Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from Historiola Collegii Corporis Christi
In estimating the value of the work, it must be borne in mind that it does not pretend to be a detailed history of the College. It may rather be described as a sketch of the acquisition of the Site, and the origin and progress of the buildings: as, in fact, one of the earliest attempts to write the architectural and social history of a College. The few historical facts narrated all bear more or less directly upon this main object; or upon another which was evidently almost equally dear to our author, namely, the exhibition of his patron, Archbishop Parker, as the wisest of adminis trators, the most generous of benefactors, as almost the second Founder of the College. It is curious that Parker should have permitted such undisguised ?attery of himself to ap pear in a treatise composed at his own desire, and for his own use, as the author informs us, 65. It was, however, probably not intended for publication.
The account of the College buildings, which appears to have been drawn up about 1569 is the most inter esting and valuable portion of the work. The author goes through them, room by room, recording that the walls were plastered by one occupant the ?oor laid by a second, the ceiling added by a third, and so on. These changes, of most of which he must have been an eye-witness, were all intro duced during the first half of the Sixteenth century. From the serious way in which they are chronicled, we may safely conclude that before that time the occupants had been con tent with open rafters, mud ?oors, unplastered walls, and unglazed windows; and that what we regard as the most ordinary necessaries, were in those days noteworthy. Inno vations.
I have divided the history into sections, numbered for facility of reference. An account of the three mss. On which the text has been based is given in the notes, which other wise are chie?y occupied by illustrative documents, hitherto unprinted, to the exclusion of information that can be oh tained from books.
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