III. Rules etc. CHAPTER IX THE FORMATION OF A UNITED ENGLISH NATION, 1216-1337 I. THE UNIVERSITIES The growing activity and importance of the universities, which was so characteristic of this period, is marked by the adoption by the various colleges and by the university authorities, of a great number of rules on a variety of academic subjects. Some of the most familiar of these were for taking books from the college libraries, restricting expenditures at the common tables, regulating fees to the masters, requiring the use of Latin in conversation, establishing the conditions of graduation, etc. The following are examples, given in the collection called Munimenta Academica, describing conditions at Oxford from the thirteenth to the fifteenth century. Each book of the house, now or hereafter to be given out, for taking shall be taken only after leaving a large deposit, in order that out books, the one having it may the more fear to lose it; and let a duplicate receipt be made, of which one part shall be kept in the common custody, and the other be taken by the scholar having the book; and let no book be given out outside of the college without a still better bond, and with consent of all the scholars. . . . No one shall interfere with the regular arrangement of the household either in the choice of dinners or in the occupation of the rooms of the house, but each scholar shall give diligent assistance; and especially they shall not exceed an expense of twelve pence a week each from the common treasury, except in the three principal weeks, unless a special dispensation has been given by the university. . . . All the scholars of the house shall often speak Latin, in order that they may obtain an easier and more ready and more decorous manner of speaking in disputations and in other proper circumstances. Let them all live honorably, like clerics, as becometh saints, not fighting, nor using base or scurrilous language, nor singing love songs, nor telling tales of love adventures or such as lead to evil thoughts; not ridiculing any one or stirring him to anger, nor shouting so that students may be interfered with in their study or their rest. students Masters of the liberal arts willingly perform varied and heavy Fees to be labors in lecturing and discussing, for the profit and advantage paid by of their scholars, but on account of stinginess, which has grown up in these modern days more than formerly, they are not sufficiently rewarded by them for these labors, as is befitting and as was formerly done; therefore it is made a rule, that each scholar of the faculty of arts attending in the hall at the usual weekly exercises shall pay, for either the old or new logic, at least twelve pence for the whole year, dividing it in proper proportions for the separate terms. Those who shall regularly hear lectures on books on physics must pay eighteen pence for hearing these books for a year. It is made a rule that masters of the grammar schools shall be required to dispute on grammar on Thursdays. Since it has been made a law from old time, that masters holding schools of grammar should, on their oath, give attention to the positive knowledge of their scholars; yet some, looking for gain and profit and forgetful of their own salvation, treating that statute with contempt, have presumed to give what they call "cursory lectures," to the evident injury of their scholars; the chancellor, wishing to look out for the profit of the same scholars, and especially the younger ones, as he is bound to do, has suspended such attendance, which is not only frivolous but injurious to the advancement of the said younger scholars, and Books to be studied before graduation 112. Acknowledgment of a bequest by college authorities has made a law, that whosoever shall in future wish to conduct schools of grammar shall desist from cursory lectures of this kind, under pain of being deprived of the rule of the schools and of undergoing imprisonment at the will of the chancellor. Neither in the schools nor anywhere in the university shall they give such courses of lectures as these, or allow them to be given, but shall attend diligently to the positive instruction of their scholars. The bachelors about to take their degree in a certain year must appear before certain masters, with the good testimony of some other masters and bachelors. They shall then swear, touching the sacred objects, that they have heard all the books of the old logic at least twice, except the books of Boethius, which it is enough to have read once, and the fourth book of the Topics of Boethius, which they are not required to have read. Of the new logic they shall swear that they have read the books of First Topics and Outlines twice, the book of Later Topics at least once. Of grammar they must swear that they have heard Concerning Constructions of Priscian twice, the Barbarism of Donatus once, or three books of physical matters; viz. Physics, Of the Soul, Of Generation and Corruption. For the