
sented as growing in a basket. This very beautiful work
was brought to light in 1887; it had been covered up by
the insertion of a modern fire-place, whereby two of the
badges were destroyed. The whole had been coloured:
there were traces of a deep blue pigment on the stone
between the badges, and on the jambs was scroll-work in
black and yellow. The remaining space between the
drawing-room and the chapel contained at its eastern end
a private oratory with its window opening into the chapel,
closed up in 1702, but reopened in 1899; it was connected
with the drawing-room by a door, which was revealed when
the walls of the oratory were stripped. At the western end
was a small room looking into the court, probably the
bedroom of the Foundress, connected by a door, now visible,

1 Fuller's << History of Cambridge." p. 182.
236

Colleges of the New Learning

with the oratory ; this room was swept away when the
present staircase was introduced, probably in the seventeenth
century ; further access had become necessary, because at
that time several of the masters let the best rooms of the
Lodge, and lived themselves in what was called the Little
Lodge, a building of considerable size to the north of the
chapel, intended originally for offices to the Lodge." ^

The hall, between the Lodge and the buttery, has
no exceptional features. Early in the eighteenth
century it was Italianised, as also were many of
the other buildings. It was entirely rebuilt by Sir
Gilbert Scott in 1876, the old roof, with its ancient
chestnut principals, being reconstructed and replaced.
The walls were raised six feet and an oriel window
was built on the east side in addition to the original
one on the west. In 1882 and following years
portraits of the Founders, of benefactors, and of
worthies of the College were placed in the twenty-one
lights of the west oriel. The persons chosen as
"glass-worthy" were William Bingham, Henry VI.,
John Fisher, Lady Margaret, Edward VI., Sir John
Finch, Sir Thomas Baines, John Leland, Edmund
Grindall, Sir Walter Mildmay, John Still, William
Perkins, William Lee, Sir John Harrington (this
because of a mistaken claim on the part of Christ's,
for Harrington was a King's man, and possibly also of
Trinity at a later date), Francis Quarles, John Milton,
John Cleveland, Henry More, Ralph Cudworth,
William Paley, Charles Darwin. The glass-work
was executed by Burlison & Grylls.

At an eaily period "a very considerable part of
y® schoUars of Christ College lodged in y"" Brazen
George ; and y^ gates there were shut and opened
Morning and Evening constantly as y^ College gates
were." The Brazen George Inn stood on the other

1 Dr Peile's " History of Christ's College," p. 29.

T^he Story of Cambridge

side of S. Andrew's Street, opposite to the south-east
corner of the College. Alexandra Street no doubt
represents the Inn yard. In 1613 the accommodation
in the College was further increased by the erection of
a range of buildings in the Second Court. This was
a timber building of two storeys with attics. In 1665
it is described as " the little old building called Rat's
Hall." It was pulled down in 1730 ; the large range
of buildings known as the Fellows' buildings, parallel
to Rat's Hall and further east, having been erected,
according to tradition, by Inigo Jones about 1640.
A large range of building, similar in style to the
Fellows building, was erected in 1889, and in 1895-
97 Messrs Bodley Sc Garner enlarged the old library,
and altered and refaced the street front, extending the
building to Christ's Lane, and thus added much to the
dignity of the College buildings, as seen from S.Andrew's
Street. The " rebeautifying the chappell," as the
then Master, Dr Covel, called it, took place in 1702-3,
when it was pannelled by John Austin, who did similar
work about the same time in King's College chapel.
The chapel has no remarkable or beautiful features.
It is unnecessary to contradict the verdict of the present
Master : " It must have been much more beautiful
during the first fifty years of the College than at any
later time."

In the list of twenty-one names which we give above
as being "glass-worthy," we have also, no doubt, the
list of the most eminent members of Christ's College.
Of these the two greatest are undoubtedly John Milton
and Charles Darwin.

Milton was admitted a pensioner of Christ's College
on 1 2th February 1624-25, and was matriculated on
9th April following. He resided at Cambridge in all
some seven years, from February 1625 to July 1632.
His rooms were on the left side of the great court as it
238

Colleges of the New Learning

is entered from the street, the first floor rooms on the
first staircase on that side. They consist at present of
a small study with two windows looking into the court,
and a very small bedroom adjoining, and they have not
probably been altered since his time. In the gardens
behind the Fellows' buildings, perhaps the most delight-
ful of all the college gardens in Cambridge, is the
celebrated mulberry tree, which an unvarying tradition
asserts to have been planted by Milton. " Unvarying,"
I have ventured to write, for I dare not repeat the
heresy of which Mr J. W. Clark was guilty when he
suggested that Milton's mulberry tree was in reality
one of three hundred which the College bought to
please James I., and which was "set" by Troilus
Atkinson, the College factotum, in the very year that
Milton was born. Concerning such heresy I can only
repeat the rebuke of the present Master: **The
suggestion that the object of wider interest than any-
thing else in Christ's — < Milton's mulberry tree ' — is
probably the last of that purchase, is the one crime
among a thousand virtues of the present Registrary of
the University." Milton took his B.A. degree 26th
March 1629, the year in which he wrote that noble
"Ode on the Nativity," in which the characteristic
majesty of his style is already well marked. Three
years earlier at least he had already written poems —
the epitaph " On the Death of an Infant" —

<' O fairest flow'r no sooner blown than blasted.
Soft, silken primrose fading timelessly,
Summer's chief honour ..."

hardly less beautiful than the slightly later dirge "On
the Marchioness of Winchester " : —

" Here besides the sorrowing

That thy noble house doth bring,
Here be tears of perfect moan
Wept for thee in Helicon,"

The Story of Cambridge

which in their exquisite grace and tenderness of wording
scarcely fall below the mastery of the mightier measure
and deeper thought of '* Lycidas," written in 1637.
Of his Latin poems, written also during his under-
graduate years, Dr Peile has said — and on such a
point there could be no higher authority : " Even then
he thought in Latin : his exercises are original poems,
not mere clever imitations. There is remarkable
power in them — power which could only be gained
by one who had filled himself with the spirit of
classical literature." After this testimony we can
assuredly afford to smile at those rumours of some
disgrace in his university career spread about in later
years by his detractors. That he had met perhaps,
according to Aubrey's account, with " some unkind-
nesse " from his tutor Chapell, even though that
phrase by an amended reading is interpreted " whipt
him," need not distress us. It is a doubtful piece ot
gossip, and even if it were true — for flogging of students
was by no means obsolete — it was a story to the tutor's
disgrace, not to Milton's ; and certainly the poet him-
self bore no grudge against the College authorities, as
these magnanimous words plainly testify : —

"I acknowledge publicly with all grateful mind, that
more than ordinary respect which I found, above any of my
equals, at the hands of those courteous and learned men. the
Fellows of that College, wherein I spent some years ; who,
at my parting, after I liad taken two degrees, as the manner
is, signified many ways how much better it would content
th'jm that I would stay ; as by many letters full of kindness
and loving respect, both before that time and long after, I
was assured of their singular good affection towards me."^

Between the matriculation of John Milton at Christ's
and that of Charles Darwin at the same college is a
period exactly of two centuries. The Christ's Roll
of Honour for that period contains many worthy names,

^ Cf. Milton's " Apology for Smectymnus," 1642.
24O

John Milton
From the biist in Christ's College

Colleges of the Neu) Learning

but none certainly which shed a brighter lustre on the
College history than that of Henry More, a leader in that
remarkable school of thinkers in the seventeenth cen-
tury— Benjamin Whichcote,- Ralph Cudworth, John
Smith, John Worthington, Samuel Cradock — known as
"the Cambridge PJatonists," for whom Burnet claims
the high credit of ** having saved the Church from losing
the esteem of the kingdom," and whose distinctive
teaching is perhaps best brought out in More's writings.
Henry More had been admitted to Christ's College
about the time when John Milton was leaving it. He
was elected a Fellow of the College in 1639, and
thenceforth lived almost entirely within its walls.
Like many others, he began as a poet and ended as
a prose writer. He had, in fact, the Platonic tempera-
ment in far greater measure probably than any other
of the Cambridge school. How the soul should
escape from its animal prison — when it should get the
wings that of right should belong to it — into what
regions those wings could carry it — were the questions
which occupied him from youth upwards. " I would
sing," he had said in one of his Platonical poems,

"The pre-existency
Of human souls, and live once more again,
By recollection and quick memory,
All what is past since first we all began."

But the neo-platonic extravagances which lay hidden
in his writings from the first grew at last into a new
species of fanaticism, which makes his later books quite
unreadable. And yet he remains perhaps the most
typical, certainly the most interesting, of all the
Cambridge Platonists, and at least he held true to the
two great springs of the movement — an unshrinking
appeal to Reason, coupled with profound faith in the
essential harmony of natural and spiritual Truth —
G 241

The Story of Cambridge

doctrines which are of the very pith of the seventeenth
century Cambridge evangel, and which one is glad to
think remain of the very essence of the Cambridge
theology of to-day. That Henry More and the
Cambridge Platonists failed in much that they attempted
cannot be denied. They failed partly because of their
own weakness, but partly also because the time was not
yet ripe for an adequate spiritual philosophy. Such a
philosophy of religion can indeed only rise gradually on
a comprehensive basis of historic criticism, and of a
criticism which has realised not only that religious
thought can no more transcend history than science
can transcend nature, but has also learned the lesson —
which no man has more clearly taught to the students
of history and of science alike, in the century which
has just closed, than that latest and greatest of the sons
of Christ's College, Charles Darwin — that knowledge
is to be found not only in sudden illumination, but in
the slow processes of evolution, and progress not in pet
theories of this or that ancient or modern thinker, but
only in patient study and faithful generalisation.

College Portraits
In the Hall

William Outram, Fellow; 1649-57.

William Paley, Fellow, 1766-76; Archdeacon of
Carlisle ; author of '* The Evidences of Christi-
anity ''* : after Romney.

The Lady Margaret, Foundress, 1441-1509, formerly
in the chapel.

John Milton.

Charles Darwin, 1809-82 ; replica by Ouless of the
picture painted for W. E. Darwin, Esq.

Ralph Cudworth, Master, 1654-88.
242

Colleges of the Neiso Learning

In the Gallery
Sam Bolton, Master, 1645-54.
John Kaye, D.D. ; Bishop of Lincoln ; Master,

1814-30.
? John Covell, Master, 1688-1722.

In the Combination Room

Portrait of a man (? F. QuarJes) used to be called
Milton ; inscribed Nee ingratus nee imitilis v'ldear
vtx'isse, formerly in the Master's Lodge.

Wm. Perkins, Fellow, 1584-95.

Seth Ward, D.D. ; Bishop of Salisbury, 1667-89.

Henry Gunning, Esquire, Bedell, x 789- 18 54.

John Covell, Master, 1688-1722.

The Lady Margaret, small panel.

John Fisher, D.D. ; Bishop of Rochester, 1504-35.

Archdeacon Lynford, Fellow, 1675.

In the Chapel
The Lady Margaret, similar to the picture at S. John's
College.

In the Master s I^odge
Dratv'tng-room : — The Lady Margaret.
Dining-room '. — The Lady Margaret, on canvas, similar
to the picture belonging to Lady Bray.

S. JOHN'S COLLEGE
Founded by the Lady Margaret
Beaufort, Countess of Richmond
and Derby, mother of King
Henry VII., 1511, on the sup-
pression of the Hospital of S.
John the Evangelist, founded

"35-
[The arms of S. John's College
are the same as those of Christ's,
viz. those of the foundress. The
eate of entrance at S. John's, the
most beautiful of all the Cambridge
gateway towers, commemorates by its symbolism the Lady.

The Story of Cambridge

Margaret. The string-course between the first and second
stages is formed of the branch of a vine, bearing leaves and
fruit. Two portcullises and two roses are set among the
foliage. Below the string-course is a band of daisies, or
marguerite!^ in allusion to the name of the foundress. These
bands project outwards in the centre of the facade and form
a bracket for the niche containing the statue of S. John.
This statue was set up in 1662 probably to replace an older
one destroyed in the Civil War. Below the bracket the
hood-mould of the arch terminates in a bold finial. The shield
beneath the finial bears the arms of France and England
quarterly, crowned, and supported by the antelopes of Beaufort.
Beneath the shield and immediately above the keystone of the
arch is a rose. To the right of the central device is a portcullis,
to the left a rose, both crowned. The crown of the former
has the points composed of bunches of daisies, and the whole
ground of the splendid space is powdered over with daisies
and other flowers.]

Let us turn now to the second and perhaps greater
Lady Margaret Foundation of S. John's College.

Three years after Henry VL's incompleted founda-
tion of God's House had been enriched by a fair
portion of the Lady Margaret's lands and opened as
Christ's College, the Oxford friends of the Countess
petitioned her for help in the endowment of a college
in that University. For a time it seemed as if Christ's
Church was to have the Lady Margaret and not
Cardinal Wolsey as its founder. But Bishop Fisher
again successfully pleaded the cause of his own Uni-
versity, and the royal licence to refound the corrupt
monastic Hospital of S. John as a great and wealthy
college was obtained in 1508.

Of the Hospital of the Brethren of S. John the
Evangelist, which was founded in the year 1135, we
have already spoken in the chapter on Peterhouse.
It owed its origin to an opulent Cambridge burgess,
Henry Frost, and w;is placed under the direction of a
small community of Augustinian Canons, an Order
whose rule very closely resembled that of a monastery,
244

Colleges of the New Learning

their duties consisting mainly in the performance of
reHgious services, and in caring for the poor and infirm.
The patronage which theHttle community received would
seem to show that, during its earlier history at least,
the Brethren of S. John had faithfully discharged then
duties. Several of the early Bishops of Ely took the
Hospital under their direct patronage. Bishop Eustace,
a prelate who played a foremost part in Stephen's reign,
appropriated to it the livings of Horningsea and of S.
Peter's Church in Cambridge, now known as Little S.
Mary's. Bishop Hugh de Balsham, as we have seen
in our account of his foundation of Peterhouse, en-
deavoured to utilise the Hospital for the accommoda-
tion of the many students who in his time were flocking
to the University in quest of knowledge, and to that end
endowed the Hospital with additional revenues. After
the failure of that scheme and the successful foundation
of Peterhouse, Bishop Simon Montagu came to the help
of the little house, and decreed, that in compensation
for the loss of S. Peter's Church, the Master and
Fellows of Peterhouse should pay to the Brethren of
S. John a sum of twenty shillings annually, a payment
which has regularly been made down to the present
day. The Hospital continued to grow in wealth and
importance down to the time of its " decay and fall "
in Henry VII. 's reign. The last twelve years of the
fifteenth century, under the misrule of its then Master,
William Tomlyn, saw its estates mortgaged or let on
long leases, its discipline lax and scandalous, its furniture,
and even sacred vessels, sold. At the beginning of the
sixteenth century it had fallen into poverty and decay,
and the number of its brethren had dwindled to two.
Its condition is described in words identical with those
applied to the Priory of S. Rhadegund.i The words,

i It might almost be supposed that the officials who drew
royal charters kept a " model form '' to meet the case of a

245

The Story of Cambridge

as given in the charter of S. John's College, are
these : —

'The House or Priory of the Brethren of S. John the
Evangelist, its lands, tenements, rents, possessions, buildings,
as well as its effects, furniture, jewels and other ornaments
in the Church, conferred upon the said house or priory in
former times, have now been so grievously dilapidated, de-
stroyed, wasted, alienated, diminished and made way with,
by the carelessness, prodigality improvidence and dissolute
conduct of the Prior, Master and brethren of the aforesaid
House or Priory ; and the brethren themselves have been
reduced to such want and poverty that they are unable to
perform Divine Service, or their accustomed duties whether
of religion, mercy or hospitality, according to the original
ordinance of their founders, or even to maintain themselves
by reason of their poverty and want of means of support ;
inasmuch as for a long while two brethren only have been
maintained in the aforesaid House, and these are in the habit
of straying abroad in all directions beyond the precincts of
the said religious House, of the grave displeasure of Almighty
God, the discredit of their order, and the scandal of their
Church."

The legal formalities necessary for the suppression
of the Hospital were so tedious, that it was not
" utterly extinguished," as Baker, the historian of S.
John's, called its dissolution, until January i5io>
when it fell, "a lasting monument to all future ages
and to all charitable and religious foundations not to
neglect the rules or abuse the institutions of their
founders, lest they fall under the same fate." Mean-
while, before these difficulties could be entirely over-
come, King Henry VII. died, and within little more
than two months after, the Lady Margaret herself
was laid to rest by the side of her royal son in West-
minster Abbey. Erasmus composed her epitaph.
Skelton sang her elegy. Torregiano,^ the Florentine
sculptor, immortalised her features in that monumental

bupi)rcssed religious house, altering the name and place to fit
the occasion. ^ Cf. Frontispiece.

246

r-- . ,^«- —

^B^

' V

• 4-

247

Colleges of the New Learning

effigy which Dean Stanley has characterised as " the
most beautiful and venerable figure that the abbey
contains." Bishop Fisher, who two months before
had preached the funeral sermon for her son Henry
VII., preached again, and with a far deeper earnest-
ness, on the loss which, to him at least, could never
b? replaced.

"Every one that knew her," he said, "loved her, and
everything that she said or did became her . . . of marvellous
gentleness she was unto all folks, but especially unto her own,
whom she trusted and loved right tenderly. . . . All England
for her death hath cause of weeping. The poor creatures
who were wont to receive her alms, to whom she was always
piteous and merciful ; the students of both the universities,
to whom she was as a mother ; all the learned men of
England, to whom she was a very patroness ; all the virtuous
and devout persons, to whom she was as a loving sister ; all
the good religious men and women whom she so often was
wont to visit and comfort ; all good priests and clerks, to
whom she was a true defendress; all the noblemen and
women, to whom she was a mirror and example of honour;
all the common people of this realm, to whom she was in
their causes a woman mediatrix and took right great dis-
pleasure for them : and generally the whole realm, hath
cause to complain and to mourn her death."

The executors of the Lady Margaret were Richard
Fox, Bishop of Winchester ; John Fisher, Bishop of
Rochester ; Charles Somerset ; Lord Herbert, after-
wards Earl of Worcester ; Sir Thomas Lovell,
Knight; Sir Henry Marney, Knight, afterwards Lord
Marney ; Sir John St John, Knight ; Henry Hornby,
clerk ; and Hugh Ashton, clerk. Unforeseen diffi-
culties, however, soon arose. The young king looked
coldly on a project which involved a substantial diminu-
tion of the inheritance which he had anticipated from
his grandmother, while the young Bishop of Ely —
"The Dunce Bishop of Ely" — James Sianley,i

1 Caxton, as he worked at his printing press in the
Almonry, which she had founded, and who was under her
special protection, said " the worst thing she ever did " was

249

The Story of Cambridge

although stepson to the Countess, and solely
indebted to her for promotion to his see, a
dignity which he little merited, did his best after
her death to avert the dissolution of the Hospital.
As a result of this opposition of the Court party, to
which no less a person than Cardinal Wolscy, out of
jealousy it would seem for his own university, lent
his powerful support. Lady Margaret's executors found
themselves compelled to forego their claims, and the
munificent bequest intended by the foundress was lost to
the College for ever. As some compensation for the
loss sustained, the untiring exertions of Bishop Fisher
succeeded in obtaining for the College the revenues
of another God's House, a decayed society at
Ospringe, in Kent, and certain other small estates,
producing altogether an income of ;^8o. ** This,"
says Baker, " with the lands of the old house, together
with the foundress's estate at Fordham, which was
charged with debts by her will, and came so charged to
the College, with some other little things purchased with
her moneys at Steukley, Bradley, Isleham, and Foxton
(the two last alienated or lost), was the original
foundation upon which the College was first opened ;
and whoever dreams of vast revenues or larger en-
dowments will be mightily mistaken."

Such were the conditions under which the new
society of the College of S. John the Evangelist was
at last formed in i 5 1 1 , and Robert Shorton appointed
Master with thirty-one Fellows. During Shorton's
brief tenure of the Mastership (i 511- 16) it devolved
upon him to watch the progress of the new building,
which now rose on the site of the Hospital, and in-
cluded a certain portion of the ancient structure.

trying to druw Erasmus from his Greek studies at Cambridge
to train her untoward btepson, James Stanley, to be Bishop
oi Ely.

250

. 'fi / - V

23'

Colleges of the Neiju Learning

"Some three centuries and a halt' later, in 1869, when the
old chapel gave place to the present splendid erection, the
process of demolition laid bare to view some interesting
features in the ancient pre-coUegiate buildings. Members
of the College, prior to the year 1863, can still remember
' The Labyrinth ' — the name given to a series of students'
rooms approached by a tortuous passage which wound its way
from the first court, north of the gateway opening upon
Saint John's Street. These rooms were now ascertained to
have been formed out of the ancient infirmary — a fine single
room, some 78 feet in length and 22 in breadth, which during
the mastership of William Whitaker (1586-95) had been
converted into three floors of students' chambers. Removal
of the plaster which covered the south wall of the original
building further brought to light a series of Early English
lancet windows, erected probably with the rest of the
structure, sometime between the years ii8o and 1200. Be-
tween the first and second of these windows stood a very
beautiful double piscina which Sir Gilbert Scott repaired and
transferred to the New Chapel. The chapel of the Hospital
had been altered to suit the needs of the College, and in
Babington's opinion was very much ' changed for the worse.'
The Early English windows gave place to smaller perpendi-
cular windows, inserted in the original openings, while the
pitch of the roof was considerably lowered. The contract is
still extant made between Shorten and the glazier, covenant-
ing for the insertion of ' good and noble Normandy glasse,'
in certain specified portions of which were to appear ' roses
and portcullis,' the arms of ' the excellent pryncesse Margaret,
late Countesse of Rychemond and Derby,' while the colouring
and designs were to be the same •' as be in the glasse wyndows
within the coUegge called Christes Collegge in Cambrigge or
better in euery poynte.'"^

The buildings of S. John's College consist of four
quadrangles disposed in succession from east to west,
and extending to a length of some 300 yards. The
westernmost court is across the river, approached by
the well-known "Bridge of Sighs," built in 1831.
The easternmost court, facing on the High Street, is
the primitive quadrangle, and for nearly a century after
the foundation comprised the whole college. The

1 Mullinger's " History of S. John's College," p. 17.

253

The Story of Cambridge

plan closely follows what we have now come to regard
as the normal arrangement, and is almost identical with
that of Queens'.

The Great Gateway, which is in the centre of the
eastern range of buildings, is by far the most striking
and beautiful gate in all Cambridge. It is of red
brick with stone quoins. The sculpture in the space
over the arch comiuemorates the founders, the Lady
Margaret and her son King Henry VII. In the
centre is a shield bearing the arms of England and
France quarterly, supported by the Beaufort antelopes.
Above it is a crown beneath a rose. To the right
and left are the portcullis and rose of the Tudors,
both crowned. The whole ground is sprinkled with
daisies, the peculiar emblem of the foundress. They
appear in the crown above the portcullis. They cluster
beneath the string-course. Mixed with other flowers
they form a groundwork to the heraldic devices.
Above all, in a niche, is the statue of S. John. The
present figure was set up in 1662. The original figure
was removed during the Civil War. There is evidence
that at one time the arms were emblazoned in gold and
colours, and that the horns of the antelopes were gilt.

Over the gateway is the treasury. The first floor
of the range of buildings to the south of the treasury
contained at first the library. The position of this
old library is the only feature in the arrangement of
the buildings in which S. John's differs from Queens'.

The second court, a spacious quadrangle, consider-
ably larger than the first, was commenced in 159}^,
and finished in 1602, the greater part of the cost being
defrayed by the Countess of Salisbury. In the west
range there is a large gateway tower. The first floor
of the north range contains the master's long gallery
— a beautiful room with panelled walls and a rich
j)laster ceiling. In this finr chamber for successive

254

Colleges of the New Learning

centuries the head of the College was accustomed to
entertain his guests, among whom royalty was on
several occasions included. According to the
historian Carter, down even to the middle of the
last century it still remained the longest room in the
University, and when the door of the library was
thrown open, the entire vista presented what he de-
scribes as a " most charming view." It was originally
1 48 feet long, but owing to various rearrangements its
dimensions have been reduced to 93 feet. It is now
used as a Combination Room by the Fellows.

The new library building, which forms the north
side of the third court, was built in 1624. It is
reached by a staircase built in the north-west corner
of the second court. The windows of the library are
pointed and filled with fairly good geometrical tracery,
while the level of the floor and the top of the wall are
marked by classical entablatures. The wall is finished
by a good parapet, which originally had on each
battlement three little pinnacles like those still remain-
ing on the parapet of the oriel window in the west
gable. This gable stands above the river, and forms
with the adjoining buildings a most picturesque group.
The name of Bishop Williams of Lincoln, Lord
Keeper of the Great Seal, v/ho bad contributed as
an *' unknown person " two-thirds of the entire cost
of ^3000, is commemorated by the letters I.L.C.S.
(/.<?. Johannes Lincolniensis Custos Sigilii), together
with the date 1624, which appear conspicuously over
the central gable. His arms, richly emblazoned, were
suspended over the library door, and his portrait,
painted by Gilbert Jackson, adorns the wall. The
original library bookcases remain, though their forms
have been considerably altered.

