Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-05-18
-. AilD GOWN ROW
STALE FISH AND BAD BEER.

These. and Then Came the Battle 81
:, seselasties's Day and Open War
,,,e rss.sers and Piiiaas.
~. modern town aud gown row.
-, .,osin. that town and gown rows
80. not altogether ceased. Is a row
o,.o.I nothing In particular. inspired
.o,.Iy by the Joy OF battle and the lust
OR strife. The juniors light. and the
.arlors separate the ccmbatants. In
m. old days there was really some
,h,ug 10 fight about and the seniors
,vere as pugnaclous as the juniors and
,oined as puguaciousiy IN the afFrsya
rho dispute arose In the first instance
ont Of dIsagreemeuts between overlap
ming jurisdictions. The origin was 10
I'm. divergent views entertained by the
municipal and university authorities on
,,,,,ers OF sanitation and hygiene. aud
!, ,,lll not be denied that the univer-
s,,v authorities were In the right.
qhev Objected to the sale Of sinking
6sb and the brewing of beer from wa
Ter contaminated With sewage. The
townsnien thought such objections fas-
tidious and were very angry when the
university appealed to the king to In
,erfere: hence constant chickering's and
a frequent exchange OF abusive Ian
cuage: hence ultimately open war and
that battle OF St Scholastica's day.
which takes rank In history as the
earliest OF the recorded town and gown
rows
The trouble began In n tavern on
Feb 10. 1854 Some scholars who were
drinking there found fault with the
wine and the yintner said that II was
nuite good enough wine FOR them. The
scholars threw the wine at the vins-
ner's head. and the vintner summoned
his friends and neighbors to the res
cue. They rang the bell OF the Church
OF 81. Martin at Carfsx. and the pop
ulace. summoned by this focsin. shot
nj the scholars with bows and arrows.
The chancellor OF the university ap-
peared upon the scene. ingeminating
peace where there was no peace. aud
he also was shot at Then the bell of
the university Church OF st. Mary was
started ringing. and the melee became
general and lasted until the setting Of
the sun. No one was killed The
gownsmen got the best OF IL. and the
chancellor was under the impression
that the riot was over. He issued a
proclamation bidding the scholars 90
10 their lectures as usual on the fol-
lowing day.
They went as he babe them. but not
with the impunity which be expected.
The townsmen had vowed and planned
vengeance and were lying In wait
for them. Re-enforcements-2.0 600 peas
ants carrying an omnibus black Tag
swarmed into the city from Cowley.
Headington aud HInksey. The Carfax
tocsin pealed out a second time. Just
after the midday dinner hour. aud the
tocsin Of ST. Mary's responded Ms be-
fore. The townsmen not only assaIIed
the scholars In the streets. but. when
they ded before superior forces. pur-
sued them into their lodgings. Inns
and halls. killing all that they could
and stealing or destroying all the prop
erty that they could lay their hands
on.
Peacemakers were badly needed. and.
the chancellor having called for peace
In vain, the monks tried what they
could do. There sailed forth n vail
ant band Of friars. carrying their cru
cinx and seeking 10 compose the strife
by chanting lltanies. Without avail
They themselves became the objects
OF the popular fury: scholar was
struck down while actually clinging
10 the crucihx. Other scholars were
followed into the churches and massa.
cred al the foot of the altar. Dead
bodies were dung on To dunghiIls: the
wounded were hailed 10 prison. and
even torture was not spared. 'sThe
crowns OF some chapIalns.' says the
ehronicler-"viE. all the skin. so far as
Tue tonsure went-these diabolicai
lmns nayed OF 10 scorn of their
clergy"
~ last the university could resist
no more. The gownsmen began TO tlea
INTO the country. all OF them save the
scholars OF Merton. who alone had
solid walls behind which they could
retire. Withdrawing 10 their college.
while the town trlumphed outside. the
sole representatives OF learning I'm
deserted city which the BISHOP had
lad under an Interdict. the scholars
OF Merton waited for the day OF venge-
ance aud redress Of grievances.
came. The king sent down a spe
slal commission To investigate. The
mayor OF Oxford and his halliffs were
sent 10 prison, the sheriff was removed
from office. and presently the town
was further humiliated by the be-
"owai or fresh privileges upon the
soWnsmen The gownsmen and not
Tue townsmen were henceforth TO de-
viue whether fish stunk, and n they
uNided that II did stink they were to
Seuu IL TO the hospitals for the con-
sumption ~ the sick. They were also
"uluuged pecuniary compensation for
Tue damage done. and their supremacy
was III various other ways established
on tirm basis.
Such was the first town aud gown
row In which Merton may be said. to
ssaYs saved the university. But for
--'eFton the university would then have
SSeen wiped out and Its clerks would
naSe been scattered over the face of
"e earth.-Pall Mall Gazette
me miser Is as much in want Of