Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/480

 .378 THE LINES FORMED ROUND OXFORD armed, with colours flying, and drums beating. Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice had left, with the people of quality, on the Monday and Tuesday. It gave great discontent to the soldiers that the place should have been given up, and it seems extraordinary, and only to be explained as a consequence of the uncertain character of Charles, that having squandered the whole resources of the University and city for three years to fortify the place so completely, having lost almost everything else, having no one on whom he could depend, as he could on the tried loyalty of the University, he should have left the place to its fate ; or (if that were not thought best) without, at least, insisting that all that had been done should not be utter waste of time and money, as it proved in the end. This was the more annoying to the troops, as there was every chance of their holding so strong a place for some time ; and shortly after the place was surrendered, the weather seems to have become unfavourable, the meadows were flooded, and Fairfax's communication was cut ofi" between Headington and the north side ; he must, therefore, have given up one or other of his positions, probably the one on Headington, from whence he could annoy the town greatly, though he would hardly have assaulted the town by Magdalene bridge ; he could only then have approached on the north side, between St. Giles' and Holywell churches, and the defence might have been confined to that side. That Oxford should have been given up, instead of standing a siege, is now a matter for happy reflection, considering the state into which the University had fahen during the previous three years. It was exhausted in its finances, and Dr. Fell says, — " Wee now perceive what a miserable condition wee are like to be in concerning our rents ; our tenants from all parts take strange advantages, and, complying with country committees (some of them being in cadem navi), seek to undoo the Universitie utterlie. Wee have not in pubhc or private wherewithal to supply our necessary burdens." And Wood adds, — " It was deprived of its number of sons, having few in respect of former times. Lectures and exercises for the most part ceased, the schools being employed as granaries for the garrison. Those few also that were remaining were, for the most part, especially such that were young, much debauched, and become idle by their keeping conqjany with