"All the Burgeffes of Oxeneford have without the Wall a Pafture in Annals. Common yielding 6s. 8d. "If any break the King's Peace, fo as to kill a Man, his Members and Life shall be at the King's Mercy, if he be taken; but if not, he fhall be accounted an Exile by all, and if any kill him, he is at Liberty to spoil his Goods. "If any Stranger choofe to live in Oxford, and poffefs an House and die there, feparated from his Parents, the King shall have all that he dies poffeffed of. "If any daringly break another's Houfe, or enters it, in order to kill, wound, or affault him, he shall forfeit 100s. to the King. "So who is admonished to go on the Expedition of the King, and refuses the Journey fhall pay 100s. to the King. If any fhall kill another in his own Court or Houfe, his Body and all his Substance shall be in the King's Power; except his Wife's Portion, if The had any." Thus far Domesday Book,* Whence we may obferve: 1. That Oxford had been a very populous Place, and much reforted to by Clerks, feeing fo many Hotels or Halls, were left thus void, and become ruinous. 2. That divers Manfions were configned for the Reparation of the Wall, which for many Ages have been loft and forgotten. 3. That Oxford is here called Civitas and Villa promifcuoufly; a City because it flourished with People and Buildings;a Town now, because ruinous, and in a Manner defolate. 4. Befides the 765 Houses, as before, within the City, there were 24 without the Walls. XXXXXXX T Divifion of the CITY by WARDS. HIS City was divided after the London Fashion, by Wards; as London had received this their Form from the Romans; fo Fitzftephen, "This City, even as Rome, is divided into Wards." " Romulus divided his City into three Tribes, each whereof was fubdivided into ten Curiæ. Thefe much the fame as our Parishes, as the Tribes were like our Wards. And the Word Porta or Port, called fo first by the Romans, from carrying or lifting a Plow over the Ground of • Domesday in Gale xv. Script. p. 765. b Stow Surv, 114. e Echard's Rom. Hift. ch. 1. their City may give rife to the Port-Mote, Port-Greve, Port-Mede, &c. Terms familiar with us. City Wards The Wards affigned to this City are four in Number, as much as it could then bear, and more than Rome at its primary Foundation received, viz. the North Eaft Ward, South East Ward, Weft Ward, and North Weft Ward. The first of these, and by far the greatest Quarter of the City, begins at North Gate, and ftretching itself up to Quatervois or Carfax, on the Left Hand runs down on the fame Hand even to Eaft Gate, containing all the Houses that are included by the City Wall, from the North to Eaft Gate. 2. South East Ward, is all that Part or Portion of the City, from the Eaft End of High-Street to Quatervois on the Left; and from thence, on the fame Hand, to South Gate, with all thofe Houfes that are behind, that are included by the Wall, from the East to South Gate. 3. South West Ward, is that Division or Portion, from the South Gate on the Left Hand to the Corner Houfe at Quatervois, and from thence on the fame Hand to Weft Gate, with all Houses behind, included by the Wall, from the South Gate to West Gate. This Aldermanry or Ward, in the Reign of Edward I. and the Tenements of the Burgeffes within it, were esteemed to be worth, if demifed at ordinary Rates, 471. per Ann. and the Tenements of the Jews therein, 111. 6s. 8 d. per Ann. 4. North West Ward, is that Part or Divifion from the West Gate, on the Left Hand even to St. Martin's Church at Carfax, and fo from thence, on the fame Hand, to the North Gate, with all Tenements behind from the Caftle Trench, reaching from the Weft Gate to Mount Pelham, and the Town Wall that runneth thence to North Gate. This Divifion, at the Time of the Norman Conqueft, was larger; but a few Years after, when the Caftle was built, much of it was taken into its Limits, as fome of the Suburbs were at the fame Time. Every one of these Divifions, Wards, or Hundreds, were committed, for Government, to an Alderman, Saxon, Ealdoɲman, that is, elderly Man, or Senior, one, who for his Age and Wisdom were respectable, and importing, among other Significations, the chief Magiftrate of a City, or any Part of it. The original Word implies a Magiftrate in a City or Borough, fubordinate, who should adminifter Juftice in the King's Name, and were dependent on the King, or Officer under him. Hence the faid Wards in Records are ftiled Ealdermannia, Vulgo Alder a Godwin's Hift. Rome, 1. 