THE GREAT COMMENCEMENT-COMMITIA MAJORA.

121

We will now pass to the Act or Great Commencement in the summer; till which time the seniority of the honor men was reserved from the first Act generally in February (Comitia Priora of the Wranglers and Senior Optimes) and from the latter Act of the 'Bachelors' Commencement' (Comitia Posteriora of the Junior Optimes): so that they kept their place above any of the wool, or ordinary-degree men.

At this Great Commencement (Comitia Majora) the higher degrees were given, and the PRAEVARICATOR* held a similar position to that which the Tripos had taken on the earlier occasion.

The following account is taken from esquire bedel Matt. Stoky's Book, just before the Reformation.

The Vepers in Arte.

[Vesperiae ante Comitia maxima]. . . In the mornyng att vii off the Clocke all the Inceptours in Arte shall assemble att the College or Place where the FATHER [In later days the Proctor took this office at the great Commencement] is abydyng. Then the Father shall call hys chyldren lyke as he wyll have them in Senyoryte, begynnyng at the eldyst,... so they shall take upp the Scolys; fyrst the Comyn Scolys, the Master in Ordynarye redyng in everye Scolys, as the Facultye requyryth; And so in everye Howse of Fryers, where any Regent is... [Then after some Questions and notice of Disputations: the eldyst sonne' beginning to rehearse his arguments shall be clappyde out.'] Than the Proctour shall make as many ley their handys on the Boke as may, and he shall say, Jurabitis quod nunquam resumetis Gradum Bachalariatus in eadem facultate de cetero. [i.e., 'hereafter.' The Oxonian formula was quaintly personal: Magister tu jurabis quod nunquam consenties in reconciliationem Henrici Simeonis, nec statum Baccalaureatus iterum tibi assumes. It is thought that the culprit had, to gain some end, dissembled his degree in king John's reign.] After that the Father shall rede hys Comendatyon, his Chyldren folowing and there whodys pluckydde on there Hedys, [to hide their blushes;] and that don, the Bedyll shall say, Honorande Magister, solent queri Questiones. [The Father repeats; adding, sub quo? quando et ubi? Sub quo? Sub meipso, Deo dante. Quando? Die Lune. In ecclesia Beate Marie Virginis. And thus endyth the Vepers in Arte. Nota. The Fathers and Bedellys shall dyne wyth the eldest Inceptour that Daye.

The Commensment in Arte.

Ubi?

In the Mornyng on the Commensment Day all the Inceptours shall assemble att the Father's Place, as they dyd the day off the Vepers than the yongest shall go fyrst, and the Father shall cumme behynde wyth hys eldyst Sonne next hym all to Saynt Marye Chyrche. The Father shall sytt before the Auter, & as many off his Chyldren as may. Iff there be Commensment in Divinite & Lawe that Day, the Father of Dyvinite shall sytt in the middys of the Gresynge [step] before the Hyghe Auter, covered iff he wyll, & hys eldyst Sone... Than next hym the Father in Lawe. [The Father in Art and each Inceptor offers 1d. Mass is said. Then] the Proctour shall say Incipiatis. Than the Father shall rede a Texte in Phylosophye, & say, Ex isto Textu eliciuntur duo Articuli ad presens disputandi: & he shall reherse the Questyons that shall be dysputyde. Then shall stonde upp THE YONGEST REGENT THAT COMMENSYDE THE YERE BEFORE [i.e.,

As to the name Praevaricator; several instances of the word are cited in Todd's Johnson's Dictionary. Archbishop Trench says, 'to prevaricate' was never employed by good writers of the 17th century, without nearer or more remote allusion to the uses of the word in the Roman law courts, where a 'praevaricator' (properly a straddler with distorted legs) did not mean generally and loosely, as now with us, one who shuffles, quibbles, and evades; but one who plays false in a particular manner; who undertaking, or, being by his office bound, to prosecute a charge, is in secret collusion with the opposite party; and betraying the cause which he affects to support, so manages the accusation as to obtain not the condemnation, but the acquital of the accused; a "feint pleader," as, I think, in our old law language, he would have been termed. How much force would the keeping of this in mind add to many passages in our elder divines.'-English Past and Present, Lect. IV,

Cicero, in his Second Philippic, says, 'I shall seem, quod turpissimum est, praevaricatorem mihi apposuisse:' (i.e., to have set up Antony as a man of straw to argue with me, merely to bring out my own powers). It is very easy to see how such an office in academical disputations would degenerate into badinage.

