149 
O X F 
prefent college; and was fo fortunate as to meet with the 
concurrence of the founder’s executors in all her fubfe- 
quent fteps to perpetuate the eftablilhment. In 128a the 
appointed ftatutes under her feal, which are interelting, 
becaufe they ferve to throw fome light on the modes of 
collegiate difcipline at that early period. In 1284 this 
lady purchafed a tenement called Mary’s Hall; and, 
having repaired and enlarged it, transferred the fcho- 
lars to this new refidence, which was henceforth called 
New Balliol College. The fame year (lie prefented them 
with fome lands in the county of Northumberland, and 
had their ftatutes confirmed by Oliver bifliop of Lincoln, 
and by her fon John de Balliol, who at that time held the 
Scottilh fceptre under the protection of Edward I. But, 
notwithftanding thefe generous efforts, the revenues of 
the college itill continued extremely fmall, not yielding 
above eight-pence a-week to each fcholar, A number of 
benefaCtors, however, foon arofe, and by their united con¬ 
tributions conferred a confiderable degree of opulence on 
the inftitution. In 1294, Hugh de Wychenbroke gave 
theadvowfon of St. Lawrence, Old-Jewry, London ; and in 
1310, Hugh de Warkenby and William de Gotham gave 
four mefl'uages in School-itreet, for the fupport of a chap¬ 
lain to olficiate in the oratory. In 1320, Richard de 
Hunfinfore alfo gave a tenement in Oxford. But thefe 
donations were trivial compared with the liberal gifts of 
fir William Fenton and fir Philip Somervyle. The be¬ 
nefaction of the latter, indeed, was deemed fo confider- 
able, as to entitle him to the honours of a fecond founder. 
A new body of ftatutes was drawn out under his fanCtion, 
one article of which enaCted that the fociety Ihould 
henceforward be governed by a mafter. Thefe ftatutes 
were confirmed by Edward Balliol king of Scotland, and 
remained in force till 1364, when a third code was enaCted 
, by Simon de Sudbury, afterwards archbilhop of Canter¬ 
bury. In 1507 this code w’as likewife fuperfeded, and the 
one at prefent in force fubftituted in its ftead. Among 
the various benefaCtors fince that period, the molt diftin- 
guiftied wereThomasHarrope, reClorofHafelyjPeterBlun- 
dell, of Tiverton in Devonlhire; lady Elizabeth Periam, 
of Greenland in Berklhire, filter to the great lord Bacon ; 
Dr. John Warner, bilhop of Rochefter; and John Snell of 
Warwicklhire. The two laft gave donations exclufively 
for the benefit of Scotch fcholars. 
The buildings of Balliol-college were ereCted at va¬ 
rious times on the fite of the tenements or halls hired 
and purchafed by the lady Dervorgille, and are chiefly 
arranged round a quadrangle, which is 120 feet long and 
80 broad, in the interior. The front towards the ftreet 
prefents much irregularity of ftruCture. Over the en¬ 
trance, in the centre, is a fine fquare tower, embattled 
at the top, with an oriel window in front, alfo a highly 
enriched and canopied niche on each fide. This gate¬ 
way‘is likewife adorned with the arms of Balliol. The 
buildings to the eaft and weft of the tower were con- 
ftruCfed at the beginning of the laft century, andpof- 
fefs little confonance of character with the older portions 
of the college. Within the court the fame diflimilarity 
of architecture is vifible as on the outfide. The hall, 
• and the refidence of the mafter, occupy its weftern fide ; 
the northern fide is compofed of the chapel and library ; 
and the other fides are appropriated as lodgings for the 
fellows and fcholars. The library was built in two parts ; 
that towards the weft by Dr. Cliace, A. D. 1427, and that 
on the eaft by Robert Abdy in 1477. The interior of the 
whole has been lately renewed under the fuperintendance 
of Mr. James Wyatt, the architect. Formerly this library 
was efteemed among the firft in the univerfity. Before 
the time of Edward VI. it was particularly rich in MSS. 
above two hundred of which, highly illuminated, were 
prefented by Grey bifliop of Ely in 1454. Molt of thefe, 
however, have been fince loft or deftroyed ; but the col¬ 
lection of printed books is ftill both valuable and exten¬ 
sive. Befides the quadrangle, there is an area on the 
Vol. XVIII. No. 1231. 
