At a very early period, not only in the art of logic itself, but in their manner of applying it: for in the beginning of 1517, says Wood, about the latter end of Lent (a fatal time for the most part to the Oxonians,) a sore discord fell out between the Cistercian and Benedictine monks, concerning several philosophical points discussed by them in the schools. But their arguments being at length flung aside, they decided the controversy by blows, which, with sore scandal, continued a considerable time. At length the Benedictines rallying up what forces they could procure, they beset the Cistercians, and by force of arms made them fly and betake themselves to their hostels. In fact, he says, by the use of logic, and the trivial arts, the Oxford sophists, in the time of Lent, broke the king's peace, so that the University privileges were several times suspended, and in danger of being lessened or taken away. Through the corrupt use of it, "the Parva Logicalia, and other minute matters of Aristotle, many things of that noble author have been so changed from their original, by the screwing in and adding many impertinent things, that Tho. Nashe (in his book, 'Have at you to Saffron Walden,') hath verily thought, that if Aristotle had risen out of his grave, and disputed with the sophisters, they would not only have baffled him with their sophistry, but with his own logic, which they had disguised, and he composed without any impurity or corruption. It may well be said, that in this day they have done no more than what Tom Nashe's beloved Dick Harvey did afterwards at Cambridge, that is to say, HE SET ARISTOTLE WITH HIS HEELS UPWARDS ON THE SCHOOL GATES, With ass's ears on his head,--a thing that Tom would 'in perpetuam rei memoriam,' record and never have done with. Wilson, in his _Memorabilia Cantabrigiæ_, says of this said Tom Nash, that he was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he resided seven years, was at the fatal repast of the pickled herrings with the poet Green, and, in 1597, was either confined or otherwise troubled for a comedy on _the Isle of Dogs_ (extant in the MSS. of Oldys,) though he wrote but the first act, and the players without his knowledge supplied the rest. He was a man of humour, a bitter satirist, and no contemptible poet; and more effectually discouraged and non-plused the notorious anti-prelate and astrologer, Will Harvey, and his adherents, than all the serious writers that attacked them. There is a good character of him, says Oldys, in _The return from Parnassus, or Scourge of Simony_, which was publicly acted by the students of St. John's, in 1606, wherein THEY FIRST EXEMPLIFIED THE ART OF CUTTING,