The west range of the second court and the new
library formed two sides of the third court. The

255

The Story of Cambridge

remaining river range and the buildings on the south
adjoining the back lane were added about fifty years
later. They were probably designed by Nicholas
Hawkes, then a pupil of Sir Christopher Wren. The

3nc5

central composition of the western range was designed
as an ap])roach to a footbridge leading to the College
walks across the river. This footbridge gave way to
the covered new bridge, commonly spoken of as the
Bridge of Sighs from its superficial resemblance to the
so-called structure at Venice, leading to the fourth
court, which was completed in 183T from the plans
256

Colleges of the Neiv Leaj^ni?ig

of Ricknian and Hutchinson. The old bridge,
leading from the back lane, was built in 1 696. Beyond
the new court are the extensive gardens, on the western
side of v/hich is " the wilderness," commemorated by
Wordsworth, who was an undergraduate of John's
from 1787 to 1791, in the well-known lines of his
Prelude : —

" All winter long whenever free to choose,
Did I by night frequent the College grove
And tributary walks ; the last and oft
The only one who had been lingering there
Through hours of silence, till the porter's bell,
A punctual follower on the stroke of nine,
Rang with its blunt unceremonious voice
Inexorable summons. Lofty elms,
Inviting shades of opportune recess,
Bestowed composure on a neighbourhood
Unpt-acfful in itself. A single tree
With sinuous trunk, boughs exquisitely wreathed,
Grew there ; an ash, which Winter for himself
Decked out with pride, and with outlandish grace ;
Up from the ground and almost to the top
The trunk and every mother-branch were green
With clustering ivy, and the lightsome twigs
The outer spray profusely tipped with seeds
That hung in yellow tassels, while the air
Stirred them, not voiceless. Often have 1 stood
Foot-bound, uplooking at this loving tree
Beneath a frosty moon. The hemisphere
Of magic fiction verse of mine perchance
May never tread : but scarcely Spenser's self
Could have more tranquil visions in his youth.
Or could more bright appearances create
Of human forms witli superhuman powers
Than I beheld, loitering on calm clear nights
Alone, beneath the fairy-work of Earth."

The new chapel of S. John's, designed by Sir
Gilbert Scott in a style of pointed architecture,
repeating, with some added degree of richness, the
same architect's design of Exeter College chapel at
Oxford, was begun in 1863 and finished in 1869.
R 257

The Story of Cambridge

The scheme involved the destruction of the old chapel
and the still earlier building to the north of it. The
hall was enlarged by adding to it the space formerly
occupied by the Master's lodge, a new lodge being
built to the north of the third court, and the Master's
gallery being converted into the Fellows' combination
room. The stalls from the old chapel were refixed
in the new building, and some new stalls were added.
The beautiful Early English piscina, three arches and
some monuments were also removed from the old
chapel.

College Portraits

Iti the Hall

Humphrey Gower, D.D. ; Master, 1659-17TI.
Henry Martyn,B.D.; 1787-18 1 2, Fellow; Missionary.
HerbertMarsh, D.D. ; 17 56- 1839; Bishop of Peter-
borough : by Ponsford.
Edward Henry Palmer, 1 840-82, Lord Almoner's

Professor of Arabic : by Hon. John Collier.
William Wordsworth : by Pickersgill.
Benjamin Hall Kennedy, D.D. ; Head Master of

Shrewsbury; Professor of Greek, 1867-89: by

Ouless.
James Joseph Sylvester, Hon. Fellow ; Professor of

Mathematics in University of Oxford : by Emslie.
J. E. Bickersteth Mayor, Professor of Latin : by

Herkomer.
Thomas Wcntworth, Earl of Strafford, d. 1739.
Thomas Morion, D.D. ; Bishop of Durham, d. 1659.
Charles C. Babington, Professor of Botany, 1861-95.
John Williams, D.D.; 15S2-1650, Bishop of Lincoln;

Archbishop of York and Lord Keeper; Benefactor.
John Fisher, D.D. ; 1459-1535; Bishop of Rochester ;

258

Colleges of the New Learning

Chancellor of the University ; Executor of the

Foundress.
The Lady Margaret, Foundress, 1441-1509.
James Wood, D.D. ; Master, 181 5-39 ; Dean of Ely.
Sir Ralph Hare, d. 1623.
Sarah, Duchess of Somerset, d. 1692.
Sir Isaac Pennington, M.D. ; Professor of Physic,

1793-1817.
Sir Noah Thomas, M.D. ; d. 1792 : by Reynolds.
Henry John Temple, Viscount Palmerston ; K.C.,

M.P. for the University, 181 1 -31.
Samuel Forster, D.D, ; Fellow, d. 1843 : by Opie.
Edward Stillingfleet, D.D. ; Bishop of Worcester,

1633-99-
Richard Bentley, D.D. ; 1692-1742; Fellow,

Master of Trinity College : by J. Thornhill.
Richard Hill, Fellow, 1679.
Thomas Baker, B.D., 1656-1760; Fellow and

Historian of the College.
Busts: — Sir John Herschell, 1 792-1 871 ; Fellow.

John Couch Adams, Sc. D. ; Hon. Fellow,

Lowndean Professor of Astronomy, 1858-94

In the Combination Room

From the right: — Allen Percy, Master, 1 516-18:
copy by C. E. Brock.

James Webster, B.D. ; Fellov/, d. 1683 : by
A. J. Oliver.

Edward Frewen, D.D. ; Fellow, d. 1832.

WiUiam Tyrrel, Bishop of Newcastle, Australia :
a chalk by Richmond, 1847.

Hon. Charles Ewan Law, 1 792-1850, M.P.
for the University, by Pickersgill.

Abbot, D.D. ; inscribed getat. 91, 1823.

James Macmahon, presented 1885.

2S9

The Story of Cambridge

George Augustus Selwyn, D.D., 1809-78;
Bishop of New Zealand and later of Lichfield :
by George Richmond.

Sir John Herschell, Bart., 1792-1871,
Fellow : by Pickersgill.

The Lady Margaret, Foundress, 1441-1509.

John Couch Adams, 18 19-Q4, Fellow ; Lown-
dean Professor of Astronomy : by 1\ Mogford.

William Wiberforce, M.P., 1757-1833; by
George Richmond.

Thomas Clarkson, 1760- 1846; by H. Room.

Thos. Baker, B.D. ; 1656-1740, Fellow;
Historian of the College : after C. Bridges.

Sam. Parr, LL.D. 1747-1826.

William Wordsworth, sketch in chalk, pre-
sented 1897.

In the Library

Sir Robt. Heath, Knight, 1 275-1649, Chief- Justice

of the Common Pleas.
Alexander Morus (or More), 1616-70.
Portrait of Cleric.

Hawkins, M.D. ; by B. Orchard, 1682.

Edward Benlowes :. by S. Walker, 1650.
William Bendlowcs, Sergeant at Law. 1564.
Portrait of a Cleric.

In the Master* s Lodge

In the Hall -. — Tohn Fisher, Bishop of Rochester;
Chancellor of the University : by Holbein

Abraham Cowley, 1618-67.

Peter Gunning, D.D. ; Master ; Bishop of
Ely, 1675-84.

Mary, Countess of Shrewsbury, 15 56- 163 2,
Builder of the Second Court.
260

Colleges of the New Learning

William Cecil, Lord Burghley, 1520-98;
Chancellor of the University, 1559.

William Piatt, d. 1637.

Henry John Temple, K.G., Viscount Palmer-
stone, 1 784- 1 865.

Rd. Neil, Archbishop of York, i 562-1640.

Henry, Prince of Wales, 1594- 16 12, son of
James I.

Thomas Morton, Bishop of Durham, 1564-

1659.

William Cecil, Lord Burghley.

William Beale, Master, 1633-43.

Thomas Thurlin, D.D. ; Fellow, 1740.

Charles Stuart, Duke of York, afterwards King
Charles L

Walter Francis Montagu-Douglas-Scott, K.G.,
fifth Duke of Buccleuch, and seventh Duke
of Queensberry, 1806.

The Lady Margaret, Foundress, 144I-1509.

Wm. Whittaker, D.D., 1548-95, Master.

Thos. Playfere, D.D., 1562-1608; Lady
Margaret Professor.

Maria, Infanta of Spain.

Thos. Balguy, D.D., 1716-95.

Hugh Percy, K.G., third Duke of North-
umberland, 1 78 5- 1 847.
Draiulng-room : — Edward Villiers, first Earl ot
Jersey, d. 1 7 1 1 .

Sir Robert Heath, High Lord Chief-Justice,
d. 1649.

Wm. Cecil, K.G., second Earl of Salisbury,
d. 1668.

Queen Elizabeth : after F. Zucchero.

Matthew Prior, Fellow, 1664-1721: by
Rigaud.

Anne of Denmark, consort of James L

261

The Story of Cambridge

Thos. Edwards: by Thomas Murray, 17 12.

Edward Villiers, first Earl of Jersey.

Count Gondomar, Ambassador from Spain to
James I.

Thomas Wentworth, K.G., Earl of Strafford,
1593-1641: after Vandyck.

Robert Cecil, K.G., first Earl of Salisbury,
1550-1612.

Lucius Cary, second Viscount Falkland,
1610-43 • ^^^^^ Vandyck.

Portrait of a lady, time of Queen Elizabeth.

Henrietta Maria, consort of Charles I. : after
Vandyck.

King Charles I. ; after Vandyck.

Wm. Whittaker, D.D., 1548-95; Master;
Professor of Divinity.

Mary, Countess of Shrewsbury, 1556-1632.

Sir Thomas Egerton, 1540-1617, Lord
Keeper and Lord Chancellor.

Anthony Ashley Cooper, first Earl of Shaftes-
bury, 1621-83, as Lord Ashley.

John Charles Villiers, third Earl of Clarendon,
;i757-i838.
Dining-room : — Charles Stuart, Prince ot Wales,
after Charles L

Peter Gunning, D.D., 1614-1684; Master;
Bishop of Ely, 1675-84.

Lady Margaret, Foundress.

Geo. Villiers, K.G., first Duke of Buckingham,
1592-1628.

John Larke, D.D., 1624-89; Bishop of
Chichester.

Robert Jenkin, D.D., 1656-1727; Master;
Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity.

Francis Turner, V).\^.; Master ; Bishop of
Ely, 1684-91,
262

Colleges of the New Learning

A Doctor of Divinity.

Sir Isaac Pennington, M.D., 1745-18 17 ;
Fellow Professor of Medicine.

John Newcome, D.D., 1683-1765; Master
and Lady Margaret Professor.

Humphrey Gower, D.D., 1637-1711;
Master ; Lady Margaret Professor.

Wm. Heberden, M.D. ; Fellow, 1710-1801 :
by Sir W. Beechey.

Robert Lambert, D.D. ; Master, d. 1735 : ^Y
Heim.

Herbert Marsh, D.D. , 1757-1839; Bishop of
Peterborough.

Thomas Baker, B.D. ; Fellow, 1656-
1740.

Samuel Ogden, D.D. ; Fellow ; Wood-
wardian ; Professor of Geology, 1764-78.

Henry Wriothesley, K.G., Earl of Southamp-
ton, 1 573-1624, after Mireveldt.

William Craven, D.D. ; Master, d. 181 5.

Robert Storton, D.D. ; first Master, 151 1- 16 ;
Master of Pembroke, 1518-1534.

Wm. Henry Bateson, D.D. ; Master, 1857-81.
William, Lord Maynard, fl. 1620.

James Wood, D.D., 1760-1839; Master;
Dean of Ely, 1820-39.
School-room : — Robert Grove, D.D. ; Bishop of
Chichester, d. 1697.

John Garnett, D.D., Bishop of Ferns and
Leighton and Clogher, d. 1782.

William Laud, 1573-1645, Archbishop of
Canterbury.

A bishop, ? Thos. Watson, Bishop of S.
David's, d. 1717.

A Doctor of Divinity^

An author or poet.

263

The Sto?'y of Cambridge

Passage on first Jloor : — 'King James 1.: after Van
Somer.

Portrait of a boy.

Lawrence Fogg, D.D. ; Dean of Chester, d.
1718.

John Seymour, fourth Duke of Somerset, d.

1675-
Boudoir: — Thos. Fairfax, fifth Baron, d. 17 10.
Study : — King Henry VIII.

I have spoken of the two Lady Margaret founda-
tions as colleges of the New Learning. How far
they have succeeded in fuhilHng the aims of their
founder only a careful study of their subsequent
history can tell, and for that we have not space.
But this, at least, we may say, that a college in which,
generation after generation, there were enrolled men of
such varying parts and poweis as Sir Thomas Wyatt
and William Grindall ; as Sir John Cheke and Roger
Ascham, the former the tutor of Edward VI., the
latter of Queen Elizabeth, and both famous as among
the most sagacious and original thinkers on the
subject of education ; as Robert Gretne and Thomas
Nash the dramatists ; as Robert Cecil, Earl of Salis-
bury, and Thomas Cartwright, "the most learned of
that sect of dissenters called Puritans " ; of John
Dee, mathematician and astrologer, the editor of
Euclid's " Elements," and William Lee, the inventor
of the stocking-frame ; of Roger Dodsworth, the
antiquary, and Thomas Sutton, the founder of
Charterhouse ; as Thomas Baker, the historian of the
College, and Richard Bentlcy, the great scholar and
critic; as Henry Constable, and Robiit Herrick and
Mark Akenside and Robert Otway and Henry Kirke
White and William Wordsworth — a galaxy of names
which seems to prove that not Cambridge only, but S.
264

Colleges of the New Learning

John's College, is " the mother of potts " — as William
Wilberforce and Thomas Clarkson, can hardly be
said not to have contributed much to the history of
English culture and English learning, to the extension
of the oldtr Classical studies, and to the advance of
the newer Science, to that wider and freer outlook
upon the world and upon life to which so much that is
best in our modern civilisation may be traced, and all
of which took its origin from that movement of the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries which we know by
the name of the Renaissance. Of the genuine
attachment of Bishop Fisher, the true founder of S.
John's, to the New Learning there can be no doubt.
He showed it clearly enough by the sympathy which
he evinced with the new spirit of Biblical Criticism
and by the friendship v/ith Erasmus, which induced
that great scholar to accept the Lady Margaret pro-
fessorship at Cambridge. That the study of Greek
was allowed to go on in the University without that
active antagonism which it encountered at Oxford
was mainly owing — it is the testimony of Erasmus
himself — to the powerful protection which it received
from Bishop Fisher. On the other hand, it cannot be
denied that his attachment to the papal cause, and his
hostility to Luther, whom he rightly enough regarded
as a Reformer of a very different type to that of his
friends Erasmus, Cokt, and More, remained unrhaken.
On the occasion of the burning of Luther's writings
in S. Paul's Churchyard in 1521, he had preached
against the great reformer at Paul's Cross before
Wolsey and Warham, a sermon which was subse-
quently handled v/ith severity by William Tyndale.
It is, in fact, nut difficult to recognise in the various
codes of statutes, which from time to time he gave to
liis college foundations, evidence of both the strength
and weakness of his character. In 15 16 he had

265

The Story of Cambridge

given to S. John's statutes which were identical with
those of Christ's College. But in 1524 he sub-
stituted for these another code, and in 1530 a third.
In this final code, accordingly, among many provisions,
characterised by much prudent forethought, and amid
statutes which really point to something like a revolu-
tion in academic study, we see plainly enough signs of
timorous distrust, not to say a pusillanimous anxiety
against all innovations whatever in the future. But in
one cause, at any rate, he bore a noble part, and for it
he died a noble death. His opposition to the divorce
of King Henry and Queen Catherine was not less
honourable than it was consistent, and he stood alone
among the Bishops of the realm in his refusal to recog-
nise the validity of the measure. It was, in fact, his
unflinching firmness in regard to the Act of Supremacy
which finally sealed his fate. The story of his trial
and death are matters that belong to English history,
The pathos of it we can all feel as we read the pages
in which Froude has told the story in his " History."
and its moral, we may perhaps also feel, has not
been unfitly pointed by Mr Mullinger in his " History
of the University." Here are Froude's words : —

" Mercy was not to be hoped for. It does not seem to
have been sought. He was past eighty. The earth on tlie
edge of the grave was already crumbling under his feet ; and
death had little to make it fearful. When the last morning
dawned, he dressed himself carefully — as he said, for his
marriage day. The distance to Tower Hill was short. He
was able to walk ; and he tottered out of the prison gates,
holding in his hand a closed volume of the New Testament.
The crowd flocked about him, and he was heard to pray that,
as this book had been his Iiest comfort and companion, so in that
hour it might give him some special strength, and speak to
him as from his Lord. Then opening it at a venture, he
read: 'This is life eternal, to know Thee, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.' It was the answer
to his prayer; anil he continued to repeat the words as he was
266

Colleges of the New Learnmg

led forward. On the scaffold he chanted the Te Deum, and
then, after a few prayers, knelt down, and meekly laid his
head upon a pillow where neither care nor fear nor sickness
would ever vex it more. Many a spectacle of sorrow had
been witnessed on that tragic spot, but never one more sad than
this ; never one more painful to think or speak of. When a
nation is in the throes of revolution, wild spirits are abroad
in the storm: and poor human nature presses blindly forward
with the burden which is laid upon it, tossing aside the
obstacles in its path with a recklessness which, in calmer
hours, it would fear to contemplate."^

And here are Mr Mullinger's ; —

<' When it was known at Cambridge that the Chancellor
(Fisher) was under arrest, i.t seemed as though a dark cloud
had gathered over the University ; and at those colleges which
had been his peculiar care the sorrow was deeper than could
find vent in language. The men who, ever since their
academic life began, had been conscious of his watchful over-
sight and protection, who as they had grown up to manhood
had been honoured by his friendship, aided by his bounty,
stimulated by his example to all that was commendable and
of good report, could not see his approaching fate without
bitter and deep emotion ; and rarely in the correspondence
of colleges is there to be found such an expression of pathetic
grief as the letter in which the Society of S. John's addressed
their beloved patron in his hour of trial. In the hall of that
ancient foundation his portrait still looks down upon those
who, generation after generation, enter to reap where he
sowed. Delineated with all the severe fidelity of the art of
that period, we may discern the asceticism of the ecclesiastic
blending with the natural kindliness of the man, the wide
sympathies with the stern convictions. Within those walls
have since been wont to assemble not a few who have risen
to eminence and renown. But the College of S. John the
Evangelist can point to none in the long array to whom her
debt of gratitude is greater, who have laboured more un-
tiredly or more disinterestedly in the cause of learning, or
who by a holy life and heroic death are more worthy to sur-
vive in the memories of her sons."'-^

^ Froude's "History of England," vol. ii. p. iSS.

"^ Mullinger's "History of the University," vol. i. p. 628.

267

CHAPTER XI
A Small and a Great College

" Qu3e ponti vicina vides, Audelius oliin
Coepit et adversi posuit fumlamina muri :
Et coeptum perlecit opus Staffordius heros
Quem genuit maribus regio celebcrrima damis.

Quattuor inde novisquse turribus alta minantur
Et nivea immeiiso diffundunt atria circo,
Ordine postremus. sed non virtutibus, auxit
Henricus tecta, et triplices cum jungeret sedes,
Imposuit nomen facto."

— Giles Fletcueh, 1633.

Dissolution of the Monasteries — Schemes for Collegiate
Spoliation checked by Henry VIII. — Monks' or Bucking-
ham College — Refounded by Sir Thomas Audlt-y as
Magdaleiie College — Conversion of the Old Buildings —
The Pepysian Library — Foundation of Trinity College
— Michaelhouse and the King's Hall — King Edward's
Gate — The Queen's Gate — The Great Gate — Dr Thomas
Neville— The Great Court— The Hall— Neville's Court
— New Court— Dr Bentley — "A House of all Kinds of
Good Letters."

npHE dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIH.

and the conliscation of their great estates naturally
created a sense of foreboding in the universities that it
would not be long before the College estates shared the
same fate. There were not wanting, we may be sure,
greedy courtiers prepared with schemes of collegiate
spoliation. If we may trust, however, the testimony
of Harrison in his ** Description ot England," ^ the
hopes of the despoiler were effectually checked by the
> Edition of Furnival, p. 88.

268

A Small and a Great College

King himself. " Ah, sirha," he is reported to have
said to some who had ventured to make proposals for
such despoilment, " I perceive the abbey lands have
fleshed you, and set your teeth on edge to ask also
those colleges. And whereas we had a regard only
to pull down sin by defacing the monasteries, you have
a desire also to overthrow all goodness by a dispersion
of colleges. I tell you, sirs, that I judge no land in
England better bestowed than that which is given to
our universities ; for by their maintenance our realm,
shall be well governed v/hen we be dead and rotten."
These are brave words^ and we may hope that they
were sincere. They may seem, perhaps, to receive
some confirmation of sincerity from the fact that that
munificent donor of other people's property did him.-
self erect upon the ruins of more than one earlier
foundation that great college, whose predominance in
the University has from that time onwards been so
marked a feature of Cambridge life. It is the opinion
of Huber,! that the uncertainty and depression caused
in the universities by these fears of confiscation did not
subside until well on in the reign of Elizabeth.

MAGDALENE COLLEGE

Founded by Thomas, Lord Audley,
1542, to replace Buckingham
College, the site of which had
been granted by Henry VI.
1428 to the English Benedic-
tines, as a hostel for monks of
their order.

[The arms of the College are
those of its founder to whom they
were granted in 1538 : Quarterly
per pale indented, or and azure, in the
second and third quarters *an ejgle dir-
played gold; over all on a bend azure a pet between tiuo martlets 0;.]

1 " English Universities," vol. i. p. 307.

269

The Story of dutibridge

In the year 1542, however, four years before the
foundation of Trinity College by Henry VIII., the
spoliation of the monasteries v/as turned to the ad-
vantage of the University in a somewhat remarkable
manner. On the further side of the river Cam, " cut
off," as Fuller describes it, " from the continent of
Cambridge," there stood an ancient religious house
known at this time as Buckingham College.

" Formerly it was a place where many monks lived, on the
charge of their respective convent, being very fit for solitary
persons by the situation thereof. For it stood on the trans-
cantine side, an anchoret in itself, severed by the river from
the rest of the University. Here the monks some seven years
since had once and again lodged and feasted Edward Stafford,
the last Dukt* of Buckingham of that family. Great men
best may, good men always w^ill, be grateful guests to such
as entertain them. Both qualifications met in this Duke
and then no wonder if he largely requited his welcome. He
changed the name of the House into Buckingham College,
began to build, and purposed to endow the same, no doubt
in some proportion to his own high and rich estate. "^

The foundation of this Monks' College had dated
as far back as the year 1428, when the Benedictines
of Croyland erected a building for the accomodation
of those monks belonging to their house who wished
to repair to Cambridge, *' to study the Canon Law
and the Holy Scriptures," and yet to reside under
their own monai«tic rule. From time to time other
Benedictines of the neighbourb.ood — Ely, Ramsey,
Walden — added additional chambers to the hostel —
Croyland Abbey, however, remaining the superior house.

A hall was built in connection with the College in
1 5 19 by Edward, Duke of Buckingham, son of the
former benefactor, and it is probably to this date that
we may refer the secular or semi-secular foundation
of the College. Certainly at this period the secular

' Fuller. " History of Cambridge," p. 196.
270

A Small and a Great College

element of the College must have been considerable,
for we find Cranmer, on his resignation of his Fellow-
ship at Jesus on account of his marriage, supporting
himself by giving lectures at Buckingham College.
Sir Robert Rede, the founder of the Rede Lecture-
ship in the University, and Thomas Audley, the
future Lord Chancellor, are also said to have received
their education in this College. At any rate there
can be little doubt that it was this semi-secular
character of the College at this period which saved it
from the operations of the successive acts for the
dissolution of the monastic bodies. In the year 1542
Buckingham College was converted by Sir Thomas
Audley into Magdalene College. " Thomas, Lord
Audley of Walden," says Fuller, " Chancellor of
England, by licence obtained from King Henry VII L,
changed Buckingham into Magdalene (vulgarly MaudHn)
College, because, as some ^ will have it, his surname
is therein contained betwixt the initial and final letters
thereof — M^audley'n, This may well be indulged to
his fancy, whilst more solid considerations moved him
to the work itself." What those " more solid con-
siderations " may have been it is difficult, in relation
to such a founder, to divine. He was a man who
had gradually amassed considerable wealth by a
singular combination of talent, audacity, and craft, one
who, in the language of Lloyd in his " State Worthies,"
was "well seen in the flexures and windings of affairs
at the depths whereof other heads not so steady turned
giddy." He was Speaker of the House of Commons
in that Parliament by whose aid Henry VIII. had
finally separated himself and his kingdom from all
allegiance to the Sec of Rome, and of whose further

1 This absurdity is traceable to that Shlefos Cantahrigiensis
by Richard Parker, to which I drew attention in my first
chapter.

