the yell, and noise, and deafening shouts
became terrific. In a moment all was fury and confusion: in the onset
the gown, confident and daring, had evidently the advantage, and the
retiring raff fell back in dismay; while the advancing and victorious
party laid about them with their quarter-staves, and knuckles drawing
blood, or teeth, or cracking crowns at every blow, until they had driven
them back to the end of the corn-market. It was now that the strong arm
and still stronger science of the sturdy bachelors of Brazen-nose, and
the square-built, athletic sons of Cambria, the Jones's of Jesus, proved
themselves of sterling mettle, and bore the brunt of the battle with
unexampled courage: at this instant a second reinforcement arriving from
the canals and wharfs on the banks of the Isis, having forced their way
by George-lane, brought timely assistance to the town raff, and enabled
them again to rally and present so formidable an appearance, ~255~~that
the _togati_ deemed it prudent to retreat upon their reserve, who were
every moment accumulating in immense numbers in the High-street: to
this spot the townsmen, exulting in their trifling advantage, had the
temerity to follow and renew the conflict, and here they sustained the
most signal defeat: for the men of Christ Church, and Pembroke, and St.
Mary's Hall, and Oriel, and Corpus Christi, had united their forces in
the rear; while the front of the gown had fallen back upon the effective
Trinitarians, and Albanians, and Wadhamites, and men of Magdalen, who
had by this time roused them from their monastic towers and cells to
fight the holy war, and defend their classic brotherhood: nor was this
all the advantages the gown had to boast of, for the _scouts_, ever true
to their masters, had summoned the lads of the fancy, and Marston Will,
and Harry Bell, and a host of out and outers, came up to the scratch,
and floored many a _youkel_ with their _bunch of fives_. It was at this
period that the conflict assumed its most appalling feature, for
the townsmen were completely hemmed into the centre, and fought with
determined courage, presenting a hollow square, two fronts of which
were fully engaged with the infuriated gown. Long and fearful was the
struggle for mastery, and many and vain the attempts of the townsmen to
retreat, until the old Oxford night coach, in its way up the High-street
to the Star Inn in the corn-market, was compelled to force its passage
through the conf