Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/174

 126 REMARKS ON THE CHURCH OF fifteenth century, under the name of '"Johannes Rossus," states that, " In prima dictse Universitatis fundatione ipse nobihs Rex Aluredus infra Urbis Oxonice moenia Doctores in Grammatica, Artibus et Theologia tribus locis in nomine Sanctse Trinitatis ex suis sumptibus instituit ;" and else- where observes that " Ecclesia Sancti Egidii, sub nomine cujusdam alterius sancti dedicata, erat locus creationis Gra- duatorum, sicut modo est Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae infra muros." * In hke manner, also, Brian Twyne, Fellow of Corpus Christi College, in his work published in 1608, under the title of " Antiquitatis Academiae Oxoniensis Apologia," quotes from the Chronicles of Hyde Abbey : " Quae Univer- sitas Oxoniae quondam erat extra portam Borealem ejusdem urbis, et erat principalis Ecclesia totius cleri Ecclesia Sancti Egidii extra eandem portam : modo vero est Ecclesia princi- pahs cleri Ecclesia Sanctae Mariae infra eandem urbem." " Sic (he proceeds) Hydense Chronicon, quod cum Eosso turn Burlaeo multo antiquius est."^ The Burlaeus alluded to being Walter Burley, a Fellow of Merton College, in 1305, described by Twyne as " Edwardi Regis tertii praeceptor longe doctissimus," ^ and so highly esteemed by the Parisian schoolmen as to have been honourably designated by them as '■ Doctor planus et perspicuus." ^ Whatever be the truth of the popular tradition which ascribes the foundation of St. Mary's Church to Alfred, the earliest authentic recognition of its existence is found in the Domesday Surve3^ In that record it is stated that, " Ad terras quas tenet Albericus Comes, pertinet una Ecclesia et tres mansiones ; harum duae jacent ad Ecclesiam Sanctae Maria?, reddentes xxviii.*^" ]Iention is frequently made of this Church in ancient writinos as belonging to the king. In a charter of the early part of the reign of King John an annual payment of xxxii*^. out of its lands was confirmed to the Church of St. Marv, the rector thereof, and his successors. In an inquisition in the ] 3th of Edward I., the Church of St. Mary is stated to be in the gift of the king, and of the annual value of thirty marks. ♦ Hist. Angi.. p. 77. « Twyne, 122. « Ibid, 121. '" Wood. Annais, i., 213.