ENGLISH MEDIAEVAL UNIVERSITIES Oxford.—.Of the universities modelled on that of Paris, Oxford (q.v.) would appear to have been the earliest, and the manner of its development was probably similar. Certain schools, opened within the precincts of the dissolved nunnery of St. Frideswyde and of Oseney abbey, are supposed to have been the nucleus round which the university grew up. In the year 1133 one Robert Pullen, a theologian of considerable eminence (but whether an Englishman or a Breton is uncertain), arrived from Paris and delivered lectures on the Bible. H. S. Denifle (Die Entstehung der Universitaten, p. 241), maintains that we have at best, only presumptive evidence of a studiurn generale at Ox ford in the 12th century. Of this, Rashdall inclines to find the beginning in a migration of English students from Paris about 1167 or 1168. In the first-mentioned year we are told by John of Salisbury that "France, the mildest and most civil of nations," has "expelled her foreign scholars" (Materials for the History of Thomas Becket, edit. Robertson, vi. pp. 235-236). At about the same time we hear of an edict of Henry II., during the quarrel with Becket, recalling all clerks holding benefices in England (as they loved their benefices), and forbidding all clerks in Eng land to cross the Channel (ibid. i. pp. 53-54). Paris was at this time the great place of higher education for English students. Im mediately after 1168 allusions to Oxford as a studium and a studium generale begin to multiply. The natural inference is that the breaking off of relations between England and Paris, in 1167 or 1168, led to the growth of a studium generale in Oxford, formed, no doubt, in the first instance of seceders from Paris. In the 13th century mention first occurs of university "chests," especially the Frideswyde chest, which were benefactions designed as funds for the assistance of poor students. Halls, or places of licensed residence for students, also began to be established. In the year 1257, when the bishop of Lincoln, as diocesan, had trenched too closely on the liberties of the community, the depu ties from Oxford, when preferring their appeal to the king at St. Albans, could venture to speak of the university as schola secunda ecclesiae, or second only to Paris. Its numbers about this time were probably some 3,000; but whenever plague or tumult led to a temporary dispersion, a serious diminution in its numerical strength generally ensued for some time after. Against such vicissitudes the foundation of colleges proved the most effectual remedy. Of these the three earliest were University college, founded in 1249 by William of Durham; Balliol college, founded about 1263 by John Balliol, the father of the king of Scotland of the same name; and Merton college, founded in 1264. The last named is especially notable as associated with a new conception of university education, viz., that of collegiate discipline for the secular clergy, instead of for any one of the religious orders, for whose sole benefit all similar foundations had hitherto been designed. The statutes given to the society by Walter de Merton are not less noteworthy, as characterized not only by breadth of conception, but also by a careful and discriminating attention to detail, which led to their adoption as the model for later colleges, not only at Oxford but at Cambridge.
the instruction belonging to a regular studium. In the year 1112 the canons crossed the river and took up their residence in the new priory in Barnwell, and their work of instruction acquired additional importance. In 1209 a body of students migrated thither from Oxford. Then, as early as the year 1224, the Fran ciscans established themselves in the town, and, somewhat less than half a century later, were followed by the Dominicans. At both the English universities, as at Paris, the Mendicants and othei religious orders were admitted to degrees, a privilege which, until the year 1337, was extended to them at no other university. Their interest in and influence at these three centres were conse quently proportionably great. In the years 1231 and 1233 certain royal and papal letters afford satisfactory proof that by that time the University of Cambridge was already an organized body, with a chancellor at its head. In 122g and 1231 the numbers were largely augmented by migrations from Paris and from Oxford. Cambridge, however, in its turn suffered from emigra tion; while in the year 1261, and again in 1381, the records of the university were wantonly burnt by the townsmen. Through out the 13th century, indeed, the university was still only a very slightly and imperfectly organized community. Its endowments were of the most slender kind; it had no systematic code for the government of its members; the supervision of the students was very imperfectly provided for. Although both Oxford and Cambridge were modelled on Paris, their higher faculties never developed the same distinct organization ; and while the two proctors at Cambridge originally represented "north" and "south," the "nations" are scarcely to be discerned. An important step in the direction of discipline was, however, made in the year 1276, when an ordinance was passed requiring that everyone who claimed to be recognized as a scholar should have a fixed master within 15 days after his entry into the university. The traditional constitution of the English universities was, in its origin, an imitation of the Parisian chancellor, modified by the absence of the cathedral chancellor. But the feature which most served to give permanence and cohesion to the entire community at Cambridge was, as at Oxford, the institution of colleges. The earliest of these was Peterhouse, first founded as a separate institution by Hugh Balsham, bishop of Ely, in the year 1284. In 1323 was founded Michaelhouse, and two years later, in 1326, Edward II. instituted his foundation of "king's scholars," afterwards forming the community of King's hall. Both these societies, in the 16th century, were merged in Trinity col lege. To these succeeded Pembroke hall (1347) and Gonville hall (1348). All these colleges were expressly designed for the benefit of the secular clergy. The foundation of Trinity hall (Aida) in 1350 by Bishop Bateman, on the other hand, as a school of civil and canon law, was probably designed to further ultramontane interests. That of Corpus Christi (1352), the out come of the liberality of a guild of Cambridge townsmen, was conceived with the combined object of providing a house of education for the clergy, and at the same time securing the regu lar performance of masses for the benefit of the souls of de parted members of the guild. But both Trinity hall and Corpus Christi college, as well as Clare hall, founded in 1359, were, to a great extent, indebted for their origin to the ravages caused among the clergy by the great plague of