SCHOOLS 



pretty regular and fairly general exeats. Such an exeat (a word not used 

 at Winchester) took place almost immediately after the entrance into 

 college. There were sixty-nine scholars ' in commons ' the first week 

 of April, 1394, and seventy-one the second week; but only fifty-nine 

 the third, and fifty the fourth, while in the fifth week there were again 

 sixty-four. Easter day was on 19 April, so the twenty absentees 

 enjoyed an Easter holiday. In the eleventh week or the week beginning 

 Sunday, 7 June, 1394, there was again a drop from sixty-five scholars 

 to forty-seven, which represents a Whitsuntide vacation. In the next 

 account, still 1394, there was a big drop in the thirteenth week, forty- 

 five only being in full and eight in half commons, while in the first week 

 of the second term, the first of the new year, there were thirty-six 

 scholars only in commons. In the second week there were thirty-eight ; 

 in the third week fifty-five. This was a Christmas vacation, but it was 

 complicated by illness probably, as the number does not go above sixty- 

 four at all, and is generally below sixty, and three boys are specially 

 mentioned as being sick out of college, one of them for five weeks. 

 Easter week is not marked by any diminution, but there is a drop from 

 fifty-six to forty-two in the thirty-sixth week of the year, at Whitsuntide. 

 No inference can be drawn from there being only thirty-eight in 

 commons in the last week of the year (September) as from the forty- 

 sixth week, when the numbers fell to thirty-six, they never again rose 

 above forty clearly an epidemic. In 1395 6, during which the number 

 of scholars was full, there was again a drop to forty-five in the fourteenth 

 week (Christmas), and the two sons of Uvedale, fellow-commoners, were 

 away that week and the week before. In the thirty-seventh week (Easter 

 fell early, on 2 April), there was again a drop to fifty-two. Next year 

 there were only forty-one present in the fourteenth week, and the sons 

 of Uvedale were again away. In the ninth week of the third quarter 

 (Whitsuntide), there were only twenty-eight present. Lastly, in 1397-8, 

 there were forty-eight scholars in the first week of the first quarter 

 (Christmas) ; twenty-five only in the eighth week of the third quarter 

 (Whitsuntide) ; and forty-eight only in the following week. For these 

 two weeks the headmaster was away ; the only time that he was away so 

 long during the whole of the first four years through which I pursued this 

 subject. It seems to be clear that the school never closed as a whole in 

 the first few years, and Mr. Kirby says not until 1518. A considerable 

 and increasing number went away for holidays at Christmas, Easter, or 

 Whitsuntide, and the last was the most popular holiday time. It should 

 be added that commoners were in much the same position as the scholars. 

 Only a few of them went away at Christmas or Whitsuntide. 



Christmas must have been rather a good time to be at school. 

 The statutes provided for the celebration of the function of the boy- 

 bishop. After directing that the warden and fellows were to perform 

 the services on the principal saints' l days, and others according to 



1 Rubric xix. Ann. p. 503. 

 277 



