Admissions to the College of St. John the Evangelist, Cambridge,
Parts I. and II. (Deighton, Bell, and Co.)—This book appears under the editorship of Professor John C. B. Mayor, who thus pays his Operripta to the College in whose endowments be has had a share for now many years past. It is to be wished that all the sons of these great foundations were as dutiful as he. It is for very few indeed to be as he is, but some duty is within the reach of all, and it is quite lamentable to think how many wholly neglect it. Very likely the prize fellowship system has something to do with it. The books which Professor Mayor hero prints are the records of admissions of undergraduates. They begin January 30th, 1629-30. The first entry may be given at full length, as it will serve as a specimen of hundreds of others. "Matt. Whynne of Cambridge, son of Matt. Whyn,' tailor (sutoris vestiarii) of Cambridge School, Cambridge (Mr. Loveringe), for 3 years ; admitted sizar, surety Mr. Nicholson, 30 Jan., wt. 18, et solvit pro ingressu 6d." Five more admissions are recorded before the end of the year, in March. Four are " pensioners " ; their fathers are described as "gentleman," "rector of Hunsdon, Herta," "rector of Kelleston, Derbyshire," and" sometime fellow of the College." One other sizar was admitted. His father was " plebeius." Six more were admitted before July 1st, when the College year ended, four of them being sizars, two sons of " farmers " (variously described as firviarius and agricola), one of a "husbandman" (agricola). Of the two pensioners one was the son of the Mayor of Lincoln (praetoris Lincolniensis). The register for the year ends with " sed default nonnulli qui admissi fuere in tern- pore postis ; et non inseribuntur in hoc libro." Pestilence and war leave, indeed, very serious traces on the College records. Cam- bridge never suffered as did the sister University, which became at one time a mere garrison town, almost all semblance of a University having been lost ; but it did not altogether escape. In 1638-39 the admissions Were sixty-four, and in 1639-40, sixty-five ; but in 1640-41 they sank to forty-one, in the next year to thirty- nine, and in the next to thirteen, and in the next again (July, 1643, July, 1644) to nine, of whom seven were sizars. This was the lowest point. In the East of England the war was now over ; in 1644-45 the admissions were forty-two, and in the year following ninety-ono. The occupation of the father is commonly given in Latin, the equivalent being sometimes curious. In 1648 we find a "cutler" (cultrarius) of Sheffield, and on succeeding pages lanio, pecuarius, coriarius, pannificus, calcearius, auriga, tinctor, candela- rius, faber ferrarius, barbitonsor, piston " Drover " appears to have puzzled the authorities, as does " gameseller." On the whole, we gather that sons of the lower trading classes, and of the labouring class, came in greater numbers to the University then than now. Professor Mayor evidently thinks so, and is ill satisfied with the result. Our scholarship system (both at school and college) has done something in bringing it about. The poorer class is heavily weighted in the race, especially by the disastrous "age" regulation. But this is not the only cause. The luxury of the age is still more mischievous. "No stunpttiary laws, but personal examples of frugality, are needed to draw poor scholars to the house of Cheke and Ascham."
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