out, or daubled
over, tempore Olivari, and (in its place was written 'This was the
King's Head') was new painted." On the 1st of May "a Maypole was set up
against the Beare in All Hallows parish (_i.e._, opposite the Mitre of
our time) on purpose to vex the Presbyterians and Independants," despite
the interference of Dr Conant, the Vice-Chancellor. On the 10th the new
King was proclaimed: on the 14th letters from Richard Cromwell to
Convocation were read, whereby he resigned the Chancellorship of the
University in dignified and courteous words. By May 29th the Restoration
was complete, and the day was observed in all or in most towns in
England, "particularly at Oxon, which did exceed any place of its
bigness." Wood's comment on these events is worth giving in full: "The
world of England was perfectly mad. They were free from the chains of
darkness and confusion which the Presbyterians and phanatiques had
brought upon them: yet some of them, seeing then what mischief they had
done, tack'd about to participate of the universal Joy, and at length
closed with the Royal partie." Here we take leave, for a time, of Antony
Wood, who has been allowed to tell his story in his own words; unwilling
leave, for though he is provoking, he is charming, with a keen eye for
character, both of parties and individuals, and for the issues and
events of real importance, never dull or lengthy, save when he descants
on his family affairs or on the minutiae of his occasionally meticulous
antiquarianism, and even then to be forgiven for his zeal and industry.

FOOTNOTE:

[2] See 'Cromwell,' p. 368, 2nd edition.

CHAPTER IV.

WILKINS AFTER HIS LIFE AT OXFORD.

Wilkins was spared the pain of witnessing the end of the Commonwealth in
Oxford, and of being ejected from his post like other Heads of Houses.
On September 3, 1659, he resigned the Wardenship, and was succeeded on
September 5th by Walter Blandford, one of the Fellows who had submitted
to the Visitors in 1648, and later, in that strange time of opinions
which "could be changed," had made his peace with the Royalists. During
his Wardenship of six years the College flourished. He was made Bishop
of Oxford in 1665, and was in 1671 promoted to the See of Worcester,
another of the many Wadham Bishops.

Wilkins left Wadham to become Master of Trinity College, Cambridge. He
had been invited there by the Fellows, on whose petition he was
presented by Richard Cromwell. Thirty years l