O X F 
fan&ion of a papal bull, granted by pope Boniface in the 
year 1301. 
Edward II. granted many additional privileges to the 
riniverfity, and confirmed all the grants of his predecef- 
fors. In this monarch’s reign lectures were firft inftituted 
in the Hebrew language. The original le&urer, John de 
Briftol, a converted Jew, is faid to have been a man of 
greater fcience and erudition than was common in his 
age; and his lectures were received with the greateft ap¬ 
probation. 
Edward III. having been educated at Oxford, retained, 
during his whole life, a high veneration for the univer- 
fity, and was more liberal in his grants to it than any 
of his predeceffors. Though almoft conftantly engaged 
in war, his vaft and capacious mind did not forget the 
interefts of literature. He effected many regulations in 
the police of the town, highly ufeful, and calculated to 
promote the health and comfort of the numerous ftudents 
by which it was frequented. While he added progreffive- 
ly to the power of the fuperior officers of the univerfity, 
he was equally careful to increafe the confequence and 
fecurity of the fcholars. He took the moft decided mea- 
fures to root out the ancient animofity arifing from dif¬ 
ference of country as to north and fouth, which had given 
birth to many dangerous tumults; and endeavoured to 
turn the current of jealoufy into the channel of emula¬ 
tion. The Hate of fociety, however, had not yet ad¬ 
vanced far enough to teach men to reftrain their ardour 
in debate within the bounds of decorum. The increafe 
of learning augmented the violence of difcuffion on doc¬ 
trinal points; and the univerfity became fplit into feCts or 
parties, not one of which recollected that urbanity Ihould 
form the bafis of deputation. Among the more celebrated 
of the difputants at this period, were Duns Scotus, and 
Oakham. The former was the founder of the feCt called 
the Nominals, and the latter the patron of the Reals. 
The diftin&ion between thefefefts does not appear clearly 
upon record ; but one fubjeCt of difference was the rela¬ 
tive authority of the civil and ecclefiaftical power. Oak¬ 
ham, who maintained the pre-eminence of the civil power, 
is faid even to have convinced the pope himfelf by the 
influence of his oratory. He was ftyled by his holinefs 
the Invincible DoClor, and his antagonift the Subtle 
Dodtor. 
The reign of Richard II. is diftinguiffied by the ap¬ 
pearance, at this univerfity, of one of the brighteft lu¬ 
minaries that had hitherto enlightened the religious he- 
mifphere. We allude to Dr. John Wicliffe, a man whofe 
name is yet defervedly venerated by all who regard the 
reformation as an occurrence favourable to the interefts 
of Chriftianity, and to the progrefs of the human mind. 
This eminent character was the firft warden of Canter¬ 
bury-college ; and it was at Oxford that he read thofe 
leCtures on divinity which laid the bafis of the religious 
liberty we now enjoy. He loofened the (hackles of papal 
thraldom which Henry VIII. afterwards burft afunder, 
though from motives of a very oppolite nature to thofe 
which animated the father of the reformers. No fooner 
"were the doCtrines of this great man divulged at Oxford, 
than they were approved of by the judicious, and received 
with enthuliafm by a large proportion of the univerfity. 
But, though the fpirit of the univerfity was thus favour- 
able to liberty of opinion, learning was by no means in 
a fiourilhing condition at this era. The number of ftu- 
dents had greatly diminiffied; and many of the halls and 
fchools were let forpurpofes entirely different from their 
original deftination. Some new foundations, however, 
took place during this reign ; but the ages which fuc- 
ceeded were dull and fordid in a lamentable degree. The 
reigns of Henries IV. V. and VI. are only memorable for 
the violence of the religious diffentions which prevailed, 
and had nearly produced a diffolution of the univerfity. 
Thus circumftanced, the acceffion of the houfe of York 
was viewed by many of the coliegiates as a matter of in¬ 
difference, and by fome was even hailed with joy, from a 
Vo b. XVIII. No-. 1231. 
