were intent on profitable study. So strong were the existing prejudices, that when Erasmus, in the year 1498, repaired to Oxford for the purpose of teaching Greek, many leading characters thought proper to declaim against him in the schools, and to endeavour to ridicule both himself and the language which he wished to disseminate. The judicious few, however, perceived his merits; and the effects of his erudition are perceptible in a future and more honourable page of the university annals.

The instances of plague and pestilence throughout this reign are exceedingly numerous, the chief of which appear to be owing to the neglected state of the city. The channels communicating with the adjacent rivers were suffered to become choaked with dirt and filth, and all the wholesome statutes regarding interior cleanliness were disregarded.

The period during which Henry VIII. sat on the throne is highly consequential to the best interests of the University. Henry aspired to the character of a learned prince, and his example imparted a fashion to the nobility. The learned seminaries had been too long regarded with indifference, or shackled by Papal tyranny. They now recovered the native dignity of their character, and the curiosity is necessarily excited concerning the manner in which they would receive the great changes effected by high authority in the religious establishment.

Henry commenced his reign by confirming (as had been the custom with most of his predecessors) the charters of the University, which confirmation was shortly followed by the honor of a regal visit. The munificence of Wolscy precluded, for many years, the necessity of the king's patronage. As an instance of the Cardinal's early veneration for Oxford, it must be observed,

that

called themselves Hector, Paris, &c. By these devotees of ignorance the “Greeks” were abused, and often assaulted, in the public streets.

• During this visit the Queen (Catharine of Arragon) attended by Wolsey and the heads of the University, paid adoration at the shrine of St. Fridis

that when he visited that place in 1518, he founded seven Lectures, for Theology, Civil Law, Physic, Philosophy, Mathema tics, Greek, and Rhetoric.* His attention to the University was indeed unceasing. By his sedulous care the Greek language was at length received into estimation, and a taste for elegant learning, in all its branches, became general among those stu dents who had hitherto devoted the whole of their talent to the quibbles of the schoolmen.

When the king was desirous to divorce Queen Catharine, he forwarded questions, touching the legality of such a measure, to Oxford. The University (strengthened, perhaps, in their repugnance by their attachment to the sentiments of Wolsey) suffered the proposition to remain unnoticed for three weeks. Three harsh and eager letters were received from the king before the respondents could determine on the nature of their reply. A committee of thirty-three Doctors and Bachelors of Law then framed an answer agreeably to the king's wishes, and affixed to it the University seal; but Wood says, that this decree was not obtained by a free suffrage, and that "all the menaces or arts of the king had proved ineffectual, if the secret committee had not taken the opportunity of a tempestuous night, as it were by stealth, to hold the convention."

Gratified by the favourably reply to his momentous question, the king speedily visited Oxford. He evidently had an interest in gaining favour with the scholars; for, in little more than a twelvemonth, he declared himself "Head of the Church," and again sent to take the sense of the University. The present question met with less opposition than the former. The principles of Luther had long been favourably received among the majority of students of all classes. Thirty doctors were assigned to the discussion of the proposed case, and they promptly returned an answer perfectly in accordance with the king's desire.

An

These Lectures were received with so much zealous approbation, that the Regent Masters preferred a supplication that they might not be obliged to read above half an hour, in order that they might have time to be present.

An examination then took place of the whole University, man by man, and the decision of the thirty doctors was popularly ratified.

But the intentions of Henry, in regard to the spoliation of the church, were soon perceived by the members of the University, and the docility of their acquiescence was naturally at an end. So deep, though politically moderate, was the sentiment of repugnance evinced on several occasions, that a bishop publicly asserted, in a meeting of Parliament," that the Universities were much decayed of late, whercin all things were carried by young men, whose judgments were not to be relied on."

The University now presented a dreary spectacle. Pestilence did much in driving the scholars from their studies; but an anticipation of the calamities to which the church would be subjected did more. Of the students who remained a great portion applied to the study of physic, and some to civil offices, or mechanical employs. But this residue was small. " Of the inceptors," according to Peshall," in the year 1546, there occur only ten in arts, and three in divinity and law; whence the University held not a convocation from February to September, nor afforded clergy enough for the care of the churches."

