Oxford is the second oldest university in the world. Bologna U. in Italy is slightly older. The town of Oxford, about 55 miles northwest of London, has always been dominated by the University. The emergence of schools such as Oxford were indications the the Dark Ages were over. However a few barbarians always remain hidden in the halls and pubs in every age.
The barbarians in Oxford usually came out whenever resentments between the scholars and the townsfolk got out of hand. The violence got so bad in 1209 that a bunch of scholars left Oxford and founded a new school at Cambridge 85 miles to the northeast. When students murdered townspeople or vice-versa, the courts usually came down on the side of the University, which increased the resentment of the townspeople.
The Black Death of 1349 was more impartial. Many townspeople died or left Oxford. About a quarter of the scholars died. The town was just starting to recover in 1355 when the worst clash of all took place: the St. Scholastica’s Day Riot.
On this day, the Feast of St. Scholastic, in 1355 several scholars went downtown to Swindlestock Tavern for a drink. Dickens himself couldn't have come up with a better name for the place. Two of the students, who also happened to be clergymen, complained of the quality of the wine. The bartender said they could like it or lump it and, according to witnesses, "several snappish words passed" between the men before the bartender served them "stubborn and saucy language".
No self-respecting student will stand for saucy language, even if he is a clergyman. One of the reverend students threw his drink in the bartender's face. After more throwing and beating about the head with wooden drinking vessels, the brawl moved into the street where it was upgraded to a riot. The townspeople rang the church bell to summon reinforcements and the students rang the school bell calling their fellow students to assist.
The university chancellor arrived to calm things down and was shot at with arrows for his trouble. Night fell and everyone went home. No one had been killed or seriously wounded yet. The next morning the chancellor issued an order that everyone should settle down. He was backed up by the town's chief magistrate, but the bailiffs (cops) were urging the townsfolk to arm themselves. The bailiffs were also, recruiting people from neighboring towns.
This mob began chasing down students, killing one and injuring several others. Countryfolk, up to two thousand of them, poured into the town yelling: "Havoc! Havoc! Smyt fast, give gode knocks!" The outnumbered students barricaded themselves in their halls. The rioters took over five taverns and polished off any food and drink available and killed any students unlucky enough to be out and about. The bailiffs ordered the rioters to settle down but it was too late
The king came to a neighboring town and told the rioters to go home. They ignored the king and took over and emptied another fourteen taverns and inns, killing several more students along the way. By the end of the third day the passions of the townsfolk were satisfied and they went home to an early bed. By then the surviving scholars had left the town, much of which had been burned. About 63 students had been killed along with about 30 townspeople.
The aftermath was predictable. The king sent judges to Oxford to "oyer and terminate," or hear and judge. The king came down on the side of the University. All of the scholars were pardoned. The town was fined 500 marks which was a lot of money. All religious practices except baptisms were halted. That was a big deal back then when Heaven and Hell were so much closer.
The king's final judgement gave the University all kinds of rights over the town including the right of taxation. The University got to handle all legal disputes between scholars and townspeople. Once religious practices were restored, an annual penance was imposed. Each St. Scholastica's Day thenceforward the mayor and bailiffs had to attend mass and pray for the scholars killed in the riot. This went on for 470 years until 1825 when the mayor said, "The heck with this foolishness." Then he went and had a drink with some students to celebrate St. Scholastica's Day as he saw fit.
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| A sanitized view of the riot. Even the year is wrong. |
The king came down on the side of the University. All of the scholars were pardoned. The students jeered at the townspeople, "Too-ta-loo. Au revior. Auf weidesen. Ciao. Ding dow dai."
ReplyDelete"Let's face it. You've gotta be a man to wear tights!"
Give me a nice thobe or dishdasha any day.
DeleteInterestingly, Scholastica is the patron saint of Benedictine nuns, education, and convulsive children, and she is invoked against storms and rain. Sr. Eubestrabius probably took Scholastica as a confirmation name.
ReplyDeleteHow now, sir! How can Oxford be mentioned with at least a nod to the OED. I shall correct the omission. The Oxford English Dictionary has been the last word on words for over a century But as with a respected professor or admired parent, we count on its wisdom and authority without thinking much about how it was acquired.
ReplyDeleteHere's the nod:
How it began 1857: The Philological Society of London calls for a new English Dictionary
More work than they thought 1884: It had been estimated that the project would be finished in approximately ten years. Five years down the road, when Murray and his colleagues had only reached as far as the word ‘ant’, they realized it was time to reconsider their schedule. It was not surprising that the project was taking longer than anticipated. Not only are the complexities of the English language formidable, but it also never stops evolving. Murray and his Dictionary colleagues had to keep track of new words and new meanings of existing words at the same time that they were trying to examine the previous seven centuries of the language’s development.
One step at a time 1884-1928: The Dictionary is published in fascicles
Keeping it current 1933-1986: Supplements to the OED
Making it modern 1980s: The Supplements are integrated with the OED to produce its Second Edition
Into the electronic age 1992: The first CD-ROM version of the OED is published
The future has begun The present: The OED is now being fully revised, with new material published in parts online
Check this link for an expansion of the above, plagiarized excerpt.
https://public.oed.com/history/