271

Tbt Story of Cambridge

measures for ecclesiastical reform at home Bishop
Fisher had exclaimed in the House of Lords : " My
lords, you see daily what bills come hither from the
Common House, and all is to the destruction of the
Church. For God*s sake, see what a realm the
kingdom of Bohemia was, and when the Church went
down, then fell the glory of the kingdom. Now
with the Commons is nothing but ' Down with the
Church ! * and all this meseemeth is for lack of faith
only." Sir Thomas Audley had been one of the
first to profit by the plunder of the monasteries. " He
had had," as Fuller terms it, "the first cut in the
feast of abbey lands " He was also one of those
who shared in its final distribution. As a reward for
his services as Lord Chancellor — and what those
services must have been as " the ket-per of the con-
science " of such a king as Henry VHL we need
not trouble to inquire — a few more of the suppressed
monasteries were granted to him at the general dissolu-
tion, among which, at his own earnest suit, was the
Abbey of Walden in Essex. Walden was one of
the Benedictine houses that had been associated in the
early days with Monks' now Buckingham College.
Whether the newly-created Lord of Walden regarded
himself as inheriting also the Monks' rights and re-
sponsibilities in connection with the Cambridge college
or not, or whether, being an old man now and infirm
and with no male heir, he thought to find some solace
for his conscience in the thought of himself as the
benefactor and founder of a permanent college, I
cannot say. Certain, howcvrr, it is that the original
statutes of Magdalene College, unlike those of Christ's
and John's, exhibit no regard for the New Learning,
and are indeed mainly noteworthy for the large powers
and discretion which they assign to the Master, and
the .i.lmost entire freedom of that official from any
272

A S??iall and a Great College

responsibility to the governing body of Fellows. It
was evidently the founder's design to place the College
practically under the control of the successive owners
of Audley End.

In 1564 the young Duke of Norfolk, who had
married Lord Audley's daughter and sole heir, and
who was, moreover, descended from the early bene-
factor of the College, the Duke of Buckingham, con-
tributed liberally towards both the revenues of Magdalene
and its buildings. On the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's
visit to Cambridge, it is recorded that " the Duke of
Norfolk accompanied Her Majesty out of the town,
and, then returning, entered Magdalene College, and
gave much money to the same ; promising £"40 by
year till they had builded the quadrant of the College." ^
From this statement it is plain that the quadrangle of
Magdalene was not complete so late as 1654. The
chapel and old library which form the west side of this
court, and also the frontage to the street, had been
built in the fifteenth century. The roof of the present
chapel, uncovered in 1847, shows that Buckingham
College had a chapel on the same site. The doorway
in the north-west corner of the court retained a carving
of the three keys, the arms of the prior and convent of
Ely, so late as 1777, and thus probably indicated the
chambers which were added to Monk's College for the
accommodation of the Ely Convent scholars. The
similar rooms assigned to the scholar-monks of Walden
and Ramsey appear to have been in the range of
buildings forming the south side of the College, parallel
with the river, orginally built in the fifteenth century,
but reconstructed in 1585. The new gateway in the
street-front belongs also to this late date. The chapel
was thoroughly "Italianised" in 1733, and again
restored and enlarged in 185 i.

1 Nichoi's '' Progress of Queen Elizabeth," vol. i. p. 282.

s 273

The Story of Cambridge

The extremely beautiful building now known as the
Pepysian Library, beyond the old quadrangle to the
east, which belongs to Restoration times, although its
exact date and the name of its architect are not known,
is the chief glory of Magdalene. It was probably
approaching completion in 1703, when Samuel Pepys,
the diarist, who had been a sizar of the College in
1650, and had lately contributed towards the cost of
the building, bequeathed his library to the College, and
directed that it should be housed in the new building.
There, accordingly, it is now deposited, and the in-
scription, " BlBLIOTHECA PePYSIANA, I 724," With his
arms and motto, " Mens cujusque is est quisque^^ is
carved in the pediment of the central window. The
collection of books is a specially interesting one, in-
valuable to the historian or antiquary. Most of the
books are in the bindings of the time, and are still in the
mahogany glazed bookcases in which they were placed
by Pepys himself in 1666, and of which he speaks in
his Diary under date August 24 of that year : —

"Up and dispatched several businesses at home in the
morning, and then comes Simpson to set up my other new
presses for my books; and so he and I fell to tlie furnishing
of my new closett, and taking out the things out of my old ;
and I kept him with me all day, and he dined with me, and
so all the afternoone. till it was quite darke hanging things —
that is my maps and pictures and draughts — and setting up
my books, and as much as we could do, to my most extra-
ordinary satisfaction ; so that I think it will be as noble a
closett as any man hath, and light enough — though, indeed, it
would be better to have had a little more light."

The celebrated diary was written in cipher, and the
first to discover its key was John Smith, an under-
graduate of S. John's, who was engaged for this
purpose by Lord Grenville. Mynors Bright went all
through the work again, some 3012 quarto pages of
shorthand, the names and dates, however, being usually
274

A Small and a Great College

given in full. Bright's transcript, with Lord Bray-
brooke's notes, and edited by H. B. Wheatley, F.S.A.,
was published in ten vols, by Bell in 1893. It is of
interest perliaps to state on the authority of Wheatley
that the descendants of the diarist's sister pronounce
the name Peeps, while other members of the family
favour the pronunciation of Peppis. For Peps there is
no authority. It has gained some vogue mainly, I
am afraid, because of this neat epigram in the Graphic
a few years ago ; —

" There are people I'm told — some say there are heaps
Who speak of the talkative Samuel as Peeps ;
And some so precise and pedantic there step is
Who call the delightful old diarist Pepys :
But those I think right, and I follow their steps,
Who mention the garrulous gossip as Peps."

Among the many interesting books in this library
are "a vast treasure" of papers given by Evelyn to
Pepys ; a collection of records relating to the escape of
Charles II. from Worcester, taken down by Pepys
from the king's own mouth ; the Maitland manuscript
collection of Scottish ballad poetry : a first edition of
Juliana Barnes on *' The Manner of Hawking and
Hunting and Heraldrie." Among volumes of state papers
are several autographs of Elizabeth, Charles I. and II.,
and a letter to Leicester ending with the autograph
"Your gud cusign, Marie R." (Mary Queen of
Scots) : also letters from Robert Dudley and Thomas
Blount, referring to the death of Amy Robsart. Here
is also a professedly facsimile copy of letters which
passed between Henry VIII. and Anne Boleyn, made
in 1682 by Dr Fall, Precentor of York from the
original in the Vatican. This copy was collated by
Pepys with another, whose owner was glad to expose
*' the base disingenuousness of the great men at Rome "
who " make it a matter of sport and triumph to show

275

The Story of Cambridge

these letters to our English gentlemen." The letters
begin for the most part *' Sweet darling " and end
generally " Signed with the hand that I would were
yours." There are also two manuscript New Testa-
ments, translated by Wycliff, and an MS. volume of
his sermons, with notes on a fly-leaf in Waterland's
hand.

Of the many Magdalene men of eminence, from the
days of Sir Robert Rede and Archbishop Cranmer
down to those of Charles Parnell and Charles
Kingsley, there is no need to speak in any other words
than those of Fuller : " Every year this house
produced some eminent scholars, as living cheaper and
privater, freer from town temptations by their remote

situation."

College Portraits
In the Hall

William Gretton, Master, 1797-18 13.

Charles Kingsley, 1819-75, Professor of Modern

History, 1860-69: by Lowes Dickinson.
Henry Howard, Earl of Suffolk, 1706-45 ; by Gibson.
Edward Rainbow, D.D. ; Master, 1642-50, and 1660-

64 ; Bishop of Carlisle : by Freeman.
Edward Stafford, K.G., third Duke of Buckingham ;

Benefactor ; beheaded 1521: copy by J. Freeman.
Thomas, Lord Audley, K.G., 1488-1544; Lord

Chancellor : copy by Freeman of the picture

I 542 by Holbein at Audley End.
Sir Christopher Wray, 1524-92, Lord Chief-Justice,

1574: copy by Freeman.
Richard Cumberland, D.D. ; Bibhop of Peterborough,

1632-1 7 18: copy by Romney.
Peter Peckard, D.D. ; Master, 1781-97; Dean of

Peterborough : by Ralph.

276

A Small and a Great College

Portrait of a man.

Martha, wife of Peter Peckard : by Ralph.

Thomas Howard, K.G., Earl of Suffolk ; Lord High

Treasurer.
Samuel Pepys, 1632-1703 : by Lely.
John, Lord Howard and Braybrooke, K.B.

In the Combination Room

John Lodge, University Librarian, 1822-45.

Mynors Bright, B.A., 1843 : by Lowes Dickinson.

Hon. George Neville Grenville, Master, 1813-53;
Dean of Windsor : by Pickersgill.

Francis Pattrick, President, d. 1896 : by L. Dickinson.

Thomas Busby, Mus. D., 1755-1838: by Lonsdale.

Alfred Newton, Professor of Zoology, 1866: by
Lowes Dickinson.

William Parish, Fellow; Professor of Natural Philo-
sophy, 181 3-1837.

Daniel Waterland, Master, 17 13-1 746.

Edward Waring, Lucasian Professor of Mathematics,
1760-98.

Hezekiah Burton, 1669: by Beales.

Thomas Kerrich, University Librarian, 1748- 1828.

In the Pepysian Library
Samuel Pepys, 1632- 1703 : by Kneller.

In the Master s Lodge

Hall: — Nicholas Ferrar of Little Gidding, 1592-

1637.
Dining-room : — Richard, second Lord Braybrooke,
b. 1 7 18.

Lord Howard of Coalden, d. 1781.
Edward Stafford, K.G., third Duke of
Buckingham ; Benefactor, beheaded 1521.
Peter Peckard, D.D. ; Master, 1781-97.

277

The Story of Cambridge

Lord Howard of Coalden.

Richard Cumberland, Bishop of Peterborough,
1671.

Nicholas Ferrar, father of N. F. of Little
Gidding, 1546- 162c.

Sir Christopher Wray, 1524-92, Lord Chief-
Justice.

Mary Ferrar, wife of N. Ferrar, the elder.

W. Parker, D.D., inherited Audley End
through his mother.
Study : — Lady Portsmouth : by Lely.

TRINITY COLLEGE

Founded by King Henry VIIL,
1546. There were absorbed
in t lie New College: (i) King's
Hall, founded by Edward III.,
135^; (") Michael House,
founded by Hervey de Stanton,
Chancellor of Exchequer to
Edward II., 1323; (iii) Phy-
sick's Hostel, belonging to
Gonville Hall ; (iv) some
minor hostels.

[The arms of the College are:
Argent, a chevron hetiveen three roses gules : on a chief of the last,
a lion passant gardant betiveen ttio books or. There does not
appear to have been any original grant of these arms. Michael
House, University Hall, and King's Hall do not appear ever
to have had arms. Hamond's Map, 1592, assigns to the first
two the arms that may have been borne by their founders
and to the King's Hall, a shield of England within a bordure
company, but none of these occiir elsewhere,]

No Cambridge foundation, probably no academic in-
stitution in Europe, furnishes so striking an example
as does Trinity College of the change from the
mediaeval to the modern conception of education and
of learning. If, indeed, we may take the words of
the Preamble to his charter of Foundation, dated the
278

A Small arid a Great College

thirty-eighth year of his reign (1546) as a statement
of his own personal aims, King Henry had conceived
a very noble ideal of liberal education. After referring
to his special reasons for thankfulness to Almighty
God for peace at home and successful wars abroad —
peace had just been declared with France after the
brief campaign conducted by Henry himself, which
had been signalised by the capture of Boulogne — and
above all for the introduction of the pure truth of
Christianity into his kingdom, he sets forth his intention
of founding a college " to the glory and honour of
Almighty God, and the Holy and undivided Trinity,
for the amplification and establishment of the Christian
and true religion, the extirpation of heresy and false
opinion, the increase and continuance of divine learning
and all kinds of good letters, the knowledge of the
tongues, the education of the youth in piety, virtue,
learning, and science, the relief of the poor and destitute,
the prosperity of the Church of Christ, and the
common good and happiness of his kingdom and
subjects." 1

The site upon which King Henry VHI. had
decided to place his college is also mentioned in this
preamble to the Charter of Foundation. It was to
be " on the soil, ground, sites, and precincts of the
late hall and college, commonly called the King's
Hall, and of a certain late college of S. Michael,
commonly called Michaelhouse, and also of a certain
house and hostel called Fyswicke or Fysecke hostel
and of another house and hostel, commonly called
Hovinge Inn." In addition to the hostels here
named there were, however, several others which
occupied, or had occupied, the site previous to 1548
— for one or two previous to this time had been
absorbed by their neighbours — whose names have
J Cooper's " Memorials," vol. ii. p. 135.

279

The Story of Cambridge

been preserved, and whose position has been put
beyond doubt by recent researches. These other
hostels were S. Catherine's S. Margaret's, Crouched
Hostel, Tyler or Tyler's, S. Gregory's, Garet or
Saint Gerard's Hostel, and Oving's Inn.

We may indicate roughly, perhaps, the position of
these various halls and hostels in relation to the present
college buildings, if we imagine ourselves to have
entered the great gate of Trinity from the High Street,
from Trinity Street, and to be standing on the steps
leading into the Great Court, and facing across towards
the Master's lodge. Immediately in front of us, on
what is now the vacant green sward between the gate-
way steps and the sun-dial, there stood in the fifteenth
century King's Hall, or that block of it which a
century earlier had been built to take the place of the
thatched and timbered house which Edward III. had
bought from Robert de Croyland, and had made into
his " King's Hall of Scholars." The entrance to
this house, however, was not on the side which would
have been immediately facing the point where we stand
on the steps. It was entered by a doorway on its
south side, opening into a lane — King's Childers' Lane
it was called — which, starting from the High Street,
from a point slightly to the south of the Great Gate,
crossed the Great Court directly east and west, and
then bending slightly to the north, reached the river at
Dame Nichol's Hvthe, at a point just beyond the bend
in the river by the end of the present library. Return-
ing to our point of view we should find on our right,
occupying the easternmost part of the existing chapel,
the old chapel of King's Hall, built in 146 5, and
beyond it, westwards, other buildings, — the buttery,
the kitchen, the hall, — forming four sides of a little
cloistered court, partly occupying the site of the present
z8o

A Small and a Great College

ante-chapel, and partly on its northern side facing
across the Cornhithe Lane to the gardens of the old
Hospital of S. John.

Turning to our left to the southern half of the great
court, to that part which in the old days was soath of
King's Childers' Lane, south, that is, of the present
fountain, we should find the site intersected by a lane
running directly north and south, from a point at the
south-west corner of the King's Hall about where the
sun-dial now stands, to a point in Trinity Lane, or S.
Michael's Lane as it was then called, where now stands
the Queen's Gate. This was Le Foule Lane, and
was practically a continuation of that Milne Street of
which we have spoken in an earlier chapter as running
parallel with the river past the front of Trinity Hall,
Clare, and Queens' to the King's Mills. To the east
of Foule Lane, occupying the site of the present range
of buildings on the east and south-east of the great
court, stood the Hostel of S. Catharine, with Fysv/icke
Hostel on its western side. Michaelhouse occupied
practically the whole of the south-western quarter of
the great court, with its gardens stretching down to the
river. S. Catharine's, Fyswicke Hostel, and Michael-
house all had entrances into S. Michael's or Flaxhithe,
now Trinity Lane. Beyond and across Flaxhithe
Lane was Oving's Inn, on the site of the present
Bishop's Hostel, with Garett Hostel still further south,
on land adjoining Trinity Hall. S. Gregory's and
the Crouched Hostel stood north of Michaelhouse,
side by side, on a space now occupied for the most
part by the great dining-hall. The Tyled or Tyler's
Hostel was on the High Street adjoining the north-
east corner of S. Catherine's. S. Margaret's Hall,
which had adjoined the house of William Fyswicke, had
been at an early date absorbed in the Fyswicke Hostel.

It is plain that these various halls and hostels would

?8i

The Story of Cambridge

sufficiently supply all the early needs of King Henry's
new college. There wns the chapel of King's Hall,
the halls of King's Hall, Michaelhouse and Fyswicke's
Hostel, and the chambers in each of these and the
smaller hostels. During the first three years or so,
from 1546 to 1549, the existing buildings seem to
have been occupied without alteration. In 1550 and
1551 parts of Michaelhouse and Fyswicke's Hostel
were pulled down, and their gates walled up. The
Foule Lane, which separated them, was closed, and
the new Queen's gate built at the point where that
lane had joined Michael's Lane. The south ranges
of both Fyswicke's Hostel and Michaelhouse on each
side of this gate were retained. The hall, butteries,
and kitchen of Michaelhouse on the west were also
retained, and continued northwards to form a lodge
for the Master, and this range was returned easter-
wards at right angles to join the King Edward's
gateway at the south-west corner of King's Hall. A
little later the hall, butteries, and chapel of King's
Hall were removed to make way for the new chapel,
which jvas begun in 1555 and completed about ten
years later.

An early map of Cambridge, made by order of
Archbishop Parker in 1574,^ and preserved in one
of the early copies of Caius' " History of the Uni-
versity " in the British Museum, shows the College
in the state which we have thus described, the outline
of the Great Court, that is to say, practically defined
as it is to-day, but broken at two points, one by the
projection from its western side joining the Master's
lodge with the old gateway of King Edward, still
standing in its ancient position, more or less on the
site of the present sun-dial : the other by a set of
chambers, built in 1490, projecting from the eastern
' Cf. Map facii)g page 56.
282

"> ^iv:-

THE FOUNTAIN, TRINITY LOLLEGE

A Swall and a Great College

range of buildings, and ending at a point somewhat
east of the site of the present fountain.

The transformation of the Great Court into the
shape in which we now know it is due entirely to the
energy and skill of Dr Thomas Neville, at that time
Dean of Peterborough, who was appointed Master
of Trinity in 1573. "Dr Thomas Neville," says
Fuller, "the eighth master of this College, answering
his anagram * most heavetily,'' and practising his own
allusive motto, * ne vile velis,' being by the rules of
the philosopher himself to be accounted /-c-f7aXo7r^£T)3g,
as of great performances, for the general good, ex-
pended ^£^3000 of his own in altering and enlarging
the old and adding a new court thereunto, being at
this day the stateliest and most uniform college in
Christendom, out of which may be carved three Dutch
universities." ^

Neville's first work was the completion of the

ranges of chambers on the east and south sides of the

great court, including the Queen's gateway tower,

evidently intended as a copy, to a certain extent, of

King Edward's tower on the opposite side of the

court. In the centre is a niche in the same style

as that on the Great Gate, containing a seated statue

of Queen Elizabeth. On the completion of these in

1 599 the projecting range of buildings on the east

side were pulled down. In 1601 he pulled down the

corresponding projection on the western side, removing

the venerable pile known as King Edward the Third's

Gate. This was rebuilt at the west end of the chapel

as we now see it.

"The vv^hole gate appears to have been rebuilt carelessly
and hastily, for the muUions of the four light windows on
the second floor do not correspond with the 'beginners' on
the sill, and the vault was not replaced. It is probable also

1 Fuller's " History of Cambridge." p. 236.

283

The Story of Cambridge

that the gate is somewhat narrower than it was originally :
for the hood-moulds of the windows on the first floor are
cut off on the side next to the turrets, and there is only just
sufficient space lelt for the jamb." ^

The shields to the right and left of the arch arc
no doubt those which were originally put up in 1427.
The former bears the arms of England, the latter
those of France modern, and England quarterly,
which represent the arms of Henry VI. in whose
reign the gate was built. The statue of King Edward
III. is probably a copy of the statue erected in I434-5.
The mottoes below it are : Pugna Pro P atria, 1377,
and Tertivs Edvardvs Fama Svper ^thera Notvs.

At the same time the Master's lodge was prolonged
northwards, and a library with chambers below it was
built eastwards to meet the old gate. The great
quadrangle was thus complete, the largest in either
university, - having an area of over 90,000 square
feet. To Dr Neville also in the Great Court is
owing the additional storey to the Great Gate, with
the statue of Henry VIII. in a niche on its eastern
front, and the statue of King James, his Queen, and
Prince Charles on its western side.

The whole composition of the Great Gate curiously
enough appears in its style to be much earlier than the
authentic date of its construction (1518-1535). The
space between the crown of the arch and the window
is divided into seven panels, commemorating King
Edward III. and his six sons, as follows, proceeding
from left to right : —

France ancient and England quarterly, label of three points
each charged with a torteau. Eomondys D. Ehor. C.
Cantabrvgie. [Edmund, Duke of York. b. 1341, d. 1402.]

1 Willis and Clarke's <' Architectural History," p. 514.

2 " Tom Quad," the great court of Christ Church, Oxford,
has an area of 74.520 square feet,

284

A Small ana a Great College

France ancient and England quarterly, label argent : on
each point a canton between two roses. Leoneiivs D.
Clarencie C. de Vlster. [Lionel, Duke of Clarence, b.
1338, d. 1368.]

France ancient and England quarterly, label of three
points argent. Edvardvs P. Wallue Vo Black Prince. On
the stone-work on each side of the shield are painted three
ostrich feathers with the motto Ich dien. [Edward the
Black Prince, b. 1330, d. 1376.]

IV (centre)

France ancient and English quarterly, on a stone shield
supported by two lions, for King Edward III., founder of
King's Hall. Beneath this shield is a very small one on
which are three stags trippant, for Geoffrey Blythe, master
of King's Hall (1498-1528), during whose mastership the
gate was begun. Beneath the panel on a sheet of metal are
the words : Edvardvs Tertivs, Fvndator Avle Regis,
Mcccxxxvn.

Shield blank. Gvill'mvs de Hatfjeld. Demortvvs In-
fans. [William of Hatfield, b. 1336, d. in infancy.]

France ancient and England quarterly, label ermine.
Iohannes D. Lancastrje. Vo John of Gavnt, [John of
Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, b. 1340. d. 1399.]

VII

France ancient and England quarterly, label of three
points argent : on the points a fleur-de-lis and two crosses,
all in a bordure argent. Thos. de Glovcestrie C. Essexie.
[Thomas, Duke of Gloucester, b. 1355, d. 1397.]

The beautiful fountain was erected in 1602, and the
hall in 1604. The building of this hall, which with
certain variations is copied from the hall of the
Middle Temple, is thus described in the "Memoriale "
of the College.

285

The Story of Cambridge

"When he had completed the great quadrangle and brought
it to a tasteful and decorous asjiect, for fear that the deformity
of the Hall, which through extreme old age had become
almost ruinous, should cast, as it were, a shadow over its
splendour, he advanced ;^3ooo for seven years out of his own
purse, in order that a great hall might be erected answerable
to the beauty of the new buildings. Lastly, as in the erection
of these buildings he had been promoter rather than author,
and had brought these results to pass more by labour and
assiduity than by expenditure of his own money, he erected
at a vast cost, the whole of which was defrayed by himself, a
building in the second court adorned with beautiful columns,
and elaborated with the most exquisite workmanship, so that
he might connect his own name for ever with the extension
of the College."

Unfortunately, much of the original beauty of
Neville's Court was spoilt by the alterations of Mr
Essex in 1755, "a local architect whose life," as Mr
J. W. Clark has truly said, " was spent in destroying
that which ought to have been preserved."

The building of the Library which forms the western
side of Neville's Court was due mainly to the energy of
Dr Isaac Barrow, who was master from 1663 to 1677.
The architect was Sir Christopher Wren, who him-
self thus describes his scheme : —

' ' I haue given the appearance of arches as the order required,
fair and lofty ; but I haue layd the floor of the Library upon
the impostes, which answer to the pillars in the cloister and
levells of the old floores, and haue filled the arches with relieus
stone, of which I haue seen the effect abroad in good building,
and I assure you where porches are low^ with flat ceclings is
infinitely more gracefull than lowe arches would be, and is
much more open and pleasant, nor need the mason feare the
performance because the arch discharges the weight, and I
shall direct him in a firme manner of executing the designe.
By this contrivance the windowes of the Library rise high
and give place for the deskes against the walls. . . . The
disposition of the shelves both along the walls and breaking
out from the walls must needs proue very convenient and
graceful!, and the best way for the students will be to haue a
little square table in each celle with 2 chaires."
286

^ J 1

^i, i-

» V

■i' ■i.i^t ■ -I^

'v^evll«/''(ourr

A Small and a Great College

The table and the chairs, as well as the book-shelves,
were designed by Wren, who was also at pains to give
full-sized sections of all the mouldings, because " we
are scrupulous in small matters, and you must pardon
us. Architects are as great pedants as criticks or
heralds."

"The general design (of the Library) seems to have been
borrow^ed from that of the Library of S. Mark's at Venice
begun by Sansovino in 1536. The Italian architect like Sir
Christopher Wren raised his Library on a cloister, which is in
the Doric style while the superstructure is Ionic. The
Venetian example is more ornate and there are statues upon
every pier of the balustrade. The arcades are left open
because there was not the same necessity for accommodating
the level of the floor and that of older buildings." ^

Sir Christopher Wren, however, found himself obliged
to place the floor of his Library on the same level as
that of the chambers on the first floor of Neville's
Court. On the top of each of the bookcases which
stand out from the walls in mediaeval fashion — although
there is nothing mediaeval about them except their
position — there is placed a square wooden pedestal
on which Wren intended to place a statue, but this
part of his scheme was not carried out. The
celebrated Grinling Gibbons supplied the busts which
take the place of Wren's statues and also the coats of
arms and wreaths of flowers and fruit with which the
ends of the cases are decorated.

At the south end of the Library is placed
Thorwaldsen's statue of Lord Bryon, orginally ex-
ecuted in 1 83 1 in the expectation that it would be
placed either in S. Paul's Cathedral or in Westminster
Abbey. On its arrival in England it was refused
admission to the Abbey by Dean Ireland and
again in 1842 by Dean Turton. A member of

1 '' Care of Books," by J. W. Clarke, p. 280.