1. § 1. b From the British or Celtic Mota.-A Court, Senate, &c. Dict. a Bullet, V. 3. Additions ad Fin. From the German Grawen,-Gravis, Grave, or Grayheaded, a Name comporting in its Signification with Ealdorman. Brady's Hift. Eng. p. 80. Tindal's Rapin Hift. p. 150. V. 1, I. dThefe Gates being lately removed, Vide Map. * Comp. Tindal in Rapin Hift. Eng. Brady 801. manries.-Every of these held within their respective Wards a Court, within wands The faid four Wards are divided by four long Streets, as first, The 2. Fifb-Street, fo called, because of a Fish Market that was always kept there, divides partly South Eaft from South Weft Ward, which reaching from Quartervois to South Gate, (and therefore fometimes called SouthgateStreet,) is included within the Parishes of St. Martin and St. Aldate, chiefly in the Eaft, and pertaineth to South Eaft and South West Ward. 3. The Great Bailey and Caftle-Street, which partly divides South Weft from North West Ward, is contained in the Parishes of St. Martin, St. Peter in the Bailey, and belongeth to South West and North West Ward. The Northgate-Street, or the great Street leading to North Gate, and therefore fo called, partly divides North Eaft from North Weft Ward.-It is a fair and large Street, within the Parishes of St. Martin, St. Michael at Northgate, and had therein the chiefeft Part of the Market constantly kept. It Cornmarker The Beginning and Rife of the faid Streets are from Quatervois beforementioned, or the Place which tendeth or looketh four Ways, quatuor in Ventos ibi fe via fundit eunti, viz, into the four Streets before rehearsed. was accounted the Meditullium of the City and the Heart of the Market, and the chiefest Place where moft Sorts of Merchandise were exposed to Sale. The vulgar Name of it was Carfax, corrupted from Quatervois as Conduit fome have thought, others will have it derived from Caerbos, i. e. the Caer or City of Bofo, who was Conful of Oxon in King Arthur's Time. In the Middle of this Quadrivium or four Ways, a very fair and beautiful Conduit presents itself to us, fuch, for its Images of ancient Kings about it, Gilding and exquifite Carving, the like is hardly to be found in England. Of the Foundation of which, hear what follows: Otho Nicholson, Efq; one of the Examiners of the Chancery, having a Purpose to bring the Water from the Hill above North Hinxfey to the several Colleges and Halls in Oxford, as alfo to other private Places for the Benefit of the University, purchased of the Mayor, Bailiffs, and Commonalty of Conduit. the City, May 7, 1616, a Spot of Ground in the Middle of Quatervois, where the Bull Ring was, containing 12 Feet fquare, to erect and build the faid Conduit. The Year following it was finished, to the great Content of the Inhabitants of Oxford; and the 15th of May, (being St. Sophia's Day,) was folemnly dedicated with a Speech spoken near it, by Mr. J. Wall, a Student of Christ Church, there being then present the chief Magiftrates of the University. After which, the Pipes were laid and directed to the feveral Colleges, as they now are. the Conduit The Head of the Conduit is built of Stone Work, ftanding on the Side of the Hill above North or Laurence Hinxfey, on the Weft Side thereof; from thence the Water is derived by a great Leaden Pipe under Ground, Rivers and Meadows, betwixt the faid Village of Hinxey and Oxon, and fo arriving first at the Bridge and Water, called Preacher's Bridge, without Little South Gate, cometh up Lombard-Lane on the South Side of Pembroke College, then turning up at the East End of that Lane, cometh up Fish-Street to Carfax, where it mounteth into a great Ciftern within the Conduit there; and thence conveyed again into another high Cistern over almost all All Saints Church Porch, next to the High-Street; from whence, by diverse other great Pipes derived thence, it is conveyed to feveral Colleges, Halls, and fundry private Houfes; all which was by Mr. Nicholson performed in his Life Time, (for he dyed not till 1622,) and coft him 2200l. befides the 100%. he left in his Will to purchase 71. per Ann. for the Maintenance of the Conduit, though never fettled. Of this, an original Manufcript thus expreffes itself: "The Conduit is Ms. Decount of a most curious Piece of Architecture, built in the Year 1610, as appears by the Date facing the East, by Mr. Otho Nicholson, M. A. of Christ Church College. He was much skilled in the Oriental Tongues, and had travelled Abroad into several Countries. He was a Gentleman much beloved, and his Death much lamented. In Chrift Church old Library, formerly a Chapel, near the Stone Pulpit, is a small Monument, containing an Infcription well worthy the Infpection of a curious Eye; the Year of our Lord being fo promifcuously placed by Capital Letters, as to make up the Date above in Gold Letters; over which is a Coat of Arms, being the fame in Likeness as is placed on every Side the Conduit, viz. Eaft, Weft, North, and South.