its
claim to be a 'studium generale' was indisputable, it, like Padua, was
recognized as a 'general seat of study' 'by custom'. The University of
Paris, however, at one time refused to admit Oxford graduates to teach
without re-examination, and Oxford retorted (the Papal bull in favour of
Paris notwithstanding) by refusing to recognize the rights of the Paris
doctors to teach in her Schools.]

[Footnote 11: In the Scotch Universities Doctors are still created by
'_birettatio_', the laying on of the cap, and I believe this is still
done at many 'Commencements' in America.]

[Footnote 12: Compare St. John x. 22, [Greek: enkainia] = 'The Feast of
the Dedication'.]

CHAPTER III

THE PRELIMINARIES OF THE DEGREE CEREMONY

[Sidenote: The Preliminaries of the Degree Ceremony.]

It is needless to describe the requirements of our modern examination
system, for those who present themselves for degrees, and their friends,
know them only too well. And to describe completely the requirements of
the mediaeval or the Laudian University would be to enter into details
which, however interesting, would yet belong to antiquarian history, and
which have no relation to our modern arrangements.

But there are certain broad principles which are common to the present
system and to its predecessors, and which well deserve attention.

[Illustration]

[Sidenote: (1) Residence.]

The first and most important of these is that Oxford has always required
from those seeking a degree, as she requires now, 'residence' in the
University for a given time. It is declared in the Proctors' books
(mediaeval statutes used picturesque language), that 'Whereas those who
seek to mount to the highest places by a short cut, neglecting the
steps (_gradibus_) thereto, seem to court a fall, no M.A. should present
a candidate (for the B.A.) unless the person to be presented swear that
he has studied the liberal arts in the Schools, for at least four years
at some proper university'. There was of course a further three years
required of those taking the M.A. degree, and a still longer period for
the higher faculties. Residence, it may be added, was required to be
continuous; the modern arrangement which makes it possible to put in a
term, whenever convenient to the candidate, would have seemed a scandal
to our predecessors. It will be noticed that much more than our modern
'pernoctation' was then required for residence, and that migration from
other