COLLEGES
47. THE CANONS OF THE CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE, OXFORD
In 1074 Robert d'Oilly and Roger d'Ivri built
the church of St. George in the castle of Oxford, and established a college of secular canons.
As it was absorbed by Oseney as early as 1149,
not much is known of its history and constitution; but a confirmation by Henry I (fn. 1) gives a
list of its possessions about 1130, viz. the church
of St. Mary Magdalen, Oxford, with 3 hides
in Walton, and the estate (terra) of Cutslow,
the church and estate of Cowley, the church
and estate of Stowe (Buckinghamshire), 2 hides
in Morton (Buckinghamshire), 2½ hides in Cassington, a hide in Sandford, 2 hides in Arncot,
a virgate in Hook Norton, and two-thirds of the
tithe of the demesne of all the manors of the two
founders, numbering nearly seventy, and scattered
over Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire,
Gloucestershire, and Northamptonshire. The
number of canons is nowhere mentioned; but
as Oseney in later times was bound to maintain
five chaplains at St. George's to pray for the
souls of the founders, it is possible that this was the
original number of the canons. As was the case
at Beverley, the head canon was called prepositus, (fn. 2) but unlike Beverley, the canons did not live
in common, but had their separate prebends.
Walter, the archdeacon of Oxford (c. 1110-51),
held the prebend of Walton, and was provost
in the year 1145, and probably long before.
Robert de Chesney, as he tells us, (fn. 3) held the prebend of Stowe before he became bishop of Lincoln. Cowley with its church no doubt gave
the title to another prebend. The canons themselves, unlike some secular canons, seem to have
been men of learning and goodness. Henry of
Huntingdon informs (fn. 4) us of the learning of both
Walter the archdeacon and Robert de Chesney,
and a certain 'Geoffrey Artur' who attests deeds
which concern St. George's, and seems to have
been a canon during the years 1129-51, is no
other than Geoffrey of Monmouth, the historian,
who in his book acknowledges the help and
friendship of Walter the archdeacon. In considering the question, how it was that Oxford first
became a place of learning, we must remember
the presence of these learned men during the
reigns of Henry I and Stephen.
That the canons were appointed by the representatives of the families of the two founders is
clear from a dispute between Oseney and Reginald of St. Walery. The house of Ivri, which
came to an end early in the twelfth century,
was followed by the family of St. John, and in
1149 Henry d'Oilly and John of St. John
granted to Oseney the chapel of St. George and
all its possessions; the existing canons, however,
holding their prebends for life. In 1151 Walter
the archdeacon died; meanwhile John of St. John,
it seems, had also died, and Reginald of St. Walery
had been given his fief, and with it the right of
filling up those prebends which belonged thereto.
As Walton was an Ivri manor, and Reginald
of St. Walery did not consider himself bound
by his predecessor's agreement, he gave the
prebend to his son Walter, afterwards archdeacon of Rouen. For many years a dispute
was carried on between him and Oseney; the
bishop of London (fn. 5) wrote to entreat that one
who had engaged in earthly warfare against the
infields in Palestine should have more consideration for those engaged in spiritual warfare, but the matter was not settled until after
1166, when Bernard, his son, agreed that the
prebend should be relinquished to Oseney, but
that his brother, who held it, should receive £10
a year from it for his life. (fn. 6) The abbey subsequently maintained two canons and thirteen
ministers to celebrate daily in the chapel, (fn. 7) but
eventually refounded the college as a small educational establishment under their own patronage
and, to a great extent, control. (fn. 8)
48. THE COLLEGE OF ST. GEORGE, OXFORD
The origin of this College is nowhere recorded,
but in 1474 a charge was raised (fn. 9) against the
abbey of Oseney, that it had received the manor
of Walton from Edward III on condition that it
should maintain in the church of St. George five
secular priests and certain scholars; and that as
Oseney did not perform this condition, the king
might seize the land. The inquisition, which
was held in consequence, decided that there was
no truth in the story, that the land had not
belonged to Edward III, and that there was no
such obligation attaching to it; but the abbey may
have thought it advisable to start such a college
to put an end to all murmuring. Practically all
we know about it is what we learn from
its statutes. (fn. 10) It was to consist of five secular
priests who were to pray daily in the church
of St. George for the soul of Robert d'Oilly,
and minister to those within the castle. Over
them was a 'custos' or 'magister,' who was
always to be a canon of Oseney. The scholars
who were admitted were bound to observe the
ordinary rules of an Oxford college, and at their
admission they took an oath that they would
leave something to the college by will, to help
maintain before St. George's altar the light called
the light of the scholars; but there was no obligation that they should be in any way connected
with the Augustinian rule. It was more like a
hostel or hall, where scholars could lodge under
the supervision of those who would have a good
influence on their morals, rather than their
minds. The date of its foundation probably was
about 1480. In 1523 the abbey of Oseney paid
£8 a year in alms 'to six poor scholars in the
castle of Oxford.' (fn. 11) As the priests were maintained from Oseney, receiving a daily allowance,
the college came to an end at the dissolution.