CORPUS-CHRISTI COLLEGE. CORPUS-Chrifti College ftands between ChristChurch on the Weft, Merton College on the Eaft, and Oriel College on the North; confifting of one Quadrangle, an elegant Pile of modern Buildings, in which are pleasant and commodious Rooms (that look into Merton and Chrift-Church Meadows) and a Cloyster adjoining; also a neat Structure which looks Eaftwards towards Merton College Grove, in which are Aparments appropriated to Gentlemen - Commoners, whofe Number the Founder has confined to Six, and who are to be Sons of Noblemen, or other eminent Per fons. On the East Side of the Quadrangle is the Hall, which is 50 Feet long, and 25 broad, and of a proportionable Height. The Cylindrical Dial in the Quadrangle is set at Right Angles with the Horizon, the common Sections whereof, with the Hour Circles, except the Meridian Circle that divides it by the Axis, as alfo the Equinoctial, are all Ellipfes, and is a fine old Piece of Gnomonicks. On the Column is a perpetual Kalendar. The Chapel, which is fituated at the South-Eaft Corner of the Quadrangle, is 70 Feet in Length, and 25 in Breadth. The Library is well furnished with Books, particularly a large Collection of Pamphlets from the Reformation to the Revolution. About 300 MSS. An English Bible, fuppofed to be older than Wick liffe's 84 CORPUS-CHRISTI COLLEGE. liffe's. A Parchment Roll, containing the Pedigree of the Royal Family, and the feveral Branches of it, from King Alfred to Edward VI. with their Arms blazoned, figned by the King at Arms; and feveral other Curiofities, particularly an ancient Manuscript History of the Bible in French, finely decorated with curious Paintings, given by General Oglethorpe, who was a Member of this College; and also a very valuable Collection of the first Editions of the Clafficks. They fhew here alfo the genuine Crofier of the Founder, a Piece of curious Workmanship, little impaired by Time. This College was founded in the Year 1516, by Dr. Richard Fox, a Native of Ropefley, near Grantham in Lincolnshire, who was fucceffively Bishop of the Sees of Exeter, Bath and Wells, Durham and Winchester, and was likewife Lord Privy Seal to King Henry VII. and Henry VIII. He first intended it only as a Seminary for the Monks of the Priory, or Cathedral Church of St. Swithin at Winchefter, and obtained a Charter for that End; but altered his Mind by the Perfuafion of Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, who engaged to be a Benefactor to the House, on condition that he would convert it into a College for the Ufe of fecular Students, after the Manner of other Colleges in the Univerfity: Whereupon Bifhop Fox caufed the firft Charter to be cancelled, and obtained another, whereby he was permitted to found a College for the Study of Divinity, Philofophy, and other liberal Arts. The Charter of Foundation was dated at the Caftle of Wolvefly, on the Calends of March 1516. He affigned a Body of Statutes for the Government of this Society, whereby he appointed, that the the Fellows fhould be elected out of the Scholars, who are to be chofen from the Counties or Dioceses following, viz. two Surry, three Hampshire, one Durham, two Bath and Wells, two Exeter, two County of Lincoln, two Gloucestershire, one Wilthire, or (in Defect of a Candidate) the Diocese of Sarum, one County of Bedford, two County of Kent, one County of Oxford, one Lancashire. Among the Benefactors was Hugh Oldham, Chaplain to Margaret Countess of Richmond, and afterwards Bishop of Exeter, who gave 6000 Marks towards the Building of this College, befides feveral Estates for the Endowment of it. William Froft, Steward to the Founder; John Claymond, the firft Prefident of this College; and Robert Morwent, fecond Prefident, gave to the College feveral Portions of Lands: And in 1706, Dr. Turner, when Prefident, gave the New Buildings and his Collection of Books. The present Members of this Society are a Prefident, 20 Fellows, 2 Chaplains, 20 Scholars, 4 Exhibitioners, and 6 Gentlemen Commoners. Vifitor. The Bishop of Winchester. ME MERTON COLLEGE. TERTON College is fituated Eaft of CorpusChrifti, and confifts of Three Courts. The largeft, or inner Court, is about 110 Feet long, and 100 broad. The Chapel is at the Weft End of the first Court, and is likewife the Parish Church of St. John Bap tift de Merton. It is one of the largest and best proportioned Gothic Structures in the University, 100 Feet in Length, and 30 in Breadth, and has a very capacious Tower and Ante-Chapel. But large as it is at prefent, it has been thought, from its whole Appearance, and from the Form and Manner of the Arches closed up in the Wall of the Weft End, on each Hand of the great Window, to have been built with a View to a farther Addition of a Nave and Side-ifles; the prefent Building being no more than the Choir, and Crofs-ifle. Such a Design was more eafy to be made than executed, and after all, most likely reached no farther than to the carrying on the Building, as far as it went, in the Cathedral Manner. In the Chapel are the Monuments of Sir Thomas Bodley, Sir Henry Savile, Bishop Earle, and fome others. In the Ante-Chapel, befides the reft, by the North Door, is that of Mr. Anthony Wood, the famous Antiquarian. And near the Entrance into the Chapel is a very neat though small one, for the late Warden Dr. Wyntle and his Sifter. The Hall is between the firft and the inner Court; and the Library in the fmall old Quadrangle, South of the Chapel, and is well furnished with ancient and modern Books and Manuscripts. The Gardens are very pleasant, having the Advantage of a Profpect of the adjacent Walks and Country from the South Terrafs. This Society, confifting of a Warden and about the fame Number of Scholars or Fellows as at prefent, was first placed at Maldon in Surry, (but with a Provifion for the Abode and Refidence of the chief Part of them here in Oxford) Anne 1264, the 48th Year of King Henry the Third, by Walter de |