169:
332:
terms, the "founding, settlement, progress" of the college. He acquaints the reader with the circumstances surrounding
William of Durham's founding of University College, including his life and the use to which his foundational donation was put. Next, he considers the arguments used to allege Alfred as the founder, and systematically discredits them, showing how the falsehood began in misinterpretations of documents, "only feigned to serve a turn". In the following chapter, Smith discusses Richard's connections with the college, through its aforementioned petition to him. Smith discusses the statutes of the university at length, especially in relation to claims of Alfred's involvement in them. Throughout the work, Smith discusses the archives of University College, which he was so acquainted with, including the previous archival system, created by
29:
345:
private opinion of a partial disgusted old man, who was always famous for opposition and confounding things". Thomas Hearne, a particular devotee of the college's founding myth, found Smith's conclusions hard to accept, denigrating them as "a studied
Rhapsody of Lyes" to fellow antiquaries, and accusing Smith of making "every thing spurious that happens to be against himself" and disregarding established historical authorities. Eventually, the book's conclusions on the Alfredian myth would be understood as inescapably true, but for a century the book "made not the slightest difference to the pride which the University continued to take in its Alfredian identity", according to
214:, Smith's system of cataloguing was "much more modern system than any of his predecessors so far encountered" and his diligent transcribing of the college's documents, many of which are now illegible or lost, has left future scholars "deeply in debt" to his work. Thomas Hearne rumoured that, while a Fellow, Smith secretly married and had a child, in blatant disregard of the university rules. Later research has revealed this claim to be true, with Smith marrying Mary Greenwood in 1697, and having a child, William (previously thought to be from Mary's first marriage), in 1692. Smith pushed for the college purchase of the
258:
278:. The document appealed to the young Richard's interest in his genealogy with invented claims as to Alfred's part in founding the college, and successfully persuaded the Council to hear the case; the Alfredian myth perpetuated onward subsequently. He continued to be cited as the founder well into the 18th century, with many imaginative portraits of Alfred gifted to the college and financial donations citing this myth. Cockman's petition came before the
290:. Long delays ensued from the Court, as the college continued headless for five years, until 10 May 1727 when the case was finally heard before the judges and jury of the Court. This Court declared in favour of Cockman, uncritically affirming the Alfredian myth and declaring that the convocation of Oxford did not exert visitational authority, a result which William Smith protested ineffectually from the King's bench.
302:' in his feet and hands, as he attempted to get the work printed in time to appeal before the Court. This hope was, unfortunately, unfulfilled, as it was published in 1728, too late to influence the Court's decision. On 29 April 1729, the Crown visited the college, and declared in favour of Cockman, settling the dispute once and for all, again disregarding Smith's protests.
357:. According to Darwall-Smith, the "last hurrah" of the myth took place on the 1872 "Millenary Dinner", grandly celebrating a thousand years since Alfred's alleged foundation of the college. In 1949, the 700th-anniversary of the William of Durham's true founding of University College was finally celebrated, and the following Alfredian centennial was duly overlooked.
298:
candidates. While composing the book, Smith made much use of the transcripts in his personal collection, which put him a good position to consult the true deeds and statutes of the college for his history. Smith rushed the work to completion, recalling that his sheets 'went from me to the Press as fast as I writ it', while his work was 'hastened by
331:
Smith begins with a preface, composed on 17 November 1727, lamenting his many ills at such an advanced age, the lies of Alfred's foundation (which he blames as being perpetuated by
Charlett), and recounting the sequence of events that led him to write this book. The first chapter looks at, what Smith
312:
It may seem a Wonder both to those that know me, and those that know me not, that a Person who has lived in
Privacy and Obscurity to the 77th year of his Age, and is so bowed down by infirmities, as not to have feet to walk on or hardly an hand to write, should begin now, at this Age, and under these
265:
The vice-chancellor and doctors made their decision in favour of
Dennison, but Cockman's supporters did not relent. Citing an apocryphal medieval legend that King Alfred had founded University College in 872, they declared that only the Crown, as 'Visitor of the College', could determine the right of
360:
The book has now come to be hailed as a remarkably scholarly early work of college history. Robin
Darwall-Smith and Michael Riordan have lauded it as "the first scholarly history, not just of University College, but of any Oxford or Cambridge college", and "the basis for all further histories of the
383:
salient characteristics, commented on by several reviewers, is the total absence of any logical consistency in the book's structure. Perhaps caused by the hurry in which it was produced, Smith constantly distracts himself with more or less unrelated, erudite digressions. Oswald lamented that, while
344:
Initially, the book met with a cold reception among Oxford
Fellows. Though the author had no political motivations, and was a personal friend of both candidates, the book quickly came to be seen as an attack on Cockman's legitimacy. Cockman himself responded unsympathetically, dismissing it as "the
297:
in his remote
Melsonby rectory. The book was written with the express purpose of refuting the Alfredian myth which had so propagated itself and therefore maintaining that the university convocation still held visitational authority, though Smith was unconcerned with any partisan affiliation to the
137:
The book was met with cold reception initially, especially from those personally invested in the
Alfredian myth, with harsh reviews describing it as "the private opinion of a partial disgusted old man". For a century, the book elicited little notice, and "made not the slightest difference to the
245:
Fellows with regards to who should be the next Master. On 4 December 1722, an election was held, wherein
Cockman (the Southern candidate) was elected by a bare majority. The Northerners (supporting Dennison) complained the election was contrary to the statutes of the college, and held their own
398:", wherein "all attempts at a structure break down regularly, as the author is diverted by a succession of digressions". Darwall-Smith, a modern historian of University College, summed it up as "a work distinguished equally by scholarly rigour and its total lack of any coherent structure."
