See! Oxford lifts her Head fublime, Nor wants there Græcia's better Part, New Charms 'mid old Magnificence; And here and there foft Corinth weaves Her dædal Coronet of Leaves; While, as with rival Pride, her Tow'rs invade the Sky, WARTON'S Ode. Blenheim Caftle, the Seat of his Grace the Duke of Merton Jefus College... Lincoln College Lift of Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors, Heads of THE NEW COMPANION FOR OX FOR D. OXFORD, as we read in our Chronicles, was, even in the British age, confecrated to the Mufes. It was called by the Romans Bellofitum. When the place was firft fortified does not appear but the walls, of which fome parts are ftill remaining, were raised upon former foundations, about the time of the Conqueft, by Robert D'Oilie, who erected the Caftle at the command of the Conqueror in 1071; a work of great strength, and confiderable extent, of which the Tower is the only part at prefent remaining: the old building being much decayed, on its fcite, and at the expenfe of the County, a large and commodious Gaol has lately been erected, which, for ftrength and convenience, will hardly be furpaffed by any in the kingdom. King Henry I. built a Royal Palace on a spot called Beaumont, on the weft fide A of of the city, remains of which are still seen. King Richard I. called Cœur de Lion, was born in this palace. The Univerfity of Oxford has many fabulous accounts relating to the time of its origin. It most probably was inftituted foon after the propagation of Chriftianity in this kingdom., Alfred is fuppofed by fome to have been its founder; but Alfred rather appears to have reftored it, in an age of confufion and ignorance, and to have been the father of that establishment and fecurity, which, notwithstanding fome temporary fhocks and interruptions, it has maintained ever fince. Alfred erected certain Schools or Halls, and affigned penfions to the Students. The first College of the Univerfity, incorporated by royal charter, was that of Walter de Merton, A. D. 1274; about which time, 15,000 scholars are reported to have been refident here: but in the reign of Henry III. the University is faid to have confifted of double that number. In the city and its environs were several Monafteries, the principal of which were St. Fridefwide's, and Ofeney Abbey. The bishopric, which was heretofore part of Lincoln diocese, was erected by King Henry VIII. in 1542. The fituation is on an eminence, rifing gradually from its extremities to the centre. It is encompaffed by meadows and corn-fields. The meadows, which are chiefly to the south and weft, are about a mile in extent; beyond which are hills of a moderate height, bounding the prospect. The eastern profpect has likewife fome hills at a little distance; the valley growing confiderably narrower towards the fouth: but the north is open to cornfields and enclosures for a confiderable extent, without any hill to intercept the air. It is washed by a number of ftreams: on the east, by the different branches of the 1 |