Although the interests of Oxford, as a learned seminary, were for a time injured by the wound inflicted on the ecclesiastical function, yet it must ever be remembered that the pursuits of literature were first conducted into proper channels during this splendid but violent reign. The University was likewise enriched by private patronage of the most munificent description. Besides Cardinal Wolsey's foundation, since called Christ Church, there were founded in the time of Henry VIII. the two noble colleges termed Brazen-nose and Corpus Christi.

As some atonement for the havoc made in religious houses, (in conjunction with other motives partaking more of policy than retribution,) this king erected bishop's sees on the ruin of several of the most opulent monasteries, and appropriated their revenues to the maintenance of the new prelates. Among the

spoliated

spoliated edifices so recompensed was the Abbey of Osceney, contiguous to Oxford, which, in 1542, was converted into a cathedral church, and the county of Oxford was made a diocese.* When Henry matured the foundation of Cardinal Wolsey, and undertook the patronage of the College, on which he was desirous of bestowing his own title, he translated the cathedral church from Osceney thither; and from this period only it is obvious that Oxford is strictly entitled to the name of city.

The blow anticipated by the churchmen fell with overwhelming weight in the reign of Edward VI. The first act of Edward's counsellors (for to them must be attributed the most important actions of his reign) was a gross violation of the University statutes, since it directed that "no gownsmen should concern themselves at the election of any president, fellow, or scholar, or do any thing to oppose the visitation now ordered by the king."

This threatened visitation shortly took place, and the state of the Oxoniaus was found to be so far from prosperous, that the visitors, at one time, entertained an intention of reducing all the colleges into one, on account of the narrowness of their revenues. But this intention they were persuaded to abandon, as it was understood that the king had determined to restore to the University several rectories and estates lately taken from them. They, however, entirely changed the form of University government, and gave the name of Edward's Statutes to the new code which they fabricated, a code that remained in force until Archbishop Laud introduced a better model.

The delegates of Edward's authority evinced a violence of temper by no means likely to reconcile the jarring interests of religion, or to recommend the opinions of their superiors among the judicious and liberal. They either directed or permitted the college libraries to be plundered; and many rare manuscripts which (if we may believe Wood) contained no hint of superstitious

The former rooms of the Abbot and Monks of Osceney were now'inhabited by prebendaries and seculars. The Bishop resided in Gloucester (now Worcester) College.

tious doctrines they consigned to the flames, merely because they had been composed by the votaries of the "old learning."*

Indignant at this treatment the chief of the students abandoned the University. The schools now possessed but sixteen determing bachelors; and, though 1015 names appeared on the books, much the larger portion had quitted Oxford for ever.

The violence of Edward's advisers and delegates was as impolitic as it was illiberal; for they ought to have foreseen the danger of a change in court-sentiments, and should have endeavoured to convince by argument rather than to terrify by injunction, lest they should only be collecting faggots for their own destruction.

Shortly after Mary succeeded to the Crown she abrogated the oaths which had been lately administered concerning the rejection of the Pope's authority. Many academics now returned, and the members of Magdalen College had the "queen's command to resume their studies where the professors of His Holiness should not long suffer the grievous injuries they had endured." +

Another visitation now took place, under the direction of Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, a man so much inclined by temper and religious persuasions to harsh measures, that, assuredly, it was injudicious to treat his delegates with disdain, or to furnish him with the resemblance of an excuse for resorting to acts of violence. An ill-judging, or intemperate friend is well known to be virtually the worst of foes. Instead of displaying the superiority of the Reformer's tenets by a mild and dignified air of conscious truth, one of the students, hostile to the court-delegates, snatched the host out of the pyx at evening prayer, rent it with

his

More than a waggon load of manuscripts were taken from Merton College, most of which treated of Divinity, Astronomy, and Mathematics, and were written by members of that Society. The greater part of these were destroyed, but many were preserved by a Dutch bookseller, resident in St. Mary's, and are yet extant in the Bodleian library.

Reg. Coll. Magd. &c.