A Clerk of Oxford, and His Adventures in the Barons' War

by Evelyn Everett-Green

  CHAPTER V.

  _THE NEW LIFE._

  Before a week had passed away, Leofric and Jack felt as though they hadbeen months at Oxford, so many new experiences had been crowded intothat short space.

  The more they saw of the strange life of the place, the more glad werethey of the chance which had given to them this little private shelterof their own, instead of casting them amongst a number of strange clerksin one of the poorer Halls or lodgings of the city.

  For in the days of its infancy the University had enough to do inprotecting its own liberties from outside attack. It was thereforeunable to exercise individual authority over its heterogeneous members.It provided instruction for them, it guarded their persons jealouslyfrom assaults from without, and fought their battle right lustily whenjealous townsmen or papal emissaries sought to interfere with liberty orlife. But for the rest, the clerks and scholars lived in a state ofglorious and almost barbaric liberty, and all that Chancellor orProctors could hope to attempt was to restrain any serious outbreaks ofviolence, either between clerks and citizens, or between the varioussections of the clerks themselves.

  Open rioting in the streets was checked as far as possible; but animmense amount of roistering and disorder could and did prevail withoutlet or hindrance, and there was no certainty from day to day that somebloody collision might not occur in the city which might have a serioustermination.

  Stories were told of clerks who had been set upon and killed by angrycitizens, of citizens who had been slain by clerks, of Masters even whohad met with injuries too often fatal in their effects, sometimes fromthe hands of citizens, sometimes from those of scholars inflamed bypassion or drink.

  There had been times when the King had had to interfere in order to calmthe strife between the contending parties. There had also been timeswhen the Masters and scholars had deserted Oxford by hundreds, if notthousands, and had threatened to establish themselves in otherlocalities. This had been done when the citizens had put upon them somemarked indignity and affront, and had generally resulted in thesubmission and humiliation of the town. For, as was pointed out to theburgesses, the importance and prosperity of Oxford mainly depended uponthe presence there of this school of learning, and if they drove awaythe scholars by their ill-judged enmity, they were signing thedeath-warrant of their own city.

  It was often to these quarrels and their adjudication that theendowments (if such a word can be employed) of the University wereowed. The citizens would submit, and agree to pay so many marks a yearin token of their penitence, and these moneys were called "chests," andformed a fund from which poor scholars might borrow without interest,leaving a pledge behind; and private individuals would sometimes start asimilar chest, from which system gradually developed the scholarshipsand exhibitions of our own days.

  But the life of the infant University was a very strange one as comparedwith the collegiate system which gradually grew out of it. Thirteen orfourteen was a common age for a youth to commence life as a clerk, andeven at that tender age very little supervision was given him.

  Originally the University copied to a certain extent the guilds of acity corporation, and as a seven years' apprenticeship was imposed uponlads entering trade guilds, so a seven years' course was expected of astudent between the date of his entry as a clerk and the time at whichhe might take his M.A. degree. In the previous century there wereregular University guilds, and as the University was international, andmen from all countries came thither, these guilds naturally partook of anational character, men of the same language consorting together, sothat different Halls became associated with the names of differentnationalities.

  Even amongst the inhabitants of the British Isles there weredistinctions and race divisions. The Welsh formed a colony of their own,whilst North and South were the two main factions in the place in thethirteenth century, and these brawled terribly at times betweenthemselves.

  Even when no actual brawling was going on, the streets of Oxford afterdusk were places where it was needful to walk warily. By day studies andgames occupied the clerks the best part of their time; but with thesetting of the sun a stop was put to these occupations. Candles weredear, firing was often scanty, and the close, ill-smelling Halls, wherethe rush-strewn floors were often not cleaned for weeks together, becamealmost intolerable when shut up. Naturally enough, the clerks preferredto sally forth into the streets, some to drink or sing songs at thetaverns, others to parade the streets, shouting and joking, and playingany pranks that entered their heads. When it is remembered that almostevery person in those days carried arms of some sort, and that the mosttrifling quarrel provoked blows, it may well be understood that theevening hours in the city were anything but peaceful, and some sympathycan be felt with the citizens in their enmity towards the gownsmen, eventhough these were a source of profit to them.

  Evening by evening Leofric and Jack heard hideous sounds of drunkenrevelry proceeding from the various streets in the vicinity, and if everthey had the curiosity to parade the town after dark, they were amazedat the disorder and violence which seemed to prevail.

  "I had thought," said Leofric, "that Oxford would be full of grave andreverend doctors, whose presence would impose order and gravity uponall. But methinks it is full of wantonness and revelling and fighting.Right glad am I, good Jack, that we have our own little nest on thewalls. I should be loth indeed to belong to yonder herd."

