56

PENNYFARTHING STREET.

house which he bestowed on the Friars Minors in 1337, 'lying next their habitation on the east' within the town1.

St. Ebbe's Street, which forms the western boundary of the College, went once, from the many dairymen who traded there, by the name of Milk Street, and also of Littlegate or Little Southgate Street. In the map in Peshall (1777) it is 'South Street.' There is some question how far these names extended northwards and southwards 2. The road just outside the city is still called Littlegate. The present Pembroke Street has only been so styled in the present reign, having borne till then the name 'Pennyfarthing Street.' Hearne has preserved a note of à Wood's, 'Penyfarthing Streete within these 40 yeares call'd Crow Street. Perhaps there was a 'Crow' inn here. There was in High Street a 'Split Crow. Wood says, what is no doubt correct, that it assumed the name 'Penifarthing Street' from the wealthy family of the Penyverthinges, of whom Willelmus Pinneferdping' was provost of Oxford with William de Winton in 1238. At the Eyre of 1285, inquest was held on the body of Nicholas Penyfader, found at Osney slain by Henry of Arderne'. The murderer fled and was outlawed. In some records of the reigns of Henry VI and VII the street is called, à Wood says, Pynkeferthing Street. There is a Pennyfarthing Street in Salisbury, connected by an idle tradition with a strike of the workmen engaged on the great Spire for five, in lieu of four, farthings per diem; and à Wood mentions a Penyfarthing Lane in Cambridge, 'which Londinensis saith that it was soe called from poore people inhabiting therin.' The present Master tells me that the name was changed to Pembroke Street early in this century by the influence of a physician, a Dr. Ireland, who lived in it, and whose patients pretended to think that his fee was 1d. In this street were a number of academic halls: Bull or Bole Hall 'on the north side of this street and almost opposite to the place where now stands a fair house built of freestone and brick.' It was 'given by a Jew to

3 Ibid. 577

5 Mr. C.W. Bardsley in his work on 'English Surnames' has the following instances of similar additions: The Wills and Inventories furnish a “Thomas Fourpence," the Hundred Rolls a John Fivepeni," the Cal. Rot. Originalium a 'Thomas Sexpenne," the Yorkshire Wills and Inventories a "John Ninepennies," and the Hundred Rolls a "Fulco Twelpencs." "James Fyppound (Five pound)" is mentioned in "Materials for a History of Henry VII." So early as 1342 we find "John Twenti-mark to have been rector of Risingham, while "William Hunderpound" was Mayor of Lynn Regis in 1417.' He mentions the equivalent NormanFrench Grace and Joseph Centlivri.' 'Thomas Thousand pound,' the last of this class, appears in the Wardrobe Accounts (Edward I). I may add a quotation from the Fortunes of Nigel: 'It is an ancient and honourable stock, the Monypennies,' said Sir Mungo Malagrowther; 'the only loss is there are sae few of the name.' There was a 'Sir Tripennye' at Broadgates in 1572.

Cartulary of St. Frideswyde, ed. Wigram, O. H. S., Charter 436.

7 Oxford City Documents, ed. Rogers, O. H. S., p. 198.

8 City, i. 195.

OLD HALLS IN PEMBROKE STREET.

57

Merton College' (earlier than 1327), and was for legists. There is a list of principals in City, i. 600'. Near it, a little further west, was Moyses Hall, from Moyses or Mossey a Jew. From him it came to the Jew Lumbard, and after passing through divers hands was conveyed by Thomas, son of Philip de Wormenhalle, in 1330, to Adam de Brome, being then situated between a tenement of Oseney on the west and an Abingdon property on the east. Finally, it came through various owners, in 1362, to Oriel. Another neighbouring hostel for lawyers was Eagle Hall, mentioned by Rowse. Further west, in St. Ebbe's parish, was Little Bedell Hall: 'whether not soe called from William Stokes, bedell.' 'Mr. John Bergeveny gave caution for the hall commonly called Little Bedyll Hall situated in Pennyvirthin Street on the vigil of S. Mathew 1461.' It was rented from the nuns of Studley. In the same part of the street was St. Paul's (vulgarly Powle) Hall, the principal of which paid 335. rent to Oseney Abbey in 1446. It stood on the east side of the Nag's Head,' and was for legists. It seems also to have been called Hattermonger House. Grove or Greve Hall, 'neare Little Bedell Hall,' was also in St. Ebbe's. Mr. Clark, however, following Wood, seems to place it in his map, at the end of City, vol. i., on the St. Aldate's side of the boundary, next to Moyses, on the south side of the street, just west of the entry from Pembroke Street to the College. There is a list of principals in City, i. 592, 606. It belonged to Oseney. John Greve was yeoman bedell of divinity. Another owner was Walter Bolle, from whom it seems to have been also styled 'Bole Hall.' Perhaps Black Hall in St. Ebbe's was also in Pennyfarthing Street.

