OXFORD MILLENARY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1548, 18 September 1912, Page 8

OXFORD MILLENARY.

BRILLIANT CELEBRATION. ANTIQUITY AND DISTINCTION. Visitors' from all parts gathered at Oxford on July 11 h> congratulate the city on the attainment of its thousandth birthday. Although the existence of the town caa l>o traced to a much earlier date, i( is in the records of a.d. ilia that the first authentic mention of Oxford in history-is to bo found. . • The celebration?, which provided scenes ot great brilliancy, commenced with the cMlerment by the University of the do* freo of M.A. Honoris Causa upon the -Mayor of Oxford (Alderman T. H. Kin. Kcrlco) ami tho Town Clerk (Mr. Richard Jiacoii), both of whom were presented in/ roicitous speech by tho Public Orato* [Mr. A. D. Godley), Subsequentlv a service.was held in.theT cathedral. The soruion was preached by, (ho Dean of Christ Church (Dr. T. B< Sltong), who said the history of Oxford had been hko that of tho country-a chequered story. Oxford had "always been an important place; it hod always been affected by tho discussions and dissensions that were alive in tho country at large. Its history had not been that ot a remote country town 'mntorsod in ■'V s own politics and only dimly conscious of a national lifo outside. For various reasons it had always bad a part in any discussion that wa s going. The history. t r i j had bMn P art of t!' o history; , of England. At mid-day the exhibition of antiquities, pictures manuscripts, etc., illustrating the history and topography of tho city was formally opened by thc : Mayor.

A Distinguished Gathering. There was a large company "at the luncheon whidh was given in the Town Hall. Amongst others present weie: The Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London, V'scomit -Valentin, M.P., Lord Abingdon, Sir William Anson, Bart., M.P., Uri ?r l W h Cll, . Mr - v "J«ntino Fleming, M.P., Mr. A. St. G. Hatnersiey, M.P.,tUe Vico-Chaneellor (tho Principal of Brasenose), nud a largo number of prominenh citizens, members of the University, and distinguished visitors.

A garden party in tho grounds of Now ~, College was largely attended. An oration was delivered under th« shadow of tho nld city walls by Professor C. Oman (Chichelo Professor of Mod* crn History), who said Oxford could not compete in-antiquity with London at lork, Chaster or Lincoln; yet they boast«f- that they stood high in that: class of English cities whose history went back to tho days of the early Saxon kings. Oxford was a great Royal city when Liver- , pool and Birmingham and Newcastle and. Portsmouth were obscure hamlets or alw together non-existent. Antiqiiit- witlw out distinction was 'rather n thing to be ashamed ■of than a thing about which' to'boast, but it was their'pride that they could show no obscure post, but a series of annals that could compare in interest not ■ unfavourably with other places.

The celebrations concluded with a, nagj eaht in tho picturesque gardens of Worcester College, under tho direction 'of Mr. W. Bridges Adams. The Prologue and Epilogue were written resnectively, by the Professor of Poetry (Dr. T. H. Warren) and Canon Skrine. There wore six episodes admirably por< traying incidents in Oxford's history aif various periods, • ' -

The City and Its University. Tho. Oxford rejoicings are really the. cejebration of a town, that took a university 'to its bosom.. . .

