We are only enabled to mention a few of the distinguished persons connected with this house; but it has been fertile, in nearly every age, of men of illustrious character. The following brief list of names will tend to prove the correctness of such an assertion: The two cardinals, Wolsey and Pole; the latter entered as a nobleman, and studied under Linacre and Latimer; Dean Colet; Sir Thomas Rowe, the celebrated ambassador; Hampden, the patriot; Heylin, the ecclesiastical historian; Withers, the poet; Addison. This elegant writer entered of Queen's College at the early age of fifteen, but was elected a demy of Magdalen two years afterwards. He wrote his Cato while a scholar here. Collins, whose Ode to the Passions will outweigh in sterling merit many a hundred volumes of contemporary poetry. Gibbon, whose eccentricity led him to ridicule a manner of life which his genius was well calculated to enjoy. Boulter, Archbishop of Armagh, and Hough, Bishop of Worcester.

We have already noticed the temperate, but steady, courage with which this college resisted the arbitrary attempts of James II. Its conduct on this occasion must ever be remembered with honour in the annals of the country at large.

The society consists of a president, forty fellows, thirty demies, a divinity lecturer, four chaplains, eight clerks, and sixteen choristers. No commoners are admitted in this college.

MERTON COLLEGE

is the most ancient incorporated establishment in the University. The man who had the honour of instituting so noble a precedent was Walter de Merton, Bishop of Rochester, and Chancellor of England in the reign of Henry III. He was the

one feet; its girth twenty-one feet; and its cubic contents 754 feet. This majestic tree fell, through decay, in the year 1789. A chair made from its wood has been placed in the president's lodgings.

Engraved by J. Strom a drawing, by E. Dave, the Beautier, of England and Wales W. B

Londonublushed by Vernon Hood & Sharpe. Fouly. Dee806.

son of William de Merton, Archdeacon of Berks, from whom he inherited considerable property. Few particulars of his personal history can now be ascertained; but it appears that he was a firm adherent to the interests of the court during the long contest between the sovereign and the barons, and was accordingly regarded with especial favour by his royal master. His death was occasioned by a fall from his horse, while attempting to ford a river in his diocese, on the 27th of October, 1277, and he was interred in Rochester cathedral.*

The foundation charter of Merton College is dated January 7, 1264, and the establishment is therein termed Domus Scholarium de Merton. Nearly at the same time the buildings of the new institution were commenced. A second charter was afterwards obtained; and a third in 1274, at which time the plan of De Merton was matured; but the first officers of the college were not appointed till two years afterwards. It appears, from the statutes, that the number of scholars was to fluctuate with the state of the collegiate resources; the prescribed stipend of each was fifty shillings per annum.

The first benefactor that rose in aid of De Merton's noble institution was Ela Longspee, Countess of Warwick, who bequeathed, about the year 1295, some lands to the society, on condition of their saying masses for her eternal rest. John Wil

lyott,

As the original monumeut had fallen to decay, a fresh erection was constructed in 1598, by the society of Merton College, at the instigation of Sir Henry Savile, and a sum of money has been regularly appropriated to its preservation. On removing the stone the portraiture of the founder's body was discovered. He appeared to have been a tall man, and held in one hand a crosier, which, when touched, fell to pieces; in his other hand, (if we may trust to an anecdote repeated by Wood) was a silver chalice, which was removed to the college, and placed by the members in thier cista jocalium. But this valuable relic was afterwards broken and lost.

+ It has been asserted by some that De Merton first founded his college at Maldon, in Surrey. But it was, in fact, a religious house which he instituted at Maldon, and he briefly removed the warden and priests to his new establishment at Oxford.

lyott, Chancellor of Exeter, proved a more judicious friend. In 1380, this latter benefactor bestowed lands, and other property, for the assistance of exhibitioners, since called Portionista, or Postmasters. The number of these was usually twelve till the early part of the reign of James I. when John Chambers, formerly a fellow of Merton, increased their number to fourteen. The provision for these exhibitioners was still scanty; but many contributors have since been found, by whose bounty the fund for their maintenance is very considerably increased.

Two of the early wardens (Henry Sever, and Richard FitzJames,) bestowed so much attention on the furtherance of the buildings, and contributed so largely to the general interests of the college, that they have been almost permitted to share the credit of foundership with Bishop Merton. Among other benefactors, William Reid, Bishop of Chichester, and Sir Thomas Bodley, instituted a fund from which occasional sums were to be lent to the fellows; and the former contributed largely to the buildings. Four scholars were added from the natives of Oxford, by Henry Jackson, minor canon of St. Paul's.

Merton College is situate to the east of Corpus Christi, and consists of three courts. Very little of the building erected by the founder is now remaining, but many parts bear the date of a period not far distant from the era at which he flourished. The principal front is an irregular pile, rebuilt in 1589, with an exception of the tower, and the gate which forms the chief entrance. These were constructed by Thomas Rodburne, Bishop of St. David's, in the year 1416. The gate is ornamented with statues of King Henry III. and the founder, in canopied niches, and with a sculptured tablet expressive of the history of St. John the Baptist. These interesting embellishments were much defaced by the parliamentary soldiers, and are now in a damaged condition. The great north window, which abuts on the street, is a beautiful specimen of florid Gothic architecture, and forms the chief ornament of the front range of the edifice.

The first court is small, and totally destitute of all uniformity