The ale-house opposite the ancient entry from the street to the College, which bears the name of Leden, or Ledenporch, Hall, is an old building, but I do not know what authority there is for its present name. The 'porch' is a recent addition or revival.

The houses on the south side of Pembroke Street, abutting on the churchyard, stand, doubtless, within consecrated ground, as did formerly 'a parcell of houses standing at the east end of St. Aldate's Church,' and, it would seem, on part of the present St. Aldate's Street, which were cleared away 1831-4. They belonged to the feoffees of St. Aldate's Charities, and are shown in a number of old prints. As for the former,

'Part of Penifarthing Street on the south side therof and soe far as a little entrance leading thence to Pembroke College was also anciently another parcell of the said churchyard; but, by the increas of severall chantry preists belonging to the church of S. Aldate, was built upon as it should seem for their use '.'

1 An inquest was held Feb. 6, 1297, on John Metescharp, who died in the house of Ralph 'le Cyrgien' in St. Aldate's parish from an arrow wound inflicted by Michael manciple of the clerks dwelling at la Bolehalle in that parish. Michael with John de Skurf an English, and Madoc a Welsh clerk went through the streets about curfew with swords bows and arrows assaulting all they met. Hue being raised, J. M. went out to keep the peace of our lord the king, whereupon the manciple shot him. He and the others then fled, leaving no goods (Oxford City Documents, ed. Rogers, O. H. S., p. 150).

2 Wood's City, i. 194.

In à Wood's diagram the house just to the west of this entrance is marked as the Priest's House. This old building (which, with the two houses next it, belongs now to the College) is said to have once been occupied by Charles I.

In Pennyfarthing Street lived, till his death in 1644, Brian Twyne, to whose antiquarian collections à Wood owed so much. Here, in 1648, William Percy, third son of the eighth Earl of Northumberland, 'died an aged bachelaur, after he had lived a melancholy and retired life many yeares. He was buried in the cathedrall of Ch. Church'.' The street often resounded with 'the best base voice in England,' that of James Quin (1621-59), M.A., senior student of Christ Church (son of Walter Quin of Dublin), who, in Oct. 1659,

'died in a crazed condition in his bedmaker's house in Penyfarthing Street, and was buried in the cathedral of Ch. Ch. A[nthony] W[ood] had some acquaintance with him and hath several times heard him sing with great admiration. His voice was a bass, and he had a great command of it. Twas very strong and exceeding trouling, but he wanted skill, and could scarce sing in consort. He had been turn'd out of his student's place by the Visitors; but being well acquainted with some great men of those times that loved musick, they introduced him into the company of Oliver Cromwel the protector, who loved a good voice and instrumentall musick well. He heard him sing with great delight, liquor'd him with sack, and in conclusion said: "Mr. Quin you have done very well, what shall I doe for you?" To which Quin made answer with great complements, of which he had command with a great grace, that "his Highness would be pleased to restore him to his Student's place"; which he did accordingly, and so kept it to his dying day 2.'

In Agas's map, Pennyfarthing Street is the name given also to the continuation of the street past St. Ebbe's Church, now Church Street. But the usual name was Freren or Friar's Street.

NOTE: A JEWS' QUARTER.

We have seen that several of the halls in this street once had Jewish owners. Oxford had one of the wealthiest of English Jewries, a source of much trade to the citizens. 'About the year 1075 the Jews in great numbers began to settle in Oxford, and chiefly in the parishes of S. Martin, S. Edward, and S. Aldate; the two last of which were afterwards called the Great and Little Jewries. In one of them they erected a synagogue or school, and expounded the opinions of the Rabbins to the Academians. Several of their houses were inhabited by Clerks.' Fuller says that in Henry the Third's reign Oxford flourished with a multitude of

1 Life and Times, i. 145.

2

Life and Times, i. 287, and Gutch's Colleges and Halls, p. 511. Wood, however, says that the Independents used to love and encourage instrumental musick; but did not care for vocall, because that was used in church by the prelaticall partie.' Life and Times, i. 298.

