Mary's bell reply to St. Martin's, and
shooting commenced. The Gown held their own very well at first, and
"defended themselves till Vespertide," when the citizens called in
their neighbours, the rustics of Cowley, Headington, and Hincksey.
The results have been precisely described in anticipation by Homer:
[Greek text which cannot be reproduced]
Which is as much as to say, "The townsfolk call for help to their
neighbours, the yokels, that were more numerous than they, and better
men in battle . . . so when the sun turned to the time of the loosing
of oxen the Town drave in the ranks of the Gown, and won the
victory." They were strong, the townsmen, but not merciful. "The
crowns of some chaplains, viz. all the skin so far as the tonsure
went, these diabolical imps flayed off in scorn of their clergy," and
"some poor innocents these confounded sons of Satan knocked down,
beat, and most cruelly wounded." The result, in the long run, was
that the University received from Edward III. "a most large charter,
containing many liberties, some that they had before, and OTHERS THAT
HE HAD TAKEN AWAY FROM THE TOWN." Thus Edward granted to the
University "the custody of the assize of bread, wine, and ale," the
supervising of measures and weights, the sole power of clearing the
streets of the town and suburbs. Moreover, the Mayor and the chief
Burghers were condemned yearly to a sort of public penance and
humiliation on St.
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