The Students in Arts[146] among the poor boys were to dispute a sophism among themselves once or twice a week, under the guidance of an “artist,”[147] who was to look after them, superintend their disputations, and otherwise supervise their instruction. The “grammarians”[148] were to have “collationes” before their instructor every day except Sundays and “double feasts.” The Clerks of the Chapel were to instruct the poor boys in singing. All the instructors, artists, grammarians and musicians were to be diligent in watching the progress of the students and in instructing them, and were to swear to be so. The Students in Theology[149] were to hold theological disputations every week on Saturday, Friday, or some other convenient day, which were to be superintended by the Provost or his _locum tenens_, or the senior present at the disputation; and at these all the theologians except the Provost, who would be very much busied about the affairs of “the Hall,” _i. e._ of the College, were bound to be present unless prevented by some lawful cause. The number of scholars was to be increased as the means of the College allowed. A Provost or anybody else who opposed such increase was to be expelled. For the maintenance of each scholar a sum of ten marks annually was to be set aside. Of this, at least 1_s._ 6_d._, and not more than 2_s._, was to be appropriated to his weekly commons. Anything saved under this head out of 2_s._ in the week was to be devoted to alms and no other purpose. The remainder of the ten marks was to go to the scholars to provide them with clothes and other necessaries. The Provost was to look to the character of the clothes. If they went far in country or town, they were not to wear simple or double “hoods,” but long “collobia” (frocks, sleeveless or with short sleeves), or other suitable garments; and they were not to go alone. An absent Fellow was to forfeit his commons in the long vacation, and the rest of his allowance also at other times, unless he were absent on the business of the Hall. Additional reasons for the enjoyment of commons in absence were subsequently approved. Pestilence in Oxford was a common excuse. In 1400-1, 1_s._ 6_d._ is allowed for the commons of William Warton and Peter de la Mare in time of pestilence. Similarly in 1625-6, £7 4_s._ is allowed to the Fellows dispersed in time of pestilence. Equally urgent reasons commended themselves during the reign of Charles I. In 1642 payments are made to Fellows, Chaplains, boys and servants in place of commons, when the College was for seven weeks dissolved owing to the advance of the enemy; and this in the same “computus,” with seven payments for bonfires on the occasion of seven Royalist victories. A Fellow received for each week 5_s._, a Chaplain and a boy 2_s._ 6_d._, a servant 2_s._ Three Fellows away in the North got smaller payments during eleven months.