passions of the man to interfere with the presumed duties of the ecclesiastic. Even Fox, the martyrologist, is silent respecting Chichele; and the silence of Fox may surely be supposed to mean as much as the commendation of any other writer. While actively engaged in the duties of his province, Chichele laid the plan of that College in Oxford which he lived to see matured. But, soon after the walls of All Souls were raised, he felt so pressingly the infirmities of old age, that he wrote an address to the Pope, in which the stated that he was "near eighty, heavy laden, infirm, and weak beyond measure;" and, therefore, begged to be relieved from that burthen of ecclesiastical duty which he could no longer support, either with ease to himself, or benefit to others. He ceased, however, to feel all infirmity before the answer of the Pope could be obtained; and was interred, with much solemnity, in the Cathedral of Canterbary.

In the charter of All Souls, which was granted in 1438, King Henry VI. at the request of Chichele, assumed the title of founder, in conjunction with the archbishop; but the latter retained all legislative power in regard to the new Establishment. The meaning of the name, by which the College was ordered to be distinguished, may be understood from the directions given the Society to pray for the good estate of Henry VI. and the archbishop, during their lives; and for their souls after their decease; also for the souls of Henry V. and all the noblemen and other subjects who had fallen in the war with France; and, after these, for the souls of all the faithful deceased. The statutes framed by

Chichele for the regulation of his college were modelled in attention to those of his great precursor, Wykeham. One exception, however, occurred, which has led to much litigation; in the choice of fellows a preference was always to be given to the next of kin descended from his two brothers. The difficulty of ascertaining precedence of consanguinity, at a period so remote as the present, will be readily perceived, when we observe that, in VOL. XII.

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the

* Chichele had strenuously advised Henry to undertake the French war.

the year 1765, the collateral descendants of Chichele were to be traced through nearly 1200 families!

Among the many eminent men, who have studied at All Souls we find the following: Archbishop Sheldon; Jeremy Taylor; Bishop of Down and Connor; Linacre, the first person who taught Greek at Oxford. This celebrated man was first educated at All Souls, and then pursued his studies abroad until sufficiently accomplished to assist in the introduction of polite literature to his own country. He was one of the founders of the College of Physicians, London, and was its first president. Leland; Sir Anthony Shirley; Tindal, the sceptical writer, who was principally remarkable when at this college, according to a clerical biographer, for an extraordinary appetite. Dr.. Sydenham, to whom medical science is so much indebted; Sir William Trumbull, the statesman, and friend of Pope; Sir Christopher Wren. In addition to the skill exercised by this eminent architect in the arrangement of the interior of All Soul's Chapel, he constructed a curious sun-dial, still preserved on the southern face of the chapel, which" shews the time to a minute, having two half rays and one whole one for every hour, and the minutes marked on the sides of the rays, fifteen on each side *"-Sir Nathaniel Lloyd; Sir William Blackstone, whose commentaries reflect such distinguished honour on his memory.

There was long preserved a curious, though inconsequential custom in this college; that of celebrating the festival of the Mallard every year, on the 14th of January, in remembrance of a huge mallard, or drake, found, according to tradition, in a drain. under ground, on digging the foundation of the college. On the recurrence of this festival an ancient and humourous song was regularly sung. When Pointer wrote his Oxoniensis Academia, he committed offence by insinuating that this immortalized maldard was no other than a goose. The insinuation produced a re

ply

Many architectural drawings by Wren are preserved in the library of this college, from the view of which it is evident that he revised his plans with scrupulous care, and made frequent alterations in his original designs:

ply from Dr. Buckler, replete with irresistible irony; but Pointer met a partisan in Mr. Bilson, chaplain of All Souls, who issued a folio sheet, intituled, "Proposals for printing by subscription the History of the Mallardians;" with the figure of a cat prefixed, said to have been found starved in the college library. The festival has now been for some years discontinued.

The society consists of a warden, forty fellows, two chaplains, and six clerks and choristers.

BALLIOL COLLEGE.

