Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-27
PAGEANT At OXFORD
interesting Events in Its History
to Be Portrayed.
THE PLANS ARE ELABORATE
Two Thousand Participants Will Be
Required.
BRAINS OF ENGLAND ENLISTED
Large Earnings Of George Eliot, the
Novelist Amusing Story
Told of "Ouida."
BRAINS OF ENGLAND ENLISTED
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.

Record Herald.
COLUMBIA, s. c., February q, 1907.
There has been a revival of the medieval
spirit at oxford. The learned dons of that
ancient university have walked up to the
fact that there is a great deal of dramatic
incident in the past history of the town
and the university, and the annual COM
memoration from June "a to %, 1907. will
be made memorable by pageant not only
the most unique, but the most interesting
and important from an educational point
of view record. The best brains in
England are enlisted under the patronage
of their royal highnesses, the Prince and
Princess of Wales. There is an archeologi-
cal committee consisting of the Right Hon
orabe Fiscount Dillon, curator of the
tower armories, trustee of the British
museum and director Of the National Por-
trait Gallery in London, chair
man; Prof. Firth. regius professor modern
history; Prof. Oman. Prof. Raleigh and
other members and fellows of the univer-
sity and the several colleges who are SUI
pervising the preparations. Mr.. Beerbohm
Tree Is chairman of the committee
dramatic features, which will include his
torical episodes put into form by some of
the leading dramatists Of England. Mr..
Tree will be assisted by Mr.. Frank Las
celles as stage manager.
cal development of that science with per-
feet fidelity, will be under the direction of
Sir Hubert Parry, professor of music at
Oxford
The costumes will be designed and pre-
pared under the supervision of Mr.. Dion
Clayton Calthrop. assisted by Mr.. Edwin
A. Abbey and other distinguished artists.
Mr.. CaltnrOp is the greatest living author
lty on medieval costumes, and has recent
ly published magnificent illustrated work
on that subject.
Two Thousand Participants.
1t is estimated that 1905 persons will
be required TO carry out the plans of the
pageant, and they will all be volunteers
from the members and the alumni of the
several colleges of the university.
The program will cover four days On
each afternoon will be presented a group
of scenes in the history of the city and
the university, representing events and
episodes. The first will be the foundation
of the city of Oxford in the year 73S, ac-
cording to the legend of St. Frideswide
daughter of Didan, vice regent of Mercia
This young woman was famous for her
beauty, and having decided to devote her
life to religion, rejected an offer of mar
riage from Agar, King of Leicester. That
gentleman however, was not to be put off
and determined, according to the custom
of the time, to take his bride by force
Frideswide, suspecting his intention. at
tempted to escape. and her impetuous lover
while In pursuit was struck blind by flash of
lightning. This terrible punishment so
aroused the pity of the charming damsel
that she prayed and prayed and made a
VOW that if her lovers sight was restored
she would build a convent as a home for
the poor and pious women that were scat
tered around those parts. The convent
was built, and became the center of set
Element which is now the city of Oxford.
The next scene occurred In 1902, when,
in consequence of the plots against him.
self and his mobiles, King Ethelred the I'm
ready issued an edict that on St. Brice's
day all the Danes throughout the kingdom
should be massacred. The representatives
of that race in Oxford sought sanctuary
in church built by St. Frideswide, the
aforesaid, but the Infatuated citizens burn
ed it down and slew them ALL King Ethel
red. as reward for the loyalty Of his
amiable subjects, rebuilt the sacred edi-
flee for their benefit. Part of its walls
still exist. and may be seen in one of the
wings OF the cathedral.
Foundation Of the University.
The next scene will be the foundation
of the university in lilo, when TheobaIdus
Stampensis, monk from Caen arrived
with a band of mend1cant scholars who
were cordially received by the burghers
and their wives and fed and clothed. In
116S a great migration of monks and
scholars came to the settlement from all
parts of the earth wearing picturesque
robes and bringing with them curious Gus
toms. Their arrival and reception will be
reproduced.
There will be. series of scenes illustrat-
ing the dalliance of King Henry II and
Fair Rosamond. His favorite residence
was Beaumont Palace, just outside the
walls of Oxford, and there his son Richard
Occur de Lion, was born. Among the sew
eral scenes will be his presentation of a
charter to the town, which Is still pre-
served, and the famous meeting between
Rosamond and Queen Eleanor, with bowl
of md do
An amusing encounter between the pope's
legate and the chancellor of the university,
and the famous Town and Gown Riots
on St. Scholastica's day in 1854 will be il
lustrated; the degradation of Ridley, Lati-
mer and Cranmer in 1866 and the funeral of
beautiful Amy Robsart, wife of Robert
Dudley, Earl of Leicester, will be repro
duced.
Oxford was frequently visited by royalty
in the early days, and each occasion was
attended by picturesque and gorgeous cere-
monies Henry VIII will repeat a visit he
| made With great pomp and circumstance
in 1870; Queen Elizabeth will bring her
court and James l will come as he did in
1905; Charles I and his wife. Henrietta
Maria, will arrive by the river, and the
final scene win be the reception of George
II by river to the strains of Handlers Wa
ter Music on June Ia, 1914, when he was
attended by the Emperor OF Russia, the
King of Prussia and the prince regent, aft
erward George w, each of whom was at
tended by a magnificent retinue. and was
presented Win a copy OI the CLARENDON
Bible and Aristotle's poems.
The preparations for the pageants are
already actively In progress They will
cost a large sum of money, which, how
ever, has been provided, and will doubt
less draw the largest attendance that has
ever been known at commemoration.
The Facts About Alladin.
Alexis Alladin. member Of the recent
Russian duma, who Is now In the United
States, is being advertised as "the
father Of the Russian revolution" and as
having been expelled from the duma be-
cause of his utterances in behalf of his
peasants. do not believe that Mr. Al
ladin has authorized any such misrepre-
sentatiOn. for he was not only not the
father of the Russian revolution, but he
did not come into active service Of the
cause untf very recently Alladin Is the
son of mechanic In central Russia He
worked his way through the schools and
entered the university where he remained
not quite scar before he was accused OF
revolutionary sentiments and fed from the
country to avoid arrest. He went to Eng
land. where he lived for six years and