287

The Story of Cambridge

Trinity College, Charles de la Pryme, informed the
master, Dr Whewell, of what had been done, and that
the statue had been lying about twelve years in the
vaults of the Custom House. The subscribers were
shortly afterwards informed that the college would
gladly receive it, and it was accordingly presented on
condition that it should be placed in the Library.
The statue is thus described in Thorwaldsen's " Life."

"The Poet in modern costume is seated upon the ruins of
some Greek columns. His head is uncovered. He holds in his
iiand his poem ChilJe Harold^ and raises towards his chin his
left hand, holding a pen. On one side of the Greek fragment
A0HNH with the owl : on the other, Apollo's lyre and a
gryphon. A Death's head is upon the broken column. The
bas-relief represents the genius of Poetry, who tunes his lyre,
and rests his foot upon the prow of a skiff."

Ranged round the room are marble busts of dis-
tinguished members of the College. Ten of these busts
are by Roubiliac. They are the busts of Bacon and
Newton at the south end of the room, and Hay and
Willoughby at the north. The others are Barrow,
Bentley, Coke, Cotton, Trevor and Whitworth.
There are several fine modern busts by Woolner,
namely, Lord Tennyson, W. G. Clark, Julius Charles
Hare, R. L. Ellis, J. M. Kemble, Adam Sedgwick.
There is also in the Library an interesting caste of
Sir Isaac Newton's face, taken after death, used by
Roubiliac in the statue in the chapel, and the globe and
telescope which are associated with his name, though
it is very doubtful whether this last was ever actually
used by him.

There are some 50,000 printed books in the
Library and many valuable manuscripts. In a case
near the south end is a MS. book which once belonged
to Milton. It contains his Lyculas, Comusy and other
poems, with the first sketch of Paradise l.ost^ when
288

A Small and a Great College

the poet intended to write it in dramatic form. Other
cases contain the MSS. of Thackeray's Esmond^ of
Tennyson's In Memoriam, and of the Poems of Two
Brothers by Charles and Alfred Tennyson. Among
ancient MSS. there is the Codex ylugiensis of the
seventh century, containing the Epistles of S. Paul in
Greek and Latin.

In 1669 Bishop's Hostel — so called after Bishop
Racket of Lichfield, who gave ^1200 towards the
cost — took the place of the two minor halls, Oving's
Inn and Garett Hostel. No further addition to the
College buildings was made until the nineteenth
century, when the new court was built from the designs
of Wilkins in the mastership of Dr Christopher
Wordsworth, and at a later time the two courts opposite
the Great Gate across Trinity Street, by the bene-
faction of a sum approaching ^100,000, by Dr
Whewell. To Dr Whewell also belongs the merit of
the restoration of the front of the Master's lodge, by
the removal of the classical facade which had been so
foolishly and tastelessly imposed upon the old work
by Dr Bentley during his memorable tenure of the
mastership from 1700 to 1742.

The mention of the name of that most masterful of
Yorkshiremen and most brilliant of Cambridge scholars
and critics inevitably suggests the memory of that long
feud between the Fellows of Trinity and their Master
which lasted for nearly half a century, for a year at any
rate longer than the Peloponnesian war, and was
almost as full of exciting incidents. Those who care
to read the miserable and yet amusing story can do so
for themselves in the pages of Bishop Monk's "Life
of Richard Bentley." It is more to the purpose here,
I think, to recall the kindly and judicious verdict of the
great scholar's life at Trinity by the greatest Cambridge
scholar of to-day.

T 289

The Story of Cambridge

It must never be forgotten," writes Sir Richard
Jebb, *'that Bentley's mastership of Trinity is memor-
able for other things than its troubles, He was the
first Master who established a proper competition for
the great prizes of that illustrious college. The
scholarships and fellov/ships had previously been given
by a purely oral examination. Bentley introduced
written papers ; he also made the award of scholarships
to be annual instead of biennial, and admitted students
of the first year to compete for them. He made
Trinity College the earliest home for a Newtonian
school, by providing in it an observatory, under the
direction of Newton's disciple and friend — destined to
an early death — Roger Cotes. He fitted up a chemi-
cal laboratory in Trinity for Vigani of Verona, the
professor of chemistry. He brought to Trinity the
eminent orientalist, Sike of Bremen, afterwards pro-
fessor of Hebrew. True to the spirit of the royal
founder, Bentley wished Trinity College to be indeed
a house * of all kinds of good letters,' and at a time
when England's academic ideals were far from high
he did much to render it not only a great college, but
also a miniature university." ^

And ** a house of all kinds of good letters " Trinity
has remained, and will surely always remain. As we
walk lingeringly through its halls and courts Vv'hat
thronging historic memories crowd upon us ! We
may not forget the failures as well as the successes ;
the defeats as well as the triumphs ; *' the lost causes
and impossible loyalties " as well as the persistent
faith and the grand achievement ; but what an in-
spiration we feel must such a place be to the young
souls who, year by year, enter its gates. How can
the flame of ideal sympathy with the great personalities
of their country's history fail to be kindled or kept

' " National Dictionary of Bingiaphy.'" vol. iv. p. 312.
290

Sir Isaac Newton
F7-om the statue by Rouhiliac in the Antc-chnpcl oj Tj-inity College

A Small afid a Great College

alive in such a place ? Here by the Great Gate, on
the first floor to the north are the rooms where Isaac
Newton lived. It was to these rooms that in 1666 he
brought back the glass prism which he had bought in
the Stourbridge Fair, and commenced the studies which
eventually made it possible for Pope to write the
epitaph : —

*' Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night,
God said ' Let Newton be ! ' and all was light."

It was in these rooms that he had entertained his
friends, John Locke, Richard Bentley, Isaac Barrow,
Edmund Halley, Gilbert Burnett, who afterwards
wrote of him, **the whitest soul 1 ever knew."
It was here that he wrote his " Principia." It
is in the ante-chapel close by that there stands that
beautiful statue of him by Roubiliac which Chantrey
called "the noblest of our English statues," and of
which Wordsworth has recorded how he used to lie
awake at night to think of that <* silent face " shining
in the moonlight : —

«' The marble index of a mind for ever
Voyaging through strange seas of thought alone."

And in the chapel beyond, with its double range of
" windows richly dight '^ with the figures of saints
and worthies and benefactors of the College — Sir
Francis Bacon, Sir Edward Coke, Sir Harry Spelman,
Lord Craven, Roger Cotes, Archbishop Whitgift,
Bishop Pearson, Bishop Barrow, Bishop Hacket, the
poets, Donne, George Herbert, Andrew Marvell,
Cowley, and Dryden— is it possible for the youthful
worshipper not sometimes to be aroused and uplifted
above the thoughts of sordid vulgarity, of moral
isolation, of mean ambition, to " see visions and
dream dreams," visions of coming greatness for

291

The Story of Cambrirlge

city, or country, or empire, visions of great principles
struggling in mean days of competitive scrambling,
dreams of opportunity of some future service for the
common good, which shall not be unworthy of his
present heritage in these saints and heroes of the past,
who may —

*' Live again

In minds made better by their presence; live

In pulses stirred to generosity,

In deeds of darinj^ rectitude, in scorn

For miserable aims that end with self,

In thoughts sublime that pierce the nij^ht like stars,

And with their mild persistence urge man's search

To vaster issues."

The chapel was finished about 1564. The fittings
of this period however no longer exist. The organ
screen, stalls, panel-work and baldachino over the altar
were put up during Dr Bentley's mastership (1700-
42) and have not since been substantially altered.
The decoration of the roof and walls, and the filling
of most of the windows with stained glass were under-
taken in 1871-75. The general scheme of decoration
was suggested by Dr Westcott and Dr Ligh<-foot.
The pictures of the roof panels represent the Hymn of
Creation, the various details illustrating incidents of
the Benediate^ leading up to the Manifestation of the
Divine Glory which occupies the four easternmost
bays. The decoration of the walls represents the
preparatory discipline of the Patriarchs, Judges and
Prophets, leading up to the figures on the eastern wall
of S. John Baptist and the Blessed Virgin. The
altar-piece represents the Triumph of Christ, in the
Entombment crowned by the Ascension. The fifteen
windows from east to west represent the historical
development of the Christian life. The figures in
each window are chosen with a view to represent
characteristic features or movements of the time in
292

A Small and a Great College

which the personalities they represent lived. Tiie
name of each figure is painted on the glass. The
general subjects are as follows : —

North Side

1 . Disciples of Christ.

2. The Anti-Nicene Church.

3. The Western Church.

4. Latin Christianity.

5. Anglican Church before Reformation.

6. Founders and Benefactors of University.
7 and 8. Worthies of the College.

South Side

T. Evangelists and Teachers.

2. The Church of the First Days.

3. The Eastern Church.

4. The Anglo-Saxon Church.

5. English national life before the Reformation.

6. English Reformation.

7. Worthies of University and College.

In the antechapel are the following memorial
statues : —

1. Sir Isaac Newton, by Roubiliac, given by Dr

Smith, Master, 1755.

2. Lord Bacon, by Weekes, given by Dr

Whewell, 1845.

3. Dr Isaac Barrow, by Noble, given by Lord

Lansdowne, 1858.

4. Lord Macaulay : by Woolner, t868.

5. Dr Whewell, Master: by Woolner, 1872.

The great Dining-hall, which was built by Neville in
1604-8 is copied both in dimensions and ornament
from that of the Middle Temple in London, and has
not been materially altered since Neville's time, except

293

I'he Story of Cambridge

by the addition in 1682 of a portico with engaged
columns on the western side overlooking Neville's
Court, probably designed by Sir Christopher Wren.

College Portraits
In the Hall

Jeremy Radcliffe, D.D., 1726.

Thomas Parker, Earl of Macclesfield ; Lord Chan-
cellor, 166C-1732.

William, Lord Russell, a copy of Isaac Whocd.

Henry Jackson, Litt. D. ; Fellow.

John Pearson, D.D., 1613-89; Master of Jesus
College, 1660; of Trinity College, 1662-
73 ; Bishop of Chester, 1672 : a copy by Isaac
Whood.

Fenton J. A. Hort, D.D. ; Fellow; Lady Margaret
Professor, 1887-92.

Abraham Cowley, 1618-67: a copy by Stephen
Slaughten.

Thomas Jones, M.A., 1782.

Joseph B. Lightfoot, D.D. ; Fellow ; Bishop of
Durham, 1879, d. 1890.

Richard Bentley, D.D. , 1662- 1742; Master, 1700-
42 : by T. Hudson.

William Makepeace Thackeray, 181 1-63.

William Hepv/orth Thompson, Master, 1 866-86:
by Herkomer.

End nv all'. — Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, 1561-
1626.

Sir Isaac Newton, 1642- 1727 : by V. Ritz.
Isaac Barrow, Master, 1673-77 : a copy by
T. Hudson.

Prince William Frederick of Gloucester, after-
wards Duke of Gloucester : by Gainsborough.
294

A Small and a Great College

Robert Smith, D.D. ; Master, 1742-68;
Founder of the Smith Prizes : copy by Freeman.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1809-92: by Watts.

John Dry den, 1631-1701 : copy by T.
Hudson.

James Clerk Maxwell, Professor of Experi-
mental Physics, d. 1879.

Edward Henry Stanley, K.G., fifth Earl of
Derby, 1826-93: by W. E. Miller, after
Richmond.

John Ray, 1627-1705 ; Fellow; Naturalist:
a copy by T. Hudson.

Arthur Cayley, Sadlerian Professor of Pure
Mathematics, 1865-95: by Lowes Dickinson.

Sir Edward Coke, 1552-1634; Lord Chief-
Justice : a copy by Isaac Whood.

Michael Foster, Professor of Physiology,
1883 : by Herkomer.

John Wilkins, 161 4- 1672, Warden of Wad-
ham College, Oxford, 1684; Master of Trinity
College, 1659-60; Bishop of Chester, 1668:
copy by Isaac Whood.

Sir Henry Spelman, 1 562-1 641, Antiquary:
by Isaac Whood.

In the larse Combination Room

Charles Montague, Earl of Halifax, 1661-1715:

by Kneller.
Adam Sedgwick, 1705-1873; Professor of Geology,

18 1 8-1 87 3 : by Boxall.
Jonathan Raine, M.A., 1790, d. 1831.
James Lambert, Professor of Greek, 1 771 -1780:

by Daniel Gardner.
Matthew Raine, D.D. ; Master of Charterhouse,

1760-1811.

295

The Story of Cambridge

Charles, Duke of Somerset : a copy by Dance.

Sir Isaac Newton, 1642-1727.

H.R.H. William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester,

K.G., Chancellor of the Univerbity, 1776-1834:

by Opie.
John Jefferies Pratt, Marquess of Camden, i 7 59-1 84O;

Chancellor of the University : by Lawrence.
John Manners, Marquess of Granby, 1721-70: by

Sir Joshua Reynolds.
H.R.H. Frederick Augustus, Duke of Sussex,

K.G., 1773-1843: by Lonsdale.
George Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Grafton : by

Lawrence.
Sir Thomas Sclater, d. 1684.

/// the small Combinat'wn Room

Francis Wrangham, Archdeacon of E. Riding, of

Yorks, d. 1842.
H.M. Queen Victoria, on ivory : by Sir W. Ross.
H.R.H. Albert, Prince Consort, Chancellor of the

University, on ivory : by Sir W. Ross.
Isaac Hawkins Browne, 1706-60, poet: by High-
more.
Rev. John Pigott, Fellow ; Benefactor ; M.A., 1760.
Charles William King, Fellow, d. 1888.
Thomas Neville, D.D. ; Master, i 593-1615.
Thomas Thorpe, Archdeacon of Bristol, Vice-Master,

1844.
William Preston, D.D. ; Bishop of Leighlin and

Ferns, d. 1789.
James Jurin, M.D., 1684- 1750; Fellow.
Sir Isaac Newton, 1642-1727, by Vandcrbank.
William Aldis Wright, Vice-Master : by Oulcss.
Bust: — Connop Thirlwall, D.D. ; Bishop of S.

David's.

296

A Small and a Great College

In the Guest Room

Thomas Musgrave, D.D. ; Archbishop of York,

d. i860.
WilHam Whewell, D.D. ; Master, 1841-66: by

James Lonsdale, 1825.

In the Library

Stairs : — Richard Porson, Professor of Greek.
Library: — Roger Gale, Antiquary, 1672-1744.

Sir Henry Newton Puckering, 161 8-1 701.

Thomas Neville, D.D. ; Master, 1593-161 5 ;
- Dean of Canterbury.

Charles Montagu, Earl of Halifax, d. 171 5 :
by Kneller.

WiUiam Shakespeare, 1 564-1616.

John Battely, D.D., d. 1708; Fellow;
Archdeacon of Canterbury.

Joseph Barber Lightfoot, D.D. ; Bishop of
Durham : by C. Lowes Dickinson.

Abraham Cowley, 161 0-1667.

Sir Robert Cotton, Antiquary, i 571-163 i.

Sir Isaac Newton, by Vanderbank.

Thomas Moore, by Sir Thomas Lawrence.

James Spedding, by Samuel Lawrence.

John Hacket, Bishop of Lichfield and
Coventry, 1592- 1670: by Valentine Ritz.

George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron, d.
1824 : by Giffoi.

Isaac Barrow, D.D. ; Master, 1630-77.

Christopher Monk, Duke of Albemarle, K.G.,
Chancellor of the University, d. 1688.

Beaupre Bell, Antiquary, 1704-45 : by R. H.
Morland.

Thomas Gale, D.D. ; Dean of York ;
Antiquary, d. 1702.

297

The Story of Cambridge

In the Master s Lodge

Ha//:—¥i\ng Edward VI.
King Henry VIII.
Queen Mary.
King Henry VII.
King Edward III.
Elizabeth, Queen of Henry VII.
Mary, Queen of Scots.
Bust: — WiJliam Wilkins, architect, 1778-1838.
Large Drawing-room : — Sir Isaac Newton, aged 69 :
by Thornhill, 17 10.

Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester,
1 776-1834; Chancellor of University, 181 1:
by Romney.

Robert Devereux, K.G., Earl of Essex,
I 567-1601 : by Mark Gerrard.

Francis Bacon, Viscount S. Albans, 1561-
1626.

Martin Luther, 1483- 1546.
Galileo Galilei, 1594- 1642.
Sir Isaac Newton, 1642- 1727 : by Hudson.
Queen Mary, by Antonio Moro.
Queen Anne Boleyn, presented by Dr
Thompson, Master.

Ezekiel Spanheim, 1629-1710: aged 80.
Sir Edward Coke, Lord Chief- Justice, d.

1634.

Nathaniel Bacon, K.B., 1547-1622; half-
brother of Francis Bacon, miniature.

King Henry VIII. : by Lucas van Heere,
1546.

Qufen Elizabeth, by Zucchero.

William Pitt, 1759-1806, replica by
Hoppener of the picture of Lord Mulgrave,
unlinished when Pitt died.
298

A S?nall and a Great College

Din'mg-room : — Richard Bentley, D.D. ; Master,
1700-42: by Thornhill, 1710.

John Hinchcliffe, Master, 1768-89; Bishop of
Peterborough, d. 1774: by Rev.Wm. Peters, R.A.

Richard Porson, 17 59-1 808, Professor of
Greek.

Christopher Wordsworth, D.D. ; Master,

1820-41.

William Hepworth Thompson, D.D. ; Master,
1866-86 : by Samuel Lawrence.

Thomas Neville, D.D. ; Master, 1593-1615.

Stephen Whisson, B.D. ; Fellow ; University
Librarian, 1751-83 : by Van der Myn.

Sir Isaac Newton.

The Hon. John North, D.D. ; Master,
1677-83: a copy by Miss North.

Richard Walker, D.D. ; Fellow ; Professor of
Moral Philosophy ; Founder of the Botanic
Garden, d. 1764.

Portrait of a man, 1607 on panel.

The Hon. John Montagu, Master, 1683- 1700.

Isaac Barrow, D.D. ; Master, 1673-77.

John Hailstone, Professor of Geology, 1788-
1818.

William Lort Mansel, D.D. ; Master, 1798-
1820 ; Bishop of Bristol.

Isaac Hawkins Browne, aet. 27, 1732.

William Whewell, D.D. ; Master, 1841-66:
by Samuel Lawrence.

John Whitgift, D.D. ; Master, 1567-77:
Archbishop of Canterbury, on panel.

Thomas Comber, Master, 1633-45.

Thomas Postlethwaite, Master, 1789-98.

Thomas Newton, D.D. ; Fellow ; Bishop of
Bristol, d. 1782.

Portrait of a man, on panel.

299

The Story of Cambridge

Queen s Bedroom : — Prince William Frederick, Duke
of Gloucester : by Opie.

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, 1599.
The Rt. Hon. Spencer Perceval, 1762-1812,
First Lord of the Treasury.

Mrs Johanna Bentley, wife of Richard
Bentley, Master : by Lely.
Portrait of a man.
Duke's Room : — Zachary Pearce, D.D. ; Fellow ;
Bishop of Rochester, d. 1774 : by Penny.
Andrew Marvel 1 (?)

Arthur Cayley, Sadlerian Professor, 1863-95 :
by Longmead.
Judge's Room :— William Whewell, D.D. ; Master,

184I-66.
Passage : — Portrait of a bishop.

300

CHAPTER XII
Ancient and Protestant Foundations

"Nee modo seminarium augustum et conclusum nimis,
verum in se amplissimum campum collegium esse cupimus :
ubi juvenes, apum more, de omnigenis flosculis pro libita
libent, modo mel legant, quo et eorum procudantur linguae
et pectora, tanquam crura, thymo compleantur: ita ut
tandem ex collegio quasi ex alveari evolantes, novas in quibus
se exonerant ecclt'sise sedes appelant." — Statutes of Sidnsij
College.

Queen Elizabeth and the Founder of Emmanuel — the Puritan
Age — Sir Walter Mildmay — The Building of Emmanuel
— The Tenure of Fellowships — Puritan Worthies — ^The
Founder of Harvard — Lady Frances Sidney — The Sidney
College Charter — The Buildings — The Chapel the old
Franciscan Refectory — Royalists and Puritans — Oliver
Cromwell — Thomas Fuller — A Child's Prayer for his
Mother.

" I HEAR, Sir Walter," said Queen Elizabeth to the
founder of Emmanuel College, *' you have been
erecting a Puritan foundation." "No, madam," he
replied, "far be it from me to countenance anything
contrary to your established laws ; but I have set an
acorn, which, when it becomes an oak, God alone
knows what will be the fruit therefrom." And Sir
Walter Mildmay expressed no doubt truthfully what
was his own intention as a founder, for although it is
customary to speak of both Emmanuel and Sidney
Colleges as Puritan foundations, and although it admits

301

The Sto?y of Cambridge

of no question that the prevailing tone of Emmanuel
College was from the first intensely Puritan in tone,
yet it cannot certainly be said that either Emmanuel
College or the college established by the Lady
Frances Sidney two years later, were specially designed
by their founders to strengthen the Puritan movement
in the University. They synchronised with it no
doubt, and many of their earliest members gave ample
proof of their sympathy with it. But as foundations
they sprang rather from the impulse traceable on the
one hand to the literary spirit of the Renaissance, and
on the other to the desire of promoting that union
of rational religion with sound knowledge, which the
friends of the New Learning, t!i? disciples of Colet,
Erasmus, and More had at heart. The two colleges
were born, in fact, at the meeting-point of two great
epochs of history. The age of the Renaissance was
passing into the age of Puritanism. Rifts which were
still little were widening every hour, and threatening
ruin to the fabric of Church and State which the
Tudors had built up. A new political world was
rising into being ; a world healthier, more really
national, but less picturesque, less wrapt in the mystery
and splendour that poets love. Great as were the
faults of Puritanism, it may fairly claim to be the first
political system which recognised the grandeur of the
people as a whole.

As great a change was passing over the spiritual
sympathies of man ; a sterner Protestantism was in-
vigorating and ennobling life by its morality, by its
seriousness, and by its intense conviction of God.
But it was at the same time hardening and narrowing
it. The Bible was suj)erseding Plutarch. The ob-
stinate questionings wliich haunted the finer souls of
the Renaissance were being stereotyped in the tiieo-
iogical formulas of the Puritan. The sense of divine
302

Ancient and Protestant Foundations

omnipotence was annihilating man. The daring v/hich
turned England into a people of adventurers, the sense
of inexhaustible resources, the buoyant freshness of
youth, the intoxicating sense of beauty and joy, which
inspired Sidney and Marlov;e, and Drake, was passing
away before the consciousness of evil and the craving
to order man's life aright before God.

Emmanuel and Sidney Colleges were the children
of this transition period.

EMMANUEL COLLEGE

Founded by Sir Walter Mildmay,
Chancellor of the Exchequer
to Queen Elizabeth, 1583. on
the site of the House of the
Dominican or Black or preach-
ing Friars.

[The arms borne by the College
are : argent, a lion rampant azure,
holding in his dexter paiv a ivrcath of
laurel I'ert and ivith a scroll issuing
from his mouth iviik the luord Em-
manuel. These arms were granted

in 1588, four years after its foundation by Cooke, Clarencieux.
They are derived from the arms of the founder who bore argent
three lions rampant azure.'\

Sir Walter Mildmay, the founder of Emmanuel,
was Chancellor of the Exchequer in the reign of
Elizabeth, known and trusted by the Queen from
her girlhood — she exchanged regularly New Yearns
gifts with him — a tried friend and discreet diploma-
tist, who had especially been distinguished in the
negotiations in connection with the imprisonment of
Mary, Queen of Scots. He had been educated at
Christ's College, though apparently he had taken no
degree. He was a man, however, of some learning,
and retained throughout life a love for classical
literature. Sir John Harrington, in his '* Orlando

303

The Story of Cambridge

Furioso," quotes a Latin stanza, which he says he
derived from the Latin poems of Sir Walter Mildmay.
These poems, however, are not otherwise known.
He is also spoken of as the writer of a book entitled
"A Note to Know a Good Man." His interest in
his old university and sympathy with letters is attested
by the fact that he contributed a gift of stone to com-
plete the tower of Great S. Mary's, and established a
Greek lectureship and six scholarships at Christ's
College. He had acquired considerable wealth in his
service of the State, having also inherited a large
fortune from his father, who had been one of Henry
VHL's commissioners for receiving the surrender of the
dissolved monasteries. It was fitting, perhaps, he felt,
that some portion of this wealth should be devoted to
the service of religion and sound learning. Anyhow,
in the month of January 1584, we find the Queen
granting to her old friend, " his heirs, executors, and
assigns," a charter empowering them *' to erect, found,
and establish for all time to endure a certain college of
sacred theology, the sciences, philosophy and good
arts, of one master and thirty fellows and scholars,
graduate or non-graduate, or more or fewer according
to the ordinances and statutes of the same college."
On the 23rd of the previous November, Sir Walter
had purchased for ^550 the land and buildings of the
Dominican or Black Friars, which had been established
at Cambridge in 1279 and dissolved in 1538. During
the fifty years that had elapsed since the dissolu-
tion the property had passed through various hands.
Upon passing into the hands of Sir Walter it is thus
described : —

'• All that the ?cite, circuit, amhiilance and precinct of the

late Priory ot Fryers prechers, commonly called the black

fryers within the Townc of C:ambrigge . . . and all mesuages,

houses, buildinges. barnes. stables, dovehouses. orchards,

304

■H

'^.

v.^,*f .ifwg^g^— -i-«^i"".i«ii *' .-'..n.j.a^aa''*

■-^hf- t ' Li:.- "^ •._^...<fa«.>/-,'' ..-■■': ,41? «. . ;.