-The Whole is exactly fquare, built with fine polished Stone, the four Sides being made with hard Stone, cut all over in Imitation of the Waves of the Sea: But fince the University had it, where it was damaged by Time, notwithstanding the great Weight of Stone Work above the fquare Walls, it was fo well contrived by Props and Pullies, whilft doing, as to fupport the whole Top, while the Sides of the old Work were pulled down. The Arms of the Univerfity, City, and Founder, are under the Cornish, thus, on the Eaft Side, the University, City, and Founder's Arms; the last of which is Azure, 2 Barrs, Erm. in Chief, 3 Suns in their Glory, alluding to his Name.-On every Side is the fame Coat of Arms. On each Corner above the Cornifh is placed, on the three Sides of each each Cube, as many Sun Dials, making in all twelve. Between each Corner Conduit. Dial, facing the North, East, West, and South, is very finely carved a Sort of Open Work, confifting of Capital Letters, the Sun in his Glory, and Mermaids holding Combs and Mirrors. The Letters O. N. ferve for a Rebus, and was an ancient Way of expreffing Devices. On the four Side Walls hereof, proceeding from the Corners of it, ftand as many curious Arches which concentre in the upper Part, fupporting a stately Fabrick of an octangular Form; under and beneath those Arches is contained a large Cistern; over which ftands Queen Maud, Sifter to the Emperor, riding on an Ox over a Ford, alluding to the Name of Oxford. The Water which comes from the Fountain-Head is conveyed into the Body of the Ox, whereby the City is fupplied with good and wholesome Water, which continually runs into the Cistern underneath, from which proceeds the Leaden Pipe, out of which runs Wine upon extraordinary Days of Rejoicing. Above the Foot of each grand Arch, which fupports the other Work, is one of the Supporters of the Royal Arms of England, according to the Times they were used, in Manner following; to the N. W. Point is an Antelope born, as a Supporter in the Reign of Henry VIII. to the S. W. Point is a Dragon, used in the Time of Queen Elizabeth; to the S. E. Point is a Lion, as now used; to the N. E. Point is an Unicorn, as now used. Each of these Supporters is fejant, or fitting, holding in their Fore Feet a Banner, containing the feveral Quarterings of the Royal Arms of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland.-Between the abovefaid Supporters are carved various Ornaments, as Obelifques, Boys, &c. interchangeably transposed on the four Sides of the Conduit. Above the Middle of each Arch, ftand Figures neatly carved, reprefenting the four Cardinal Virtues. To the N. W. ftands Juftice richly habited, holding in her Right Hand a Sword, in her Left a Pair of Scales, and her Eyes covered, to fhew her impartial Administration of Juftice. To the N. E. ftands Temperance, pouring of Wine out of a large Veffel into a smaller Measure. To the S. E. ftands Fortitude, holding in her Right Hand a broken Pillar, and in her Left the Capital. To the S. W. is Prudence, holding in her Left Hand a Serpent, denoting Eternity.-Where the four Arches meet at the Top, ftands a curious Pile of Stone Work of an octangular Form, having as many Niches, in each of which stands a fine Statue under a Canopy, each Figure having a Crown of Gold on his Head, a Sceptre in his Hand, and a Shield on his Arm, containing his Device or Coat of Arms. These Figures which stand in the above-mentioned Niches, are the feven Worthies; and our then Worthy, King James I. made up the eighth, in Manner following. To the E. ftands King David, holding in his Right Hand a Sceptre, in his Left a Shield, thereon these Arms, Sapphyre, a Harp Gold ftringed Silver within a Border, diapered Rubie and Diamond. The Second, Alexander the Great,-On his Shield, these Arms; a Lion Rampant, regardant. D 2 The |