C A M B R I D G E
A N D   I T S   S T O R Y

BY
CHARLES   WILLIAM   STUBBS, D.D.
DEAN OF ELY



WITH TWENTY-FOUR LITHOGRAPHS
AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS BY
HERBERT  RAILTON

THE LITHOGRAPHS BEING
TINTED BY
FANNY   RAILTON

1903
LONDON
J.   M.   DENT   &   CO.
A L D I N E   H O U S E, W. C.


Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson & Co.
At the Ballantyne Press

PREFACE

I SHOULD wish to write one word by way of explanation of the character of the descriptive historical sketch which forms the text of the present book.

Some time ago I undertook to prepare, for “the Mediæval Towns Series” of my Publisher, a work on the Story of the Town and University of Cambridge. Arrangements were made with Mr. Herbert Railton for its pictorial illustration. It had been intended in the first instance, that the artist’s pen and ink sketches should have been reproduced by the ordinary processes used in modern book illustration. But the poetic glamour of such a place as Cambridge and its genius loci did not allow the enthusiasm of the artist to remain satisfied with such drawings only as might be readily reproduced by the ordinary processes. In addition to many sketches in black and white, suitable for reproduction in the body of the text in illustration of interesting bits of architectural detail, or of quaint grouping, Mr. Railton has also drawn a series of large-sized pencil-pictures of the principal College buildings. These drawings are so beautiful, so full of delicacy and tenderness and yet so firm and effective in their treatment of light and shade, and show so much sympathy for the old buildings and all their picturesque charm, that the Publisher at once felt that they must not be treated as ordinary book illustrations. The artist had produced pictures worthy to be classed with the best work of Samuel Prout. It became the duty of the Publisher to treat them with corresponding respect. The method of auto-lithography has accordingly been adopted, by which the plates are an absolute reproduction in size and tint of the pencil drawings, and the artist’s work goes straight to the reader without any mechanical intervention. A new feature has been added by which the colour stones have been made by Mrs. Railton acting in collaboration with her husband. This process of reproduction necessarily involved a change in the proposed format of the book. It was determined, therefore, to issue in the first instance an edition de luxe of “The Story of Cambridge,” on specially prepared paper and in large quarto size. I have readily consented to such a course, for although I may seem, by the more imposing form of a large Library Edition, to be guilty of some presumption in placing my Historical Sketch in competition with such histories as those of Mr. Mullinger in the “Epochs of History Series,” or of my friend, Mr. T. D. Atkinson, in “Cambridge Described”—the larger books of Mr. J. W. Clark on the architectural history of Cambridge, and of Mr. Mullinger on the general history of the University are already classics to which humbler writers on Cambridge can only look as to final authorities—I can only hope that my readers will recognise that my presumption is only apparent, and meanwhile I rest confident that even the historical critic will have little care for the inadequacy of my prose rendering of “The Story of Cambridge,” absorbed as he must be by his delight in the beauty of Mr. Railton’s drawings. In any case, I shall be entirely satisfied if only my descriptive sketch is found adequate for the help of the general reader in appreciating the story of which the artist has been able to give so poetic an interpretation.

C. W. S.

The Deanery, Ely,
Michaelmas, 1903.

CONTENTS

PAGE PREFACE v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xiii CHAPTER I LEGENDARY ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSITY 1

Geographical and commercial importance of the city site—Map of the county a palimpsest—Glamour of the Fenland—Cambridge the gateway of East Anglia—The Roman roads—The Roman station—The Castle Hill—Stourbridge Fair—Cambridge a chief centre of English commerce.

CHAPTER II CAMBRIDGE IN THE NORMAN TIME 22

William I. at Cambridge Castle—Cambridge at the Domesday Survey—Roger Picot the Sheriff—Pythagoras School—Castle and Borough—S. Benet’s Church and its Parish—The King’s Ditch—The Great and the Small Bridges—The King’s and the Bishop’s Mills—The River Hythes—S. Peter by the Castle and S. Giles Church—The early Streets of the City—The Augustinian Priory of Barnwell—The Round Church of the Holy Sepulchre—The Cambridge Jewry—Debt of early Scholars to the Philosophers of the Synagogue—Benjamin’s House—Municipal Freedom of the Borough.

CHAPTER III THE BEGINNINGS OF UNIVERSITY LIFE 49

Monastic Origins—Continuity of Learning in Early England—The School of York—The Venerable Bede—Alcuin and the Schools of Charles the Great—The Danish Invasions—The Benedictine Revival—The Monkish Chroniclers—The Coming of the Friars—The Franciscan and Dominican Houses at Cambridge—The Franciscan Scholars—Roger Bacon—Bishop Grosseteste—The New Aristotle and the Scientific Spirit—The Scholastic Philosophy—Aquinas—Migration of Scholars from Paris to Cambridge—The term

“University”—The Colleges and the Hostels—The Course of Study—Trivium and Quadrivium—The Four Faculties—England a Paradise of Clerks—Parable of the Monk’s Pen. CHAPTER IV THE EARLIEST COLLEGE FOUNDATION: PETERHOUSE 71

The Early Monastic Houses in Cambridge—Student Proselytising by the Friars—The Oxford College of Merton a Protest against this Tendency—The Rule of Merton taken as a Model by Hugh de Balsham, Founder of Peterhouse—The Hospital of S. John—The Scholars of Ely—Domestic Economy of the College—The Dress of the Mediæval Student—Peterhouse Buildings—Little S. Mary’s Church—The Perne Library—The College Chapel.