7 ./ ; ,■ /

Ancient and Protestant Foundations

gardens, pondes, stewes, waters, land and soyle within the
said scite. . . . And all the walles of stone, brick or other
thinge compassinge and enclosinge the said scite."

The present buildings stand upon nearly the same
sites as those occupied by the original buildings, which
were adapted to the requirements of the new college
by Ralph Symons, the architect, who had already
been employed at Trinity and S. John's. The hall,
parlour, and butteries were constructed out of the
Church of the Friars. It is recorded that in " repairing
the Combination Room about the year 1762, traces of
the high altar were very apparent near the present
fireplace." The Master's lodge was formed at the
east end of the same range, either by the conversion of
the east part of the church, or by the erection of a
new building. A new chapel, running north and
south — the non-orientation, it is said, being due to
Puritan feeling — was built to the north of the Master's
lodge. The other new buildings consisted of a
kitchen on the north side of the hall and a long range
of chambers enclosing the court on the south.
Towards the east there were no buildings, the court
on that side being enclosed by a low wall. The
entrance to the College was in Emmanuel Lane, through
a small outer court, having the old chapel as its
southern range and the kitchen as the northern. From
this the principal court was reached by passages at
either end of the hall. The range known as the
Brick Building was added in 1632, extending south-
wards from the east end of the Founder's Chambers.
In 1 668 the presentchapel was built facing east and west,
in the centre of the southern side of the principal court.
By this time, it is said, the old chapel had become
ruinous. Moreover, it had never been consecrated,
and the Puritanical observances alleged to have been
practised in it were giving some offence to the Restora-
u 305

The Story of Cambridge

tion authorities. The following statement, drawn up
in 1603,^ is interesting, not only as giving a graphic
picture of the disorders complained of at Emmanuel,
but also incidentally of the customs of other colleges : —

"1. First for a prognostication ol disorder, whereas all the
ciiappells in y^ University are built with the chancell eastward,
according to y<= uniform order of all Christendome. The
chancell in y*^ college standeth north, aud their kitchen
eastward.

*' 2. All other coUedges in Cambridge do strictly observe,
according to y^ laws and ordinances of y*^ Church of
Englande, the form of publick prayer, prescribed in ye Com-
munion Booke. In Emmanuel Colledge they do lollowf a
private course of publick prayer, after y own fashion, both
Sondaies, Holydaies and workie daies.

"3. In all other coUedges, the M^s and Scholers of all sorts
do wear surplisses and hoods, if ihey be graduates, upon
ye Sondaies and Holydaies in y^ time of Divine Service. But
they of Emmanuel Colledge have not worn thatattier, either at
ye ordinary Divine Service, or celebration of ye Lord's Supper,
since it was first erected.

<' 4. All other coUedges do wear, according to y^ order of
ye University, and many directions given from the late Queen,
gowns of a sett fashion, and square capps. But they of Eman.
Colledge are therein altogether irregular, and hold themselves
not to be tied to any such orders.

" 5. Every other Colledge according to the laws in that
behalf provided, and to the custome of the King's Householde,
do refrayne their suppers upone Frydaies and other Fasting
and Ember daies. But they of Eman. Coll. have suppers
every such nights throughout y^ year, publickly in the gr.
Hall, yea upon good Fridaye itself.

'' 6. All other CoUedges do use one manner of forme in
celebratinge the Holy Communion, according to the order of
the Communion Booke. as particularlye the Communicants
do receive kneelinge, with the particular application of these
words, viz., The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. ; The Blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. ; as the s^' Booke prescribeth.
But in Eman. Coll. they receive that Holy Sacrament, sittinge
upon forms about the Communion Table, and doe puUe the

1 MSB. Barker, vi. 85: MSS. Harl. Mus. Brit., 7033;
quoted, Willis and Clark, ii. 700.
306

Ancient and Protestant Foundations

loafe one from the other, after the minister hath begon. And
soe ye cuppe one drinking as it were to another, like good
Fellows without any particular application of y^ s^ wordes,
more than once for all.

''7. In other CoUedges and Churches, generally none are
admitted to attend at the Communion Table, in the celebra-
tion of the Holy Mystery, but Ministers and Deacons. But
in Eman. Coll. the wine is filled and the table is attended by
the Fellows' subsizers."

There is one interesting feature in connection with
the foundation of Emmanuel College which calls for
special notice, as showing that the Puritan founder
was fully conscious of the dangers attaching to a per-
petual tenure of Fellowships, as affording undue
facilities for evading those practical duties of learning
and teaching, the efficient discharge of which he
rightly considered it should be the main object of the
University to demand, and the interest of the nation to
secure. " We have founded the College," says Sir
Walter, " with the design that it should be, by the
grace of God, a seminary of learned men for the supply
of the Church, and for the sending forth of as large a
number as possible of those who shall instruct the
people in the Christian faith. We would not have any
Fellow suppose that ive have given him, in this College^
a perpetual abode, a warning which we deem the more
necessary, in that we have ofttimes been present when
many experienced and wise men have taken occasion
to lament, and have supported their complaints by past
and present utterances, that in other colleges a too
protracted stay of Fellows has been no slight bane to
the common weal and to the interests of the Church." ^

In the sequel, however, the wise forethought of Sir
Walter Mildmay was to a great extent frustrated.
The clause of the College statutes which embodied his
design was set aside in the reaction towards conservative

i'< Documents," iii. 524, quoted by Muliinger, i. 314

The Story of Cambridge

university tradition, which followed upon the re-
establishment of the Stuart dynasty. A similar clause
in the statutes of Sidney College, which had been
simply transcribed from the original Emmanuel statutes,
was about the same time rescinded, on the ground that
it was a deviation from the customary practice of other
societies, both at Oxford and Cambridge. It was not,
in fact, until the close of the nineteenth century that
university reformers were able to secure such a revision
of the terms of Fellowship tenure as should obviate,
on the one hand, the dangers which the wisdom of the
Puritan founder foresaw, and, on the other, make
adequate provision, under stringent and safe conditions,
for the endowment of research. The old traditionary
system is thus summarised by Mr Mullinger : —

" The assumption of priests' orders was indeed made, in
most instances, an indispensable condition for a permanent
tenure of a Fellow^ship, but it too often only served as a pre-
text under wliich all obligation to studious research was
ignored, while the Fellowship itself again too often enabled
the holder to evade with equal success the responsibilities of
parish work. Down to a comparatively recent date, it has
accordingly been the accepted theory with respect to nearly
all College Fellowships that they are designed to assist
clergymen to prepare for active pastoral work, and not to aid
the cause of learned or scientific research. Occasionally, it is
true, the bestowal of a lay fellowship has fallen upon fruitful
ground. The Plumian Professorship fostered the bright
promise of a Cotes : the Lucasian sustained the splendid
achievements of Newton. But for the most part those labours
to which Cambridge can point with greatest pride and in
whose fame she can rightly claim to share — the untiring
scientific investigations which have established on a new and
truer basis the classification of organic existence or the suc-
cession of extinct forms — or the long patience and profound
calculations which have wrested from the abysmal depths of
space the secrets of stupendous agencies and undrtamed-of
laws — or the scholarship wliich has restored, with a skill and
a success that have moved tlie envy of United Germany, some
of the most elaborate creations of the Latin muse — have been

308

Ancient and Protestant Foundations

the achievements of men who have yielded indeed to the
traditional theor)-^ a iormal assent but have treated it with a
virtual disregard. "^

How essentially Puritan was the prevailing tone of
Emmanuel during the early days we may surmise from
the fact, that in the time of the Commonwealth no less
than eleven masters of other colleges in the University
came from this Foundation — Seaman of Peterhouse,
Dillingham of Clare Hall, Whichcote of King's,
Horton of Queens', Spurstou of S. Catharine's,
Worthington of Jesus, Tuckney of John's, Cudworth
of Christ's, Sadler of Magdalene, Hill of Trinity.
Among some of the earliest students to receive their
education within its v/alls were many of the Puritan
leaders of America. Cotton Mather, in his " Ec-
clesiastical History of New England," gives a con-
spicuous place in its pages to the names of Emmanuel
men — Thomas Hooker, John Cotton, Thomas
Shephard. *' If New England," he says, " hath been
in some respect Immanuel's Land, it is well ; but this
I am sure of, Immanuel College contributed more than
a little to make it o." Few patriotic Americans of
the present day, visiting England, omit to make
pilgrimage to Emmanuel, for was not the founder of
their University, Harvard College, an Emmanuel man,
graduating from that college in 1631, and proceeding
to his M.A. degree in 1635? John Harvard, ''the
ever memorable benefactor of learning and religion in
America," as Edward Everett justly styles him — "a
godly gentleman and lover of learning," as he is called
by his contemporaries, *' a scholar, and pious in life,
and enlarged towards the country and the good of it in
life and death," seems indeed to have been a worthy
son of both Emmanuel and of Cambridge, a Puritan
indeed, but of that fuller and manlier type which was
1 Mullinger. vol. i. p. 318.

The Story of Cambridge

characteristic of the Elizabethan age rather than of the
narrower, more contentious, more pedantic order
which set in with and was hardened and intensified by
the arbitrary provocations of the Stuart regime.

College Portraits
In the Master s Lodge

Hall'. — The Black Prince (modern).
King Edward III. (modern).
King James II.

Portrait of Fellow-commoner, temp. Charles II.
Dining-room: — John Balderston, Master, 1680- 17 19;
Master ; Canon of Peterborough.
Sir Edmund Bacon, c. 1784.
Sir William Temple, 1628-1700: by Lely.
Study ; — William Kingsley.
Mr Thorneby.

Portrait of a man : temp. Charles II.
Benjamin Middleton, 1688.
Stairs : — John Fane, Earl of Westmoreland ; Lord
Lieutenant-General and General Governor of
the kingdom of Ireland, d. 1774.
Ante-room of Gallery : — Sir Walter Mildmay,

Founder, 1522-89.
Gallery: — John Breton, D.D. ; Master, 1665-74.

John Gadbury, D.D. ; Dean of Durham,
d. 1684.

Benjamin Whichcol, D.D. ; Fellow and
Tutor; Provost of King's College, 1644-60, d.
1683.

William Brandthwaite, D.D. ; Fellow ;
Master of Gonville and Caius College, 1607-18.
Mrs Joyce Frankland, Benefactor.
Francis Ash, Benefactor, d. 1654.
Raljih Symons, Architect.
310

Aficient and Protestant Foundations

William Sandcroft, D.D. ; Master, 1662-65.
Archbishop of Canterbury, Benefactor (modern).

John, Lord Finch of Fordwich, Lord Keeper
of Great Seal.

John Preston, Master, 1622-28.

Sir Francis Pemberton ; Chief-Justice of
King's Bench, d. 1697.

Charles Francis, Earl of Westmoreland, d.
1690.

Sir Walter Mildmay, Founder, 1522-89,
aet. 60.

Rev. Jeremiah Pemberton, eighteenth century.

Peter Allix, Fellow ; Treasurer of the Church
of Sarum, d. 17 16.

Sir Percy Cust, Knight, d. 1698.

Ralph Cudworth, Fellow ; Master of Clare
Hall, 1654-54 of Christ's College, 1654-88.

Joshua Barnes, Fellow ; Professor of Greek,
1675-1712.

Sir Walter Mildmay, Founder.

Sir Anthony Mildmay, son of the Founder,
d. 1617.

Lady Grace Mildmay, wife of preceding.

Charles Jackson, Fellow ; Bishop of Kildare,
d. 1790.

Henry Hubbard, B.D. ; Fellow ; Registrary,
1758-80.

William Bennet, Fellow ; Bishop of Cork and
Cloyne, d. 1820.

Roger Long, D.D. ; Master of Pembroke
Hall, 1733-70.
- John Preston, D.D. ; Master, 1622-28.

James Gardiner, Fellow ; Bishop of Lincoln,
d. 1705.

William Richardson, D.D. ; Master, 1736-75.

Portrait of a lady.

311

The Story of Cambridge

Anthony Askew, M.D., d. 1772.

Joseph Hall, D.D. ; Fellow; Bishop of
Norwich, d. 1656.

George Thorpe, D.D. ; Canon of Canterbury ;
Benefactor, d. 17 19.

(?) SamueM.Vard, D.D. ; Fellow; Master of
Sidney Sussex College, 1609-43.

Richard Hard, D.D. ; Fellow ; Bishop of
Worcester, d., 1808.

Thomas Holbeche, D.D. ; Master, 1675-80 ;

Benefactor. SIDNEY SUSSEX COLLEGE

Founded 1589 by a bequest of the
Lady Frances Sidney Sussex.
[The arms of the College are
those of the Foundress, the Lady
Frances Sidney, widow of Thomas
Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex, granted
to her in 1575, and assumed by the
College, namely, argent, a bend en-
grailed sable for Radcliffe, impaling
or, a pheon azure for Sidney. The
College seal bears the cognisance of
the Sidneys, a porcupine azure, quilled,
collared and chained or, with a large
estoile above, and a small fleur-de-
lis below.]

The foundress of Sidney Sussex College was the
Lady Frances Sidney, one of the learned ladies of
the court of Elizabeth. She was the aunt both of Sir
Philip Sidney and of the Earl of Leicester ; the wife
of Radcliffe, Earl of Sussex, known at least to all
readers of " Kenilworth " as the rival of Leicester.
To-day the noble families of Pembroke, Carnarvon,
and Sidney all claim her as a common ancestress. A
few years ago, in conjunction with the authorities of
the college, they restored her tomb, which occupies
the place of the altar in the chapel of S. Paul in
312

Ancient and Protestant Foundations

Westminster Abbey. It was the Dean of West-
minster, her friend Dr Goodman, v.ho gave to the
college that portrait of the foundress wlsich hangs
above the high table in the college hall.

It is a characteristic of the period which may be
worth noting here — of the middle, that is, of the
sixteenth century — when the destinies of Europe were
woven by the hands of three extraordinary queens,
who ruled the fortunes of England, France, and
Scotland — that, as the fruits of the Renaissance and
of the outgrowth of the New Learning, and perhaps
also of the independent spirit of the coming Puritanism,
learned women should in some degree be leading the
van of English civilisation.

How long the Lady Frances had had the intention
of founding a college, and what was the prompting
motive, we do not know. In her will, however,
which is dated December 6, 1588, the intention is
clearly stated. After giving instructions as to her
burial and making certain bequests, she proceeds to
state *'that since the decease of her late lord" — he
had died five years previously — "she had yearly
gathered out of her revenues so much as she con-
veniently could, purposing to erect some goodly and
godly monument for the maintenance of good learning."
In performance of the same her charitable pretence,
she directs her executors to employ the sum of ^^5000
(made up from her ready-money yearly reserved, a
certain portion of plate, and other things which she
had purposely left) together with all her unbequeathed
goods, for the erection of a new college in the
University of Cambridge, to be called the " Lady
Frances Sidney Sussex College, and for the purchasing
some competent lands for the maintaining of a Master,
ten Fellows, and twenty Scholars, if the said ^{^5000
and unbequeathed goods would thereunto extend."

313

The Story of Cambridge

On her death in the following year her executors,
the Earl of Kent and Sir John Harrington, at once
attempted to carry out her wishes. Of them and
their endeavour, Fuller, himself a Sidney man, has
thus, as always, quaintly written : —

''These two noble executors in the pursuance of the will
of this testatrix, according to her desire and direction therein,
presented Queen Elizabeth with a jewel, being like a star,
of rubies and diamonds, with a ruby in the midst thereof,
worth an hundred and forty pounds, having on the back
side a hand delivering up a heart into a crown. At the delivery
hereof they humbly requested of her Highness a mortmain to
found a College, which she graciously granted unto them " —
though the royal license did not actually come until five years
later. " We usually observe infants born in the seventh
month, though poor and pitiful creatures, are vital ; and
with great care aud good attendance, in time prove proper
persons. To such a partus septimestris may Sidney College
well be resembled, so low, lean, and little at the birth thereof.
Alas! what is five thousand pounds to buy the site, build
and endow a College therewith ? . . Yet such was the
worthy care of her honourable executors, that this Benjamin
College — the least and last in time, and born after (as he «/)
the death of his mother — thrived in a short time to a com-
petent strength and stature."^

Some delay ensued, for it was not until i 593 that,
at the motion of the executors, an act of Parliament
was passed enabling Trinity College to sell or let at
fee farm rent the site of the Grey Friars. The
College charter is dated February 14, 1596. The
building was commenced in the following May, and
completed, with the exception of the chapel, in 1598.
In the same year the original statutes were framed by
the executors. They are largely copied from those of
Emmanuel, and are equally verbose, cumbrous, and
ill-arranged. One clause in them which speaks of
the Master as one who " Pdpismtwi^ Hdcreses^ super-

1 Fuller's " History of Cambridge," p. 291.

■<

'j>

»%»<';

iJ-/

•.-"'*!''«

Ancient and Protestant Foundations

siitiones, et errores omnes ex ammo ahhorret et detestatur^^^
testifies to the intentionally Protestant character of the
College, a fact, however, which did not prevent
James II., on a vacancy in the mastership, intruding
on the society a Papist Master, Joshua Basset, of
Caius, of whom the Fellows complained that he was
"let loose upon them to do what he liked." They
had, however, their revenge, for, although later he
was spoken of as " such a mongrel Papist, who had
so many nostrums in his religion that no part of the
Roman Church could own him," in 1688 he was
deposed.

The architect of the College buildings was Ralph
Simons, who had built Emmanuel and *' thoroughly
reformed a great part of Trinity College." It is
interesting to note that more than half of the sum
received frcm Lady Sidney's estate to found and
endow the College was expended in the erection of
the hall, the Master's lodge, and the hall court.
These buildings formed the whole of the College
when it was opened in 1598. How picturesque it
must have been in those days, before the red brick
of which it is built was covered with plaster, one can
see by Loggan's print of the College, made about
1688. The buildings are simple enough, but quite
well designed. The "rose-red" of the brick, at
least, seems to have struck the poet, Giles Fletcher,
when he wrote of Sidney in 1633 in his Latin poem
on the Cambridge colleges : —

" Haec inter media aspicies mox surgere tecta
Culminibus niveis roseisque nitentia muris :
Nobilis haec doctis sacrabit femina musis,
Conjugio felix, magno felicior ortu,
Insita Sussexo proles Sidneia trunco."

The arrangement of the hall, kitchen, buttery, and
Master's lodge was much the same as at present. The

The Story of Cambridge

hall had an open timber roof, with a fine oriel window
at the daVs end, but no music gallery. Fuller says that
the College '* continued without a chapel some years
after the first founding thereof until at last some good
men's charity supplied this defect." In 1602, how-
ever, the old hall of the friars — Fuller calls it the dormi-
tory, but there is little doubt that it was in reality the
refectory — was fitted up as a chapel, and a second
storey added to form a library. A few years
later, about 1628, a range of buildings forming the south
side of the chapel court was built. In 1747, the
buildings having become ruinous, extensive repairs
were carried out, and the hall was fitted up in the
Italian manner. The picturesque gateway which had
stood in the centre of the street wall of the court was
removed, and a new one of more severe character was
built in its place. This also at a later time was re-
moved and re-erected as a garden entrance from Jesus
Lane.

Between 1777 and 1780 the old chapel was destroyed,
and replaced by a new building designed by Essex,
in a style in which, to say the least, there is
certainly nothing to remind the modern student of the
old hall of the Grey Friars' Monastery where for three
centuries of stirring national life the Franciscan monks
had kept alive, let us hope, something of the mystic
tenderness, the brotherly compassion, the fervour of
missionary zeal, which they had learnt from their great
founder, S. Francis of Assisi.

Of the old Fellows' garden, which in 1890 was
partly sacrificed to provide a site for the new range of
buildings and cloister — perhaps the most beautiful of
modern collegiate buildings at either university — de-
signed by Pearson, Dyer writes with enthusiasm : —

'• Here is ;i good jj^ardeii, an admirable bowling-green, a
beautiful summer liouse, at the hack of which is a walk
316

Ancient and Protestant Foundations

agreeably winding, with variety of trees and shrubs inter-
twining, and forming the whole length, a fine canopy over-

Ap^ frnxs, ytdniy" yliisd; *j

head ; with nothing but singing and fragrance and seclusion ;
a delightful summer retreat ; the sweetest lovers' or poets'
walk, perhaps in the University."

To the extremely eclectic character of the College

The Story of Cambridge

in its early days the Master's admission register testifies.
Among its members were some of the stoutest
RoyaHsts and also some of the stoutest Republicans in
the country. Among the former we find such names
as those of Edward Montague (afterwards first Baron
Montagu of Boughton), brother of the first Master,
a great benefactor of the College ; of Sir Roger
L estrange, of Hunstanton Hall, in Norfolk, celebrated
as the editor of the first English newspaper, " a man
of good wit, and a fancy very luxuriant and of an
enterprising nature," in early youth — his attempt to
recover the port of Lynn for the King, 1644, is one of
the funniest episodes in English history — a very Don
Quixote of the Royalist party ; and of Seth Ward, a
fellow ot the College who was ejected in Common-
wealth times, but had not to live long, before he was
able to write back to his old College that he had
been elected to the See of Exeter, and that " the old
bishops were exceeding disgruntled at it, to see a brisk
young bishop but forty years old, not come in at the
right door, but leap over the pale." Among the Re-
publican members of the College it is enough, perhaps,
to name the name of Oliver Cromwell. And of him,
at least, whatever our final verdict on his career may
be, whatever dreams of personal ambition we may
think mingled with his aim, we cannot surely deny,
if at least we have ever read his letters, that his aim
was, in the main, a high and unselfish one, and that
in the career, which to our modern minds may seem so
strange and complex, he had seen the leading of a
divine hand that drew him from the sheepfolds to
mould England into a people of God. And to some,
surely, he seems the most human-hearted sovereign and
most imperial man in all English annals since the days
of Alfred. And no one, I trust, would in these days
endorse the verdict of the words interpolated in the

3'8

Oliver Cromwell

From the chalk drawing by Cooper in iJic Hall o/Sidner Sussex College

Ancient and Protestant Foundations

College books between the entry of his name and the
next on the list : —

" Hie fuit grandis tile impostor, carnifex perditissimus, qui,
picntissimo rege Curolo primo nefaria cade lublato, ipsum usurpavit
thronum, et tria regna per quinqueferme annorum spatium sub protec-
tor is nomine indomita tyrannide "uexavit"

which may be Englished thus —

"This was that arch hypocrite, and most abandoned
murderer, who having by shameful slaughter put out of the
way the most pious King, Charles the First, grasped the very
throne, and for the space of nearly five years under the title
of Protector harassed three kingdoms wirh inflexible
tyranny."

Rather, as we stand in the College Hall and gaze
up at the stern features, as depicted by Cooper, i in that
best of all the Cromwell portraits, shall we not com-
memorate this greatest of Sidney men, in Lowell's
words, as —

'< One of the few who have a right to rank
With the true makers: for his spirit wrought
Order from chaos ; proved that R.ight divine
Dwelt only in the excellence of Truth :
And far within old darkness' hostile lines
Advanced and pitched the shining tents of Light.
Nor shall the grateful Muse forget to tell
That — not the least among his many claims
To deathless honour — he was Milton's friend."

1 This portrait in crayons by Samuel Cooper (1609-72)
was presented to the College in January 1766 by Thomas
Hollis. In Hollis's papers underneath his memorandum of
his present to the College are three lines of Andrew Marvell —

" I freely declare it, I am for old Noll ;
Though his government did a tyrant resemble,
He made England great and her enemies tremble."

Mr Hollis also gave to Christ's College four copies of the
"Paradise Lost," two of them first editions. In 1761 he sent
to Trinity his portrait of Newton. He also presented books
to the libraries of Harvard, Berne and Zurich ; chiefly Re-
publican literature of the seventeenth century.

The Story of Camhridge

Thomas Fuller, too, wlio was neither Republican
nor Royalist, but loyal to the good men of both parties
in the State, is a name of which Sidney College may
well be proud. No one can read any of his books,
full as they are of imagination, pathos, and an exuber-
ant, often extravagant, but never ineffective wit, with-
out heartily endorsing Coleridge's saying : " God
bless thee, dear old man ! " and recognising the truth
of his panegyric, " Next to Shakespeare, I am not
certain whether Thomas Fuller, beyond all other
writers, does not excite in me the sense and emulation
of the marvellous. . . . He was incomparably the
most sensible, the least prejudiced great man in an age
that boasted of a galaxy of great men."

And with Fuller's name, indeed with Fuller's own
v/ords, in that benediction which, after eight years of
residence, he gave to Sidney College, and which he
himself calls his " Child's Prayer to his Mother," I
may appropriately end this chapter.

'• Now though it be only the place ot the parent, and
proper to him (as the greater) to bless his chilJ. yet it is oi
the duty of the child to pray for his parent, in which relation
my best desires are due to this foundation, my mother (for
the last eight years) in this University. May lier lamp never
lack light for oil, or oil for the light thereof. Zoar, is it not
a little one ? Yet who shall despise the day of small things ?
May the foot of sacrilege, if once offering to enter the gates
thereof, stumble and rise no more. The Lord bless the labours
of the students therein, that they may tend and end at his
glory, their own salvation, the profit and honour of the Church
and Commonwealth."