REESE LIBRARY

(UNIVESITY

the PRAEVARICATOR OF VARIER; who had at the preceding Commencement sworn, in addition to the ordinary oath, Jurabis etiam quod sequenti anno in proximis comitiis per te, vel per alium, VARIABIS, determinabis questionem, &c. Compare Peter Gunning's account of himself: In the year of our Lord, 1632, I commenced bachelor of arts, and was made senior brother. In the year of our Lord, 1632, ending on new year's day, January 1, I was chosen fellow of the college, (Clare hall,) when I was nineteen years old. At the same year, ending at the latter act, I was made tripus. In the year 1635, in July, I commenced master of arts, and was sworn praevaricator.' Baker-Mayor, 234-5; see also the quotation given by Mr. Mayor in the notes, p. 648, where Edw. Stillingfleet is described as giving awitty and inoffensive speech' as Tripos: and in 1660, the Praevaricator, Mr. Darby, is said to have been witty and innocent.'] He was required to preface his argument with an Oration, in which he was authorized by custom, like the TRIPOS at the lesser comitia, (in the spring,) to use considerable freedom of language; a privilege which was not unfrequently abused. The praevaricator was so named (says dean Peacock) from varying the question which he proposed, either by a play upon the words, or by the transposition of the terms in which it was expressed. And he shall ansure to one argument in both maters; fyrst to the Sone & after to the Father, iff he may have reason therto, he shall certyfye the Argument off hys Sone. After the Proctour hath sayde, Sufficit, shall stonde up the non Regent & reherse the maters, & the way off the yong Regent: after he shall rede hys Lesson, & ansure to the Sone, to the Father, and the non Regentys, in lyke Forme as is sayde in the Vepers. Whan all have arguyde, the Proctour shall say, Ad Oppositum. The Sonne shall ansure, Est Philosophus. Than the Yongest Doctor off Divynite shall take the Conclusyon, and say thus, Has Conclusiones, assero et determino esse veras. [Then an Oath is given to continue regency for five years, and not to incept or read in the faculty elsewhere, except at Oxford. The Inceptor then sits and gives his final determination of the questions in the ear of the Father (Magister),] and as he is going, on off [i.e., one of] the Bedellys shall stonde there & say, Nouter Mater, [maitre,] Mater N. pronounsyng by name... [After the Vepers in Gramer follows the Act or enteryng of a Master in Gramer which, though beside our question, is too quaint to be passed over. After beginning with Mass, &c., as in Arts,] Whan the Father, [sitting aloft under the Stage for Physyke' in St. Mary's church,] hath arguyde as shall plese the Proctour, the Bedyll in Arte shall bring the Master of Gramer to the Vice-chauncelor, delyveryng hym a Palmer, [some sort of ferule or cane,] wyth a Rodde, whych the Vycechauncelor shall gyve to the seyde Master in Gramer, & so create hym Master. Than shall the Bedell purvay for every master in Gramer a shrewde Boy, whom the master in Gramer shall bete openlye in the Scolys, & the master in Gramer shall give the Boye a Grote for hys Labour, & another Grote to hym that provydeth the Rode & the Palmer, &c. de singulis. And thus endythe the Acte in that Facultye,

Nota. That the Inceptour in Gramer shall gyve to the Vicechauncelar a Bonett, and to the Father, and to eche off the Proctours a Bonett. .

...

Vespers and Commensment in Canon and Civell Law.

