Зображення сторінки
PDF
ePub

"out in this road; but these every ftripling will be able to over"come by courage and perfeverance. And remember when "you are advanced beyond thefe difficulties, that it is your "duty to lend your affiitance to those who come after you, and "whofe education is committed to your care. You are to be "an example to them of fobriety and temperance; fo fhall you "guard them from falling into the fnares of excefs and debauchery. "You fhall teach them, that the vices with which the world abounds, cruelty, fraud, avarice, anger, and envy, as well as the "more fupple ones of abject flattery and corvardice, are not to be "countenanced within these hallowed retirements. And let it "be your endeavour to avoid pride and contention, the parents of faction, and in your fituation, the worst and most unna"tural of all factions, the faction of a cloifler. And, laftly, you "will complete the collegiate character, if you crown all your "other acquirements with the unfpotted purity and chaflity of your lives and converfation.".

[ocr errors]

An unparalleled beauty belonging to this college is the grove, which feems perfectly adapted to indulge contemplation; being a pleasant kind of folitude, well planted with trees. It has in it about forty head of deer. Befides the walks which are in the grove, there is a very delightful and much frequented one round a meadow furrounded by branches of the Cherwell, called the Water Walk, which yields a great variety, fome parts of it running in ftraight lines with the trees regularly cut; others winding, and the trees growing little otherwife than as nature directs. On the weft fide a beautiful opening is made into the grove, by removing the embattled wall in that part.

The Tower, which is fo eonfpicuous from every part of the neighbourhood, and elegant in its ftructure, was built fometime after the foundation of the college, and has been fuppofed to have been erected under the infpection of cardinal Wolfey, who was a member of this fociety: but this prefumption refts only on tradition. It was begun in 1492, and completed fome years after. It contains a very mufical peal of ten bells.

The Members of this college are, a prefident, forty fellows, thirty demies, a divinity lecturer, schoolmafter, afid usher, four chaplains, an organift, eight clerks, and fixteen chorifters. Vifitor. The bifhop of Winchester.

BRAZEN NOSE COLLEGE. The most probable account of the uncommon name of this college feems to be as follows The founders purchased from University College, for the fite of their intended building, two ancient feats of learning, Brazennofe and Little Univerfity Halls; the former of which, as well as one of the same name at Stamford, received its title from the circumftance of having a nofe of brafs affixed to the gate.

It

It was with a view to this that the founders ordered their new feminary to be called the King's Hall and College of Brazennofe; and a fimilar appendage is ftill confpicuous over the portal.

This college forms the weft fide of the Radcliffe Square, It was founded in 1509, by the joint benefaction of William Smith, bishop of Lincoln, and Sir Richard Sutton, knight, of Prefbury in Cheshire.

The Refectory is handfome and fpacious, and adorned with fome good portraits and paintings on glafs of the two founders. It stands on the fouth fide of the firft quadrangle; in the centre of which is a ftatue of Cain and Abel.

The Library and Chapel are not diftinguished by any thing very remarkable..

The foundation of this college is for a principal, twenty fellows, thirty-two fcholars, and twelve exhibitioners.

Vifitor. The bishop of Lincoln.

CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE. This College was founded in 1516, by Dr. Richard Fox, a native of Ropefley, near Grantham in Lincolnshire, who was fucceffively bishop of the fees of Exeter, Bath and Wells, Durham, and Winchester, and was likewife Lord Privy Seal to Henry VII. and Henry VIII. He first intended it only as a feminary for the monks of the priory or cathedral church of St. Swithin at Winchester, and obtained a charter for that end; but altered his mind by the perfuafion of Hugh Oldham, bishop of Exeter, who engaged to be a benefactor to the house, on condition that he would convert it into a college for the ufe of fecular students, after the manner of other colleges in the univerfity. Whereupon bifhop Fox caufed the first charter to be cancelled, and obtained another, whereby he was permitted to found a college, for the ftudy of divinity, philofophy, and other liberal arts. The ftatutes for the government of this fociety ordain, that the fellows fhould be elected out of the scholars, who are to be chofen from the counties or diocefes following, viz. two, Surry; three, Hampshire; one, Durham; two, Bath and Wells; two, Exeter; two county of Lincoln; two, Gloucefterfhire; one, Wiltshire; (or in defect of candidate) the diocese of Sarum; one, county of Bedford; two, county of Kent; one, county of Oxford; one, Lancashire. Among the benefactors was Hugh Oldham, chaplain to Margaret countefs of Richmond, and afterward bishop of Exeter, who gave 6000 marks towards erecting the college, befides feveral eftates for the endowment of it. William Froft, fteward to the founder, John Claymond, the first prefident of this college; and Robert Morwent, fecond prefident, gave to the college several portions of lands. Arthur Parfons, M. D. sometime fellow, gave 3000l. towards purchafing advow fons.

Corpus

Corpus Chrifti College ftands between Christ Church on the weft, Merton College on the eaft, and Oriel College on the north. It confifts of one quadrangle, built in the founder's time, but not embattled within till about the latter end of the reign of James I. In length it is 101 feet by 80 wide. Towards Chrift Church walk, an elegant modern building, 119 feet in front, with an arcade adjoining, was erected in 1706, at the folé expence of Dr. Turner, prefident. On the eaft fide toward Merton Grove, a handsome structure was built in 1737, for the refidence of gentlemen commoners, whofe number the founder has confined to fix. And foon after the north and welt fronts of the first court were rebuilt, chiefly at the expence of fome members of the fociety.

By fimilar means the Hall was embellished with a handfome oak wainscot in 1700: it is 50 feet long, and twenty-five broad, and of a proportionable height, with beautiful Gothic rafters.

The Chapel is 70 feet in length, and 25 in breadth. In 1676, it was adorned with a floor of black and white marble, new ftalls, a fcreen of cedar wood, and a roof wainscotted and gilt.

The Library is well furnished with books, particularly a large collection of tracts from the Reformation to the revolution; about 300 MSS. a curious one of Suidas, which feems to have once belonged to William Grocyn, that celebrated fcholar and teacher of the Greek language in this univerfity, toward the clofe of the 15th century, as his name is written on the cover of both volumes; the MS. collections of the antiquaries Bryan, Twine, and Fulman; an English bible fuppofed to be older than Wickliffe's; a parchment roll containing the pedigree of the royal family, and the feveral branches of it, from Alfred to Edward VI. with their arms blazoned, figned by the king at arms; and feveral other curiofitics, particularly an ancient MS. hiftory of the bible in French, finely decorated with curious painting, given by general Oglethorpe, who was a member of this college; and also a very valuable collection of the earlieft editions of the claffics, particularly of the Aldine, many of which belonged to the founder, and are well preferved. Among the most curious are Cicero de Officiis, on vellum, 1466; the Florentine Anthologia, Euripides, Appollonius Rhodius in capital letters; and a vellum copy of the fplendid edition of Aristotle and Theophrastus, from the prefs of Aldus. They fhew here alfo the genuine crozier of the founder, a piece of curious workmanship little impaired by time.

The Members are, a prefident, twenty fellows, two chaplains,

2

twenty

twenty scholars, four exhibitioners, and fix gentlemen com

moners.

Vifitor. The bishop of Winchester.

