History of the Colleges, Halls, an Public Buildings, Attached to the University of Oxford. Vol I

578 Pages·1810·45.211 MB·English

by  Alexander Chalmers

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A
HISTORY
OF THE
COLLEGES, HALLS,
AND
PUBLIC BUILDINGS,
ATTACHEDTOTHE
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD,
INCLUDING THE
LIVES OF THE FOUNDERS.
BY
ALEX. CHALMERS, A
F. S.
ILLUSTRATED BY
A SERIES OF ENGRAVINGS.
OXFORD,
PRINTED BY COLLTNGWOOD AND CO.
ForJ.COOKSandJ. PARKER,Oxford; andMessrs. LONGMAN, HURST,
REES, andORME,London.
1810.
LOAN STACK
TO THE
CHANCELLOR,
AND
MASTERS, SCHOLARS,
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD,
THIS WORK
IS MOST RESPECTFULLY
DEDICATED
BY THEIR OBEDIENT SERVANT,
ALEX. CHALMERS.

PREFACE.
HE
J. history of the English Universities is one
of the most interesting objects on which a lover
ofliterature can fix his attention. It embraces
all that is curious to the antiquary, or important
to the scholar and even to minds not deeply
;
affected by curiosity or learning, it must be a
delightful object to contemplate those extensive
and magnificent establishments, not as emerging
from national wealth, or royal favour, but from
the of a series of individuals in the
liberality
darker ages of our history, who were insensibly
led to become the benefactors of sound learning
and religion, while their immediate object, al-
though proceeding from the most honourable
and benevolent motives, was to perpetuate su-
and
perstition credulity.
The history of these Universities, however,
has not been studied with the care bestowed on
objects of far inferior interest, Cambridge is
still without an historian worthy ofnotice and
^ ;
althoughOxford has been more fortunate in the
extensive labours of Antony Wood and other
antiquaries, yet sinceMthe time of Ayliffe, or
PREFACE.
viii
perhaps Salmon, no distinct and well-arranged
publication has been allotted to the history of
her Colleges in their actual state.
An attempt to supply this deficiency is now
offered by the Editor of the following pages,
who has ever regarded the University of Oxford
(with which accident made him very early ac-
quainted) with sentiments of profound venera-
tion, and with a curiosity which insensibly led
him to inquire into its history. It was during
one of the many visits he has paid to this Uni-
versity that he first communicated the idea of a
historyofthe Colleges, &c. which, he conceived,
should be more ample than the common Guides
afforded, and yet less prolix and confused than
the collections ofAntony Wood. But whether
he has accomplished this intended object in a
satisfactory manner, is a question which he
would be afraid to ask, without a reliance on
the candour of those who may be acquainted
with the state of the sources of which he was
to avail himself, and the disadvantages which a
person not constantly resident must ever have
to encounter in similar attempts.
The labours ofAntony Wood, as given to the
public some years ago by the Rev. John Gutch,
Registrar to the University, must continue to
be the foundation of all future researches, and
to them the present writer is ready to acknow-
ledge his highest obligations. Nor has he been
PREFACE.
ix
less indebted to the histories of individual Col-
leges, published by Savage, Smith, Lowth, War-
ton, and particularly his much esteemed friend,
the Rev. Archdeacon Churton, whose polite
and liberal communications he begs leave to
acknowledge with the utmost gratitude.
Yet the work would have been deficient in
many points, for which no printed authorities
can be consulted,had not the Editor,throughout
the whole of his undertaking, been assisted by
many resident members of the University, who
havecontributed much valuable informationwith
a kindness which he is at a loss to acknowledge
as it deserves. This aid was tendered in a man-
ner so extremely liberal, although peculiar to
minds distinguished at once for intelligence arid
urbanity, that, were no other consequence to
result from the Editor's labours, he would find
a consolation in recollecting that he was ho-
noured with a display of this striking and
acknowledged feature in the character of the
members of the University of Oxford.
With every assistance, however, from printed
or oral authorities, the Editor cannot presume
that he has escaped the errors to which every
A
attempt of this, kind must be liable, few of
these have been pointed out, and some other
corrections, he has to lament, were communi-
cated too late.