And not less appropriately, perhaps, may I end, not
only this chapter, but this whole sketch of the story of
Cambridge and its colleges — for to the memory of
what more kindly, more sound-hearted, more pious
soul could any Sidney man more fitly dedicate his book
than to his — witii the prayer in which, in closing his
320

Ayic'tent and Protestant Foundations

own History, he gracefully connects the name of
Cambridge with that of the sister university, and
commends them both to the charitable devotion of all
good men.

" O God ! who in the creating of the lower world didst
first make light (confusedly diffused, as yet, through the
imperfect universe) and afterwards didst collect the same into
two great lights, to illuminate all creatures therein; O Lord,
who art a God of knowledge and dost lighten every man that
cometh into the world ; O Lord, who in our nation hast moved
the hearts of Founders and Benefactors to erect and endow two
famous luminaries of learning and religion, bless them with
the assistance of Thy Holy Spirit. Let neither of them con-
test (as once Thy disciples on earth) which should be the
greatest, but both contend which shall approve themselves the
best in Thy presence. . . . And as Thou didst appoint those
two great lights in the firmament to last till thy servants shall
have no need of the sun, nor of the moon to shine therein, for
Thy glory doth lighten them ; so grant these old lights may
continue until all acquired and infused knowledge be swallowed
up with the vision and the fruition of Thy blessed-making
Majesty. — Amen."

College Portraits
hi the Hall

Francis Johnson, 1703.

William Perkins, Fellow of Christ's College, d. 1602.

John Hey, D.D. ; first Norrisian Professor of Divinity,

1780-1795, d. 1815.
George Butler, D.D., 1774-1853; Head Master of

Harrow ; Dean of Peterborough.
Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector, a member of the

College, d. 1658
James Montagu, D.D. ; First Master, 1598-1608;

Bishop of Winchester, d. 161 8.
Lady Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex ; Foundress,

d. 1589

X 321

The Story of Cambridge

Edward Montagu, Lord Montagu of Boughton, d.

1618
Robert Phelps, D.D. ; Master, 1843-1890.
The Countess of Sussex, Foundress.
John Garnett, D.D. ; Fellow; Bishop of Clogher,

d. 1782.
Peter Blundell, of Tiverton, Clothier ; Benefactor.
John Bramhall, D.D. ; Archbishop of Armagh, d.

1663.
James Tate, M. A., Fellow, Head Master of Richmond

Grammar School, Yorkshire, and Canon of St

Paul's.

In the Combination Room

The Countess of Sussex, Foundress.
Sir Philip Sidney.

In the Master's Lodge

Dining-room : — The Countess of Sussex, Foundress.

Samuel Ward, D.D. ; Master, 1609-43 ;
Archdeacon of Taunton.

James Johnson, Master, 1688-1703 ; by
Valentine Ritz, 1692.

William WoUaston, elected Master, but elec-
tion declared void, d. 1724.

Portrait of a man (? King George 1.)

John Colson, Lucasian Professor, 1739-60.

William Chafy, D.D. ; Master, 1813-43.
Landing: — Bardsey Fisher, Master, 1703-23.

Mrs Fisher, wife of preceding.

322

CHAPTER XTIl
The University Buildings

" What a world of wit is here pack't up together I I know
not whether this sight doth more dismay, or comfort me ;
it dismayes me to thinke, that heere is so much that I cannot
know ; it comforts mee. to thinke that this variety yeelds
so good helps to know what I should. There is no truer
word than that of Solomon, There is no end of making
many Bookes; this sight verifies it ; There is no end ; indeed,
it were pitty there should. God hath given to Man a busie
Soul ; the agitation thereof cannot but through time and ex-
perience worke out many hidden truthes : to suppiesse these
would bee no other then injurious to Mankind ; whose minds,
like unto so many candles, should bee kindled by each other.
The thoughts of our deliberation are most accurat, these wee
vent into our Papers. What an happinesse is it, that,
without all offence, of Necromancy, I may here call up any of
the ancient Worthies of learning, whether humane, or divine,
and conferre with them of all my doubts : That I can at
pleasure summon whole Synodes of Reverend Fathers, and
acute Doctors from all the Coasts of the Earth, to give
their well studyed judgements in all points of question which
I propose. Neyther can I cast my eye casually upon any of
these silent Maisters, but I must learn somewhat. It is a
wantonnesse to complaine of choyse.

" No Law binds us to read all : but the more we can take
in, and digest, the better-liking must the minds needs bee.
Blessed be God that hath set up so many cleare Lamps in his
Church.

"Now, none but the wilfully blind can plead darknesse;
And blessed be the memory of those his faithful Servants, that
have left their blond, their spirits, their lives in these
precious papers ; and have willingly wasted themselves into
these during Monuments, to give light unto others."

Bp. Hall (1630).

XAUCH of the medijEval history of Cambridge

centres in the church of Great S. Mary and of

its attached parish. Three centuries indeed passed

323

The Story of Cambridge

between the founding and the finishing of *' Great
Maryes." In the proverbial saying " all church
work is slow " Fuller apologises for the fact that the
first stone of the church was laid in the seventeenth year
of Edward IV. on the i8th May 1478, and its tower
was not completed until 1608, in the sixth year of
King James. Few objects are so completely identified
with the idea of Cambridge in the minds of every
member of the university as this largest church of the
town. It stands conspicuously in what has always
been the heart of Cambridge, facing the schools and
the Senate House on one side and the Market Hill
on the other.

Here for several centuries the university was
accustomed to meet in its corporate capacity, not
only, as now, to hear sermons, but to keep commence-
ments, to recite speeches, to hold disputations in arts
and law and theology, to transact affairs. Here
under the shadow of its Tower, or in earlier times,
of the wooden and thatched Bell-lodge in its church-
yard the town burgesses held folk-moot and market.

The church is a fine specimen of late Perpendicular
Gothic, having been entirely rebuilt at the end of the
fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth centuries
largely from the designs it is said of Bishop Alcock
of Ely, who among other accomplishments was a
skilled architect, comptroller of the royal works and
buildings of Henry VII. Of the earlier church
which preceded the Perpendicular one we know very
little, although the present chancel in spite of later
alterations and restorations retains several features of
this earlier period. The sedilia and piscina, the
blocked up window in the south wall of the chancel
are all decorated in character, and the niches on each
side of the east window, modern copies of those which
formerly occupied the same places, are of the same

324

The Ufiiversity Buildings

style. Of the Perpendicular church in its earliest
years the most characteristic feature must have been
the great rood-loft, which was finished about 1523,
and extended across the entire width of the church.
This was taken down by order of Archbishop Barber,
and a new screen erected in 1640, portions of which
probably still remain in the screens at the end of each
aisle. The old benches of Jacobean Gothic appear to
be of the same date. In 1735 ^^^^ present galleries
were erected, and shortly afterwards the huge structure
called The Throne, but commonly spoken of as
Golgotha, was erected in the chancel for the accommoda-
tion of the Vice-Chancellor, Masters, Doctors, Pro-
fessors and University officers. As part of the same
work a huge pulpit facing eastward stood in the centre
of the nave which was seated with benches standing
east and west. This portion of the theatre-looking
auditorium was irreverently nick-named The Pit. All
this grotesque arrangement " an example " — to quote
Archdeacon Hare's words — "of the world turned topsy
turvy" was happily swept away in 1863, during the
vicariate of H. R. Luard, and during the last fifty years
the church has gradually assumed the normal ap-
pearance of a dignified parish church. The celebrated
Cambridge chimes, which ring out of the tower of the
University Church every quarter of an hour, were
composed about i 790 by Dr Jowett, tutor of Trinity
Hall, with some assistance apparently from Dr Crotch
afterwards organist of Christ Church, Oxford, at
this time resident in Cambridge. They are an
adaptation of Handel's " I know that my Redeemer
liveth." The great Bell of the peal is of a remark-
ably fine tone. Every evening from nine to a quarter
past ** compline " or " curfew " is tolled on this bell,
and at its conclusion the number of the day of the
month is struck. A "Matin bell" is also tolled

325

7 he Story of Cambridge

every morning from a quarter to six to six o'clock.
The great bell is also tolled to summon " Congrega-
tions " in the Senate House opposite.

The University Library

Facing Great S. Mary's on the western side of
King's Parade and separated from it by a stretch
of greensward called Senate House yard, stands the
University Library. This Library in some respects
holds a unique position, for it is the only Library in
England, perhaps in Europe, of which it can be said
that after a continuous existence of nearly live hundred
years, and after all the vicissitudes through which it
has passed, it is still used day by day by the oiembers
of the corporate body to which it belongs down to its
humblest student with the freedom of its earliest
organisation. It is probably the only great Library in
England — it ranks next of course after the British
Museum and the Bodleian — v/hich by its regulations
grants free access for its readers not only to the
distributing counter of the officials, but to the actual
books themselves. Of the history of the building it is
impossible to give more than the slightest summary. The
buildings are disposed round two quadrangles, that
on the east, facing S. Mary's church, is called the
Schools Quadrangle, because it originally contained
the schools, or Lecture Rooms, as we should say,
required for University teaching. The second or
Western Quadrangle is practically modern, but is
built on the site, and partly on the foundations, of the
old court of King's College. Of the beautiful gate-
way of this court, restored by Mr J. L. Pearson, in
I 889, wc h!ive already spoken in a previous chapter.

On the north side of the Schools Quadrangle was
the Divinity School — it was here that Erasmus, when
holding the I^ady Margaret Professorship of Divinity,
326

l^he University Buildings

lectured on the Greek Testament — and above it was the
Senate House, or as it was then called the Regent
House or New Chapel. The western block contained
on the ground floor the School of Canon Law, known
later as the Arts School with Library over, and on the
south side of the quadrangle was the School of
Philosophy and Civil Law, with Library over. The
east side originally contained tv.o small schools, which
have been at difl^erent times variously used as Register
and Vice-Chancellor's Court and Doctors' vestry.
No alteration of importance v^'as made in these various
buildings or the uses to which they were put until the
eighteenth century. The change then made was the first
of a long series, which has ultimately led to the absorption
by the Library of the buildings of both Quadrangles.

The first encroachment of the Library upon the
Schools was made in order to accommodate the books
which King George L presented to the University
in 1 71 5. The circumstances which led to the gift
were as follows. Before the new Hanoverian King \
was firmly established on the throne, a strong Jacobite \
demonstration supported by the Chancellor took place '
at Oxford, leading to unrebuked excesses on the part of
the students which necessitated the despatch of troops
to keep order in the University. At Cambridge, on
the other hand, although a considerable majority of
the members were Tories, only a small proportion of
the High Church party were of Jacobite sympathies.
The non- jurors were not numerous and appear to have
shown no disposition to disturb the government.
Bishop Monk in his " Life of Bentley,"! thus comments
on the crisis.

** An address to the King was voted by the Senate wherein
they assure His Majesty of their zeal and attachment to his

1 Vol. i. 376.

The Story of Cambridge

person and government, and their uneasiness at the danger
which threatened them, a danger aifecting not only the
present age, but the latest posterity, declaring that as they
had constantly acknowledged King George to be the only
lawful and rightful heir to the throne, it was impossible for
them ever to forget their duty and join in treason ; reminding
the King that the constitution in Church and State should be
the only rule of his government, and in conclusion assuring
him ' that whatever representations had been made to their pre-
judice, they did and would so instruct the youth, that they
might show in their conduct an example of their principles of
loyalty and obedience, which this university, pursuing the
doctrines of our Church, has every steadily maintained.'"

This turgid bit of Tory grandiloquence, upholding
the right, upon Church of England principles, of the
Hanover family to the English Throne, led to the
greatest benefaction which up to that time the Uni-
versity of Cambridge had received. The king, at the
suggestion of Viscount Townshend, purchased the
Library of Bishop Moore, for 6000 guineas, some
30,000 volumes in all, and presented it to the
University. Academic gratitude was duly expressed
in an address to the king, and another to the minister,
in both of which Bishop Monk assures us, that we
may find specimens of that glowing eloquence which
is so frequently conspicuous in the writings of Dr
Sherlock, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University.
A later and less reverent generation is more disposed
to treasure in its memory the two epigrams in which
the whole crisis and its sequel is thus wittily
summarised ; —

" King George observing with judicious eyes
The state of both his Universities,
To Oxford sent a troop of horse : and why?
That learned body wanted loyalty.
To Cambridge books he sent as well discerning
How much that loyal body wanted learning."

To this epigram, which of course bears internal
evidence of having been written in Oxford, Sir

The University Buildings

William Browne, the Founder of the Cambridge
prizes for odes and epigrams, retorted —

«' The king to Oxford sent a troop of horse,
For Tories own no argument but force :
With equal skill to Cambridge books he sent,
For Whigs admit no force but argument."

In order to provide accommodation for this large
accession of books some extension of the library
became necessary. The question of new buildings,
which should include a new library and Senate House,
had been mooted early in the seventeenth century,
largely fostered no doubt by the desire to compete
with the work of Sir Thomas Bodley at the sister
University. But a century and more passed in little
more than the discussion of various schemes. In
1719, however, the piece of ground, then covered
with houses, between North School Street, upon which
the school quadrangle fronted, and the High Street or
King's Parade, was purchased by the University and
a plan for new University buildings to occupy
the whole site was prepared by Mr James Gibbs, the
most eminent architect of the day. This plan
shows a central block of classical building standing in
front of the old schools, with two large wings pro-
jecting from either end as far as the street front in
King's Parade. Of this plan only the northern wing,
the present Senate House, was luckily ever completed.

The Senate House

Mr Gibbs' building, a classical structure with
Corinthian columns, was opened in 1730. It contains
statues of Charles, Duke of Somerset, Chancellor of the
University, 1689- 1748, by Rysbrack ; and of William
Pitt, a fine piece of sculpture by Nollekens.

The new fagade to the old schools, designed by

329

Ihe Story of Cambridge

Mr Stephen Wright, was completed in 1758 at a cost
of ;^ 1 0,500, and still remains. A. further proposal
to build a south wing corresponding to the Senate
House was made once more in 1791, and yet again
a century later, but Senate House yard still happily
remains open on its south side to be overshadowed by
no building of less dignity and beauty than the great
eastern front and northern buttresses of King's College
Chapel.

In 1829 the University purchased for ^12,000 the
site and old buildings of King's College, forming the
western quadrangle of which we have spoken above.
Unfortunately the destruction of the old buildings
began before the University had decided what was to
take its place. But public indignation stopped the
work of vandalism before it was finished. The plans
of Mr Cockerell, the architect chosen by the University,
had contemplated the destruction of all buildings com-
prising both quadrangles, and the graceful new facade
of Stephen Wright. Only the northern range between
Senate House Passage, and the Divinity schools was
built. The upper floor of this building has from the
time of its erection been used by the Library, the
lower floor was long used as the Museum and Lecture
Room of the Woodwardian Professor of Geology, but
has in 1904, after the erection of the new Sedgwick
Museum of Geology in Downing Street, been handed
over to the University Librarian, thus completing the
absorption by the Libiary of all the rooms contained
in the buildings of both the old quadrangles.

The Books

It would be diflicult to estimate exactly the number
of volumes contained in the University Library, but
they probably do not fall far short of 750,000, ex-
clusive of manuscripts (^^500) and maps (about

330

The University Buildings

80,000). They have been acquired in many ways
— by the operation of the Copyright Acts, by pur-
chase, and by the munificence of various benefactors.
Among these latter may be mentioned the Library
of Bishop Moore, given by George L ; the large and
important collection of Chinese books given by Sir
T. F. Wade, M.A. ; the Liturgical Collections and
the Irish Historical Collections of Henry Bradshaw,
M.A. (Librarian 1867-1886), containing betv/een
5000 and 7000 pieces ; the choice books bequeathed
by Samuel Sandars, M.A. ; the collection of rare
mathematical works formed by Professor Adams ;
Dr Venn's collection of works on Logic ; the
Bentley, Gibb, and Lowell collections, chiefly oriental ;
the collection of memorial and family documents pre-
sented by Mrs Buxton ; and the Taylor-Shlechter
collection of Hebrew documents and fragments of
MSS. from Cairo ; and lastly the Acton Library,
bought from Lord Acton, by Mr James Carnegie,
and presented by him to Mr John Morley, and by
Mr John Morley to the University of Cambridge.
The number of volumes actually added to the library
by this most important gift is 59,000. The Acton
collection is mainly historical, and its most charac-
teristic feature is the large amount of valuable material
for general church history, more particularly for that
of western Europe, of the Papacy and of the Re-
formation. The section of modern political history
is hardly less important, comprising as it does material
for that of almost every modern state, and being
exceptionally rich and full for France, Germany and
Italy. There is also a large and valuable collection
of books on Political Philosophy, with several minor
collections of great interest, as for instance, of Roman
Indexes and books on the Index ; of Works on
Magic, and of books illustrating the beginnings of

The Story of Cambridge

modern scientific enquiry. The collection, it is

said, was made by Lord Acton, as an apparatus

for the composition of a History of Liberty in
Western Europe.

Among the more important treasures of the Library
are the following, exhibited in showcases in the
Cockerell Building : —

Case A. Manuscripts

1. Codex Bez^ Cantabrigiensis. A Graeco-Latin

MS. of the Four Gospels and i\cts of the
Apostles. Sixth century. Written in uncial
characters in Western Europe, probably at Lyons.
This, known as Codex D., stands fifth in order
of date among the MSS. of the Gospels, the
earliest that in the Vatican, being of the fourth
century. It was in the monastery of St Irenceus
at Lyons until the sack of that city in 1562.
Acquired by Theodore Beza (de Bese) one
of the most influential of the Genoese reformers,
the coadjutor and successor of Calvin, and by him
presented to the University of Cambridge, 6th
December, 1581.

Case B. Manuscripts

2. Bede. Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum.

Written soon after a.d. 730, probably at
Eptcrnach, or some other Anglo-Saxon colony
on the Continent. From a French monastery,
probably I.e Mans.

3. The Book ok Cerne. Latin Gospels. Ninth

century. Anglo-Saxon writing. Formerly
belonging to the Monastery of Cerne in
Dorsetshire.
332

l^he University Buildings

5. The Book of Deer. Four Gospels in Latin.
Irish MS. of the tenth century in debased
Roman Minuscule handwriting. The entries
in the margin, made in the twelfth century con-
sist of a Gaelic chartus, recording gifts of land to
the Columban monastery of Deer in Aberdeen-
shire by the Kings of Moray and Buchan.

9. A Psalter. Early fifteenth century. French.

16. Poems, etc., in the Waldensian Language of
the fifteenth century.

17. A Book of Hours. A very fine Flemish
work of late fifteenth century. Made for
Isabella of Aragon, Duchess of Milan {c. 1465-
1524).

Early Printed Books

19. The Recuyell of the Histories of Troy.
Translated by Caxton, and printed by or for him
at Bruges, about 1475. The first English book
ever printed.

20. Chaucer. Anelida and Arcyte. Printed by

Caxton at Westminster about 1478. First
edition of any work by Chaucer.

25. Pentateuch. English translation by W.

Tyndale. Printed abroad about 1 530. The first
part of the Old Testament printed in English.

26. The Boke of the Common Praier. A rare

edition of the first English Prayer Book, printed
at Worcester by John Oswen, 1549.

Bindings

28. Grolier Binding. Pair of morocco boards
executed for Jean Grolier (1479- 1565).

29. D. DE Burgo. Annotationes in libros Valerii.,

Maximi. Bound for Tho. Maioli {c. 1550).

3?3

The Story of Cambridge

Case C. Oriental Manuscripts

49. Samaritan Pentateuch. This MS. (Hebrew)
known as the " burned codex,'' is one of the
oldest in existence, and according to tradition
was preserved by a miracle when cast into the
flames. There is a tradition that it was shewn
to Nehemiah who spat upon it.

Portraits

The following list of paintings, for which we are
indebted to the University Library Handbook, is
arranged in the order in v, hich the pictures are hung,
beginning at the bottom of the Library staircase, near
the entrance door under the portico facing Senate
House Square.

On the Staircase: — John Court, 1466- 15 19; Dean
of S. Paul's, 1505; Founder of S. Paul's
School, I 512.

Sir Thomas Gooch, Bart., 1674-17 54 ;
Bishop of Ely, 1 748- 1 7 54.

John Nicholson, 1730-96, Bookseller of
Cambridge, commonly known as " Maps."
King Charles H.

Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond
and Derby ; Foundress of Christ's and S. John's
Colleges, [441-1509.
Kin2 James \.

King Charles I ? Van Dyck.
Queen Elizabeth.

Prince Charles, Duke of York, 1613 ; painted
bv Sir Robt. Peake to commemorate the Prince's
visit to Cambridge, 161 2.

Peter Gunning, Bishop of Ely, 1675-1684.
Roger Gale, 1672- 1 744, attributed to Sir Peter
Lely.
334

The University Buildings

William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Chancellor of
the University, 1559-1598.

Erasmus (?), 1467-1536.

George Villiers, K.G., first Duke of Bucking-
ham; Chancellor of the University, 1626-28.

Theodore Beza, 1 519-1605, Donor of the
Codex Beza.

Henry Martyn, Missionary, 1 781- 181 2.

Richard Porson, Professor of Greek, 1792 : by
John Hoppner, R.A.

John Colson, Lucasian Professor, 1739.

Nicholas Sanderson, Lucasian Professor, 171 1 :
by J. Vanderbanck, 17 18.

Stephen Whisson, 17 15-1783, University
Librarian, 175 1 : by Vandermijr.

Conyers Middleton, 168 3- 17 50. First Pro-
fessor of Geology, 1 73 1.

Anthony Shepherd, Plumian Professor, c.
1721-96.

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, High
Steward of University, 1563.

Edmund Grindal, Master of Pembroke Hall,
1538; Archbishop of Canterbury, 1576.

Robert Cecil, first Earl of Salisbury, Chan-
cellor of the University, 160 1- 12.

Christopher Monk, second Duke of Albemarle,
d. 1688.

Sir Benjamin Keene, K.B., 1 697-1

George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury,
161 1.

Richard Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury,

1604.

Portrait of an Ecclesiastic.

Richard de Ling, Chancellor of the University,

1339-45-

John Moore, Bishop of Ely, 1707- 17 14.

335

The Story of Cambridge

Charles, Viscount Townshend, 1680- 1738.
John Whitgift, Archbishop of Canterbury,

1583.

View of Jerusalem.

In the South Room : — William Sandcroft, Archbishop

of Canterbury, 1677.
In the Librarian's Room : — John Young, Master of

Pemberton Hall, 1553-59-
In the Council Room : — Henry Philpott, D.D. ;

Bishop of Worcester, 1861-90.

Sculpt,

ure

In CockereWs Building : — .King George I. : by Rys-
brack.

King George H. : by J. Wilton, R.A.

Henry Bradshaw, 1831-86, twenty-fifth
University Librarian : a bust by Hamo Thorny-
croft.
In the East Room: — Charles Simeon, 1759-1836:
bust by Manning.

Frederick Dennison Maurice, Professor of
Moral Philosophy, 1866: bust by Woolner.

The Pitt Press

King Henry VIII. in 1534 granted to the University
the right to appoint three stationers or printers, and
from that time onwards printing was carried on by the
University in the houses of the printers employed or
appointed by it. Ten or a dozen years before this,
however, we read of the work of a certain printer named
John Siberch, to whom in 1525, Erasmus, writing to
Dr Aldrich of King's, sends greeting as to an old
Cambridge comrade. An entry in Dr Caius'
" Annals " under date i 569 informs as that Siberch
occupied a house between the Gate of Humilitv and

The University Buildings

the Gate of Virtue at the sign of the Arma Reg'ia, a
fact which explains probably the use of the arms of
France and England quarterly as a device in several
of Siberch's books.^

Several of Siberch's successors lived in the same
neighbourhood. John Legate, for example, who had a
house in Trinity Lane and was appointed University
Printer by grace of the Senate in 1588, and was the
first printer to use the well-known device of the Alma
Mater Cantahr'igia, and the legend Huic lucem et pocula
sacra. In 1655 the University purchased from
Queens' College a lease of ground at the corner of
Silver Street and Queens' Lane, the site now forming
part of the garden of the Master's Lodge of S.
Catherine's College, and built a large printing-house
there, which continued in use till the beginning of the
last century. The acquisition of the present site began
in 1762, and the erection of the present block of
buildings in 1804. In 1824 the University received
from the Committee for erecting a statue of William
Pitt, an offer to devote the surplus funds to the erection
of a building in connection with the University print-
ing-press near or opposite to Pembroke College, of
which College Mr Pitt had been a member. This
oifer was accepted, and further additions to the site
acquired in 1762 were made, and eventually the exist-
ing Pitt Press with its church-like tower, was erected
from the devices of Mr Blore, architect, in 1833, at a
total cost of about ;^io,700. A further large exten-
sion of the Press Building has been made within the last
few years. For nearly two hundred years, the Univer-
sities of Oxford and Cambridge and the company of
stationers enjoyed the exclusive privilege of printing
Almanacs. The privilege was commuted in 1779 for

1 Cf. Notes on Uni'uersity Printers, by R. Bowes, in vol. v.
of "Transactions of Cambridge Antiquarian Society.

Y 337

The Story of Cambridge

an annual grant of ;£500. The two Universities and
the King's Printer still retain the exclusive privilege of
printing Bibles and Prayer Books. All the printing
of the University, including that of the examination
papers, is done at the Pitt Press.