O R D. 145 
hope that their fituation might be bettered under the new 
dynafty. Nor were they deceived in their expectations ; 
for no fooner was Edward IV. feated on the throne, than 
he affumed the title of “ ProteClor of the Univerfity,” and 
in many refpeCts proved a zealous friend to the caufe of 
learning. Richard III. who is commonly ftigmatifed as 
the worlt of tyrants, was likewife a great benefaCfor to 
the univerfity, and an encourager of literature. Among 
many other j udicious meafures adopted by this monarch 
for its advancement, he paffed a law, empowering the uni¬ 
verfity “ to import or export books at pleafure a per- 
miffion which may be rationally conftrued to fignify an 
entire freedom of the prefs, and liberty of difcuffion. 
The reign of Henry VII. from a variety of fortuitous 
caufes, is entitled to the proud diftinCIion of having fol- 
tered with more than common fuccefs the revival of 
learning. From the many dilcouraging particulars of the 
preceding century, genuine fcholarffiip had become almoft 
an obfolete charafter, in a profeffional light. The Greek 
language had not only fallen into general difufe, but was 
affeCtedly held in contempt by a great body of the fcholars, 
who formed themfelves into an afi'oeiation under the name 
of Trojans. So ftrong, indeed, were the exifting prejudices 
againlt this noble and harmonious language, that, when 
Erafmus repaired hither for the purpofe of teaching Greek, 
feveral leading men in the univerfity read leCtures againft 
liim in the fchools, and endeavoured to attach ridicule 
both to the man, and to the knowledge which it was his 
objeCt to diffeminate. 
The period during which Henry VIII. held the feeptre, 
is, in fome refpeCts, one of the brigbteft in the annals of 
the univerfity. Soon after his acceffion, this prince con¬ 
firmed all the grants of his predecefi'ors, and honoured 
Oxford with a regal vifit. Wolfey, fo celebrated for his 
unexpected elevation to the highelt pinnacle of power, 
for his talents, and for his fall, proved himfelf one of the 
moft munificent patrons of learning that graced his own 
or any other age. In 1518, this iiluftrious prelate and 
ftatefman founded feven leCtures for theology, civil law, 
phyfic, philofophy, mathematics, Greek, and rhetoric ; 
and appointed all fuch men as were mod"diftinguiffied 
for their abilities and for their knowledge in thefe refpec- 
tive branches of learning. His efforts to promote* the 
good of the univerfity were indeed vigorous and uniform. 
Through his means the Greek language was again re¬ 
ceived into eftimation, and a tafte for elegant literature 
was introduced ; and this happily fupplanted the quib¬ 
bling fophiftry which had hitherto occupied the chief at¬ 
tention of the learned. Wolfey alfo-founded the college 
now called Chrift-church. About the lame time the col¬ 
leges of Brazen -nofe and Corpus Chrifti were alio founded 5 
the former by Wm. Smyth bilhop of Lincoln, and fir 
Robert Sutton, and the latter by Richard Fox biffiop of 
Winchefter. Yet, foon after, when Henry began his fyf- 
tem of fpoliation and fuppreffion, the univerfity prefented 
a moft dilrnal fpeCtacle. The plague, together with the 
calamities of the church, concurred in driving the Un¬ 
dents from their habitations; and, fo few in number were 
thofe who reforted hither at this era, that, in the year 154.6-, 
only ten inceptors in arts, and three in divinity and law, 
are recorded. 
The acceffion of Edward VI. brought with it evils of 
no lefs magnitude than thofe which marked the footfteps 
of his father. The firft a Cl of this young prince’s coun- 
fellors, (for to them muft belong the merit or demerit of 
almoft every act of his reign,) was a grofs infringement 
on the rights and privileges of the univerfity, as it di¬ 
rected “ that no gownfmen ffiouid concern themfelves 
at the election of any prefident, fellow, or fclrolar, or do 
any tiling to oppole the visitation now ordered by the 
king.” Accordingly, when the threatened vifitation took 
place, the royal commiffioners executed whatever men- 
iures they deemed proper. They entirely changed the 
form of the univerlity-governmenc, and framed a new 
code of ftatutes, called Edward’s Statutes, which re- 
P p mained 