Oxford was there' long before the uni« yersit-y came to overshadow it with mei»ly literary persons. And the present'celebration is not of the university but'of t.ho fettled plnca of residence and trade "■hich preceded it. There is a legend'of St. Fndoswide, who died about a'.d. 735,having founded a nunnery nt Oxford.l But the citj- has no need to depend upon' that uncorroborated story. Oxford was there because with the conflux of rivera U, was an easy place to defend, easiness of defenco brought a ennfiux of roads—' trade;-and -ultimately the scholars who( wanted a quiet life. And the city nreJ sents its birth certificate with ■ the. "Eng-< lish Chronicle," which states: "In tho year.9l2 died. Apthelred,. ealdormnn of tho Mercians, arid King Eadweard took to himself Lnndenbryg and Oxnaford audl all the lands that were, obedient there*! to." It. is the first documentary cvitlenco of (ho birth of Oxford, and proves the city at least a century older than the University. The city and the' university touch each' other at every point for tho best—or the worst—part of tho thousand years. But tho city has kept a. life of its own in spite, <vf the- interlacing and quarrelling In. the City Assembly Rooms thus woek you r may pass in reminiscence through the story of Oxford city. Tho picture of that easflo mound which no ono sees on the single journey from railway station to ? IRh %r cct , The outpost of ancient days. Tim "tokens" the tradesmen used, in place of smnll coin. The genuine coins minted at Oxford, which possessed a mint as well as a Parliament when Charles I was hut a doubtful king. More the university were tho road-makers, tlifl traders, the builders. Town and Gown, But there ■ were- hundreds of years ot dissension between the university and tho city... "Which should rule? iiy 1355 came the quarrel between '.'town .and gown," which has lasted into the nine-; teenth .century. There was a great riot.' And it began on St. Scholastic's Day : : upon February 10, 1355. It began with a,; quarrel at the Mermaid Taveru at Quatre-' voix—tho Four Ways—still announced,! by the to.wer of Carfax. And from tlio remembrance of Weed you may find the' origin of the row. They did* not like their drink, those conceited clerks. Snappish words passed. At last "(he vintner giving them stubborn and Kiucy language* they throw tho wino and the vessel at his head."' And then came the almighty row, which Wood 'describes. Tho bells rang, and the townsmen and gownsmen ran out with bows and arrows, and there was a big death-roll. "They shot also at the Clwno»llor of tho VnivorMty, and would have killed him, though he endeavoured to pacify them and appease the tunnit," says Wood, in Ids gay record of the finest town and gown row. That wns the'great contest between the (own* and the university. And thero was a verdict, after sis members of- the \university were killed outright and ninny were missing. A com. mission was instituted. And then came a sort of- compromise between city m\<l, university, whwi the Charter of Juno, 1355, was granted—a. fr«e pardon to all masters and scholars and their servants, who had taken part in tho great riot. For the university, said King Edward 111, was the main pource and channel o£ learning.in all England. Two Places In One. On Scholastica's Day, when should be said for those slain studentv the -Mayor had ■to go to church. ■ The' Mayor had to remember that day of riot, the contest between tho university .and; thb city, the town and gown row. And, His battle of town and gown was begun en. St. Scholastiea's Day, which led. to these, struggles between the city and the. university. ■ ■ ' . • Oxford has ' always-till to-day—been two places; That furious contest of the' fourteenth century has lastrd almost to our own tiiiic, whoi the university man is against the tradesman, and Oxford remains a place of trade and traffic. Tim two points of conflict may be seen at Carfax, the' "Qirortrevoix," or four ways, nnd St."Mary'si Church— tho.y are within, a hundred'yftrils.' And those'two poiiitsj have. soMnileil' tlio tocsin for confliot between town and gown in many a splendid fight. 'And' n flavor of Oxford, nn thfl anniversary' <if tho great riot, was, as is averred,' compelled to go to the Tjuire-rsity Church with a haltxr about his neck, nnd tho procession to St. Mary's wa.s don litless a, joy to l.hp conceited clerks.

But Oxford City won through, nohnthfbinding the charter that gave, (he innstci's niul scholars and sc-i'vonts who had. taken part in the prc.it riot a froo pardon, n charter which pave the Chancellor power over bread ana ale, and weights :uul measures, and sellers of meat and fish; and the right of excommunicating any person who polluted or obstructed the stveet.C There liavo be«n tinnrrols over the Chancellor's and thorn has been another furious riot, ovf.r a wo* man cf the town.

But city and university are now at ptflcn, fov tho last. town, and gown row ocr.nrred 'alwut hviinfy yeors aso. M r o may congratulate tlin city of Oxford on having—after a thousand years— reduced Ha boys to orderly behaviour. And made a profit by its vithi4.-"Wcstminster GaiettW-