( HI ) 



then only a common tree; and afterwards 1 

 when it becomes remarkable for it's age, the 

 memory of it's youth is forgotten. This tree 

 however can almoft produce hiilorical evidence 

 for the age it boafts. About five hundred 

 years after the time of Alfred, William of 

 Wainfleet, Dr. Stukely tells us, exprefsly 

 ordered his college to be founded near the 

 great oak**, and an oak could not well be 

 lefs than five hundred years of age, to merit that 

 title ; together with the honour of fixing the 

 fite of a college. When the magnificence of 

 cardinal Wolfey erected that handfome tower, 

 which is fo ornamental to the whole building, 

 this tree might probably be in the meridian 

 of it's glory ; or rather perhaps it had attained 

 a green old age. But it muft have been mani- 

 feftly in it's decline, at that memorable aera, 

 when the tyranny of James gave the fellows of 

 Magdalen fo noble an opportunity of with- 

 fcanding bigotiy, and fuperftition. It was 

 much injured in Charles II.'s time, when 

 the prefent walks were laid out. It's roots 

 were difturbed; and from that period it 

 declined fail ; and became reduced by degrees 

 to little more than a mere trunk. The oldeft 



* Itiner. Curios. 



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