SCHOOLS 



Such was the daily round, the (literally) trivial task. But that 

 was only on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On Sunday if there 

 was a sermon you had to take notes and write them down in a notebook. 

 On Tuesday and Thursday, if fine, was 'Hills,' or, as the poet puts it, 'we 

 shall visit the grateful tops of St. Catherine's Hill.' If the master 

 has given a remedy (the exigencies of verse have converted the word 

 from remedium into otia) a gold ring is sent to the boys, which equally 

 gives or takes away leave for Hills or Meads, or fire in hall : 



The Prefect lifts the ring on high ; straight the ' Scobs ' bang. Then our 

 Hundred-eyed Argus (the Prefect of Hall) sees that due order is kept in games and 

 sports. Rule must be observed even in our playing. 



Names are called at Middle Gate, every one answering 

 prefects standing on the right, inferiors on the left, ' lest they annoy 

 the Warden with their chatter.' Then we go to the green slopes of 

 the lofty mountain, 'with a socius 1 each must go : with a socius return, 

 in line ' 



Incedat sociata cobors y sociata reccdat 



till the top of Hills is reached. Here they break off, but must not 

 go beyond Trench, nor dare to sit on the ground for fear of fever. 

 Then they play games, quoits, handball, batball or tennis, or football, 

 and other games ' which I will not describe.' If the lazy poet had 

 only described them his poem would be much more valuable, but 

 he probably could not even conceive a time in which, even at school, 

 games would be regarded as infinitely more important and interesting 

 than anything else. But as they are, we must transcribe the actual lines 

 describing this all-important part of school life. 



Hie tamen ejecto discos bene ludere disco 

 Seu pi/a delectat palmaria, sive per auras 

 Stepe repercusm pi/a te juvat icta baci//o, 

 Seu pedibus calcata tuts. 



At 9 the prefect calls i domuml and home they go. After dinner 

 back the Wykehamical bees fly to the green hill till 3 o'clock. But 

 if it is frosty weather they have a fire in hall instead, the coals for 

 which are sent by prefect of hall ; or if it is very hot they go to Meads. 

 Then the bloody day of Friday draws near 



and I say bloody, because if you have sinned during the week, you will suffer cruel 

 pain. Down on your knees, and two boys, duly summoned, will loose your braces 

 and let down your breeches. 



The poet kindly draws a veil over the rest. 



We are told exactly what books are read, by what classes and 

 on which days. The classes were divided then into Sixth, Fifth, Fourth 

 and Lower Fourth (Quarto Secunda) Books. The word ' books ' does 

 not appear, but Horman in his Vulgaria translated it by classis, and 

 the poet, who no doubt knew his Horman well, followed suit. 



1 The word is still in use at the school for a companion. 

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