Our Legal Heritage, King AEthelbert, 596 to King George III, 1775Reilly, S. A.
History
Our Legal Heritage, King AEthelbert, 596 to King George III, 1775
Reilly, S. A.
Law -- England -- History
The first college was founded in 1264 by Walter de Merton, former
Chancellor to the King, at Oxford. A college had the living
arrangements of a Hall, with the addition of monastic-type rules.
A warden and about 30 scholars lived and ate meals together in the
college buildings. Merton College's founding documents provided
that: "The house shall be called the House of the Scholars of
Merton, and it shall be the residence of the Scholars forever. . .
There shall be a constant succession of scholars devoted to the
study of letters, who shall be bound to employ themselves in the
study of Arts or Philosophy, the Canons or Theology. Let there
also be one member of the collegiate body, who shall be a
grammarian, and must entirely devote himself to the study of
grammar; let him have the care of the students in grammar, and to
him also let the more advanced have recourse without a blush, when
doubts arise in their faculty. . . There is to be one person in
every chamber, where Scholars are resident, of more mature age
than the others, who is to make his report of their morals and
advancement in learning to the Warden. . . The Scholars who are
appointed to the duty of studying in the House are to have a
common table, and a dress as nearly alike as possible. . . The
members of the College must all be present together, as far as
their leisure serves, at the canonical hours and celebration of
masses on holy and other days. . . The Scholars are to have a
reader at meals, and in eating together they are to observe
silence, and to listen to what is read. In their chambers, they
must abstain from noise and interruption of their fellows; and
when they speak they must use the Latin language. . . A Scrutiny
shall be held in the House by the Warden and the Seniors, and all
the Scholars there present, three times a year; a diligent inquiry
is to be instituted into the life, conduct, morals, and progress
in learning, of each and all; and what requires correction then is
to be corrected, and excesses are to be visited with condign
punishment. . ."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account