cording to the old annals of the Monastery of Winchester," St. Neot, an Abbot, and emi"nent professor of theology, and St. Grym"bald, an eloquent and most excellent interpreter of the holy Scriptures: Grammar "and Rhetoric were taught by Asserius, a "monk, a man of extraordinary learning:

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Logic, Music, and Arithmetic, were read "by John, a monk of St. David's: Geometry " and Astronomy were professed by John, a "monk and colleague of St. Grymbald, a man of sharp wit, and immense know

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ledge. The lectures were often honoured "with the presence of the most illustrious "and invincible monarch King Alfred, "whose memory to every judicious taste shall "be always sweeter than honey." Thus far the "old annals," as quoted by Camden, who, professing to copy from "a fair MS. copy of" the above-named Asserius, thus proceeds: ere long, a sharp dissension 66 arose between Grymbald and those learned men whom he brought with him, and the "old Scholars whom he found here at his "coming." The latter, it seems, disapproved his forms of reading, and refused to conform to his institutions. For the space of three years, however, the difference was kept within decent bounds; but it then rose to such a height, as to require the interference of the King, who, being informed of it by a message

(

from Grymbald, repaired in person to Oxford, and listened with patience to the complaints of both parties. Forbearing, however, to pass any decisive judgment on the merits. of the case, Alfred earnestly exhorted the contending parties to lay aside their disputes, and live in amity one with another. But Grymbald, resenting these proceedings, retired to the monastery of Winchester, whither he also caused to be removed, from a vault under the church of St. Peter in the East, to the monastery of Winchester, a tomb prepared for the reception of his remains. Fortunately, under the auspicious patronage of Alfred, these dissensions made no impression permanently injurious to learning; which, on the contrary, flourished so exceedingly, that, ere his death, this father of his country had the happiness of being able to say, that "all his

Bishops' sees were filled with prelates of "sound learning, and that every pulpit "in England was furnished with a good

preacher." But alas! this flattering state of literature and religion in England was doomed to be speedily and sadly reversed. Soon after the death of Alfred, the Danes renewed their savage incursions, and a period commenced, which, "for its barbarism and wickedness, "has been termed the age of iron; for "its dulness and stupidity, the age of lead; "and for its blindness and ignorance, the age "of darkness." The history of Oxford dur

ing upwards of a century and a half from the accession of EDWARD THE ELDER, presents. us with little else than a narration of battles, sieges, massacres, and burnings. Referring the annals of these disastrous times to a subsequent part of the volume, we pass to the year immediately after the Conquest. The determined resistance opposed to the Conqueror's authority by the citizens of Oxford, operated most injuriously to the interests of the University. Exasperated by the contumacy of the former, William, although himself friendly to learning, and a liberal patron of scholars, not only treated the City with the utmost severity, but left the University to languish in neglect. However, from the ancient Statutes of the Collegiate Church or Chapel, which Robert D'Oiley, the Norman governor delegated by William, and Roger de Iveri, a friend of the governor, jointly founded in the Castle built by the former, it appears, that "there were even at that time some scholars in "Oxford; frequent mention being made in "the said Statutes, of Fellows and Tutors, "Commoners, and others, residing in the buildings attached to the church."

About this time, the Jews are said to have become very numerous in Oxford, and, being also wealthy, to have "purchased as many "houses in the contiguous parishes of St.

Peshall's edition of Wood's Oxford.

"Martin, St. Edward, and St. Aldate, as gave "them the names of the Old and New "Jewry." In one of these they built a school or synagogue, in which certain learned masters of that nation taught Hebrew, and explained the Rabbinical dogmas, to the advantage of the students in the Universityd.

During the inglorious reign of WILLIAM RUFUS, the University may be presumed to have been gradually gaining ground, since we find, that, in the reign of his successor, HENRY I. surnamed Beauclerc, the learned languages were cultivated with great assiduity. A single master is reported to have had under his care, about this time, from 60 to 100 students. And one great motive of Henry's building here the palace of Beaumont, appears to have been a wish for more frequent opportunities of conversing with men of learning, of whom he was a steady and liberal patron.

In 1139 King STEPHEN held a council at Oxford; and, in 1141, having previously obtained possession of the City, he invested the Castle, the walls of which at that time inclosed the Empress Maud, Stephen's celebrated female competitor for the crown. In three months the Castle was surrendered, but

d Ayliffe. After being long obnoxious to the students and citizens, the Jews quitted Oxford in obedience to the decree, by which, in the reign of Edward I. they were all banished the kingdom.

the Empress had made her escape the night before; a circumstance at which the King was so much enraged, that, on his departure, he set fire to the City, and reduced it in a great measure to ashes. The Scholars were dispersed by this siege; but in about three years they returned; and, there being at that time in Oxford many eminent teachers, particularly in the department of Lawf, the reputation of the University began rapidly to increase. In 1154, another Council was held here; in which it was agreed that Stephen should retain possession of the crown during his life, and that Henry, son of the Empress Maud, should succeed him in the regal dignity.

The latter, afterwards HENRY II. held several Councils at Oxford, where, in his palace of Beaumont, he also resided much. During his reign, in the year 1190, a fire de

The circumstances of her escape are curious. It was about Christmas, and the snow lay thick on the ground. The Empress put on a white dress, and, attended by three soldiers, stole out of the fortress in the dead of night, passed unobserved through the enemy's outposts, and, although the night was severely frosty, proceeded on foot to Wallingford, a distance of ten miles.

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f During the twelfth century, the study of Law came into great repute, "to the discouragement, says Wood," of other sciences."

Till this reign, the degree of Doctor was unknown in England. The degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts were of older standing.