New-York tribune., 1907-06-02
OXFORD PAGEANT
Unprecedented Excitement for tha
AnCieHt UniUerSity.

~
The classic. irnmemorial peace which USUALLY
broods over the gray walls and quiet quadranges
of Oxford IS to be disturbed this summer bv ur
precedented exCitements. At this moment p1ane
fair heads are bent anxiOUsy over brightly COL
ored stuffs through which busy needles fash I'm
and out for the making Of the costumes accordins
to the precise Instructions OF antfquarian corracr
ness Besides those which are made by the war.
ers. over three thousand will be supplied AZ a
moderate rental by the official Costunler and IN.
amount OF thought and responsibility involved n,
this detail alone may be measured by the fact tba.
some of the suits Of arnor. for instance constss
OF twenty TO thirty separate pieces But not onl.
is the eye TO be delighted by every alIurer7an+ a
artistic grace and harmony OF color-tn a nUunbs,
OF scenes dramatic dialogue will aid 10 deepen tbs
impression.
No better spot could have been chosen for n.
scene OF the pageant than the stretch OF velvs+s
greensward at the confluence OF the peaceful Cher.
wei with the Isis-the poigaantly beautiful towe,
or Magdalen rising majestic IN the background a
the whole scene. The grardstand entirely COW.
cred. holding five thousand spectators will bs
erected with its back TO MagdaIen Bridge so tha.
nothing out OF character will obtrude Itself uuO1
the vision The royaF box in the centra win r.
occupied not only. L Is rumOred. by the King bu.
also by the Emperor OF Germany. The Encseuia.
the nearest Oxford analogy TO an American com.
Inencement will take place June IS and thres
hours on each afternoon OF the next six weak
days will be filled by the shifting gIories Of the
pageant The seats divided into three tiers az
prices ranging from five shilngs to a guinea In
spite OF the great expense OF the production tha-
should be handsome sum 20 divide among ths
local charities. which viii be the direct ben.a.
ciaTies-although the influx OF visitors from al
quarters "a month ago not less than a THOUSAND
Americans were said TO have announced thes
purpose 10 be present. viii put stiu arger sung
into the pockets OF the townspeopIe and the rumos
runs that an enterprising firm Of tourist agenta
ha al 1~~
usually at the disposal OF sightseers
Those who think OF going viii be glad TO hav1
some description in detail of the nature Of thi
spectacle to be offered. The first two scenes then
emerge from the dim antiquity which lies Cunes8
we are sufficiently uDcriticaI to accept the hoarg
legend that makes King Alfred the earliest OF colS
lege founders) beyond the beginnings OF the unis
versity. They are the arrival in ~ OF ST. Frfdes>
Wide, about whose convent clustered the frss
houses OF a settlement on the banks Of the Sd
and the coronation OF the Danish Harold T. son II
Canute, by Archbishop EthsInOth OF Canterbury
IN 1887 Next we shall stand by the cradle OF I'd
infant university. which was 10 grow into so TAD
and stately mother OF famous sons and witnsss
the coming QI0) OF the first recorded teacher Th@
oaut dEstampes. priest Of Caen. Fifty yearS
later Henry II. who spent much time in his palI
ace or Beaumont, near the present Voresstss
CoIiese' Is shown in two sCenes-waIking by tha
river with his wife. Eleanor. and the unhappy ter{
uum quid. who is cOnsoed for her rnisfortunss 81
Wearing 70 all time the proud title Of Fair Rosat
Irouu anu nlaklng state entry amid The acclaS
nations or the citizens. to whom he grants a char$
~ .5 5tI extaht amons the cherished possessions
VI tlS Town. From the thirteenth century th5 +
mar mar veous age when talthouEl Compayrs in hs
nist99Ty or Education dismisSes it with a sings
cambridge had more students in proportion 10 ths
Of New York city send to our COLLEGES. the oniy
taoIeau Is one showing demonstration OF scien1
gle between town and gown ou s. Scholasticag
DaS; ISoi offers an animated scene. during whie!
Medea, Is killed coram pOpuIo and later the Chan1
Iin summons the leading townsmen 70 hear ina
AIns sentence on their ccntuuacy-
g., me second part opens with stately processions
IN which Wolsey.
AND sounded all the depths ana shoals Of honour
moves to receive his brilliant young sovereign with
~ P.uIIeit OF founding Cardinal COilege-0t VIC!
St SIo req nat In the armorial bearings Of Chris'
trasting scenes from the reign OF Elizabeth ars
Tnned 1il1 oy the presence in both of the asprlas
mourntul funeral procession u5eO conveys ths
So1y F OF MS unf0rtunte young wife Amy RoosarI;;
sepulture In st. Mary's-not Without dark whs- 4
an heT deatb IN tae crowd OF his suspected eonnvslss lss
chancellor of the university Leicester receives ths
queen on her state entry. carried shoulder nss Il
cIo., ~ SIX OF 9er gentlemen in a litter hung W."
There are three scenes from the reign
Sar SSnar!es the happy days 1850 with The klns
at the waterside by Archbishop Laud as casa. 4
SenSr' while stately pavane is danced o. "a 4
oank IN their honor; the early time OF me ss go Il
war war uoiO and Charles riding out OF oxford W.
an escort or troopers to meet his queen, wa "a 4
srVss ives from the north in gilded coach ans ansrny j
Ss'uI.sh9er or the city the Parliamentary a%a n
Qoiol IN which the royalist forces march out vi
al the honors OF war, amid the scarcely coHss h u
SORROW or those whom they leave behind tas' II
the home OF lost causes II
Only two more scenes remain. OF which ne az Il
nnttstoIie depicts the expulsion OF the lss0,Ss 70
aas1aIen by James II Q6S0 for their res-SSsa,cS Il
install the Catholic candidate for the prsssols 4
Favored by him. Here. in every episvSjs,sr. Is
H
lcaIy accurate has been carefully grouped st-ss k
Ihe central incident. Maidens clad in whte 'sss1 II
mowers before the King; the cOnstabies SSlroxst q
parish ADVANCE with their slaves OF once I'..ors &
by the guilds OF the slovers. cordwaners sSssons L
and MERGERS with their ensigns and poor peSSSsd \
are brought into the royal presence to oe o.-rry 81
Tor the kings evil The hnal scene IS sorys SsII III &
later, when, in 17So, the state barge or St5sn.
Is rowed slowly up the river to the strains oL oLrsre
dels Water Music The coaches OF the rsvs E
gentry and the sedan chairs of the tOwnSIols and 8
come TO the waters edge, and the gailaxs.s svsrs n
toasts OF the period there in all their SssS- L
TO lend orilhaney To the scene while IN s tlS thas
ground are still the gray unchanglns to"tSrv a L
have looked down upon so much of the so5as - II
England's pasta ]. du p Coleman. In Inc - Il