The Selwyn Divinity School

On the east side of Trinity Street, immediately
opposite to the great gateway of S. John's College, stands
the new Divinity School built in 1879 ^^^^^ ^ design by
Basil Champneys, at the joint cost of the University
and the Rev. Wm. Selwyn, D.D., Lady Margaret
Professor of Divinity (1855-75), who contributed in
all nearly ^^9000.

The Fitzwilliam Museum

This building, which is a fine specimen of classical
architecture, was designed by Bassevi and commenced
in 1837, to receive the collection of books, paintings,
illuminated MSS., engravings, etc., bequeathed to the
University in 1816 by Richard, Viscount Fitzwilliam.
It stands on the west side of Trumpington Street on
a site adjoining Peterhouse. The building has cost
altogether about ^i i 5,000, mainly provided by the
bequest of Lord Fitzwilliam. The entrance- hall
which was not com})leted until 1875 is from the design
of E. M. Barry, R.A. This hall contains a very
noble statue of the late Prince Consort by Foley.
In Gallery I. is a fine collection of Dutch and Flemish
masters, some interesting sketches by Rubens, and
twenty-five drawings by J. M. W. Turner, presented
by Mr Ruskin in 1861. In a niche at the end ot
this room is the statue of Academic Glory by J.
Baratta.

A very amusing account is given in Nicholl's " Illus-
tration of Literature," entitled <* A Dialogue in the

338

T^hc University Buildings

Senate House at Cambridge," setting out the academic
vicissitudes through which this statue of" Glory " went
before its final disposal in the Fitzwilliam. The
statue had been bought at the sale of Cannons, the seat
of the Duke of Chandos, by Peter Burrell, M.D., of
S. John's college, and by him presented to the Uni-
versity about the year 17 + 5. It was placed at once
in the Senate House opposite the statue of King
George I. Three years afterwards, on the election
of the Duke of Newcastle as Chancellor of the Uni-
versity, a grace was proposed thanking Mr Burrell for
his gift, and ordering its immediate removal from the
Senate House. This grace was rejected. The
reason for the opposition is said to have been that the
statue was really a representation of Queen Anne, or
was thought to resemble her. At the time of the
proposed grace it was pleasantly observed by one of
the Tory wits that " it looked odd that a grace should
be proposed with so much warmth to remove glory out
of the Senate House, immediately after the Duke of
Newcastle was chosen Chancellor." On this incident
the Whig lampoon, above alluded to, has the follow-
ing verses : —

" In doubt at first what Nymph's, what Heroine's name,
What Queen's was best adapted to the Dame ;
At length by vote unanimous we made her
A sovereign goddess and as such displayed her :
But fearing lest the Senate should disown
As George's friends, his adversary's stone,
Inscribed with bits of verse and scraps of prose
(The verse at least is classical) we chose
To make and call her Acad^imic Glory
Still in disguise a Queen, and still a Tory."

In Gallery II. there is a fine unfinished portrait of
Raeburn, and several good examples of the Canaletto
School. In the large central Gallery (III.) are the
principal pictures of the Fitzwilliam collection, in-

339

I'he Story of Cambr'iage

eluding examples of Rembrandt, Veronese, Titian, and
Palma Vecchio. Then also pictures here by Hogarth,
Moreland and Gainsborough ; and fine examples of
the Dutch School of Rysbrach, Both, Hobbema, Van
de Velde and others. In the centre Gallery of the
south floor is a collection of antique sculpture formed
partly by Mr John Disney and partly by Dr E. D.
Clarke. There is also on this floor a library
containing many rare and valuable books and illumin-
ated MSS. Among other interesting volumes is
the book by Henry VHI. Assertio septem sacra-
mentorum adversus Martin Lutherum. It was
presented to the Museum by Samuel Woodburnc,
Lord Fitzwilliam's agent, as having been one of the
books of the Vatican library sold by order of the
French army. It has the signature of Henry VIII.
at the beginning and at the end, and the Tudor arms
on the binding, and is thought to be the identical
volume sent by Henry to Leo X. which procured for
the English King the tide of'* Defender of the Faith."

Of modern collegiate buildings there are the
following : —

Downing College

This Colleoe was founded

by the will of Sir George
Downing, Bart., dated 20th
December 17 17. The Char-
ter was obtained in 1800.
The plan of the College was
designed by Wilkins and com-
menced in 1807. It has
never been completed. The
two parallel ranges of build-
ings, separated by a wide expanse of grass, represent
the east and west sides of the projected court. A

340

.y-

sS^'^fl.i-

^^)

'JX>

■f

The University Buildings

considerable portion of the grounds of the College
was acquired a few years ago by the University and
now forms the site of the Museums of Science in
Downing Street.

Selwyn College

This College was founded in 1882 in memory of
George Augustus Selwyn, late Bishop of Lichfield
and formerly Bishop of New Zealand, who died in
1878. It was incorporated by Royal Charter in
1882, and was recognised as a Public Hostel by
Grace of the Senate in 1883. All the buildings
were designed by Sir Arthur W. Blomfield. The
chapel was begun in 1893 and opened in 1895.

Ridley Hall

This College, named after the martyr Nicholas
Ridley, Bishop of London, was founded by Members
of the Evangelical party in the Church of England
with the object of providing a residence and tuition in
Theology for graduates of the University who are
candidates for Holy Orders. It was opened in 1881.
The buildings have been designed by Mr Charles S.
Luck, and Mr William Wallace.

GiRTON College

This College for women students was opened in
1869 in a hired house at Hitchen, and moved to
Girton, two miles from Cambridge in 1873. The
buildings, designed by Mr Waterhouse, now contain
rooms for i 50 students, with Lecture Rooms, Reading
Room, Hall, Chemical Laboratory, Swimming Bath.
There are 33 acres of grounds, and the buildings face
the old Roman Road, the Via Devana.

341

The Story of Cambridge

Newnham College

The College, which grew out of the Hall of
Residence provided for women students attending
special lectures for women in Cambridge established in
1873, ^^^^ ^"'^^ '" sections between the years 1875 ^"^
1895. ^'^ ^^ buildings were designed by Mr
Basil Champneys.

The Science Schools

Of the provision made by the University for Modern
Science, no more fitting account can, in conclusion, be
given than the following taken from the statement
read by the Vice-Chancellor (Dr Chase, now Bishop
of Ely), in the Senate House before the King and
Queen, on the ist of March 1904, when their
Majesties visited Cambridge to open the new Build-
ings erected in Downing Street.

"The School of Science among us has itself been
of a slow and gradual growth ; and it must not be
forgotten that the University, while meeting to the
best of its power the claims of Science, has endeavoured
to make due provision for those literary studies which
have ever been dear to it.

"So long ago as 1786, Lecture Rooms for Science
were built in the corner of the Old Physic Garden ;
and to these in 1832 was added a Museum of Human
Anatomy. When in 1852 the Botanic Garden was
removed to its present position in Trumpington Road,
the erection of Museums and Lecture Rooms for
Science was already contemplated, though it was 'not
till 1866 that the Buildings were ready for use.

'* In the last three decades of the 19th century great
advance was made in the Buildings of the University.

**ln 1874 the Laboratory devoted to the study of
Experimental Pliysics was opened. It is a monu-
ment alike of the munificent generosity of our late

The University Buildings

Chancellor and of the keen Interest in the advance-
ment of Science which he manifested throughout
his long life. In his honour it Is called * The
Cavendish Laboratory.'

"In 1879 the Divinity School, for which we are
chiefly Indebted to the benefaction of the late Dr
Selwyn, Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity, and
the Literary Lecture Rooms, were finished.

" In 1883 the Museum of Archaeology, in 1888 the
Chemical Laboratory, and in 1891 the Laboratories of
Human Anatomy and of Physiology were built, the
cost In each case being defrayed out of the Common
LTniversIty Fund.

" In 1894, through the munificence of our Chancellor
and of other donors, the Engineering Laboratory was
erected; and to this in 1900 a notable addition was
made through the noble gift of the family of the late
Dr John Hopklnson of Trinity College.

" From these Buildings, whose history now belongs
to the past, I turn to those which, in the gracious
Presence of Your Majesties, we inaugurate to-day.

<< The study of Law among us is probably coeval
with the University. With it are connected some of
our oldest architectural remains. In recent times,
however, though the Professorial staff has been in-
creased, yet Law, having been dispossessed of its
ancient School, has been without a settled home. In
March 1899 a Syndicate was appointed to consider
what steps could be taken to provide a remedy. But
the whole question assumed a new shape when in
1902 the Trustees under the Will of the late Miss
Rebecca Flower Squire gave to the University a share,
amounting to ^15,000, in the munificent bequest of
that lady, on condition that the money was used for
the erection of a Law Library to be called * The

34^

The Story of Cambridge

Squire Law Library.' The Lecture and Examina-
tion Rooms have been built oui of the Benefaction
Fund of the University, which came into existence
in 1897. The whole Building forms a School worthy
of this ancient Faculty ; and here successive genera-
tions of our students will, we trust, learn to realise the
high position of Law in the life of the nation ; ' Justitia
elevat gentem.'

" From Law I turn to Medicine. The need of
adequate Buildings had long been felt, if the Science
of Medicine in all its many branches was to be
cultivated in a manner worthy of its ancient place in
this University. A Syndicate was appointed in March
1899 to consider what could be done. As the work
has gone forward, no pains have been spared to bring
every detail up to the high standard which modern
Science demands.

" The new Buildings provide permanent accommoda-
tion for the Departments of Medicine, Midwifery,
Surgery, and Pharmacology, and a home — a temporary
home, as we hope — for the Departments of Public
Health, Medical Jurisprudence, and Pathology. The
establishment in the University within the last few
weeks of a School of Tropical Medicine emphasizes
the need of extension in the near future.

" Within this Building we shall ask Your Majesties
this afternoon to visit the Museum which commemo-
rates, and bears the name of, our first Professor of
Surgery, Sir George Murray Humphry. To him
our Medical School owes a great debt, which was
accumulating during his many years of strenuous
service.

** The cost of the part of the Building already taken
in hand is u})wards ofj^34,ooo; it has been defrayed
out of the Benefaction Fund and by the special gifts

344

The University Buildings

of many Benefactors, who have had at heart the
development at Cambridge of the Medical School.

" In an important Report dated February 21, 1899,
the Museums and Lecture Rooms Syndicate drew the
attention of the University to the urgent need for in-
creased accommodation for the department of Botany.
A Syndicate was accordingly appointed; and two
years later the present Building was begun. It con-
tains Lecture Rooms, Laboratories for teaching and
for research, a Museum, and a Herbarium, the store-
house of collections given to the University by
successive occupants of the Chair of Botany, since its
foundation in 1724, and by various travellers, among
whom the honoured name of Charles Darwin is
conspicuous.

<* The sum spent on the Building and on the fittings
has been upwards of ;^ 2 5,000, a sum which has been
almost wholly provided by the Benfaction Fund.

"In January 1873 Adam Sedgwick, who since
18 1 8 had occupied the Woodwardian Chair of
Geology, passed away. Shortly afterwards at a
memorable meeting, held in the Senate House, it
was agreed that the one fitting memorial of his unique
personality and of his work in the field of science was
a Geological Museum, which should make his name
familiar to generations of Cambridge men in the time
to come. This decision evoked a generous response.
We remember, Sir, with gratitude that to this memorial
Your Majesty was pleased to be a contributor. To-day
we see the completion of this design. When You, Sir,
unveil the statue of Sedgwick, as he stands hammer in
hand and ready for work, the planaings of many years
will be realised.

"This is an occasion on which thankfulness for what

345

The Story of Canihridge

we have been enabled to accomplish is necessarily
blended with the thought of what wc hope to do in
the future. It is the dream of some among us that
the archaeological collections, which already contain the
amplest material for the student of antiquities and for
the student of ethnology, will some day find a spacious
resting place in a Building which shall complete the
Quadrangle of the Court, to which we shall presently
conduct Your Majesties. It is the dream of others
that near the Schools of Geology and of Botany they
may be allowed to see an Agricultural Laboratory,
devoted to that Department of Scientific research
which has so close a relation to the prosperity and
happiness of this country. May such dreamers find
that their dreams have come to them through the fabled
gate of horn."

346

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GENERAL INDEX

Abbeys, sacking of, by Danes, 17.

Adrian, Abbot, 46.

Akevian Street, old Roman road,

15, 21.
Albertus Magnus, 52.
Albinus, 46.
Alcock, Thomas, founder of Jesus

College, 205, 206.
Alcuin, 3 ; fabled letter from, 5 ;

47.

Aldhelm of Sherborne, 46.

Alfred, King, 5, 6.

Arthur, King, fable of charter
granted by, to first Rector of
schools, 3, 5.

Audley, Sir Thomas, conversion of
Buckingham College into Mag-
dalene by, 271; grant of sup-
pressed monasteries to, 272.

Augustine, S., catalogue of books
brought by, to England, 45 ;
School of, at Canterbury', 46.

Augustinian Friars, residence of,
on site of old Botanic Gardens,
64; Hospital of S. John under
management of, 68.

Austin, Cornelius, stall canopies
and other work by, in King's
College Chapel, 163.

Bacon, Roger, quotation from, 51 ;
52, 62, 65.

Badew, Richard de. Chancellor of
the University, 95, 96.

Balsham, Hugh de, foundation of
Peterhouse by, 67 ; effort of, to
fuse the Regulars and Seculars,
68 ; introduction of secular
scholars by, 68 ; endowment of
same by, 68 ; utilisation of Hos-
pital of S. John by, for scholars,
68, 245

Barnwell, origin of name of, 17 ;
description of fair at, 17, 18 ;
story of foundation of Augustin-
ian Priory of, 32 ; further history
of, 33. 34 ; its transference from
old site by Pain Peveril, 33, 34 ;
present remains of, 35.

Barnwell Cartulary, 34, 36.

Barrow, Dr Isaac, Master of
Trinity, 286.

Bateman, Bishop, of Norwich, re-
moval of Gonville Hall by, no;
statutes of, in ; foundation of
Trinity Hall by, 190.

Bede, 3, 45, 46; own list of books
written by, 47.

Benedict Biscop, 46.

Benedictine Order, Monasteries of,
broken up by Danes, 47 ; re-
establishment of, under S.
Dunstan, 48 ; loss of intellectual
ideal of, 48 ; less ascetic discipline
of, 67.

Benet College (see Corpus Christi) ;
distinguished men belonging to,
130.

Benjamin's House, 42 ; remaining
fragments of, 42.

Bentley, Dr, Master of Trinity,
feud of Fellows with, 289 ; ver-
dict on life of, by Sir Richard
Jebb, 290.

Bibles and Prayer Books, exclusive
privilege of printing of, retained
by Universities and King's
printer, 338.

Bishop's Hostel, 289.

Black Death, the, 32, 99, 134-

Black Friars, 49.

Bodley, Jesus Chapel partly work

of, 217.
Borough Boys, 26.
Brazen George Inn, the, scholars
of Christ Church lodged in,

237-
Bridges, ancient, 30 ; Great
Bridge, Small Bridge, 30

347

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GENERAL INDEX

Abbeys, sacking of, by Danes, 17.

Adrian, Abbot, 46.

Akevian St7-eet, old Roman road,
15, 21.

Albertus Magnus, 52.

Albinus, 46.

Alcock, Thomas, founder of Jesus
College, 205, 206.

Alcuin, 3 ; fabled letter from, 5 ;
47.

Aldhelm of Sherborne, 46.

Alfred, King, 5, 6.

Arthur, King, fable of charter
granted by, to first Rector of
schools,_3, 5.

Audley, Sir Thomas, conversion of
Buckingham College into Mag-
dalene bj', 271 ; grant of sup-
pressed monasteries to, 272.

Augustine, S., catalogue of books
brought by, to England, 45 ;
School of, at Canterbury, 46.

Augustinian Friars, residence of,
on site of old Botanic Gardens,
64; Hospital of S. John under
management of, 68.

Austin, Cornelius, stall canopies
and other work by, in King's
College Chapel, 163.

Bacon, Roger, quotation from, 51 ;
52, 62, 65.

Badew, Richard de. Chancellor of
the University, 95, 96.

Barnwell, origin of name of, 17 ;
description of fair at, 17, i3 ;
story of foundation of Augustin-
ian Priory of, 32 ; further history
of' 33' 34 j its transference from
old site by Pain Peveril, 33, 34 ;
present remains of, 35.

Barnwell Cartulary, 34, 36.

Barrow, Dr Isaac, Master of
Trinity, 286.

Bateman, Bishop, of Norwich, re-
moval of Gonville Hall by, no;
statutes of, in ; foundation of
Trinity Hall by, 190.

Bede, 3, 45, 46; own list of books
written by, 47.

Benedict Biscop, 46.

Benedictine Order, Monasteries of,
broken up by Danes, 47 ; re-
establishment of, under S.
Dunstan, 48 ; loss of intellectual
ideal of, 48 ; less ascetic discipline
of, 67.

Benet College (see Corpus Christi) ;
distinguished men belonging to,
130.

Benjamin's House, 42 ; remaining
fragments of, 42.

Bentley, Dr, Master of Trinity,
feud of Fellows with, 289 ; ver-
dict on life of, by Sir Richard
Jebb, 290.

Bibles and Prayer Books, exclusive
privilege of printing of, retained
by Universities and King's
printer, 338.

Bishop's Hostel, 289.

Black Death, the, 32, 99, 134.

Black Friars, 49.

Bodley, Jesus Chapel partly work
of, 217.

Borough Boys, 26.

Brazen George Inn, the, scholars
of Christ Church lodged in,

237-
Bridges, ancient, 30 ; Great

Bridge, Small Bridge, 30

347

Gen 67^ a I Index

Bull Inn, left by bequest to

Catherine's College, 200.
Runyan, John, description of

"Vanity Fair" by, 19.
Burgh, Elizabeth de, Countess of

Clare, foundress of Clare College,

96.
Byngham, William, founder of

God's House, 234.
Byron, Lord, statue of, by Thor-

waldsen, 287, 288.

Cailly, Margaret, nun of S.
Rhadegund, story of, 213, 214.

Caius, John, new foundation by,
113; election of, as Master of
Caius, 113 ; design by, for
famous gates, 113.

C<iw3c?r/VM;;/, question of identifica-
tion of Cambridge with, 15, 16.

Cambridge, physical features of
district surrounding, 7-9, 13, 14 ;
origin of name of, 15 ; geogra-
phical position of, 17, 20 ; history
of Guild life at, 124 seq.

Castle, foundation of, 22 ;

use of, as a base of operations,
23 ; as a prison, 23 ; as a quarry,

23 ; remains of, 23 ; slight his-
torical importance of, 23, 24.

Town, number of houses

and population of, in early times,

24 ; farm of, given as dower to
Queen, 24 ; earldom of, held by
Royal Family, 24 ; first steps of,
towards municipal independence,
24 ; first charter of, 42 ; dis-
turlianccs in, on account of
Candle rent, 133, 134.

University, foundation and

early renown of, 3 ; migration
of students to, from Paris, 53 ;
Royal writ for better regulation
off 53i 54 ; early organisation
of, on model of that of Paris,
56; course of study pursued at,
57, 58, 60 ; motto of, 60, 61 ; de-
cline of learning at, 03; first to

five permanent home to New
^earning, 231 ; support given by,
to House of Hanover, 317, 328.

University Buildings: —

Fitzwilliam Museum, 333;
history of statue of *' Glory at,

3381 339 ; pictures and sculpture
at, 33.9. 340.

Library, 326, 327 ; presenta-
tion of Bishop Moore'sLibraryto,
by George L, 328; books con-
tained in, 330, 331 ; manuscripts
and early printed books, 332, 333;
bindings, 333 ; portraits, 334-336.

Pitt Press, early history of,

336, 337; present buildings of,
337-

Schools of Science, Botany,

Geologj', and other buildings,
342-346.

Selwyn School of Divinity,

338.

Senate House, style of, 329 ;

statues in, 329, absorption of,
by Library, 330.

Candle rent, disturbances arising
from exaction of, 133, 134.

Cantaber, Spanish prince, fable of
foundation of University by, 3,

Cantelupe, Nicholas, quotations
from legendary history of, 4,
5-6.

Capella, Martianus, teacher of
rhetoric at Carthage, 57 ; favour-
ite treatise by, 57.

Carmelites, at Newnham, 64 ;
establishment of, on present
site of Queens', 64.

Castle Hill, ancient earthwork
known as, 14, 15, 16, 21.

Chroniclers, names of chief
monastic, 48.

Churches, round churches of
England, 36, 37.

All Saints by the Castle. 31.

Great S. Marj''s, 323 ; meet-
ing of town burgesses at, y,7^\
style of, 324, 325 ; rood-loft,
325 ; old benches, 325 ; struc-
ture called "The Throne" and
Golgotha, 325 ; pulpit, 325 ;
portion of Auditorium, known as
"The Pit," 325 ; famous chimes

of, 325-

Holy Sepulchre, 36, -^j ;

original shape of, 37; condition
of, in 1 84 1, as described by Mr
Atkinson, ^7.

Little S. Mary, formerly S.

Peter's, 85, 245.

S. Andrew the Less, Chapel

of, long known as Abbey Church,
35 ; description of. 36.

General Inaex

S. Benedict, ancient pre-

Norman church, 26 ; description
of, by Mr Atkinson, 26, 29; nave
of, 29 ; use of, as College chapel,

29, 131.

S. Edward's, used as College

chapel by Trinity Hall, 193;
advowson of, acquired by Trinity
Hall, 193 ; independence of
pulpit teaching retained by, 193.

S. Giles, 31, remains of old

Church of, 32 ; Augustinian
canons placed therein, 32 ; later
Church of, begun by Pain
Peverel, 34 ; rich gifts to, 34.

S. John Zachary, used as

College chapel by Trinity Hall
and Clare Hall, 192.

S Peter by _ the Castle,

architectural remains of, 31.

S. Peter, without the

Trumpington Gate, appro-
priated to Hospital of S. John,

68 ; assigned to the Ely scholars,

69 ; use of, as College chapel by
Peterhouse, 84 ; remains of old,
84; building of new Church of,
84 ; description of, 84 ; change
of name of, to Little S. Mary,
85, 245.

Close, Nicholas, one of the ac-
credited architects of King's, 150.

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor, scholar
of Jesus College, 223 ; poems
by, written at College, 223.

College, signification of, in early
times, 55, 56.

Colleges : —

Catherine's, foundation of,
by Dr Robert Woodlark, 199;
Chapel and Library of, 199, 200 ;
Court, and new buildings of, 200;
description of, by Fuller, 200;
"Bull Inn" left to, by bequest
of Dr Gosling, 200; rebuilding
of, 201 ; Chapel of, built on site
of Hobson's stables, 201 ; build-
ing of " Ramsden Building,"
201; list of portraits at, 201, 202.

Christ's, extract from sermon

preached on occasion of celebra-
tion of 400th anniversary of
foundation of, 233 ; new College
based on old foundation of God's
House, 234 ; Royal charter for
foundation of, 234 ; building of,
235 ; amount spent by Lady

Margaret on, 235 ; architectural
features of, 235, 236 ; foundress'b
rooms at, 235, 236 ; anecdote of
Lady Margaret when at, 236;
interesting stone chimney-piece
in foundress's sitting-room at,
236 ; hall of, rebuilt by Sir
Gilbert Scott. 237 ; portraits in
windows of, 237 ; old building
called "Rat's Hall," 238; later
buildings of, 238 ; Chapel of,
238 ; Milton and Darwin mem-
bers of, 238, 240 ; Henry More,
leader of "Cambridge Plato-
nists,"^ at, 241, 242; list of
portraits at, 242, 243.

Clare, date of foundation

of, 90 ; first foundation of, known
as University Hall, 95, 96 ;
statutes of, 98, 99, 100; early
buildings of, destroyed by fire,
100 ; rebuilding of, 100 ; con-
troversy of, with King's College,
100, loi; identity of, with
Chaucer's Soler-Halle, loi, 102 ;
list of names among famous
scholars of, 102; list of portraits
at, 102, 103.

Corpus Christ!, derivation of

its ancient name of S. Benet,
29 ; unique foundation of, 124,
127, 128; statutes of, 129;
famous Archbishops members
of, 129 ; distinguished men from
Benet College, 130 ; the "Old
Court," 130 ; description of early
buildings of, 130, 131 ', use of
S. Benet's Church as College
chapel, 131 ; building of new
Chapel of, 131 ; new Court of,
131 ; new Library of, 131 ;
famous Parker MSS. preserved
in, 131, 132 ; muniment chest of,
broken open by rioters, 134;
list of portraits at, 137-139'

Emmanuel, puritan tone of,

302 ; foundation of, by Sir
Walter Mildmay, 303 ; site of,
304, 305 ; early buildings of,
305 ; Master's lodge, and Chapel,
305 ; range of buildings known
as Brick Building, 305 ; building
of present Chapel of, 305 ;
account of Puritanical observ-
ances at, complained of, 306,
307 ; interesting feature in con-
nection with Fellows in statutes

349

General Index

of, 307 : Puritan leaders of
America educated at, 309 ; other
Puritans at, 309 ; lists of portraits
at, 310-312.