  Jack was not quite so particular, and a frolic in the streets, so longas things did not go too far, was rather agreeable to him thanotherwise. Sometimes he would steal out, whilst Leofric was poring overhis illuminating work, and enjoy a stroll with some of the clerks of thebetter sort with whom he had made acquaintance, and as he grew used tothe strange ways of the city, he found much to amuse and interest him.

  Leofric had purchased, with the money given him by the Abbot of Osney,some materials to enable him to work at the illumination of his vellumleaves, and was doing some fine and beautiful illumination which wascertain to fetch him a good sum at some wealthy man's house. Jack lookedon in amaze at his skill, but sometimes felt the time hang a littleheavy. On such occasions he would sally forth to do the necessarymarketings, or to collect fuel, and so forth; and often Hugh le Barbierwould drop in to watch Leofric at his toil and exchange ideas with himon many subjects.

  Hugh was of a studious turn, and he had the same sort of refinedinstinct as Leofric, and shrank from the tumult and rowdiness of thestreets. He had not yet succeeded in finding a Hall quite to his mind,and was lodging at present at "Dagville's Inn" (now the Mitre), whichbelonged in those days to one Philip Pady, a burgess, who had rented itto an Italian of the name of Pedro Balzani, who had lived long in thecity, and made an excellent innkeeper, having great skill in culinarymatters, and a good English wife who understood the likings of hercountrymen.

  "Thou must come and sup with me one of these days," said Hugh one day,as he sat with Leofric after Jack had sauntered forth. "I have acomfortable chamber enow, though somewhat chilly when the wind isriotous; but I have found favour in the eyes of mine host, and I take mymeals with him and his family. This is not a grace he accords to all whocome, nor even to all who stay long in his house, as I am doing. And, intruth, he does right to be cautious; for he has a pair of wonderfullybeauteous daughters, twin sisters, and so much alike that it was longbefore I knew one from the other."

  Leofric looked up with a gleam of interest in his eyes.

  "Beautiful, thou sayest? I was wondering if perchance I could find inthis place a beautiful face; for see thou here, I would fain on thissquare of vellum portray an angel with a roll in his hands, upon which Ishall inscribe, in fine penmanship, certain prayers. I have some smallskill in drawing faces. I used to amuse the monks of St. Michael bytaking likenesses of them, and they said I did it well. But it is noteasy to find a face for an angel, though there are some pretty lads hereand there walking the streets. I wonder if I could find an inspirationin the face of your twin sisters."

  "Thou shalt come a
nd see," quoth Hugh eagerly; "methinks it would pleasethem well to be thus portrayed. For my part, I think that Linda's facewould be the better; it is ofttimes full of a sweet seriousness andrepose, whereas Lotta is all sparkle and fire; and it is by these twoexpressions that I begin to know them the one from the other, though,should Lotta be pensive and Linda merry, I am at fault again!"

  "I should like to see them," said Leofric. "I have heard of suchthings--sisters so alike that none may distinguish between them--but Ihave never seen such. It must be something strange."

  "Thou shalt come and see; thou and Jack shall sup with me to-morrow. Ihave spoken to Balzani about you both before now. Thou hast a quick eyeand a keen understanding, and I would ask what thou dost think of TitoBalzani, the son of mine host. For my part I like him not, and methinkshe has no love for me. He consorts with one Roger de Horn, one of thebiggest braggarts and bullies of the place. He calls himself a clerk,but it is little of learning that will ever get into that pate of his.He, too, comes to table with mine host and his family, and methinks heis vexed and jealous because the same grace is accorded to me. He speaksinsolent words anent upstarts and fine-gentlemen fops; and it is plainthat he seeks a quarrel with me, or else to drive me to other quarters."

  Leofric was interested in all that concerned his friend, for he had asincere liking for Hugh, who had been kind to him in a variety of ways.He gladly promised to visit him on the morrow, and take supper with him,being interested in the thought of seeing these Balzanis.

  "I suspect there is some love-jealousy at the bottom of this fellow'sdislike for Hugh," remarked Jack, when he heard Leofric's account of thematter; "there be some fellows who must always have a sweetheart, andperchance this bully thinks that the fair ladies will think more ofHugh's open face and gentle bearing than of his own. We will go and seefor ourselves; for I would be sorry that any hurt should come to goodHugh. He is a very proper fellow; but in such a city as this anyevil-disposed person might seek a quarrel with his rival, and do him adeadly mischief without fear of anything worse than the Chancellor'sprison. Benefit of clergy may be source of safety to some, but it can bea source of peril too, when the vilest of the land claim it as a cloakfor their worst sins."

