Oxford (England) -- History; University of Oxford -- History
But in this case it is Master Henry Sever,
Warden of Merton, who has lately been making some repairs in the
College, and he has borrowed from the Seltone Chest the extreme sum
permitted by the ordinance, sixty shillings, for that purpose. The
scholars plainly disapprove of his action. They are jealous of his using
the funds of the chest which, they think, were not intended for the
convenience of such as he. Master Sever, however, is filled with anxiety
at the present moment. He has pledged an illuminated missal which far
exceeds in value the sum he has borrowed, and this he omitted to redeem
at the proper time. It is not in the chest. He inquires, and is told
that it has been borrowed for inspection by an intending purchaser, who
has left a silver cup in its place, of more intrinsic value by the
stationer's decision, but not in Mr Sever's opinion. Satisfied that he
will be able to effect an exchange, he departs with the cup in search of
the owner. Other cases are now considered. Some redeem their pledges,
some borrow more monies, some are new customers, and they sorrowfully
deposit their treasures and slink sadly away, not without a titter from
the more hardened bystanders. But before the iron lid closes again, and
the bolts slide back, "Ye shall pray," says Master Parys, addressing the
borrowers, "for the soul of W. de Seltone and all the faithful
departed."
We may pass from this scene in the old Convocation House to another not
less typical of the mediæval University. The Chancellor's court is being
held, and the Chancellor himself is sitting there, or, in his absence,
his commissary. The two proctors are present as assessors, and these
three constitute the court. It is before this tribunal that every member
of the "Privilege" must be tried. For it was only in a University court
that they could be sued in the first instance. Here then, if we attend
this court and glance through the records of ages, we shall find the
Chancellor administering justice, exercising the extensive powers which
he holds as a Justice of the Peace and as almost the supreme authority
over members of the University. True, he had not the power of life and
death, but he could fine or banish, imprison and excommunicate. And as
to the townsmen, he exercised over them a joint jurisdiction with the
mayor and civic authorities. The accused was entitled to have an
advocate to defend him, and he could appeal to the Congregation of
Masters, and thereafter to the Pope. No spiritual cause terminable
within the University could be carried out of it. But in all temporal
cases the ultimate appeal was to the King.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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