Under Laud the University had quite recovered its popularity. There were no less than four thousand students; many men of learning and piety were numbered among its alumni; discipline was to a great extent established. But the coming struggle soon began to upset the new régime. For the Civil War was inevitably approaching. The chancellorship of Laud was crowned by a visit from the King and Queen in 1636. But though the University and town went out, as was their custom, towards Woodstock to meet their royal visitors, and though speeches and ceremonies were performed as usual, Wood notes that in the streets "neither scholars nor citizens made any expressions of joy or uttered as the manner is, Vivat Rex!" The visit lasted three days. The Elector Palatine and Prince Rupert received honorary M.A. degrees. Charles paid special attention to S. John's College, out of compliment to Laud, who entertained the royal party there, and drew attention to the library he had enlarged and the quadrangle he had built, mainly out of the stones obtained from the old Carmelite Convent in Beaumont Palace--once the Palace of Kings. From that time forward S. John's was the most royalist of colleges. One of its most treasured possessions was the portrait of the Royal Martyr, "which has the whole of the book of Psalms written in the lines of the face and the hair of the head." Of this picture, as of other things, the story is told that Charles II. begged it of the college, and promised in return to grant them any request they might make. They gave the picture, and requested His Majesty to give them--the picture back again. Comedies were performed at S. John's and Christ Church. The play at S. John's, "The Hospital of Lovers" was "merry and without offence," but that at Christ Church, by William Strode, the public orator, called the "Floating Island," had more of the moralist than poet in it. The scenery was realistic, but Lord Carnarvon declared the piece to be the worst he ever saw, except one at Cambridge. Another play at Christ Church, "The Royal Slave," by William Cartwright, was more successful. The scenery of the interludes was arranged by Inigo Jones. The Queen was so pleased with this piece, that she borrowed the Persian dresses and the scenery of the piece and had it repeated at Hampton Court, but "by all men's confession, the players came short of the University actors." Charles, in this matter at least, was more fortunate than his father. For James had suffered much boredom from a play called "Technogamia, or the Marriage of the Arts," in which "there was no point and no sense but non-sense." He was with difficulty induced to stay to the end. "At Christ Church 'Marriage,' done before the King, Lest that those mates should want an offering, The King himself did offer--what, I pray? He offered twice or thrice to go away." CHAPTER IX THE ROYALIST CAPITAL