  The new clerks were beginning to learn many lessons as to the working ofthe prevailing system, and they heard many things from Brother Angelus,whose lecture-room they sought whenever they could, and who seemed totake a special interest in these two lads. Once they had accompanied himin a round of visits amongst the poor in the parish of St. Ebbs, and hadlonged to emulate his skill and tenderness with the sick. It seemedstrange to them to see one who was so learned in saintly lore, and whowas so revered in his own school by the pupils of St. Francis, humblinghimself here to perform the most menial office for the poorest person,without a thought for his own dignity or position. But it was alike thetheory and the practice of the friars to humble themselves to tend theirbrethren; nor did they think it shame to ask alms at the doors of therich, for they might possess nothing of their own, and must needs begsustenance for themselves and for those whom they desired to help.

  Leofric and Jack had by this time settled what lectures to attend andwhat masters to follow. They had been perplexed for a while at thechoice before them, and by the solicitations of their superiors for ahearing in their particular schools. They had visited a considerablenumber before finally deciding, and were now deeply interested in thedaily lectures they heard upon a variety of subjects. Jack declared hehad never had such a hard time in his life, and he wanted a good deal ofhelp from Leofric in taking in what he heard. But both lads had sharpwits and a great thirst for information, and they soon attracted thenotice of their instructors by their regular attendance, and by theattention they bestowed upon the lecture.

  So far they had not made a great many acquaintances amongst theirfellow-clerks, the number of whom was quite confusing at the outset.Some amongst them were too rough and uncouth to attract them, whilstothers, more gently born, were superior to them in station, and theyfeared a rebuff should they attempt to make advances. Life was simplerin its conditions in those days, and friendships easily grow up when theyoung are thrown together; but pride of race is nowhere absent, and bothLeofric and Jack had a great dislike to putting themselves forward inany way.

  There was a great deal of talk in the city at that time, and indeed allover the country, as to the condition of affairs betwixt the King andthe Barons. Leofric and Jack were only gradually beginning to take anyinterest in political matters, being sufficiently engrossed just now intheir own affairs; but Hugh talked often to Leofric about the great Earlof Leicester, who had married the King's sister, and who was now thehead and champion of the Barons' party. He spoke of him with the ardententhusiasm of youth, called him the greatest and noblest man of the day,would tell long stories of his prowess in Gascony and other places, andof the ill-treatment he had ofttimes received at the hands of thecapricious and unstable monarch.

  "The King never knows his own mind two days together!" the young man hadscornfully declared, "and he makes promises only to break them. He isthe tool and dupe of the Pope, and is bleeding his country to death,sending all its wealth across the seas for objects with which we have noconcern. And then he breaks every promise whereby he has attained thesemoneys, and our charters and liberties are trampled underfoot, even whenhe has most solemnly promised to observe and respect them."

  Hugh was an ardent supporter of that party in the kingdom which began tobe called the Barons' party, and Leofric and Jack drank in his spiriteagerly. It was, in fact, the prevailing one amongst the members of theUniversity of all grades. The friars, too, were far more in sympathywith the champions of the liberties and rights of the people and theconstitution, than with the aggressions and tyrannies of a Pope-riddenmonarch. So that Oxford, although divided in some measure upon theburning questions of the day, inclined on the whole very much in favourof that party of which Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, was now theacknowledged head.

  When Hugh escorted his two friends through the streets to Dagville'sInn, where they were to sup with him as arranged, he was considerablyexcited by a rumour which had just reached the city, and which wascausing no small stir there.

  It was said that Oxford had been chosen as the place where in a shorttime, perhaps two months hence, a Parliament was to be assembled inwhich the burning questions of the day were to be discussed, and somesettlement of a definite nature arrived at between the King and hisnobles. The very idea of this great assembly sent a thrill of excitementthrough the place. The streets were crowded with knots of clerks andcitizens, for once all gathered amicably together, discussing the newswhich had been brought from London, and wondering whether it were true.

  Dagville's Inn presented a lively appearance. Its porch and bar werecrowded with guests, and a dark-faced man, who spoke with the accent ofa foreigner, was busy serving the guests, as was also a youth with atousle of frizzy hair and a pair of shifty black eyes, who bore a strongresemblance to mine host, but looked a great deal more crafty and cruel.

  Leofric observed his face as he passed in, and noted that he gave anugly scowl at sight of them. It seemed plain that he had no liking forHugh, although what was the cause of the grudge he bore him it was lesseasy to decide.

  Hugh pushed his way through the lower room, his guests following; andafter mounting to the upper floor, they found themselves in a pleasantroom, not unlike that in which they had seen the Seaton family assembledon their first arrival at the city. Its window, which was large andlatticed, though the lattice stood wide open to the mild evening air,looked upon the High Street; and upon the window seat lay a lute, and apiece of fine embroidery work such as was seldom seen save in thenunneries or in the houses of fine ladies.

