3 JUNE 1893, Page 26

Registrum Orielense. Collected and arranged by Charles Lancelot Shadwell. (H.

Frowde.)—Mr. Shadwell gives in his preface a brief account of what we should now call the undergraduate element in a, college. This is of more recent origin than is com- monly supposed. It dates, generally speaking, from the time of Leicester's Chancellorship (1564-85). "The bulk of the younger students were merely admitted to the privileges of the University, and were not attached to any college." Oriel had no scholars till far on in the present century, though there were exhibitioners and

Servitors," who enjoyed certain exhibitions and performed in return certain duties ; " Commoners " began to be admitted in the latter half of the sixteenth century. " Gentlemen-Com- moners " there had been from almost the beginning. Arundel, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, belonged to this class. The entries given in this volume begin with "c. 1500," under which form the name of Alexander Barclay, author of the "Ship of Fools," is given. For some time they are sparse, there being sixteen only in the first twenty-five years. Passing on to the seventeenth century, we find, under the years 1605-0, fourteen Commoners admitted, and in the next nineteen. In 1614-15, there are twenty-two ; in 1616-17, twenty-six. The number sinks to four in 1647-48; in the next year there were none. After this the entries increase again. The volume carries us down as far as 1700. Mr. Shadwell deserves thanks for the industry and zeal with which he has carried out his work.