O R D. 
north-weft, confifting of feveral detached lodgings for 
the ftudents : thefe were purchafed and made over to the 
fociety by archbilhop Abbot. There is likewife a build¬ 
ing belonging to the college, at the fouth-weft angle of 
the quadrangle fronting the ftreet, which was ereCled at 
the expenfe of Mr. Either, late fellow of Balliol. 
4. Exeter College was founded in the year 1315, by 
Walter de Stapleton bilhop of Exeter, who was like¬ 
wife the founder of Hert or Hart hall, now Hertford- 
college, the origin of which is fo intimately blended with 
that of Exeter-college, that it is difficult, at leaft for fome 
time, to confider them as feparate eftablilhments. The 
reClor and fcholars of Hart hall, indeed, were actually 
the firft poflefi'ors of this college, having been removed to 
the buildings which formerly occupied the prefent fite, 
and others dependent on them fubftituted in their ftead. 
According to the ftatutes then formed, the fociety was 
to confift of thirteen members, eight of whom were to 
be chofen from Devonihire, four from Cornwall, and one, 
a prieft, nominated by the dean and chapter of Exeter, 
from any part of the kingdom. The chief benefactors 
of this inftitution were Edmund Stafford bifliop of Exe¬ 
ter, who added two fellowfliips, and reformed the ftatutes, 
in 14045 and fir William Petre, who procured a new 
body of ftatutes, and a regular deed of incorporation for 
the college, in 1565. The fame gentleman likewife en¬ 
dowed eight new fellowfliips. The other confiderable 
contributors to the profperity of this eftabliftiment, were 
fir John Ackland ; king Charles I. fir John Maynard ; 
Samuel Hill, reCtor of Warlegan ; and the lady Shiers. 
The buildings of this college encompafs a fingle qua¬ 
drangle. The grand entrance facing the ftreet is fur- 
mounted by a tower with Ionic pilafters, which fupports 
a femicircular pediment, ornamented with the arms of the 
founder on a fliield furrounded with feftoons. The inner 
front is of fimilar conftruCtion ; but the arms here are 
thofe of lord Petre. More uniformity prevails in the ar¬ 
chitecture of this college than in any of thofe hitherto 
noticed ; and, on the whole, its appearance is Ample and 
pleafing. The chapel, which occupies a large portion of 
one fide, is a neat and folid edifice in the later pointed 
ftyle, and poffeffes the peculiarity of having two aides. 
The hall is a handfome building, alfo in the pointed ftyle, 
ereCted by fir John Ackland about the year 1620; but 
the library is of modern ereCtion, and contains, among 
other valuable works, a fine collection of Aldine claffics. 
5. Oriel College was founded about the year 1324, 
by Adam de Brom, reCtor of St. Mary’s in Oxford, under 
the fanCtion of Edward II. to whom he afterwards fur- 
rendered the whole, in the hope of obtaining the royal 
protection for his infant eftablilhment. Nor were his ex¬ 
pectations groundlefs; for the king readily took the col¬ 
lege under his efpecial care, and the next year granted a 
new charter, appointing it a college for divinity and the 
canon law, to be governed by a provoft. He likewife 
bellowed upon the fociety fome tenements in Oxford, and 
the advowfon of St. Mary’s church, on condition of their 
providing chaplains for the daily fervice. Adam de Brom 
was named the firft provoft, and drew up a code of fta¬ 
tutes in 1326, by which the college was to confift of a 
provoft, ten fellows or fcholars, feven to lludy divinity, 
and three the canon law. He likewife gave them the liv¬ 
ings of Aberforth in Yorkffiire, and Coleby in Lincoln- 
fhire ; and in 1327 Edward III. bellowed upon them a 
large mefluage called La Oriole, or Oriel, to which the 
members foon after removed ; and hence the college de¬ 
rived its prefent name. The chief fubfequent benefac¬ 
tors of this inftitution were John Franke, lord-chancellor 
of England in 1441 ; Carpenter, bifhop of Worcefter ; 
Smyth, bifliop of Lincoln ; Dr. Richard Dudley, chan¬ 
cellor of Sarum ; Dr. Robinfoh, bilhop of London ; Dr. 
Carter, provoft of the college in 1708 ; Charles fourth 
duke of Beaufort, and her majefty queen Anne. By fome 
of thefe benefactors fellowfliips were founded; fo that the 
Q q fociety 