  A table in the centre of the room was set for supper, but the apartmentitself was empty, and Leofric took up the lute gently, and fingered itwith loving touches. But the next moment he put it hastily down, for thedoor opened, and a pleasant-looking motherly woman
came in bearing asmoking dish, and she was followed by two maidens, each with a dish inher hands.

  Hugh stepped forward to relieve one daughter of her load, and Jack didthe same by the second. Leofric, who was more shy by nature, stood wherehe was in the window, looking in a sort of amaze from one girl to theother. Both were dressed exactly alike, in a semi-Italian fashion whichhe thought most bewitching; but it was the beauty of the two faces, andtheir extraordinary similarity, which confused and bewildered him. Nowonder Hugh had said it was hard to tell one sister from the other; hemarvelled that any should learn to know them apart. To his eyes thefaces seemed identical, the same rich colouring, the same darkvelvet-soft eyes, the same flashing smile and finely-pencilled brows.

  Hugh made him known to the sisters, who were girls of about his own age,albeit their southern blood made them appear older than their age. Hecalled one Lotta and one Linda, and asked Leofric if he thought theywould do as models for him.

  The young artist blushed to the roots of his hair, and knew not what tosay; but one of the maidens laughed merrily, and looked archly into hisface.

  "Methinks if he wants an angel-model, he had best take his ownportrait," she said, in clear musical tones; whilst the other sisteradded in a voice of precisely the same character,--

  "Or seek to get a glimpse of lovely Mistress Alys at the Castle.Methinks she has the fairest face of any maid in the city."

  Whilst the young people were talking together in the window, and drawingout Leofric to tell them of his art, and even to show them what he coulddo by means of a bit of charcoal upon a piece of wood, a tall, burly,dark-browed young fellow lounged into the room, and looked across at thegroup round Leofric with a scowl in his deep-set eyes.

  Jack was the only one who noticed his entrance, and he knew the intruderto be Roger de Horn, who had a certain notoriety in the place as beingone of its most turbulent spirits.

  "Supper, supper, good folks," called the mistress from the head of thetable, where she had seated herself before another smoking dish whichshe had been to fetch. "If the father and Tito are busy for the moment,we must not let the supper spoil. Doubtless they will join us when theysmell the viands.--Come, young sir, and let us see if thou canst wield aknife as well as a pen, for I believe not in your starveling clerks.Good victuals make good scholars, as I always say."

  The hostess was a cheerful soul, and her calling in life had given hereasy, pleasant manners that won her good-will from all. She lookedlittle enough like the mother of the crafty Tito, or even of thesebeautiful girls. Tito, in truth, was not her son; for Balzani had beenmarried twice, and his first wife had been of his own nationality. Titowas several years older than the twin sisters, and no very greatlikeness existed between them. Yet the daughters looked far more Italianthan English, although they spoke their mother's tongue with perfectfluency, and without any sort of accent. They were both very charminggirls. Leofric could not on that occasion decide in the least which wasthe more charming, for he could not tell them apart. Sometimes hethought he was beginning to know them, but again found himselfcompletely at fault. But he was delighted with the permission accordedto him of drawing their portraits, and the girls' eagerness over thismatter amused and gratified him not a little.

  Roger seemed in a very ill temper all the while, as Jack was not slow tonotice. He sat silent and sullen at the board, nor did it soothe him toobserve that nobody seemed to miss him or take note of his ill-humour.All were occupied with Hugh and his guests, chattering and laughinggaily. Nobody appeared to have a word or a look for him, unless it werethe hostess, who pressed him sometimes to partake of one or another ofthe dishes on the table, but always returned to join the chatter of theyoung folks, which plainly interested her much more than the moroseresponses of Roger.

  When Balzani and his son appeared, they were full of the news which wasexciting the place. The innkeeper was pleased with the thought of allthe fine company that this meeting would bring to the town. He did notprofess to know or to care very much about the rights of the case; hewas still too much the foreigner to enter keenly into English politics.But the local excitement he thoroughly appreciated, and when he got achance he questioned Hugh closely about the great Earl of Leicester andhis household and retinue, wondering whether so great a man wouldcondescend to lodge in his house, and if so, what gain such a thingwould bring to him.

  When Jack and Leofric took their leave, promising another visit soon,Hugh walked with them part of the way, asking their opinion of hisquarters and his friends.

  "I'd have a care if I were thee," said Jack, with one of his shrewdglances; "for that braggart Roger de Horn is no friend of thine, andmethinks Tito and he are fast friends. In this city it behoves men towalk warily if they have foes abroad. I would have a care if I werethee."