— Gonville and Caius. con-
nection of early foundation of,
with Dominicans, no; removal
of Gonville Hall by Bishop Bate-
man, no; statutes of, no;
remains of ancient walls and
buildings of Gonville extant,
in; bequest to Gonville Hall,
by John Household, 112 ; noto-
riety of, for Reformed opinions,
112; change of name of Gon-
ville Hall to Caius, 113 ; famous
gates of, designed by John
Caius, 113-117 ; new buildings
of, 118 ; lists of portraits at,
n8-i2i.

— Jesus, foun;lation of, by
Thomas Alcock, 205, 207 ;
reasons for fixing number of new
society of, at thirteen, 207, 208 ;
plan of founder in attaching
school to, 209 ; conversion of
buildings of Nunnery of S.
Rhadegund to college purposes,
215; hall, and other buildings
of, 215, 216; gateway of, and
pathway known as "the chim-
ney," 216 ; conversion of con-
ventual church into chapel, and
description of, 216, 217 ; present
chapel of, 217; subject of win-
dows in, 218, 219; discovery of
arches and doorway of old
chapler-house, 220 ; constitution
given to, by Bishop Alcock, 220,
221 ; roll of eminent men associ-
ated with, 221, 222, 223; list of
portraits at, 224, 226.

K.in;^'s, controversy of, with

Clare Hall, 100, 101 ; first charter
of. signed, 143; first stone of,
laid, 143 ; Henry VI. 's scheme in
second charter of, 147 ; earliest
bile of, 147 ; early buildings of,
147 ; old gateway of, 147 ; diiTi-
culties attendant on the procur-
ing of jjresent site, 148, 149;
relationship of chapel with Ely
Lady Chapel, 151, 152 ; building
of, 154, 155; list of subjects in
•windows of, 155-162 ; screen an<l
rood-loft, 163; stalls and lectern,
163, 164 : remaining buildings of

college, 164 ; its independence of
University, 164 ; new statutes of,
in 1861, 165 ; famous men associ-
ated with, 165 ; list of portraits
at, 166, 167.

— Magdalene, conversion of
Buckingham College into, 271 ;
original statutes of, disregard of
New Learning in, 272 ; liberal
contributions to, by Duke of
Norfolk, 273 ; quadrangle of,
273 ; chapel and old library of,
273 ; new gateway of, 273 ;
chapel "Italianised, ' 273 ; Pepy-
sian Library at, 274 ; interesting
books contained in, 275 ; Charles
Parnell and Charles K.ing>ley at,
276; list of portraits at, 276, 278.

— Michaelhouse. original statutes
of, 53; incorporation of, into
Trinity, 93, 279.

Pembroke, date of foundation

of, 90 ; the poet Gray at, 103 ;
story of foundress of, 104 ; date
of charter of, 104 ; interesting
feature of constitution of, 105 ;
destruction of original buildings
of, 105; rem.ainsofold features of,
105, 106 ; new chapel of, 106 ;
old cloister of, 106, 107 ; list of
portraits at, 107-109.

Peterhouse, foundation of, by

Hugh de Balsham, 67, 69 ; pro-
perly acquired by, 70 ; hall
of, 70; first code of statutes,
70 ; modelled on those of ?kler-
ton, 71 ; sketch of, 71, 72 ;
regulations concerning dress
contained in, 72; description of
hall of, 75 ; prosperity of, in 15th
century, 75 ; further buildings of,
75, 76 ; description of Fellows'
parlour at, 76; of the thirty
portraits in parlour, 76-83 ; win-
dows of parlour by W. Morris,
83 ; Master's Lodge at, 83 ;
turret staircase at, 83 ; gallery
connecting buildings with S.
Mary's church, 84 ; S. Peter's used
by, as College ch.ipel, 84 : Pernc
Library at, 86, 87 ; building of
present cliapel of. 87 ; descrip-
tion of, 88, So, windows of. 89.

Queens', foundation of, by

Queen ALirgaret, 170, 171 ; ab-
sorption of S. Bernard's in foun-
dation of, 171 ; patronage of, by

Ge?teral Index

Elizabeth Wydville. 171, 172 ;
change of name from Queen's to
Queens', 172 ; earliest statutes
of,_i72 ; buildings of, 172; simi-
larity of plan with that of
Haddon Hall, 172; beauty of
principal court of, 175 ; cloisters
of, 176 ; description of old gallery
of, 176 ; Pump Court, or Eiasmus
Court, 176; ancient dial and
clock, 179; great names associ-
ated with, 179, 180; account of
Erasmus'^ stay at, 181, 182 ;
words written by, within walls of,
185 ; list of portraits at, i86-i83.

S. John's, refoundation of

Hospital of S. John as, 244 ;
intended bequests of Lady Mar-
garet lost to, 250 ; revenues of
God's House, at Ospringe, ob-
tained for, 250 ; appointment of
master and fellows of, 250 ;
"The Labyrinth," series of
rooms known as, 253 ; early
windows of, 253 ; windows in
chapel of, 253 ; general buildings
of, 253 ; " Bridge of Sighs," 253,

256 ; great gateway of, 254 ; old
library of, 254 ; long gallery at,
254, 255 ; new library of, 255 ;
Wordsworth's " wilderness,"

257 ; new chapel of, 257 ; list of
portraits at, 258-264 ; famous
men at, 264, 265.

■ Sidney Sussex, foundation

of, by Lady Frances Sidney, 312,
313; charter of, 314; statutes
of, 314, 315 ; first buildings of,
315; Latin poem on, by Giles
Fletcher, 315 ; hall of, 316 ;
chapel and library of, 316 ;
gateway of, 316; destruction of
old chapel and rebuilding of new,
316 ; old Fellows' garden, 316 ;
new buildings and cloister, 316 ;
eclectic character of, 317, 318;
names associated with, 318 ;
Oliver Cromwell at, 318 ; portrait
of, by Cooper, 319 ; Thomas Fuller
at, 320; his "Child's Prayer to
his Mother," 320 ; prayer of, at
close of work on University, 321 ;
list of portraits at, 321, 322.

Trinity, charter of foundation

of, 278, 279 ; site of, on precincts
of King's Hall, and Michael-
house, 279 ; position of various

halls and hostels absorbed by,
280, 281 ; buildings of, retained
or removed, for new college,
282; great court of, 282, 283;
King Edward's Gate. 283, 284 ;
Queen's Gate, 283 ; Great Gate,
composition of, 284, 285 ; foun-
tain and hall, 285 ; description
of hall, 286 ; library, building
of, by Dr Isaac Barrow, 286 ;
description of, by Wren, 286 ; by
Clarke, 287 ; statue of Lord
Byron, and busts, in library,
287, 288 ; valuable works con-
tained in, 288, 289; later build-
ings of, 289; feud between Fellows
and Master at, 289 ; Isaac New-
ton's rooms at, 291 ; statue of, at,
291 ; worthies and benefactors
of, 291 ; chapel of, 292 ; subjects
in chapel windows of, 293 ;
statues in ante-chapel, 293 ;
dining-hall, 293 ; list of portraits
at, 294-300.

— Trinity Hall, foundation of,
190 ; former old hostel for Ely
monks on present site, 190, 192 ;
early buildings of, and gateway,
192 ; church of S. John Zachary,
and later S. Edward's, used as
chapel by, 192; date of present
chapel of, 193 ; account of beat-
ing the bounds bj', 194, 195;
building of library of, 195 ; de-
scription of, 195, ig6; garden of,
196; plot planted by Dr Joseph
Jowett, and epigram on, 196 ; list
of portraits at, 197, 198.

University Hall, afterwards

Clare College, 95, 96.

Collegiate Buildings (Modern),
Downing, 340 ; Girton, 341 ;
Newnham, 342; Ridley Hall,
341 ; Selwyn College, 341.

Commerce, extent of, in early days,
16, 17.

Cosin, Dr, Master of Peterhouse,
87, 88.

Costessey, Henry of, his Covuiien-
tary on the Psalms, 52, 62.

Cranmer, Archbishop of Canter-
bury, student at Jesus College,
221, 222.

Crauden, John of. Prior of Ely,
house for Ely monks provided
by, 190, 191 ; portrait bust of,
191.

General Judex

Cromwell, Oliver, at Sidney
Sussex College, 318 ; portrait of,
by Cooper, 319.

Danes, ravages of, 17, 47, 48.

Darwin, Charles, at Christ's Col-
lege, 240, 242.

De Ilereiico Combtirendo, in-
famous statute known as, 136.

Denny, abbey of, 104.

DevWs Dyke, near Newmarket,
14, 21.

Disce docendo, motto of Univer-
sity, 60, 61.

Dockelt, Andrew, founder of S.
Bernard's, 171.

Dominic, saint, 48.

Dominicans, ideal of, 49; promi-
nent factors in development of
the universities, 52 ; the New
philosophy associated with, 52;
scholastic philosophy elaborated
by, 52; connection of, with Uni-
versity of Paris, 52 ; settlement
of, on site of Emmanuel, 64;
early foundation of Gonville
Hall connected with, no; house
of, atThetford, no.

Dowsing, William, Puritan icono-
clast, extract from diary of, 88,

Drayton, picture of Fenland given
by, 12.

Dress, regulations concerning in
statutes of Peterhouse, 72;
general laxity of, 72, 73 ; devel-
opment of present gowns and
hoods from ancient costumes, 74 ;
ditto of " Mortar-board," 74.

Dunstan, S., Benedictine Order re-
established by, 48.

Eachard, Dr, Master of Catharine's
College, rebuilding of College
by, 201.

Elizabeth. ()ueen, visit of, to
Cambridge, 105,

queen of Edward IV.,

liatroness of Queen's, 171, 172.

Ely, Lady Chapel at, 84, 85; re-
lationship of, with King's Col-
lege Chapel, 151, 152.

Ely monks, house provided for,
by John of Crauden, 190, 191 ;
transference of, to Monk's
College, 192.

scholars, separation of, from

Hospital of S. John, 69 ; removal
of, to church of S. Peter, 69 ;
course of study undergone by,

71-

Erasmus, walk and tower known
by name of, at Queens', 179,
180; account of residence of, at
Queens'. 181, 182; words written
by, at Queens', 185, i36 ; sum-
mons of, to Cambridge, to teach
Greek, 231.

Essex, design of new chapel at
Sidney Sussex by, 316.

Eton College, 142,

Eustace, Bishop of Ely, bene-
factions of, to Hospital of S.
John, 68,

Fairs, Barnwell, 17, 18 ; Stour-
bridge, 18.

Fellowship, old terms of tenure,
and revision of same, 308, 309.

Fenland, descriptions of, 11-13,

Fisher, John, Bishop of Rochester,
funeral sermon of Margaret,
Countess of Richmond and
Derby, preached by, 228 ;
proctor of University and Master
of Alichaelhouse, 228 ; appointed
Lady Margaret's confessor, 228 ;
efforts of, to raise the academic
level at Cambridge, 229 ; founda-
tion of Divinity professorship
by, for improvement of pulpit
eloquence, 229 ; influence of, on
Lady Margaret, 231 ; persuades
her to spend her fortune on
educational purposes, 231 ;
attachment of, to New Learning,
265 ; attachment of, to Papal
cause, 265; sermon by, against
Luther, 265; College statutes of
S. John's by, 266 ; opposition of
to King's divorce, 266 ; account
of trial and death of, by Froude
and Miillinger, 266, 267.

Flower, Bernard, king's glazier,
windows by, at King's, 155,

Fourteenth century, great events
of early, 91.

352

General Index

Francis, Saint, 48.

Franciscans (see Grey Friars),
ideal of, 49 ; establishment of, in
old synagogue, 64 ; spacious
house built by, on site of Sidney
College, 64 management of
Pembroke by, 105.

Friars, ascendency of, dangers in-
volved in, 64, 65.

of the Order of Bethlehem,

settlement of, in Trumpington
Street. 64.

of the Sack, settlement of, in

parish of S. Mary the Great, 64 ;
removal of, to parish of S. Peter,
64 ; extinction of, 7c.

Fuller, Thomas, quotations from
his "History of the University
of Cambridge," 7, 17, 18, 22, 117,
118, 122, 123, 170,200; at Sidney
Sussex College, 320 ; his " Child's
Prayer to his Mother," 320 ;
prayer of, at close of work on
University, 321.

Fyswicke, or Fysecke hostel^ ab-
sorption of, by Trinity, 279.

Gate, Trumpington, 31.

Gate House, remaining outwork of

Castle, demolition ot, in 1842, 23.
Garrett Hostel, identity of, with

Chaucer's Solar-Halle, 102, 280,

2S9.
Gilbertines, settlement of, in

Trumpington Street, 64.
Glanville, Ranulf, 62.
Gods House, o\A foundation serving

as basis for Christ's College, 234 ;

foundation of, by William Byng-

ham, 234 ; claim of, to be of

Royal foundation, 234; reconsti-

tution of, 234
Gonville, Edward, founder of

Gonville, no ; statutes of, in.
Goodwin, Harvey, sermons of, at

S. Edward's, 194.
Grantchester. James of, chosen

captain of insurgents, 134.
Green's Cro/t, curious grove cut

down by rioters, 134.
Grantebrigge, Norman village of,

29.
Grey Friars, 49 ; settlements at

Oxford of, 49; first humble house

of, at Cambridge, 50; interest in
the "New Learning" kept alive
by, 51.

Gray, the poet, lines from " In-
stallation Ode " by, 103.

Grosseteste of Lincoln, patron of
the Franciscans, 50, 52, 62.

Guilds: Cambridge Thegns, 124,
125; Holy Sepulchre, 125; S.
Mary, 125, 126 ; names on bede
roll of, 126, 127; Corpus Christi,
127; foundation of College by,
127, 128; the "Good Duke"
enrolled as alderman of, 129 ;
family of Sir Walter Manny
erirolled as members of, 129.

Havens, Theodore, of Cleves, pro-
bable architect of Gate of Hon-
our, 114 ;other works by,ii4,ii5.

Hawkes, Nicholas, buildings by, at
S- John's College, 256.

Hellenists, group of early, 205.

Henry VL, birth of, 140; account
of, by Stubbs, 141 ; Colleges
founded by, 142 ; his love of
letters, 143 ; his " holiness," 144-

Hereward the Wake, 23.

High Street, old, 31.

Hithes, Royal charter in connec-
tion with, 30, 31.

Hobson, Thomas ("Hobson's
Choice " ) Chapel of Catherine's
College built on site of stables
of, 201.

Hospital of S. John, foundation of,
by Henry Frost, 68 ; introduc-
tion of secular scholars into, 68,
245; benefactions received by,
from Bishop of Ely, 68 ; feud
between Regulars ard Seculars
at, 69; Seculars transferred from,
69 ; becomes nucleus of S. John's
College, 69 ; under direction of
Augustinian canons, 68, 244 ;
annual payment to, by Peter-
house, 245 ; condition of, previ-
ous to dissolution, 246 ; suppres-
sion of, 246 ; opposition of Wolsey
to, 250.

Hostels, establishment of, 56;
reference to, in Lever's sermon,
56; number of, in sixteenth
century, 56 ; desertion of, 56 ;

353

General Index

names of, absorbed by Trinity,

379, 280.
Household, John, beque«l by, to

Gonville Hall, 112.
Hffvinge or Oving Inn, absorption

of, by Trinity, 279, 280, 289.
Hugolinc, wife of Roger Picot, 32,

33-

Icknield Way,, old road known as,
21.

J-

Jesus College, Rothesham, founda-
tion of, 207 ; objects of, 207 ;
reasons for fixing number of
members of, at ten, 207 ; the two
pressing needs met by, 208,
rog ; statutes of, 208 ; school at-
tached to, 209.

Jewries, earliest of, established in
England, 39 ; material iufluence
of Cambridge Jewry in the town.

Jews, coming of, to England, 39 ;

position of, 39 ; connection of,

with origin of Oxford University,

40, 41.
Joffrey, Abbot of Crowland, 6.
John of Basingstoke, 50.
John of Beverley. 46.
Jowett, Dr Jo-eph, garden plot

planted by, at Trinity Hall, 196 ;

epigram on, 197.

Kenet, first Rector of schools, 3.

Kings Ditch, artificial stream,
known as, 29, 30

King's Hall, foundation of, 94 ;
interesting statutes of, 94, 95 ;
absorption of, in Trinity, 279.

King's Scholars, 93.

Kingsley, Charles, graphic des-
cription of Fenland by, 12, 13,
at Magdalene, 276.

Lanes, old, remains of, 31.
Lrington, John, ore of ibc ac-
crediicd architects of King's, 150.

Lever, sermon by, at Paul's Cross,

reference to hostels in, 56.
Liber Eliensis, description of

Fcnlands given in. 11, la.
Lollards and LoUardism, 135, 136;

136 ; attitude of Universities

towards, 136.
Lydgate, John, verses by, on foun-

daiion of Town and University,

I, 2.

Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry
VL, description of, 169, foun-
dress of Queens', 169, 170, 171.

Countess of Richmond and

Derby, foundress of Christ's
College, and S. Tohn's, 227 :
description of, by Fuller, 227,
228; funeral sermon of, preached
by John Fisher, 228, 249 ;
Fisher appointed her Confessor,
228 ; preachership founded by,
230 ; dissuaded by Fisher irom
leaving her fortune to Monastery
at Westminster, 231 ; becomes
founder of Colleges, under his
persuasion. 231 ; money spent by,
on Christ's College, 235; anec-
dote of, when at Christ's. 236 ;
epitaph of, by Erasmus, 246 ;
elegy over, by Skelton, 246;
monumental effigy of, by Torre-
giano, 246, 249 ; executors of,
249.

Maurice. Frederick Denison, ser-
mons of, at S. Edward's, 194.

Memoria technica, 57.

Merton, Walter de, earliest Col-
legiate foundation by, at Oxford,
65 ; principle underlying the
statutes of, 66, 67.

Mildmay, Sir 'Walter, foundation
of Emmanuel by. 303 ; sympathy
of, with letters, and writings by.
304 ; property purchased by, for
site of College. 304.

Milne Street, remains of old, 31.

Milton, Mulberry Tree known by
name of, at Queens', 179, 239 ;
rooms of, at Queens', 239 ; poems
of, written during undergraduate
years, 239, 240 ; words of, con-
cerning his life at College, 240.

Monasteries, spoilation of, l>y
Henry VIIL, 26B, 269, 270.

354

General hiaex

Monastic life, check given to, by
ravagers of Danes ,47 ; revival
of, 48.

Monk's, or Buckingham College,
192 ; Ely monks transferred to,
192 ; conversion of into Mag-
dalene College, 271.

Monk's Pen, legend of, 62.

Montagu, Simon, Bishop of Ely,
70.

Morris, William, windows by, at
Peterhouse, 75, 83.

Neville, Dr. Thomas, Dean of
Peterborough and Master of
Trinity, alterations and enlarge-
ments by. at Trinity, 283.

New Learning, the historical im-
portance of, 203 ; spread of, in
Italy and Germany, 204 ; first
permanent home given to, at
Cambridge, 231 ; Colleges of,
264.

Newton, Sir Isaac, Clock and
Bridge known by name of, at
Queens', 179, 180; rooms of, at
Trinity, 291 ; statue of, by
Roubiliac, 291.

Neckham, Alexander, 57, classi-
fication of liberal sciences by.
58.

Nicholas, the Greek, 50.

Northwold, Hugh of, bi.siiup of
Ely. secular scholars placed by,
at Hospital of S. John, 68, ex-
emptions from taxation obtained
by, 68.

Ospringe, God's House at, revenues
of, obtained for S. John's College,
250.^

Oving's Inn, 279, 280, 289.

Oxford, connection of Jews with
university of, 340 ; trace of Jew-
ish origin in names of hostels at,
41 ; quotation from. Philobidiion
concerning, 92, 93 ; decline of
learning at, 93,

Pain Peveril, Crusader, Augus-
tinian Priory of Barnwell sup-

ported b]^ 33 ; transferred by to
better site, 33.

Paris, early history of Dominicans
associated with university of,
52 ; feud at, between students
and citizens, 53 ; result of, 53 ;
migration of students from, to
Cambridge. 53.

Paris, Matthew, description of
Fenlands by, 12.

Parker, Matthew, Archbishop of
Canterbury, member of Corpus
Christi, 129 MSS. collected by,
130, 131; stringent regulations
accompanying deed of gift of, to
Corpus Christi, 132, 133.

Richard, his '' Skeietos Cati-

tabrigiensis^' 4.

Parnell, Charles, at Magdalene,
276.

Pearson, beautiful Collegiate
buildings of Sidney Sussex de-
signed by, 316.

Pepys, Samuel, bequest of library
by, to Magdalene College, 274 ;
diary of, 274, 275 ;

Perne, Dr Andrew, Master of
Peterhouse, 86, 87 ; new Latin
verb invented in honour of, 86 ;
library left by, 86, 87.

Petrarch, 91.

Philosophy, the new, 52 ; Schol-
astic, system of, elaborated by
Dominicans, 52.

Picot, Roger, first Norman Sheriff
of Cambridgeshire, 25, 32, 33.

Pilgrim Scholars, the English,
204, 205.

Preaching, account of neglect into
which art of, had fallen, 229, 230.

Puritanism, age of, 302, 303.

Pugin, Jesus Chapel partly work
of, 217.

Reginald of Ely, Architect of

King's, 150, 152.
Regula Mertonensis, rule of

Merton, 66, 67.
Richard of Bury. Bishop of

Durham, 92, his Philobfblion,

92.
Robert, son of Roger Picot, 33.
Rose, Henry John, Cambridge

Tractarian, sermons of, at S.

Edward's, 193, 194.
Rose and Crown, old inn, 118.

355

GenerLil Index

Rotheiham, Thomas, Archbishop
of York. College founded by, at
Rotherham, 207.

Roubiliac, works by. 2S8, 291.

Rmeboeuf, his " Battle of the
Seven Arts," 58, 59-

S. Bernard, Hostel, 170, i7i» ab-
sorbed in foundation of Queens ,

171.

S Rhadegund. story of nunnery
of, 210-214 ; life led by nuns of,
■^13 ; laxity of discipline in, 213 ;
dissolution of, 214; conversion
of buildings of, to purposes ot
lesus College, 215.

Salvin, Jesus Chapel partly work

of, 217. . , , c

Scholarship, practical tendency ot

English, 205. .

Schools at Canterbury and in the
North, 46.

School of Pythagoras, the, old
Norman house known as, 25.

Scott, Sir Gilbert, additions to Hall
of Peterhouse by, 75 ; new build-
ings of University library
erected by, 147 5 rooms at King s
by, 164; Hall of Christ s rebuilt
by. 237 ; new Chapel of S- John s
designed by, 257; design of
Exetc^r College Chapel, Oxford,

Sidney.^^Lady Frances, foundress
of Sidney Sussex College, 312,
313; restoration of tomb of, 312,
313; executors of, 314-

Sigebert, King, patron of Uni-
versity, 3.

Simons. Ralph, architect of Sidney
Sussex College buildings, 315-

Stanley, James, -'Dunce Bishop ot

EhV249- , ^ J • ^f

Stanton. Hervey de, foundation ot

^Iichael-hou^e by, 93.

Steerc. Margaret, one of the rioters
during disturbances caused by
Candle rent. 134-

Sterne. Laurence, student at Jesus
College. c!22 : portrait of, in
dining-hall of College, 222.

Stourbridge, fair at. 18: prototype
of Banyan's "Vanity \ air, 18.19.

Stubbs. Bishop. description of Eng-
land bv, in Middle Ages, 60, 61.

Testament 0/ the Twelve Patri-
archs, early apochryphal book,

51.
Theodore, Archbishop, 46.
Thomas Aquinas, 53.
Tobias of Rochester. 46.
To^vn Anns, public-house, 42.
Trivlum and Quadriviu7ii, 57.
Tusser, Thomas, his song of Trinity

Hall, 189.

University, early meaning oi l<irm
of, 54 ; description of, in Middle
Ages, 54i 55-

Valentia Audomare de, Earl of
Pembroke, death of, 104 ; founda-
tion of Pembroke by widow of,

Via Devana. old Roman Way.
15, 26 ; line followed by, 29 ; 31.

Walsii.gham, Alan de, builder of
Ely Lady Chapel, 85, 191-

Waterhouse, new buildings ot
Caius by, 118. , rr^ . •

Whewell, Dr. Master of Tnniiy.

289.

Wilfrith, Archbishop of V ork. 40.

Wilkins, William, architect, nevv
court of Corpus Chnsti designed
by 131; other work by, _ 164 j
new court at Trinity designed

by, 289. , ,.

William the Conqueror, founding

of Cambridge Ca>tle by, 22.
William of Newburgh, 62.
William of Occam, 65. , .

Woodlark, Dr Robert, founualion

of Catherine's College by, 19?-
Wordsworth, Dr Christopher.

Ma.ster of Trinity, 2S9.
Wren, Sir Christopher, buildinj;

of Pembroke Chapel by. 106;

Library of Trinity by, 2S0.
Wren, Dr Matthew. Master of

Peterhouse, 87. . • > ,

Wycl.fTe, i35> »37 ; P<""' P'>''^''

of, 137-

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