imes, the hours during which the library was open
were from nine to eleven o'clock a.m., and from one to four o'clock p.m.
Suspended on the wall was a large board inscribed with the names both of
the books and the donors "lest oblivion, the stepmother of memory,
should pluck from our breasts the remembrance of our benefactors." To
the same intent thrice every quarter a solemn mass of the Holy Ghost,
and once every quarter a requiem mass, were said at the altar of St.
Katherine in the Church of the Blessed Virgin. Every night the books and
the windows of the library were closed, and, with certain rare
exceptions, books were not permitted to be removed.

ACADEMIC

CHAPTER VIII

OF THE PRIVILEGE

While money and books were the twin bases on which the fabric of the
University reposed, it is plain that a great institution of the sort
would involve the employment of numerous agencies not strictly concerned
with the work of instruction, but engaged upon the not less necessary
functions of maintaining order and ministering to the needs of the body.
All persons so occupied were accounted as "of the privilege of the
University," and were subject to the jurisdiction of the Chancellor.
From an indenture between the University of Oxford and the Town, dated
1459, we find that the Privilege embraced:

"The Chaunceller, alle doctours, maistres, other graduats, alle
studients, alle scholers, and alle clerkes, dwellyng within the precint
of the Universite, of what condicion, ordre or degree soever they be,
every dailly continuell servant to eny of theym bifore rehersed
belonging, the styward of the Universite wyth their menyall men, also
alle Bedells with their dailly servants and their householdes, all
catours, manciples, spencers, cokes, lavenders, povere children of
scolers or clerkes, within the precinct of the said Universite, also
alle other servants taking clothing or hyre by the yere, half yere, or
quarter of the yere takyng atte leste for the yere vi. shillings and
viij. pence, for the half iii. shillings and iv. pence, and the quarter
xx. pence of any doctour, maister, graduat, scoler or clerc without
fraud or malengyne; also, alle common caryers, bryngers of scolers to
the Universite, or their money, letters, or eny especiall message to eny
scoler or clerk, or fetcher of eny scoler or clerk fro the Universite
for the tyme of such fetchyng or bryngyng or abidyng in the Universite
to that entent."

Parchment-make