MAGDALEN COLLEGE, Oxford; in full, the college of St. Mary Magdalene. Will iam Patten, commonly called Waynflete, from the place of his birth, successively head, master of Winchester, head master and provost of Eton college, bishop of Winchester, and at the same time lord high chancellor, founded the hall of St. Mary 3Iagdalene im 1448. Ins1457 he obtained a license from the king to found a college, into which he transferred the president and scholars of the hall. Magdalen is in many respects the• most remarkable college in Oxford, and Wood declares it to be " the most noble and rich structure in the learned world, that is to say, that if you have regard to its endow ment, it excelleth, all things considered, any society in Europe." There were on the original foundation a president, 40 fellows, 30 scholars called demies, 4 chaplains, and 16 choristers. The fellowships and demvships were confined to certain specified dio ceses and counties. By ordinances passe'd under the powers of 17 and 18 Viet. c. 81,
the constitution of the college has been considerably changed. Certain statutable restrictions on fellowships and demyships are abolished. The demyships are of the. value of £95 per annum, and 10 are to be added to the statutable number. Twenty .exhibitions of the same value were at the same time founded. Four professorships—of moral philosophy, chemistry, mineralogy, and physical geography—of the value of £600 per annum, are to take the place of three lectureships—of divinity, moral philoso pliy, and natural phhosophy, which were founded by Wayntlete. In .order to carry out these changes, ten of the fellowships are suspended. By the same ordinance it is directed that the fellowships are not to exceed £300 per annum, exclusive of rooms. This college is one of great beauty, and, as is well known, is rich in historical associa tions. It has 41 benefices in its gift.