CHAPTER V THE COLLEGES OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY 93

The Fourteenth Century an Age of Great Men and Great Events but not of Great Scholars—Petrarch and Richard of Bury—Michael House—The King’s Scholars—King’s Hall—Clare Hall—Pembroke College—Gonville Hall—Dr. John Caius—His Three Gates of Humility, Virtue, and Honour.

CHAPTER VI THE COLLEGE OF THE CAMBRIDGE GUILDS 120

Unique Foundation of Corpus Christi College—The Cambridge Guilds—The influence of “the Good Duke”—The Peasant Revolt—Destruction of Charters—“Perish the skill of the Clerks!”—The Black Death—Lollardism at the Universities—The Poore Priestes of Wycliffe.

CHAPTER VII TWO ROYAL FOUNDATIONS 137

Henry VI—The most pitiful Character in all English History—His devotion to Learning and his Saintly Spirit—His foundation of Eton and King’s College—The Building of King’s College Chapel—Its architect, Reginald of Ely, the Cathedral Master-Mason—Its relation to the Ely Lady Chapel—Its stained glass Windows—Its close Foundation—Queens’ College—Margaret of Anjou and Elizabeth Wydville—The buildings of Queens’—Similarity to Haddon Hall—Its most famous Resident, Erasmus—His Novum Instrumentum edited within its Walls.

CHAPTER VIII TWO OF THE SMALLER HALLS 173

The Foundation of Trinity Hall by Bishop Bateman of Norwich—On the Site of the Hostel of Student-Monks of Ely—Prior Crauden—Evidence of the Ely Obedientary Rolls—The College Buildings—The Old Hall—S. Edward’s Church used as College Chapel—Hugh Latimer’s Sermon on a Pack of Cards—Harvey Goodwin—Frederick Maurice—The Hall Library—Its ancient Bookcases—The Foundation of S. Catherine’s Hall.

CHAPTER IX BISHOP ALCOCK AND THE NUNS OF S. RHADEGUND 183

The New Learning in Italy and Germany—The English “Pilgrim Scholars”: Grey, Tiptoft, Linacre, Grocyn—The practical Genius of England—Bishops Rotherham, Alcock, and Fisher—Alcock, diplomatist, financier, architect—The Founder of Jesus College—He takes as his model Jesus College, Rotherham—His Object the Training of a Preaching Clergy—The Story of the Nunnery of S. Rhadegund—Its Dissolution—Conversion of the Conventual Church into a College Chapel—The Monastic Buildings, Gateway, Cloister, Chapter House—The Founder a Better Architect than an Educational Reformer—The Jesus Roll of eminent Men from Cranmer to Coleridge.

CHAPTER X COLLEGES OF THE NEW LEARNING 210

The Lady Margaret Foundations—Bishop Fisher of Rochester—The Foundation of Christ’s—God’s House—The buildings of the new College—College Worthies—John Milton—Henry More—Charles Darwin—The Hospital of the Brethren of S. John—Death of the Lady Margaret—Foundation of S. John’s College—Its buildings—The Great Gateway—The new Library—The Bridge of Sighs—The Wilderness—Wordsworth’s “Prelude”—The aims of Bishop Fisher—His death.

CHAPTER XI A SMALL AND A GREAT COLLEGE 246

Dissolution of the Monasteries—Schemes for Collegiate Spoliation checked by Henry VIII.—Monks’ or Buckingham College—Refounded by Sir Thomas Audley as Magdalene College—Conversion of the old buildings—The Pepysian Library—Foundation of Trinity College—Michaelhouse and the King’s Hall—King Edward’s Gate—The Queen’s Gate—The Great Gate—Dr. Thomas Neville—The Great Court—The Hall—Neville’s Court—New Court—Dr. Bentley—“A House of all Kinds of Good Letters.”

CHAPTER XII ANCIENT AND PROTESTANT FOUNDATIONS 265

Queen Elizabeth and the Founder of

Emmanuel—The Puritan Age—Sir Walter Mildmay—The Building of Emmanuel—The Tenure of Fellowships—Puritan Worthies—The Founder of Harvard—Lady Frances Sidney—The Sidney College Charter—The Buildings—The Chapel and the old Franciscan Refectory—Royalists and Puritans—Oliver Cromwell—Thomas Fuller—-A Child’s Prayer for his Mother. INDEX: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, P, R, S, T, U, V, W.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