This building has all the unpleasing irregularity of architectural features which arises from the construction of additional parts, at various periods, with a greater regard to internal accommodation than to exterior beauty of aspect. The founder was John de Balliol, of Bernard's Castle, in the county of Durham, a man of much power in the 13th century, and a firm friend to Henry III. during all his contests. De Balliol married the Lady Dervorgille, daughter of Alan of Galloway, a Scottish baron, by Margaret, eldest sister of the last Earl of Chester, who was one of the heirs to David, Earl of Huntingdon, younger brother of William, King of Scotland. By this marriage the founder became father of John de Balliol, the unfortunate king of Scotland.

John de Balliol, the elder, possessed a love of learning uncom mon with the gentry of his era; and, instigated by this honourable propensity, he commenced, so early as the year 1263, the maintenance of sixteen poor scholars of Oxford. The death of this generous man appears to have been sudden, since he left no written document declarative of his intended bounty, but earnestly recommended the scholars whom he had hitherto protectedto the permanent attention of his lady and his executors. The former bounty of de Balliol had arisen from his personal estate; and as this property passed away, from the hands of his widow,

the interests of the scholars rested on a precarious basis. But the charitable and religious feelings of the lady were so ably called into exercise by her Confessor, Richard Slickbury, a minorite friar, that she took the future support of her deceased husband's students on her own responsibility. As the first step of projected kindness she hired a house on the site of part of the present college; and was so fortunate as to meet with the concurrence of De Balliol's executors in her succeeding measures for giving permanency to the establishment. In 1282, she appointed statutes under her seal, which are at present chiefly interesting as they shew the state of collegiate discipline at so early a period. Among other particulars the students were enjoined to be present at divine offices on Lord's Days and principal festivals; and also at sermons on those days, unless prevented by urgent necessity. They were to choose their own principal; but he was to be approved and confirmed by the procurators appointed by herself before he could exercise any authority. Before and after daily meals they were to speak a benediction, and to pray for the soul of her husband, and for her procurators, according to a prescribed form. The richer scholars were enjoined to live tem perately, that the less affluent of their fellow-students might not be" grieved by burdensome expenses;" and such as murmured respecting this injunction were to be expelled. The scholars were to speak Latin in common, and a sophism was to be disputed and determined every other week. A poor scholar was named by the procurators, to whom the other students were bound to give every day the broken meat of their table. At this time the number of scholars was about sixteen.

This new society shortly gained fresh strength. The Lady Dervorgille purchased a tenement, called Mary's Hall, as a perpetual settlement for the principal and students, and presented them with lands (since lost) in the county of Northumberland. The son of De Balliol, at the same time, honourably confirmed the foundation so anxiously desired by his father. The revenues of the college were, however, still so small, that they yielded only

aightpence per week to each scholar; but auxiliary benefactors were soon found, among whom may be particularly noticed Sir William Felton, who, about the year 1340, bestowed the rectory and manor of Abbotsley in Huntingdonshire; and Sir Philip Somervyle, who gave the church of Long Benton, with lands in the county of Northumberland, for the maintenance of six scholars, to be chosen by the sixteen fellows already belonging to the college, from among the poorest natives of the places made over who should possess promising abilities. In consequence of this benefaction new statutes were introduced by Sir Philip, in which it was ordered that the society should, thenceforward, choose out of their number one who should govern all the establishment, under the name of master. Fresh regulations respecting study were likewise imposed; and the weekly allowance of the fellows and scholars was raised to eleven-pence, or, in times of dearness of provision, (which often occurred,) to fifteen-pence. These statutes, dated 1340, were confirmed by Edward Balliol, king of Scotland.

Shortly after this period Thomas Cave, rector of Welwyke in Yorkshire, left one hundred pounds to be judiciously laid out for the purpose of increasing the number of scholars. With this sum were purchased the livings of Fillingham, Riseholme, and Brattleby, in Lincolnshire.*

In 1507, it was settled, by a new body of statutes drawn up by the Bishops of Winchester and Carlisle, that the number of fellows should be limited to ten, who were all to study divinity and to enter into holy orders. Each fellow was to have the presentation of one scholar, and the master of two. This number was afterwards augmented by the benefactions of John Bell," Bishop of Worcester, who died in 1566; William Hammond, Esq. of Guildford, in Surrey, who bequeathed 1001. per annum, though only the principal sum of 2001. was obtained; Lady Elizabeth

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* These three rectories still append to the College, and are thus valued in the king's books; Fillingham, 221.; Riseholme, 41.; Brattleby, 71. 10s.