regents; afterwards, instead of these, it was common to substitute a literary exercise, some part of Cicero, or a book of Sallust, to be read to the undergraduates; a copy of Latin verses, or a comedy, with a fine of a few shillings to repair the convocation house, to glaze a window, repair a dial, or mend a bedel's staff. XI. HALLS OR INNS. Before the foundation and endowment of colleges, the students in Oxford used to lodge in the citizens' houses, as is the present custom in foreign Universities. Afterwards, several tenements were set aside for their use, that they might live together in societies, which being distinguished from the private houses of the citizens, were called either halls from the German, inns from the Saxon, or hostels from the French. Of these there were no less than three hundred at one time, in the reign of Edward I. The proprietors of these houses, after they had once become halls, were not allowed to apply them to any other purpose than the reception of students, nor demise them without this exception, " in case the University had no occasion of the same." That they might not become ruinous through want of repairs, it was agreed between the parties, that the Principal of each building should give notice to his landlord of what was necessary to be done, who should upon such notice, apply the rents thereof to the reparation of it; but upon neglect of such admonition, the cost and charge fell wholly upon the Principal, without any abatement of the rent. Neither were the proprietors at liberty to raise the rents at pleasure, the king having established by his charter, an office, to be discharged by two masters on the one side, and two citizens on the other, who were upon oath to make a just taxation of houses; which persons being chosen, in the first congregation after Michaelmas, were obliged by statute to deliver in, at the end of every term, an account of what houses, or schools, belonged to the scho lars, in what parishes they were, and how taxed; which account was always registered by the chancellor and proctors. Of this office the name still continues, taskers or taxers, in the University of Cambridge, though its nature is now altered, and corresponds to our Clerks of the Market. In these Hospitia did the students live at first, by the contribution of the nobility and great men in church and state, and afterwards at their own expence, till the pious and munificent patrons of learning thought fit to settle for ever upon them certain and plentiful revenues, and to enlarge and beautify their habitations.* XII. WHENCE CERTAIN HALLS OBTAINED THEIR NAMES. In consequence of a great fire in Oxford, in the year 1190, by which St. Frideswyde's * Peashall's History of Oxford. church and many houses were destroyed, the inhabitants began to build with stone and slate, instead of wood and straw. In those parts inhabited by poor people, who could not afford to build in that manner, a high stone wall was erected, for the most part, between every four or six houses. On the introduction of this fashion of building with stone, such tenements as were so built, were for the better distinction from others called and written Aula Lapidea, and Aula Tegulata. Some of these appear to have been in being before this time, and seem to have been built after the deplorable fire that happened in K. Stephen's reign. Some of those Halls, that were not slated, were stiled Thatched Halls, and in evidences Aula cum stramine cooperta. Likewise when glass came in fashion, for before that time our windows were only laticed, that Hall which had its windows first glazed was stiled Aula vitrea, Glazen Hall. In like manner, it is probable, that those which had leaden gutters, or any part of their roofs of lead, were stiled and written, Aula plumbea, for several of that name appear in antient evidences.* XIII. CHIMNEY HALL, Or, Aula cum Camino, was so denominated from its having a chimney, a circumstance, in those days, sufficient to distinguish and give name to one of the academical hospitia. The custom of having a central fire of charcoal in the College Halls, with a cupola over it, fenced with shelving boards to exclude the rain, and give a vent to the smoke, was preserved in some College Halls till within a few years; chimneys were by no means general in this kingdom till the time of Queen Elizabeth. "There are old men yet dwelling in the village where I remaine, which have noted three things to be marvellouslie altered in England within their sound remembrance. One is, the multitude of chimnies latelie erected, whereas in their yoong daies there were not above * A. Wood's History. |