assistance of poor scholars, chests, or endowments, were established by gift or bequest, from which under various regulations temporary loans were made; books, garments, and other pledges being left as security. The bequest referred to in the following document was made to one of the Oxford colleges in 1306 by the bishop of Winchester. Since it is one of the works of piety to give relief to the poverty of pious scholars, who in seeking the pearl of knowledge in the field of the Lord are exposing themselves to labor, conflict, and various troubles, the executors of Lord John of Pontisara, formerly bish of Winchester, who had a special affection for the masted scholars of this university, have generously given and delivered to us 200 marks, which we acknowledge to have received from the said executors, to be converted to the use and advantage of the masters and scholars of the said university under the following regulations. Every year, on St. Nicholas eve, in winter, shall be celebrated a solemn anniversary of the said bishop with the full service of the dead. Scholars of each faculty, if they are needy, shall enjoy the benefit of this fund, on condition that a master who lectures may borrow forty shillings, a master who does not lecture two marks and a half, a bachelor two marks, a sophist one mark. Each scholar receiving any of the money is required to say the Lord's prayer and the Ave Maria each five times for the soul of the dead above mentioned. Students at the universities were numerous and disorderly. They were under very insufficient restraint, many of them remained at the universities for years, and there was much drinking and fighting. Some of these conflicts were between students and townsmen of Oxford and Cambridge, some among the students themselves. The following instances are of the latter class. students the southern shires In Lent there arose a painful conflict in Oxford; the trouble 113. Fightof the preceding year had not been entirely allayed, but still ing between kept irritating the parties. The scholars from Wales, always from the restless, rose, along with the scholars from the south, who stood northern and by them against the northern scholars, and many evils and even deaths resulted. This disagreement increased to such an extent that a day for an open battle in the field was fixed between the parties. But God intervened, and Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloucester, came in and arranged matters with slight loss; many of the students of Wales were banished from the University of Oxford. They were compelled to this by some of the scholars from the north, who were prepared for this when they came to the gates to offer reconciliation. Not infrequently these students' ngs resulted in actual murder, as in the following case. 114. A coroner's inquest at Cambridge Pleas of the crown held in the presence of Stephen Morys and Edmund Listere, coroners of the liberty of Cambridge, from the Monday after the feast of St. Mary Magdalen, in the forty-third year of the reign of King Edward the Third, even to the feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, in the fourth year of the reign of King Richard the Second. On the Sabbath day, in the vigil of Pentecost, in the fortyeighth year of the reign of King Edward the Third, it happened at Cambridge that a certain Roger Kebbel was found dead, bearing a wound on the right side of his head four inches in length and two in depth. Inquiry concerning the death was made of William de Cumberton, William Hyndercle, John Colvile, skinner, John de Norfolk, John Coupere, Robert de Holm, Richard Bowyer, Andreas Breustere, Richard Ferrour, John Albyn, John Hosyere, and Thomas Maydenston. These men declared on oath that on Wednesday, on the feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, in the year above mentioned, just before midnight, a certain quarrel arose in Cambridge near the corner of St. Benedict, between Master Robert Utesle and John de Two bodies of Stowe, John Saunford, and other clerks, who began to fight among themselves. When this was announced to the friends of the said John Saunford, clerks came from the different inns and from the castle to the said corner to aid the said John, among whom came the above-mentioned Roger Kebbel. One Richard Reyner came with a poleax and dealt the said Roger the above-mentioned blow, from which he died, after lingering from the said feast of St. Mark even to the vigil of Pentecost. Immediately after this wicked deed the said Richard fled. They say that the said Richard has no lands, dwellings, goods, or chattels which can be valued or appraised. students fight Students in the universities, notwithstanding their occasional disorderliness, ranked as clerics. They were tonsured, that is to say, a small circle on the top of the head was kept shaved, and they could be tried only by the officers of the university, or, like other clerics, in the church courts. The usual procedure, when a clergyman |