New-York tribune., 1907-05-14
THE OXFORD PAGEANT.
Il Unique Shoe for american Tour
lists iR England.
London, May !

hination of all the talents under the direction
Of large consultative committee A poet 50
eminent Mr.. Robert Bridges has written an
ode to advertise if not to commemorate II;
a group of authors including Mr.. Stanley
Weyman. Mr.. Lawrence Housman Professor
Raleigh. Mr.. James b. Pagan, Mr.. A. d. Cooley
and Mr.. Lawrence Binyon have dIaratized
episodes in the history OF the town and univer-
sity; the costumes have been designed by stu
dents and artists like Mr.. Dion Clayton CAL
thorp, Mr.. Charles Ricketts,. Mr. Byam Shaw
and Miss Brickdale: the music viii he super
vised by Sir Hubert Parry: every detail of vest
ment armor and archaeology will he revised by
learned experts of the Bodleiar, the Tower
Armories and the offices of the Garter King of
Arms; and while Mr.. Frank .Lascelles will he
the master Of the pageant, he Will have the
advice Of stage managers SO experienced IS Mr.
Arthur Bourchier, Mr.. II. b. Irving and Ny
Beerbohm Tree. Royal patronage will not he
lacking; the undertak king has enlisted the CO.
operation of a large body Of dons. and the best
site I'm Oxford has been secured for the amphi-
theatre and stage-setting-a stretch of green
sward along the Cherwell at the end of the
Broad Walk. with the towers of Merton and
Magdalen. the Cathedral and St. Marys be-
hind it. There viii he six performances during
Commemoration Week, opening June 2I. and
local charities will benefit by the surplus
gate money after the expenses have been met.
American tourists ought not to neglect unique
an entertainment
The apochryphal origin Of Oxford i'll a nun
merry of ST. Frideswide on the site of the
cathedral is lightly recast into poetic prologue
Shepherds and fishermen watch the pursuit of
terrified maidens by two gaeys manned with
warriors: and when the saint sinks on her knees
and prays FOR deliverance. the wicked Earl Of
Leicester is stricken with blindness and inspired
make sudden contrte VOW to build con-
vent near the river This eighth century legend,
which may convince young women in quest of
academic degrees that their sex has from primi-
tive times been hunted down at oxford, will
not be followed by revival of the tradition
that the university was founded by King Alfred /
The learned historians of the advisory commit |
tee insisted that enCourag cement should he
offered to so idle a tale; and consequently there I
is long flying leap TO the eleventh century /
There are two scenes-one the coronation Of /
Harold Harefoot borne aoft upon shield ,
and solemnly anointed by the Archbishop OF
"a anterbury; and the other the arrival of a /
rriest from Caen Theobaldus Stampensis with /
"a band of poor scholars at his heels. King /
Alfred would have been more picturesque /
figure than this medieval scholar who has been |
selected as type OF the earliest masters out !
side the monasti establishments who gathered (
students about them. Theobaldus Stampensis /
may be regarded. however. as the forerunner OF
the Rhodes scholars coming from the ends of
the earth the Isis to become good Anglo .
Saxons and to think imperially."
ROYAL and scholastic episodes will follow the /
prinitive legends. There is the romance OF
King Henry II and Fair Rosamund. with the
rnaiden's retirement TO the convent at GodstoW-
The first charter is granted TO the city of OK
ford with q glimpse Of the boy Richard C9ur
de Lion in the Kings train. Friar Bacon, mas
ter of occult science. exhibits the brazen head
and converts it into q talking machine. n four
teeuth century battle between town and gown
will he REPRODUCED with dramatic realism MT
Tree is expected TO rehearse the stage CROWDS
and there viii be a nlasque of the medieval
curriculum with one bewildered student choos-
ing theology after transient dalliance with uie
liberal arts and the ancient PHILOSOPHERS, and
another more susceptible youth lured by youth
sui temptations into the broad walk Of pleasur-
able excitement. This probably is designed to
be a parable of the grandmotheriy discipline
prevailing in the Oxford colleges. When the
sixteenth century is reached Cardinal Wolsey
will receive Henry VIII and Queen Catherine OF
Aragon with splendid state. and this Will be
followed by the funeral of Amy Robsart, the
state progress Of Queen Elizabeth and the VISIT
Of James J. with Shakespeare and FRANCIS
Bacon in attendance, one as a playwright ana
stage manager and the other as courier Inc
learned dOnS who are feSpoiiS4DiV I'i 80
pageant are as reluctant to lend color to the
Baconian theory as they are to sanction the
tradition that King Alfred was the father OF al
their academic wisdom.
The civil war will supply several OF the most
interesting episodes of the pageant. Charles l.
with the Queen and princes will appear on the
river in a stately barge, and Will be received oy
Archbishop Laud and the heads of the colleges
The King with heralds, trumpeters ana troopers
win ride in triumph through the town after
royalist victory. The surrender Of OXFORD VIII
be portraved. with the rolayists and cava-
iiers marching out while the academiclahs are
wailing and weeping, and the perliamentarians
creeping in with long faces and singing -lusu-
hrious psalnns. The expulsion Of the Fellows of
Magdalen by James III viii be an episode 20
illustrate the independence Of the colleges III
discipline and government. and 1T will include (
q picturesque procession OF the trades guilds.
The closing scene will be eighteenth century
fair. with George III entering the city by royal
barge the strains Of Handel. and with the
gentry driving up in coaches and gallants at
tending powdered and patched bellies in sedan
chairs-a costume revel OF the eighteenth CEN
tury. There VIII not be hint Of either Meth
odsm or the Tractarian movement; nor will
there be any masquerade Of famous students
whose portraits hang in the college halls. Civic
functions and royal visits are more conspicuous
than academic episodes. Town rather than
gown has the supremacy in the tournament Of
historic reminiscence. There may he a prac
tical reason for the preference, since the stage
crowds on the greensward will be recruited from
the town rather than the colleges. pageant
staged in the open air IS dependent upon these
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