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138 reign of Edward I., and was therefore contemporaneous with the erection of similar buildings in other parts of Europe. The same will frequently be found to be the case where opportunity is afforded to verify the dates; foreign antiquaries having been much in the habit of assigning earlier dates to buildings than they can verify. This document also establishes the fact that the building was commenced in the lifetime of Walter de Merton, who died a few months only after the dedication, and it is possible that the design was given by him.

Walter de Merton was the favourite of Richard, king of the Romans, brother of Henry III., and makes especial mention of him in the statutes of the college. Richard was considered the wealthiest man in Europe of his day, and was connected in various ways with Conrad, archbishop of Cologne, one of the electors, who came over to conduct him to his new kingdom, and crowned him. He may also fairly be supposed to have contributed largely to the building of Cologne cathedral, the great work which Archbishop Conrad was then straining every nerve to carry on: it is recorded that he gave 12,000 marks (£8000, a very large sum in those days) to the archbishop in 1256, and in 1257 the work was renewed with increased vigour under Master Gerard, but from the gigantic scale of the building its progress was necessarily slow, and the choir was not consecrated until 1327. From these circumstances it seems probable that Walter de Merton was acquainted with the design of Cologne cathedral, and his chapel is in a style very similar, though somewhat later in detail, and on comparatively a very small scale; the original plan has never been completed in either edifice.

For the sake of persons not acquainted with Oxford, it may