Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/469

 THE LINES FORMED ROUND OXFORD. 307 to this application the Convocation assented, and agreed that whatever money the University was possessed of, whether in Saville's Matliematician's chest, Bodley's, or in the University chest, should be sent to the king. On this a large sum was given, for — "after the Convocation was ended, the keepers of the University chest took thence 8 GO/, and delivered it into the hands of the said Dr. Chaworth, who gave them an acquittance for the receipt of it." That this was the case is evident by an order from the Parlia- ment, dated 12th July, 1642, stating that — "Whereas the Lords and Commons in Parliament are informed, that attempts had been made to stop the collection of money to be raised by the Parliament for defence of the kiugdome, and that the authorities (enumerating them) had endea- voured against law to take awa}'- the plate and treasure of the Colleges and University, and to send the same to York, for maintaining w^ars against the Parliament and the whole kingdome, the}^ therefore declare the said colleges not bound by the Act of Convocation, forbid the giving of the treasure, and promise to bear them harmless." Upon this the king wrote more than one letter, the first dated from the court at Beverley, 18th July (afterwards pub- lished to Convocation), wherein he presents his thanks, through Dr. Prideaux, to the University, for the testimony of their hearts towards him, and promises them protection. This appears to be the first occasion on which the Uni- versity had to declare so very decidedly between the Par- hament and Charles ; but on the 9th of August, the procla- mation for the suppression of the rebellion came out, and immediately after the University began to put themselves in a posture of defence, and the "privileged mens' arms were called before Dr. Pinke, Deputy- Vice Chancellor, to be viewed, when not only privileged men of the University and their servants, but also many scholars appeared, bringing with them the furniture of every college that had arms." They were divided then into four squadrons ; two were musketeers, the third pikes, and the fourth lialbards, and they were drilled. " While these things were going on, the highway at the hither end of East bridge, just at the corner of the chaplain's quadrangle of Magdalen College, was blocked up with long timber logs, to keep out horsemen. A timber gate also was