EXETER COLLEGE 227 



of Christ Church, and Sir T. Roe of Magdalen, was one of 

 the links between Oxford and the East during the seventeenth 

 century. 



Two young Birches near the Rector's House measure 

 2 ft. 2 in. and i ft. 7 in. respectively. 



LINCOLN COLLEGE is celebrated for its Vine, the story of 

 which is told by Mr. Warde Fowler as follows : 



" In the inner quadrangle of Lincoln College the visitor may 

 notice two Vines climbing the old grey walls. They usually 

 produce a few bunches of grapes, some of which are brought 

 into Common Room on the College ' chapter-day,' or half- 

 yearly meeting of Fellows, on November 6. These Vines are 

 not now in their original place, nor is it likely that they are 

 direct descendants of the original stock ; but there is little 

 doubt that one Vine at least has been trained on the College 

 walls since the year 1474. 



"In that year the second Founder, Thomas Rotherham, 

 Bishop of Lincoln and Visitor, paid a visit to the College 

 founded in 1429 by another Bishop of Lincoln, Richard 

 Fleming. He found it in a miserable and decaying condition, 

 owing to insufficient endowment and other misfortunes ; only 

 a part of the present front quad had been built. The Rector 

 of that day made a successful appeal to the Visitor, a man 

 of wealth and importance even then, and afterwards Arch- 

 bishop York, of which appeal the Vines remain as a happy 

 memorial. He preached before him from Psalm Ixxx., 14, 15. 

 ' Behold, and visit this vine, and complete it which Thy right 

 hand hath founded ' (translated from the Latin which he used). 

 The Bishop was moved, and became the second Founder 

 of the College ; and to commemorate his generosity and the 

 preacher's text, a Vine was planted in the quadrangle, which 

 was soon to be completed. When the new Chapel was built in 

 1628, the Vine was apparently transplanted to the inner 

 quadrangle, where its representatives are still to be seen, as 

 described above." 



