III. THE HOSPITAL OF ST. JOHN (CIRCA 1135-1511) 35

IV. THE FIRST CENTURY (1511-1612) 40

V. THE SECOND CENTURY (1612-1716) 52

VI. THE THIRD CENTURY (1716-1815) 66

VII. THE CURRENT CENTURY 74

VIII. SOCIAL LIFE 86

INDEX 109

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

_The Entrance Gateway_ _Frontispiece_

PAGE

_Plan of College Buildings_ x

_Bag of Flowers; detail of Carving over Entrance Gateway_ 3

_The Second and Third Courts from the Screens_ 6

_The Gatehouse from the Churchyard of All Saints_ 12

_Monument of Hugh Ashton in the Chapel_ 19

_The Hall from the Second Court_ 24

_Interior of the Library_ 34

_The Old Bridge_ 41

_The Hall and Chapel Tower from the Second Court_ 53

_The College Arms_ (_in the Third Court_) 58

_The Chapel Tower from the River_ 67

_The College Chapel from the Round Church_ 75

_The New Court from Trinity College Bridge_ 87

_The "Bridge of Sighs"_ 98

[Illustration: Plan of St John's College]

St. John's College

CHAPTER I

THE COURTS AND BUILDINGS

St. John's College was founded in 1511, in pursuance of the intentions
of the Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII.

Approaching the College from the street we enter by the Great Gate. The
gateway with its four towers is the best example of the characteristic
Cambridge gate, and dates from the foundation of the College. It is
built of red brick (the eastern counties marble), dressed with stone.
The street front of the College to the right and left remains in its
original state, except that after the old chapel and infirmary of the
Hospital of St. John (to which allusion will be made hereafter) were
pulled down, the north end was completed by a block of lecture rooms in
1869.

The front of the gate is richly decorated with heraldic devices, full of
histori