CHRIST CHURCH. This college was founded by cardinal Wolfey, upon the place where formerly ftood the priory of St. Frideswide, which, and feveral other religious foundations, were diffolved, in order to endow the college intended by the cardinal. The defign was far from being completed at the time of Wolfey's difgrace, little more being built than the eaft, fouth, and part of the weft fides of the great quadrangle, and the kitchen. And as to the foundation itfelf, whatever it might be at that time, it is certain it was afterwards leffened, and the form of it altered two or three times by the king.. The difgrace of the cardinal happened in 1529, when the king feized upon this college, as well as his other eitates. In 1532, at the inftance of lord Cromwell, the king new modelled the foundation, and gave it the name of King Henry the Eighth's College. This was fuppreffed in 1545, and in the year following the epifcopal fee was removed from Ofeney to this college, and the church of St. Fridefwide conftituted a cathedral, by the name of Chriftchurch. Since the time of Elizabeth, this college has largely experienced the bounty of feveral benefactors, particularly bishop Fell, who left ten exhibitions of 10l. per ann. to commoners, to be held for ten years from the time they were nominated to them. The 101st Atudentship was added by William Thurston, Elq. 1663. Several exhibitions were given by lady Holford, for fcholars educated at the Charter-house, and more by other benefactors.

[ocr errors]

The college confifts of four courts or fquares, viz. 1. The Great Quadrangle; 2. Peckwater-fquare; 3. Canterbury-court; 4. The Chaplain's-court and fome other buildings.

The stately weft front of the great quadrangle is a magnificent Gothic building, 382 feet in length, terminated at each end with two correfponding turrets. The great gate is in the middle of this front, and over it a beautiful tower enriched with Gothic ornaments, defigned by Sir Chriftopher Wren, erected by Dr. Fell, and perfectly correfponding to the reft of the buildings. In this tower hangs the great bell called Tom (the weight of which is eight tons and a half), on the found of which the scholars of the univerfity are to retire to their refpective colleges. The great quadrangle is 264, by 261 feet in the clear. The fouth-caft and part of the weft fides, with the magnificent kitchen to the fouth of the hall, were erected by the cardinal. The east and north fides of this quadrangle are taken up with the dean's and four of the canons' lodgings.

The

The Hall is by far the moft magnificent room of the kind in Oxford, and one of the targeft in the kingdom. The roof is framed of timber, curioufly wrought, and fo contrived as to produce a very grand and noble effect. There are near 300 compartments in the cornice, which are embellished with as many coats of arms carved and blazoned in their proper colours. At the upper end of the hall is an afcent of three steps, which run through the whole breadth; near which is a beautiful Gothic window in a recefs. This fuperb room is beautified, and improved, by completing and painting the wainscoat and roof, and the addition of a great number of portraits of eminent perfons, who were educated at the college.

The Church of this college, which is the cathedral of the diocefe, is on the east of the grand quadrangle, a venerable ftructure, originally the church of Saint Fridefwide's monaftery. It was finished before the year 1200. The roof of the choir is a beautiful piece of stone-work, put up by Cardinal Wolfey, who alfo rebuilt the fpire. In the tower are ten celebrated bells, brought from Ofeney abbey, as was the great bell called Tom. In this church, choir fervice is performed every day at ten and five; except on Sundays and holidays, when it is eight in the morning.

Three fides of Peckwater court are uniform, defigned by Dr. Aldrich, then dean, as eminent for his skill in architecture as for his knowledge in most other branches. Each fide contains fifteen windows in front. The lower ftory is ruftic, in which are three entrances. The second story, and the attic above it, are contained in the height of the Ionic order, which refts upon the ruftic. Over the five middle windows in each fide is a beautiful pediment, which projects, fupported by three quarter columns of the fame order, as the entablature and balustrade of the other parts are by pilafters.

On the fouth fide of this court is a magnificent Library, 141 feet long, built in the Corinthian order, the pillars of which are four feet in diameter. The wainscotting, book-cafes, and ftucco-work, as well on the ftair-cafe as in the rooms of the library, are very highly finished, particularly the beautiful feftoons in ftucco, charged with fymbolical imagery, feverally reprefenting the particular branch of literature contained beneath. There are many bufts, and a collection of good pictures.

Canterbury court, once Canterbury college, is now most elegantly rebuilt, from a plan fuitable to Peckwater, with a fu perb gate-way, under the direction of Mr. Wyatt, by the munificence of Dr. Robinson, late primate of Ireland, and other benefactors. VOL. III.

D

The

« НазадПродовжити »