inity School' in the open assembly of Doctors
and Masters 'with his hat on his head', and had 'taken the wall of M.A.s
without any moving of his hat'.

All such minute inquiries as these are now left to the colleges, who are
required by statute to see to it that candidates for the degree are 'of
good character' (_probis moribus_).

[Sidenote: (5) _Circuitus_.]

When a candidate's 'grace' had been obtained there was still another
precaution before the degree, whether B.A. or M.A., was actually
conferred. He had to go bare-headed, in his academical dress, round the
'Schools', preceded by the Bedel of his faculty, and to call on the
Vice-Chancellor and two Proctors before sunset; this gave more
opportunity to the authorities or to any M.A. to see whether he was fit.
Of this old ceremony a bare fragment still remains in the custom that a
candidate's name has to be entered in a book at the Vice-Chancellor's
house before noon on the day preceding the degree-giving; but this
formality now is usually performed for a man by his college Dean, or
even by a college servant.

[Sidenote: (6) _De positio._]

When the day of the ceremony arrived, solemn testimony was given to the
Proctor of the candidate's fitness by those who 'deposed' for him. In
the case of the B.A., nine Bachelors were required to testify to
fitness; in the case of the M.A., nine Masters had to swear this from
'sure knowledge', and five more 'to the best of their belief' (_de
credulitate_). These depositions were whispered into the ears of the
Proctor by the witnesses kneeling before him. The information was given
on oath, and as it were under the seal of confession; for neither they
nor the Proctors were allowed to reveal it. Of all this picturesque
ceremony nothing is left but the number 'nine'; so many M.A.s at least
must be present, in order that the degree may be rightly given. It is
not infrequent, towards the close of a degree ceremony, for a Dean who
is about to leave, having presented his own men, to be asked to remain
until the proceedings are over, in order to 'make a House'.

The preliminaries, formal or otherwise, to the conferment of degrees
have now been described. Two other points must be here mentioned, in
one of which the University still retains its old custom, in the other
it has departed from it.

[Sidenote: Degrees in Arts required for entrance to the Higher
Faculties.]

The first is the requirement which has always been maintained i