thy exercise. ("Non prohibemus tamen
lusum pilae ad murum, tabulata, aut tegulas, in horto, causa solum
modo exercendi corporis et sanitatis.") Associations with home life
were maintained by vacation visits, but the influx of "people" to the
University was, of course, unknown. The ancient statutes of Peterhouse
permit a woman (even if she be not a relation) to talk with a Fellow
in the Hall, preferably in the presence of another Fellow, or at
least, a servant; but the legislator had grave fears of the results of
such "confabulationes," and the precedent he set was not followed. A
Fellow or scholar is frequently permitted by College statutes to
entertain his father, brother, nephew, or a friend, obtaining first
the consent of the Head of the College, and paying privately for the
entertainment, but no such guest might sleep in College, and the
permission is carefully restricted to the male sex. Women were, as (p. 073)
a rule, not allowed within a College gate; if it was impossible to
find a man to wash clothes, a laundress might be employed, but she
must be old and of unprepossessing appearance. A scholar or Fellow of
a college had not, however, committed himself irrevocably to a
celibate life, for marriage is included among the "causas rationabiles
et honestas" which vacated a fellowship. It was possible, though
probably infrequent, for a Fellow who had not proceeded to Holy Orders
to leave the College "uxore ducta," giving up his emolument, his
clerical dress, and the tonsure. Even if a Fellow enjoyed the
Founder's provision for the long period of his course in Arts and
Theology, and proceeded in due time to Holy Orders, it was not
contemplated that he should remain a Fellow till his death.

"... he had geten him yet no benefyce,
Ne was so worldly for to have offyce,"

says Chaucer, indicating the natural end of a scholar's career. He
might betake himself to some "obsequium," and rise high in the service
of the king, or of some great baron or bishop, and become, like one of
Wykeham's first New College scholars, Henry Chichele, an archbishop
and a College founder himself. Should no such great career open up for
him, he can, at the least, succeed to one of the livings which the
founders of English colleges purchased for this purpose. His "obsequium"
would naturally lead to his ceasing to reside, and so vacate his (p. 074)
fellowship, and his acceptance of a benefice over a certain value
brought about the same resu