[Then comes an account of the Vespers in Divinity, and of the Divinity Act which was to take place after 'the Actys in Gramer, Art, Musyke, Physyke, Cyvyll, Canon.']. . .M. Iff ther commense ij Fryers Doctours in on Howse, the on is Regent Claustrall, and shall rede his Lesson in hys owne Scholys, and the other shall rede in the commyn Scolys; and lyke wyse wyth the Dysputatyons. ...Whan the Dysputatyon is done the Doctour shall not say the Prayers, but be brought home wythe the Bedellys, and the Opposers, and there he shall gyve them Drynke: and the Responsall shall gyve hym xxd. towarde the Costys of thys Drynkyng.

M... The Bedell shall gather of every Doctour Comensar for every Doctour ther being present, a Grote for hys Pylyon, and iff ther be moo Commensars Doctours than on, he shall gather of the yongar Commensar a grote for the elder Commensar.' [Bedel Buck's Book-1665.]

The Bedels are to go to the several Colleges, and bring the Inceptors in Arts to the Father in Philosophy by 7 of the Clock that morning, in Hoods black. After a little stay at the Father's chamber, we go to the Father of Physick... to the Father in Civil Law... to the Father in Divinity... to the V. C.

The Inceptors in all Faculties go this day with Black Hoods turned, and their Caps off. When we come at the V. C. Lodgings, after a little stay there, we are to go to the Schools... The V. C., . . . not being a Father, is in his Scarlet

Gown, his Cap being garnished with Gold Lace; but if he be a Father, then he goeth in his Cope; and so do the other Fathers with their Caps garnished.

The Proctors go in white Hoods, and their Caps garnished with gold Lace, carrying their Books in their hands. The Father in Philosophy goeth in like manner, save only he carrieth no Book. When we are come into the Philosophy Schools, one of the Bedels saith unto the Lecturer there reading, Venerabilis magister, haec tibi sufficiant. Then he leaves off his Reading. The Bedel then readeth all the Quaestions in hunc Modum. Quaestiones his nostris Comitiis disputandae sunt hujusmodi; In Schola Theologica.-Then he reads them. In Schola Juris Civilis-In Schola Medica-In Schola Philos.-He readeth likewise all the Questions for these 3, in Vesperiis Comitiorum, in Die Comitiorum.

Then another Bedel saith to the Lecturer, in French, Monsieur, une Parole s'il vous plaist. Les Seigneurs de notre Commencement vous prient, qu'il vous plaist d'etre present Demain a leurs commencements dans l'Eglise de notre Dame.

Then the Reader comes down out of his seat; and from thence we go to the Logick Schools, and there do the like; and from thence to the Rhetorick, and so do there likewise... [The Fathers take a high seat in their several schools, and a Bedel goes to each, and summons him to the Benedictions which are usually very short.' Then they go to S. Mary's Church; where all take their places on the Stages, &c.] Mr V. Ch. (if he be a Divine) doth moderate this Divinity Act, and beginneth with a Prayer; then he maketh a short Speech, at the end of which, he desireth the Father to begin: who, at the end of his speech, calleth up the Answerer, who, after his Prayer, readeth his Position. In the mean Time the Bedels deliver his Verses to the Vice-Chancellor, Noblemen, &c.

The Position being ended, the Father doth usually confute it, but very briefly, and then he disputeth upon his Son; who, after he hath repeated the first syllogism, doth endeavour to answer the Objections the Father used against it. Now he falleth to his arguments again, and having disputed a little while upon both Questions, the V. C. taketh him off, and calleth up the Senior Opponent; and so all the rest in their Seniority. They having all disputed, the V. C. dismisseth the Answerer, with a word or 2 in his commendation, if there be cause for it. Then he beginneth his Determination: which being ended, and also his Prayer, the Respondent, and all his Brethren standing with him by the Scat, do take this Oath, which the Proctor giveth, [against taking the degree again.].. Then they are to sit upon the Form before the respondents Seat; and the Bedel having covered their faces with their Hoods, he holdeth up his Staff and saith, Honorande Pater, ad Commendationem: which being ended the Bedel doth uncover the Inceptors' Faces and saith again, Ilonorande Puter, solent quaeri Quaestiones, &c. They then adjourn to dinner at the Answerer's college hall. The University Musicians usually standing by the College Hall, welcome them hither with their loud Music.

