Of OXFOXV-SHmE* t# 



tree, i$c may live and flourifli many years after their difbarking, 

 by the faps afcent through thcfap or air veffelsof the wood. 



75. Moreover, amongft the accidents that have happen'ct to 

 Elms, I muft not forget a very pleafant one that fell out at Mid^ 

 dle-Afton, where cleaving of Elm blocks at one Mr. Langffon's 7 

 there came out a piece fo exa&ly reprefenting a fhdulder of Veal, 

 that it was thought worth while to preferve it from the fire by the 

 owner of it, by whom it was kindly bellowed on me, as an additi- 

 on to the reft of my Curiofities of Nature. ,0 



76. But the moft remarkable accidents that ever befel trees, 

 perhaps here, or in any other County, were the foundations of two 

 eminent Religions houfes both occafion'd by trees. The firft, Ofeney 

 Abby founded in that place by Robert WOyly the fecond, by reafon 

 of a certain tree thatftoodin the meddows whereafter he built ; the 

 Abbey, to which it feems repaired a company of $t$y. as often 

 as Editha the wife of Robert came to walk that way, which in 

 company with her maid (lie often ufed to do (as Z^/dWexpreffes 

 it) to folace her felf ~ s : at whofe arrival the Pyes were alwaies fo 

 clamorous, that/5e took notice of it, and confults with one Radul- 

 phus Canon of St. Fridtfwid's, what this might fignifie : who am- 

 ingly advifes, that (he muft build fome Cburcb or Monaflery where 

 the tree ftood, which^e inftantly procures her Hutbmd to do, 

 and this Radulphut (her Confeffbry to be made the firft Prior. 



77. What tree this was, Leland acquaints us not ; but 

 that which occafioned the fecond Foundation in the place where 

 it is, was a triple Elm, having three trunks ifTuing from one rooti 

 Near fuch a Tree as this Sir Thomas White, Lord Major of London 

 (as we have it by Tradition) was warned in a Dream he (hould 

 build aCollege,for the education of Youth in Religion and Learn- 

 ing : whereupon he repairs to Oxford, and firft met with fom- 

 thing near Glocefter-Hall that feem'd to ahfwerhis Dream, where 

 accordingly he ere&ed a great deal of Building. But afterward; 

 finding another Elm near St. Bernards College, fuppreft not long 

 before by King Hen. 8. more exa&ly to anfwer all the circumftan- 

 ces of his Dream, he left off at Glocefter-Hall, and built St. John 

 Bap. College, which, with the very Tree befide it, that occafion'd 

 its Foundation, flouriflhestothis day, under the Preftdence of the 

 Reverend and Learned Dr. Levinz^ z cordial promoter of this 



Uejlgn. g Lelandlltinerarivm, Vol.7..pag.\%-,\t). 



Y 78. Be- 