JEWS MEDIÆVAL AND MODERN.

59

students, the king conferring large favours upon them, and this among the rest that no Jews living at Oxford should receive of scholars above twopence a week interest for the loan of twenty shillings, that is eight shillings and eightpence for the interest of a pound in the year.' In 1244 a riotous mob of students attacked the Jews' houses. In 1268, during a solemn Holy Thursday procession in honour of St. Frideswyde, a Hebrew zealot tore the Cross from the proctor's hands and trampled it under foot. The Jews were condemned to make for the University a heavy silver crucifix, to be carried in procession, and to erect a marble cross on the spot-as it seems nearly opposite Pembroke College-where the profanity had been committed. It was finally placed in an open plot by Merton chapel. Neither the Church however nor the Town had power over them; they were Crown chattels without civic rights. Edward I finally banished the Jews. Wood says, "The suddenness of their dismission obliged them for present subsistence to sell their moveable goods of all kinds, among which were large quantities of Rabbinical books. The monks in various parts availed themselves of the distribution of these treasures. At Oxford great multitudes of them fell into the hands of Roger Bacon, or were bought by his brethren, the Franciscan friars, of that University.' So also Green. Professor Neubauer, however, thinks the Jews had little in the way of books or science to impart1. The principal Jewries were along Blue Boar Lane. Professor Thorold Rogers however considered that, Oxford having wide privileges of asylum, a dwindling Jewish settlement continued to exist even after the Expulsion till 1840 or thereabouts. Finally the remaining relics were scattered, when a calamitous fire occurred in their quarter, then called Pennyfarthing Street, a name since altered by a stupid and ignorant local board to Pembroke Street". A number of Hebrew documents were in a house in St. Ebbe's Street destroyed by fire on Feb. 27, 1844. The Jews returned under Cromwell, and in 1650 one Jacob opened a coffee-house in Oxford.

1 Notes on the Jews in Oxford' in Collectanea, II. pp. 287, 8.

2 Athenaeum, Sept. 3, 1887, p. 311.

CHAPTER VI.

RELIGIOUS HOUSES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE COLLEGE.

Of the splendid conventual houses in the south and west quarters of Oxford, only St. Frideswyde's, the church of the Austin canons, now stands. But the students of Broadgates looked down from the City wall on the gardens and buildings of two great monasteries. One of these was the Dominican house of the Black or Preaching Friars, who in 1221 had settled in the Great Jewry, for neighbourhood to the Schools and with a view to Jewish conversions. It is said the Mad Parliament met within their walls. But, in 1259, they moved to a site just south of the present Pembroke College, 'an obscure place without the walls and farre from the company of disciples, schollers, and auditors'.' At the end of Brewers Street is the Black Drummer public-house, and lower down, mixed up with Commercial Road and Gas Street, are Friars Street and Blackfriars Road. Preachers' Bridge, over Trill Mill stream, is obliterated; but beyond are Friars' Wharf and Preachers' Pool. This quarter is reached from St. Aldate's Street by Speedwell Street, which at one time was called Preachers' Entry and led to Blackfriars' Gate. All this is Dominican ground. The convent and church, dedicated to St. Nicholas, stood on an islet in the midst, given to the Friars Preachers by Henry III. There were schools in which lectures on philosophy and theology were given, and the public acts or dissertations on theses of divinity took place in the church or chapter-house. One of the priors, Simon de Bovil, was Chancellor of the University. Among the teachers were such as Robert Fisacre, Robert Kilwarby, Cardinal and Archbishop of Canterbury, Walter Joyce, Primate of All Ireland, and his brother, Cardinal Thomas Joyce. The Black Friars obtained respect 'with the Grandies of the Universitie,' 'by reason of their learned parts in philosophy and divinity,' and with the citizens and clergy 'because of their simple and saint-like carriage.' Their library was 'large and full of books,' and among them were many famous canonists.

'Being very skilful in the Canon Law they did erecte a large Schoole wherin they openly read and discussed many points of the Canon Law before the University, and was commonly called "Schola Juris Canonici" Canon Law Schoole, or only Canon Schoole ".'

1 City, ii. 330.

2 See Goldie, A Bygone Oxford, p. 14. 3 City, ii. 327.