The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1910-04-06
TOWN AND GOWN ROW
The Origin of an Ancient Dispute
at Oxford.
STALE FISH AND BAD BEER.

The University Authorities Objected to
These, and Then Came the Battle OF
St. scholastioa's Day and Open War,
fare, Massacre and Pillase.
The modern town and gown row,
supposlna that town and gown rows
have not altogether ceased is a row
about nothing IN particular, inspired
solely by the joy of battle and the lust
for strife. The juniors fight, and the
seniors separate the combatants, In
the old days there was really some.
thing TO fight about. and the seniors
were ms pugnacious as the juniors and
Joined as pugnaciously In the ARRAYS.
The dispute arose In the first Instance
out of disagrecmcnts between overlap
ping jurisdictions. The origin was In
the divergent views entertained by the
municipal and university authorities on
matters of sanitation and hygiene. and
1t will not be denied TINT the univer-
sity authorities We're In the right.
They objected to the sale of sinking
fish and the brewing of beer from wa
ter contaminated with sewage. The
townsmen thought such objections fas-
tidlous and were very angry when the
university appealed to the king to in
| terfere: hence constant chickering's and
a frequent exchange Of abusive Ian
guage; hence ultimately open war and
that battle Of st. Scbelastica's day,
which takes rank In history as the
earliest OF tho recorded town and gown
| rows.
The trouble began In q tavern on
Feb 10. 1854. Some scholars who were
drinking there found fault with the
wine, and the vintner said that II was
quite good enough wine for them. The
scholars threw the wine at the vint-
ner's head, and the yintner summoned
| his friends and neighbors TO the res
| cue. They rang the bell of the Church
of 81. Martin at Carfax. and the pop
ulace. summoned by this tocsin, shot
at the scholars with bows and arrows
| The chancellor of the university ap-
| peared upon the scene. ingeminatIng
peace where there was no peace, and
he also was shot ut 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 II. aud the
chancellor was under he impression
| that the riot was over. He issued II
proclamation bidding the scholars go
TO their lectures as usual on the fol
lowing day
They went as he babe them. but not
with the IMMUNITY which he expected
The townsmcn had vowed and planned
vengeance and were lying In wait
for them. Re-enforcements-2,0 900 peas
ants carrying an ominious black flag
swarmed into the city from Cowley,
Headington and !Iinksey. The Carfax
tocsin peaied out second time, Just
after the midday dinner hour, and the
tocsin of St Mary's responded as be.
fore. The townsmen not only assailed
the scholars In the streets. but. when
they fled 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
I'm win the monks fried ybat tbey
| could do There sailed forth n vail.
ant band of frIars carrying their cru.
| cilix and seeking TO compose the strife
by chanting lltanies. Without avail.
| They themselves become tho objects
| OF the popular fury. n scholar wos
| struck down while aetuolly cllnpinp
| to the crlciliy Other scholars were
| followed into the churches md mnssa.
| cred Mt the foot OF the altar. Dead
| bodies were flung on to dunghIlJs. tho
| wounded were hailed TO prison and
even torture was NOT SPARED 'srbe
crowns OF some cbaplains." saws the
chronicler VIZ. all the skin. so far as
| the tonsure went-tbese diabolicol
! imps fIayed Off I'm scorn OF their
| clergy"
| AT last the university could resIsi
no more. The powpsmen bepap To fee
into the country. nil of them save the
scholars of Merton. who alone Ind
solid wills behind which they could
retire Witbdro wing Ia their coIIepe
while the town trtumphed outside tbe
sole representatives OF learning In
deserted city which the bisbop had
or Merton waited for the day of veDge-
nncp and redress of grievances