At 3 of the Clock the School Bell rings to the Act, and the V. C. and all the Company with him go to the Commencement House, and so soon as they are placed, the Proctor sitting on the South side, beginneth with a short oration. Then the Father in Philosophy sitting on the North side, with his eldest son on his right Hand, doth begin his exhortation: and after he hath ended his Speech, the Proctor calleth up the VARIER or PREVARICATOR, who having ended his Speech, is dismist by the Proctor: and then the PHILOSOPHER is called for by him and whilst he is reading his Position the Bedels deliver out his verses in the like manner as they did in the morning at the Divinity Act.

In Die Comitiorum... we all go directly to St. Mary's, where the V. C. is placed with the Drs of his own Faculty in the upper stage at the West end of the Church. The Father in divinity sitteth in the lower stage, with his Sons on his right hand.

The Lady Margaret's Professor (who is usually the Moderator this Day) sits on the South Side in the same seat the V. C. did the day before. All being placed, the Moderator beginneth with a Prayer, and a short Speech: which being ended, the Father in Divinity maketh a Speech; and when that is done, the Proctor saith, Honorande Pater, ad Creationem: Wherein a Cap, a Book, a Ring, a Chair and a Kiss are used.

Then the Father calleth up the Answerer, and showeth him his sons, whom he encourageth, &c.

Then the Answerer beginneth his Prayer and Positions, and when the Position. is reading, the Bedels deliver verses and Groats to all D present, as well Strangers as Gremials [Others reply in turn:] Every Inceptor...is to make a short speech...in which he thanketh the University, and likewise his Father. [Then come Commendations and Prayer: the Bedel says Incipe: Ad Oppositum: Pone dextram in Manum Dris. and gives him the oath, and a Profession concerning Holy Scripture. With that exception the same order is observed in the other faculties: the Proctor dismissing each with Exito. In the Philosophy Act, the Father having created his Son;-] the VARIER or PREVARICATOR maketh his

Oration. Then the Son maketh a short speech, and disputeth upon him. Then the Answerer in Philosophy is called forth, and whilst he is reading his Position, the Bedels distribute his verses, &c. When the Position is ended, the eldest son, and 2 masters of Arts reply upon him. The Senior M. of Arts usually makes a speech, before he replieth; but the 2. opponent doth not..

After some 10 or 12 are thus created in the Church, the Proctor standeth up, and saith, Reliqui expectabunt Creationem in Scholis Publicis.

They adjourn for that purpose. Next morning the Law Act is performed: Groats and verses are distributed to the D's present; verses alone. to the noblemen and strangers. Then the Physick Act begins.

Now if there be no Music Act, Mr Proctor maketh a short Speech, thanking the Auditory for their patience, and desireth their pardon in case there have been any Slips or mistakes in such variety of exercise.

Mem. That the VARIER to be in the future Commencement hath this Oath added, Jurabis etiam, &c. He is sworn last, tho' he be one of the first that is called.'

What Remains in 1828.

Gunning's edition of Wall's Ceremonies (1828), shows that the forms Incipe, Ad Oppositum, &c., remain unaltered in the Divinity Commencement. The office of Tripos and Prevaricator have gone; the name of the former have come to signify the list on the back of which the verses are printed (and in later times even the examination which results in that list).

Under the section concerning the First Tripos, Gunning says, 'Each of tha Proctors provides a copy of verses in Latin, which he sends to be printed at the University Press.

