The Oxford Degree Ceremony

I have tried as far as possible to introduce the language of the statutes, whether past or present; the forms actually used in the degree ceremony itself are given in Latin and translated; in other cases a rendering has usually been given, but sometimes the original has been retained, when the words were either technical or such as would be easily understood by all.

The illustrations, with which the Clarendon Press has furnished the book, are its most valuable part. Every Oxford man, who cares for the history of his University, will be glad to have the reproduction of the portrait of the fourteenth-century Chancellor and of the University seal.

I have to thank Dr. Rashdall and the Rev. Andrew Clark for most kindly reading through my chapters, and for several suggestions, and Professor Oman for special help in the Appendix on 'The University Staves'.

J.W.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I PAGE

THE DEGREE CEREMONY 1

CHAPTER II

THE MEANING OF THE DEGREE CEREMONY 19

CHAPTER III

THE PRELIMINARIES OF THE DEGREE CEREMONY 34

CHAPTER IV

THE OFFICERS OF THE UNIVERSITY 50

CHAPTER V

UNIVERSITY DRESS 64

CHAPTER VI

THE PLACES OF THE DEGREE CEREMONY 79

APPENDIX I

THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLIES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD 93

APPENDIX II

THE UNIVERSITY STAVES 94

INDEX 97

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

THE ORIGINAL SHELDONIAN Frontispiece

THE UNIVERSITY SEAL To face p.1

(The seal dates from the fourteenth century and is kept by the Proctors.)

THE CHANCELLOR RECEIVING A CHARTER FROM EDWARD III To face p.19

(From the Chancellor's book, circ. 1375.)

MASTER AND SCHOLAR To face p.34

(From the title-page of Burley's Tractatus de natura et forma.)

THE BEDEL OF DIVINITY'S STAFF To face p.50

PROCTOR AND SCHOLARS OF THE RESTORATION PERIOD To face p.64

(From Habitus Academicorum, attributed to D. Loggan, 1674.)

THE INTERIOR OF THE DIVINITY SCHOOL To face p.79

[Illustration]

CHAPTER I

THE DEGREE CEREMONY

The streets of Oxford are seldom dull in term time, but a stranger who chances to pass through them between the hours of nine and ten on the morning of a degree day, will be struck and perhaps perplexed by their unwonted animation. He will find the quads of the great block of University buildings, which lie between the 'Broad' and the Radcliffe Square, alive with all sorts and conditions of Oxford men, arrayed in every variety of academic dress. Groups of undergraduates stand waiting, some in the short commoner's gown, others in the more dignified gown of the scholar, all wearing the dark coats and white ties usually associated with the 'Schools' and examinations, but with their faces free from the look of anxiety incident to those occasions. Here and there are knots of Bachelors of Arts, in their ampler gowns with fur-lined hoods, some only removed by a brief three years from their undergraduate days, others who have evidently allowed a much longer period to pass before returning to bring their academic career to its full and complete end. From every college comes the Dean in his Master's gown and hood, or if he be a Doctor, in the scarlet and grey of one of the new Doctorates, in the dignified scarlet and black of Divinity, or in the bold blending of scarlet and crimson which marks Medicine and Law. College servants, with their arms full of gowns and hoods, will be seen in the background, waiting to assist in the academic robing of their former masters, and to pocket the 'tips' which time-honoured custom prescribes.