The Student Roms at Oxford. trol; and the fact that the Muses did not "make their vacation" and that Mars con tinued to "keep his terms" at Oxford for some centuries to come accounts for the feuds which inevitably followed from such conditions. It should be remembered also that every riot of note in the university world brought into conflict all the elements of feudal life, town, crown and church: the town, usually with justice, seeking only its own welfare; the church and crown and university contending for larger principles, of which doubtless they were quite unconscious. A monkish dog gerel tells us truly what often happened : Chronica si penses; Cum pugnant Oxienses, Post paucos Volat via per Angligenscs.1 When Oxford scholars fall to fight Mark the Chronicles aright, Before many months expired England will with war be fired.2 Before proceeding to the account of the actual hostilities between town and gown, it may be well to note further some of the causes for which they persistently fought, for these issues gave rise to the hatred of which the riots were only the indication. House rent and food are naturally first among them. For several generations after the founding of the university, it owned no property, and if it so desired could move easily to another town. Scholars and teachers alike were poor and even the richest among them at short notice probably could have carried away with them all their worldly goods. Only the wealthiest could boast that he had "At his beddes hed Twenty books clothed in black or red Of Aristotle and his philosophie."8 So if the thrifty merchant of Oxford col lected his rent, he must needs have been a 1Wood, I., p. 258. 'Chaucer, Prologue, Canterbury Tales.
'Oxford Hist. Soc. Pub., XV., p. 469-
655
hard landlord, and that he was bent on col lecting his dues is shown in the constant trouble over the lodgings. But this trouble was so divided between the owners of differ ent halls and houses, that it does not lend itself to our study so readily as does the con tention over the market. "As concernng the first rise of the Market of Oxon and when it began, it is beyond all record to deliver,"4 and the same maybe said concerning the market contention. No where else has there been such a constant struggle for the supremacy between the two rival corporations, the town and the gown. From Edward III. to George III. the dispute never ceased. There was jealousy from the earliest days, the town anxious to sell every thing as dear as possible, the gown angry at the system of two prices—the cheaper price for townsfolk and the higher for the students •— and no doubt unduly anxious to reduce the cost of living to the lowest possible ex pense. For a long time the University had no claim whatever over the market, but in 1214 the Papal Legate, in withdrawing an inter dict laid on the town (for hanging three clerks of which we shall speak further on), gave it the right to be represented at the Assize. And this right gradually drew to itself more important privileges.5 In 1275 we find the King writing to the Mayor and Burghers "that they carefully ob serve the assize and the price of victuals, wine and other vendible things, lest the Scholars should be abused in their mercats. For now the Mayor was Clerk of the Mercat, and when any assaying was made by him of ven dibles or potables the Chancellor or deputy was only present or a looker-on."" In 1290 we learn that "the Chancellor and Scholars, as well as the Mayor (who before had the sole authority), had the power grant ed to them of the Assize of Victuals, & also 'Ogle's Oxford Market. XVI., p. 46. "Ogle, p. 47-
Oxf. Hist. Soc. Pub.