The Junior Proctor gives directions about the printing, and orders a number of copies to be sent to the vestry, to be distributed by the company to persons in Statu Pupillari, who assemble in the Law Schools in order to obtain them... The Vice-Chancellor, Noblemen, Doctors, and University Officers, fit themselves with gloves, which are provided by the Junior Proctor. Gloves also are given to the Writers of the Tripos Verses, the Marshal, the School-keeper, the Yeomar. Bedell, Vice-Chancellor's servant, Proctor's men, and Clerk of St. Mary's... Each of the Proctors makes a speech ['now discontinued'], and the Tripos papers are thrown amongst the Undergraduates.

A Bedell reads from a Tripos paper:

'Baccalaurei quibus sua reservatur Senioritas Comitiis prioribus.” '

The like was done at the Second Tripos (of the 'Junior Optimes,' Comitiis Posterioribus.)

The Degree Symbols Explained.

Of the symbolism of the insignia doctoralia, Bentley gives an account, well worth perusing, in the Introduction to his edition of Terence. In the Elizabethan statutes the Doctors are called emphatically pileati, cap-wearers. Bentley explains the solemn delivery of the Cap to the Inceptor to mean that he was free, and also that he was to set out on a toilsome journey, eloquent like Ulysses, cunning like Mercury, workmanlike as Vulcan: the three who are especially represented in antiques with petasi. The Bible was handed to them; firstly shut, as mysterious; secondly open, as to learned expositors. The Ring too symbolizes liberty; it is also a sign of birth to the doctor's degree; of betrothal to the chaste spouse Theology. [The gold ring, with the motto COMMENDAT RARIOR vsvs, was the symbol of authority handed by the Head-master (Informator) at Winchester to the Praefect of Hall, as a sign that a 'Remedye' or whole-holiday was granted. It was returned on the morning of the next whole school-day.' This custom is known to have been as old as 1550, and expired only a few years ago]. The Chair represents stability: it invites the Inceptor to aim at succeed ing the Professor: it calls him to the episcopal Throne, or the decanal Stall. It seems luxurious at first, but it will prove hard to fill. Then the kiss: that is a token of pardon, of good-will, of kinship with Alma Mater. It is no kiss of dalliance (suarium), but a kiss of holy love (osculum).

JOHN ELIOT-THE APOSTLE OF THE INDIANS.

MEMOIR.

MR. JOHN ELIOT, teacher of the Church of Roxbury for fifty years after the first settlement of that town in 1631, will be remembered, by all acquainted with the history of New England, for his early and persistent efforts to civilize and Christianize the native Indians, and is entitled to our grateful recognition for his life-long interest in the mental and spiritual culture of the children and youth, not only of his own people, but of all New England. Of his perpetual resolution and activity to support a good school in the town that belonged unto him,' Cotton Mather,* in his elaborate Life of the Renowned John Eliot,' writes: "A grammar school he would always have upon the place, whatever it cost him; and he importuned all other places to have the like.' I can not forget the ardor with which I even heard him pray, in a synod of these churches which met at Boston to consider how the miscarriages which were among us might be prevented.' I say with what fervor he uttered an expression to this purpose: Lord, for schools every where among us! O! that our schools may flourish! That every member of this assembly may go home and procure a good school to be encouraged in the town where he lives! That before we die we may see a good school encouraged in every plantation of the country.' God so blessed his endeavors, that Roxbury could not live quietly without a free school in the town; and the issue of it has been one thing, which has made me almost put the title of Schola Illustris upon that little nursery; that is, 'that Roxbury has afforded more scholars, first for the colledge, and then for the publick-than any town of its bigness, or if I mistake not, of twice its bigness in all New England.' From the spring of the school at Roxbury, there have run a large number of the 'streams which have made glad this whole city of God.' I persuade myself that the good people of Roxbury will for ever scorn to begrudge the cost, or to permit the death of a school which God has made such an honor to them; and

Magnalia Christi Americana. By Cotton Mather, D. D., F. R. S., and Puster of North Church in Boston,