SCHOOLS 



a pretty clear proof that the Benedictines had not previously enjoyed a 

 university education. ' At his vespers his companion Laurence Honson, 1 

 bachelor of the same science, a monk of this place, responded to the question.' 

 It was made a great occasion. 



The Abbot and all his monks with the priors, obedientiaries, cloister monks, clerks, esquires 

 and other gentlemen to the number of 100 horses were there ; while the abbots of West- 

 minster, Reading, Abingdon, Evesham, Malmesbury and many priors and other monks 

 all gave the inceptor large presents, while nearly all the prelates of the Benedictine order 

 who were absent sent gifts by their representatives. . . . And so this inception was con- 

 summated to the honour of this house and the whole order. 



Giffard's deed above quoted is entered in the register of his cousin, the 

 bishop of Worcester, in the same year, 1298, under the heading of 



Instruments of the foundation of the priory of St. Benedict of Oxford according to the 

 articles of foundation delivered to the abbots and priors of the province of Canterbury on 

 such and such a year and day at Oxford for the security of either party, viz. the founder 

 and the religious. 



It seems probable that this entry was made in view of the remarkable con- 

 duct of the founder, who in 1298 gave the go-by to all the former deeds by 

 granting the site and buildings of the college to Malmesbury Abbey. The 

 Worcester priory chronicler records that on the morrow of Blessed Clement, 

 i.e. 24 November, 1298, three monks came to Oxford from Malmesbury 

 there to stay for ever, one of whom on St. Katherine's Day (25 November) 

 was made by Sir John Giffard perpetual prior, while on 29 May following 

 Giffard, ' who gave the students of the order of St. Benedict a spacious place,' 

 died, and was buried at Malmesbury. Malmesbury Abbey afterwards claimed 

 the whole site and the exclusive use of the fishponds and the gardens, which 

 still form the great attraction of Worcester College ; and the other monas- 

 teries had to ask the leave of Malmesbury to erect chambers for their 

 students. 



It has been estimated* that this college had 100 to 200 students. But 

 the estimate is certainly excessive. It is founded on the supposition that 

 every Southern Benedictine house did what it ought, and sent there its proper 

 proportion, or something like its proper proportion, of monks, which, accord- 

 ing to the Benedictine statutes of 1337 was i in 20 or five per cent, of its 

 total numbers. But it is quite certain they never did. Even in 1342,* 

 fifteen houses were reported to the general chapter for not sending students ; 

 in 1426 seven abbeys ; in 1440 ten abbeys were in default, including 

 Malmesbury the owner of the site. The neighbouring abbey of Abingdon 

 itself, the abbot of which was a sort of visitor perpetuus of the college, 

 only kept three students there. Gloucester, which ought to have kept 

 four students, did not do so. Apart from this there are two facts which 

 seem to show that the number was much smaller. First, it was ordered that 

 if the students were under 60 they were to give the prior 5*. each, which 

 would give him 15 a year, if more than 60 they were to give him a 

 maximum of 20 a year, which means at the most 80 students. Secondly, 

 the chapel was only * 40 ft. by 20 ft. Winchester College chapel which was 



1 So printed. But it is more probably Houson for Howson. 



Worcesttr Coll. 26. ' Ibid. 6 1. 4 Ibid. 92. 



341 



