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 DOUAI

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DOTTAI

The English College was the first to be opened in connexion with the university. The College d'Anchin was opened a few months later, endowed by the Abbot of the neighbouring monastery of Anchin, and en- trusted to the Jesuits. In 1570, the Abbot of Marchien- nes founded a college for the study of law. The Abbot of Saint- Vaast founded a college of that name. Later on, we find the College of St. Thomas Aquinas, belonging to the Dominicans, the College du Roi, and others. The remaining British establishments were all exclusively for ecclesiastics. The Irish CJollege was originally a Spanish foundation. It was established before the end of the sixteenth century, and endowed with 5,000 flor- ins a year by the King of Spain. The course of studies lasted six years and the students attended lectures at the university. The Scots' College has an unfortunate notoriety in consequence of the long dispute between the Jesuits and the secular clergy which centred round it in later times. It was established in 1594, not as a new foundation, but as the continuation of a secu- lar college at Pont-a-Mousson in Lorraine, which, owing to the unhealthfulness of the site, had to seek a new home. In 1596, however, it moved again, and it was not till after several further migrations that it set- tled finally at Douai in 1612. The college was devoid of resources, and it was due to the zealous efforts of Father Parsons in Rome and Madrid, and of Father Creighton in France and Flanders, that numerous benefactions were given, and it was placed on a per- manent footing. For this reason, the Jesuits after- wards claimed the property as their own, although it was admitted that in its early years secular clergy had been educated there. Appeals and counter-appeals were made, but the question was still unsettled when the Jesuits were expelled from France in 1764. The French Government, however, recognized the claims of the Scotch secular clergy and allowed them to con- tinue the work of the college under a rector chosen from their own body. The Benedictine and Franciscan houses at Douai were near together and were both bound up in their history with the restoration of the respective orders in England. The Franciscan monas- tery was founded mainly through the instrumentality of Father John Gennings, the brother of the martyr. It was established in temporary quarters in 1618, the students for the time attending the Jesuit schools ; but by 1621 they had built a monastery and provided for all necessary tuition within their own walls. The Bene- dictines began in 1605, in hired apartments belonging to the College d'Anchin, but a few years later, through the generosity of Abbot Caravel of the monastery of Saint- Vaast, they obtained land and built a monastery, which was opened in 1611. The house acquired a high reputation for learning, and many of the professors of the university were at different times chosen from among its members.

Returning now to the English College, we come upon the unfortunate disputes between the seculars and regulars in the seventeenth century. Dr. Worthington, though himself a secular priest, was under the influence of Father Parsons, and for a long time the students attended the Jesuit schools and all the spiritual direction was in the hands of the society. A visitation of the college, however, laid bare many shortcomings in its administration and in the end Worthington was deposed. His successor, Dr. Kellison (16.31-1641), succeeded in restoring the reputation of the college, while he gradually arranged for the neces.sary tuition to be given within its walls. In the latter half of the seventeenth and the early years of the eighteenth century, the English C'ollege went through a troubled time. During the presidency of Dr. Hyde (1646-1651), the University of Douai claimed certain controlling rights over the college, which claim, however, he successfully withstood. His successor. Dr. CJeorge Leyburn (1652-1670), fell out with the "Old Chapter", in the absence of a bishop,

governing the Church in England. He attacked one Mr. White (alias Blacklo), a prominent member of their body, and procured a condemnation of his writings by the University of Douai. In the end, however, he himself found it necessary to retire in favour of his nephew. Dr. John Leyburn, who was afterwards vicar Apostolic. Hardly was the dispute with the " Blackloists " (as they were called) finished, when a further storm of an even more serious nature arose, the centre being Dr. Hawarden who was pro- fessor of philosophy and then of theology at the English College for seventeen years. His reputation became so great that when a vacancy occurred in 1702 he was solicited by the bishop, the chief members of the uni- versity, and the magistrates of the town to accept the post of regius professor of divinity. His candidature, however, was opposed by a party headed by the vice- chancellor. The Jesuits also declared against him, accusing him, and through him the English College, of Jansenism. In the end. Dr. Hawarden retired from Douai and went on the mission in England; and a visitation of the college, made by order of the Holy See, resulted in completely clearing it of the imputa- tion. In 1677, Douai was taken by Louis XIV, and since that date has been under French control, except for the short time that it was held by the English after the siege of the Duke of Marlborough in 1710; but it was retaken by the French the following year.

During the rest of the eighteenth century, there were no important political changes until the Revolution broke out. The hopes which the English Catholics had rested on the Stuart family had now vanished, and the only prospect open to them lay in their foreign centres of which Douai was the chief. To these cen- tres they devoted the greater part of their energy. Under the presidency of Dr. Witham (1715-1738) who is considered a second founder, the English College at Douai was rebuilt on a substantial scale and rescued from overwhelming debt ; it had lost nearly all its en- dowment in the notorious Mississippi scheme, or "South Sea Bubble". The Irish College was rebuilt about the middle of the century, and the English Benedictine monastery between 1776 and 1781. But all were destined to come to an end a few years after this, under the Reign of Terror.

As a town, Douai suffered less than many others at the beginning of the Revolution. The university kept up its Catholic character to the end, and it was one of the five typical Catholic universities to which Pitt ap- pealed for an authoritative declaration as to the Cath- olic doctrine on the "deposing power" of the pope. During the Reign of Terror, however, it suffered the same fate as many similar establishments. When all the clergy of the town were called upon in 1791 to take the "Civic Oath", the members of the British estab- lishments claimed exemption in virtue of their nation- ality. The plea was allowed for a time; but after the execution of Louis XVI, when war was declared be- tween England and France, it was not to be expected that this immunity would continue. The superiors and students of most of the British establishments took flight and succeeded in reaching England. The members of the English College, with their president, Rev. John Daniel, remained in the hope of saving the college; but in October, 1793, they were taken to prison at DouUens in Picardy, together with six Anglo- Benedictine monks who had remained for a similar purpose. After undergoing many dangers and hard- ships, they were allowed to return to Douai in Novem- ber, 1794, and a few months later, by the exertions of Dr. Stapleton, President of St. Omer (who with his students had likewise been imprisoned at DouUens), they were set at liberty and allowed to return to Eng- land. The English collegians never returned to Douai. The Penal Laws had recently been repealed, and they founded two colleges to continue the work of Douai — Crook Hall (afterwards removed to L^shaw)