Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-28
EARLY OXFORD LIFE.
How Students Lived and What They
Spent 800 Years Ago.

CPeut COO ears ago.
Lady Newton, in the Ma tienai Review
The letters from which these extracts
are published were written from erase
nose College. Oxford, between the years
1908 and 1911, and are interesting as
giving picture of the life OF an un-
dergraduate in the early years of the
reign of James I. The spelling has
been modernized.
The writer of the letters. Richard
Taylor. appears, to have acted as tutor
to the two sons Of Sir Peter Leigh Of
Lyme. and writes from time to time.
giving reports of their studies and
progress. The PROPERTY of Lyme-ir1-
Haniey. Cheshire, was granted to the
Legs Of Lyme by the Black Prince, in
recognition of services rendered at the
battle Of Cressy. and has remained in
the same family ever since that time.
In his first letter. dated No
vember 80. 1908. Richard Taylor writes
Your sons. thank God. are both
well. and do follow their business or
the great dearth of all things-espe-
cially in this place-have raised their
expenses in short time so much~that
the money which / received, which was
just threescore pounds in the whole.
was near quite ended at Michaelmas
last. and yet I am sure there Is none
of their rank which have lived so
thriftily IS they have done"
In 1909 he writes again:
The sum I have received in ali with
which sum SIG being deducteD, which
is your set allowance for two years al
ready ended, there remains only E1O.
Now your worship was pleased that
Els should be for discharging their ad-
mission and making their gowns at
the first that thare iS EA ;lG,nrdin 2
to this reckoning, to be received by me
for the evening of my accounts until
Christmas. But the truth is have al
ready disbursed for them in all since
appear at any time by the particulars
in my book.
Neither can I possibly keep your
elder son, Mr.. Francis Leigh. within the
compass OF $50 For have set down
their expenses apart, either by himself.
and I find there is almost s3 differ
ence Gin this short time. neither can
impute it to anything but his height
which is extraordinary for his age, viz,
full six foot and two inches"
In September he writes:
The sickness here in Oxford, I trust
in God is quite ceased, but I am GER
titled from your nephew, Mr.. Edward
Lathom "a son Of Sir Peters only sis
teri, this last week. that in London
there died the week before of the
sickness 90"
Although Francis Leigh must have
been about eighteen or nineteen at this
time. neither he nor his brother were
allowed any pocket money; their al
lowance was paid to their tutor. and
Francis seems to have protested against
this system:
Your elder son thinks he should have
his own money, which hold altogether
incenvenient; for experience hath
taught me Ito let other reasons pass)
that some young gentlemen can hardly
be kep% in any order. let them but have
an angel or two in their purses.
think there is SO many inconveniences
therein, as first it will not be in my
power. ON Fridays and Saturdays sup
pers, to keep them out of the town
as now 1 donor at many other times
to keep them out Of the worser and I'M
thriftier sort of gentlemen company
if they be known to have money in
their own custody; nay. they should
lose the favor and liking of some of
their friends if they would not lend
them money at their need. and If they
lent it they would be in danger to lose
their money"