" We get a glimpse, from Wood, of the Fellows of Merton
singing the psalms of Sternhold and Hopkins round a fire in the
College Hall. We see the sub-warden snatching the book out of the
hands of a junior fellow, and declaring "that he would never dance
after that pipe." We find Oxford so illiterate, that she could not
even provide an University preacher! A country gentleman, Richard
Taverner of Woodeaton, would stroll into St. Mary's, with his sword
and damask gown, and give the Academicians, destitute of academical
advice, a sermon beginning with these words:
"Arriving at the mount of St. Mary's, I have brought you some fine
bisketts baked in the Oven of Charitie, carefully conserved for the
chickens of the Church, the sparrows of the spirit, and the sweet
swallows of salvation.
In spite of these evil symptoms, a Greek oration and plenty of Latin
plays were ready for Queen Elizabeth when she visited Oxford in 1566.
The religious refugees, who had "eaten mice at Zurich" in Mary's
time, had returned, and their influence was hostile to learning. A
man who had lived on mice for his faith was above Greek. The court
which contained Sydney, and which welcomed Bruno, was strong enough
to make the classics popular. That famed Polish Count, Alasco, was
"received with Latin orations and disputes (1583) in the best
manner," and only a scoffing Italian, like Bruno, ventured to call
the Heads of Houses THE DROWSY HEADS--dormitantes.
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