TINTED LITHOGRAPHS

Oriel Windows, Queens’ College   Frontispiece The School of Pythagoras facing page 28 Peterhouse ” 82 Clare College and Bridge ” 96 Pembroke College ” 106 Gate of Honour and Gate of Virtue, Caius College ” 112 The Churches of S. Edward and S. Mary the Great from Peas Hill ” 123 Corpus Christi College and S. Benedict’s Church ” 128 The Pitt Press, S. Botolph’s Church, and Corpus Christi College ” 132 The West Doorway, King’s College Chapel ” 144 Gateway to Old Court of King’s College ” 153 The Chapel, Trinity Hall ” 174 Oriel Window, Jesus College ” 178 Gateway in Great Court, S. Catherine’s College ” 180 The Chapel, Christ’s College ” 214 Gateway, S. John’s College ”

align="right">230 Oriel in Library, S. John’s College ” 236 Tower and Turrets of Trinity from S. John’s College ” 243 The Library, Chapel, and Hall, Magdalene College ” 248 Gateway and Dial, Trinity College ” 254 Neville’s Court, Trinity College ” 260 Hall and Chapel, Emmanuel College ” 266 Downing College ” 274 The Garden Front, Sidney Sussex College ” 278

BLACK AND WHITE ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE Courtyard of the Falcon Inn 25 Saxon Tower, S. Benedict’s Church 29 The Abbey House 35 Chapel, Barnwell Priory 39 The Round Church 41 Oriel Windows from House in Petty-Cury facing page 46 Clare College and Bridge 101 Pembroke College 107 Pembroke College, Oriels and Entrance 109 Caius College, The Gate of Honour 117 King’s Parade 139 King’s College Chapel 145 King’s College Chapel facing page 150 King’s College Quadrangle 155 Cloister Court, Queens’ College 163 Oriel Window, Queens’ College 166 The Bridge and Gables, Queens’ College 169 A Bit from Sidney Street 172 Divinity Schools and S. John’s 193 Norman Work in Church of Jesus College 197 Norman Work in N. Transept, Jesus College Chapel 201 Entrance to Chapter-House, Priory of S. Rhadegund

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@43764@[email protected]#page_203" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">203 Jack in Wolsey’s Kitchen, Christ’s College 219 The Courtyard of the Wrestlers’ Inn facing page 220 Entrance to S. John’s College 229 S. John’s College from the Backs 233 Bridge of Sighs, S. John’s College 239 Tower and Gateway, Trinity College facing page 252 The Fountain, Trinity College ”        258

CHAPTER I

LEGENDARY ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSITY

ONE could wish perhaps that the story of Cambridge should begin, as so many good stories of men and cities have begun, in the antique realm of poetry and romance. That it did so begin our forefathers indeed had little doubt. John Lydgate, the poet, a Benedictine monk of Bury, “the disciple”—as he is proud to call himself—“of Geoffrey Chaucer,” but best remembered perhaps by later times as the writer of “London Lackpenny” and “Troy Book,” has left certain verses on the foundation of the Town and University of Cambridge, which are still preserved to us.[1] Some stanzas of that fourteenth-century poem will serve to show in what a cloudland of empty legend it was at one time thought that the story of the beginnings of Cambridge might be found:—

But it is not only in verse that this fabric of fable is to be found. Down even to the middle of the last century the ears of Cambridge graduates were still beguiled by strange stories of the early renown of their University—how

it was founded by a Spanish Prince, Cantaber (the “Cantebro” of Lydgate’s verses), “in the 4321st year of the creation of the world,” and in the sixth year of Gurgant, King of Britain; how Athenian astronomers and philosophers, “because of the pleasantness of the place,” came to Cambridge as its earliest professors, “the king having appointed them stipends”; how King Arthur, “on the 7th of April, in the year of the Incarnacion of our Lord, 531,” granted a charter of academic privileges “to Kenet, the first Rector of the schools”; and how the University subsequently found another royal patron in the East Anglian King Sigebert, and had among its earliest Doctors of Divinity the great Saxon scholars Bede and Alcuin.

I have before me as I write a small octavo volume, a guide-book to Cambridge and its Colleges, much worn and thumbed, probably by its eighteenth-century owner, possibly by his nineteenth-century successor, in which all these fables and legends are set out in order. The book has lost its title-page, but it is easily identifiable as an English translation of Richard Parker’s Skeletos Cantabrigiensis, written about 1622, but not apparently published until a century later, when the antiquary, Thomas Hearne, printed it in his edition of Leland’s Collectanea. My English edition of the Skeletos is presumably either that which was “printed for Thomas Warner at the Black Boy, Pater Noster Row,” and without a date, or that published by “J. Bateman at the Hat and Star in S. Paul’s Churchyard,” and dated 1721. As an illustration of the kind of record which passed for history even in the last century,—for the early editions of Hallam’s “History of the Middle Ages” bear evidence that that careful historian still gave some credence to these Cambridge fables,—it may be interesting to quote one or two passages from the legendary history of Nicholas Cantelupe, which is prefixed to this English version of Parker’s book:—

There then follows a letter, given without any doubt of authenticity, from Alcuin of York, purporting to be written to the scholars of Cambridge from the Court of Charles the Great:—

We may omit the mythical charter of King Arthur and come to the passage concerning King Alfred, obviously intended to turn the flank of the Oxford patriots, who too circumstantially relate how their University was founded by that great scholar king.