179:(University College, Oxford). Thomas Cockman (centre), with his brother John (far left) and five college Fellows who sided with Cockman in the 1722 election. This painting was commissioned by John Cockman in celebration of the Fellows' victory over Dennison.
313:
bad Circumstances, to trouble the World with any thing that can proceed from such Weaknesses: but the Scripture: informs us, that there are some Sort of Sins 'That will make the Stones cry out of the wall, and the Beam out of the Timber answer it,' (
210:. While still at Oxford, he came across disorganised and poorly recorded archives of University College, and promptly set about cataloguing and transcribing the college's large collection of documents. According to the college's archivist
429:
At the time of the preface's writing, 17 November 1727, Smith would have actually been 74/5 years old. This is based on the date supplied in his marriage license of 29 January 1697, as being 'aged about 44 years' at the
365:, named it "the first Oxford College history of real historical value", still maintaining "its position as an authority to which many writers on early Oxford have since been beholden". Arthur Oswald, in the 1954
28:
225:
While in Melsonby, Smith corresponded with fellow antiquaries and continued to brief himself on the affairs of his former college. One college controversy that caught his eye was over the
168:
247:
206:. In 1678, following shortly from his MA, he was elected a Fellow of the College. Here he gained a reputation as a hard man to work with and a "puzzle cause", according to
122:
over the college, and therefore the last say in its elections, with one party claiming that only the Crown had such an authority, citing a widely believed medieval myth of
1200:
226:
115:
138:
pride which the University continued to take in its Alfredian identity", as the college's foundations continued to be attributed to Alfred in the histories of
1190:
1185:
373:, summarising it as "a remarkable achievement", affirming that "though such iconoclasm was highly unpopular", "the conclusions were inescapable".
279:
151:
1180:
283:
257:
134:
to be the genuine founder. The book was published too late to affect the dispute's result, and Smith's arguments were overlooked by the Court.
103:. The book, controversial upon its release, has since been hailed as a remarkable, and exceptionally scholarly, early work of college history.
246:
election on 17 December, in absence of the senior Fellow, where Dennison was elected. Neither group would yield to the other's result, so the
88:
The Annals of University College. Proving William of Durham the True Founder: and Answering all their Arguments who Ascribe it to King Alfred
417:
The Annals of University College in Oxford or, A True Account of the Rise, Progress, Settlement, Benefactors and Misfortunes of that Society
147:
1195:
1175:
287:
982:
242:
146:. By the 20th-century, the book finally came to be regarded as "a remarkable achievement" and "the first scholarly history of any
126:
founding University College. This ahistorical claim incensed Smith so much that, in his distant Melsonby rectory, he produced the
1087:
1170:
222:') of Melsonby, and was appointed to its rectorship in 1704, where he remained, with his family, for the rest of his life.
1053:
1034:
234:
1021:
937:"Archives for Administrators or Archives for Antiquarians? A History of Archive Cataloguing in Four Oxford Colleges"
92:
918:
362:
207:
163:
100:
42:
392:". Darwall-Smith and Riordan have colourfully described it as "a maddening work, resembling a non-fictional
366:
261:
The University College's 1384 'French petition' to Richard II, and source of the college's Alfredian myth.
936:
941:
271:
191:
96:
52:
254:, and doctors of Oxford were called upon by both parties to make decide in favour of one candidate.
993:
932:
480:
211:
414:
This title is given in the front page of the 1728 edition. An alternate title is given on page 1:
1070:
958:
333:
1016:
978:
349:, as the Alfredian myth continued to be uncritically reproduced by popular historians such as
131:
1092:
1062:
950:
314:
203:
176:
1140:
394:
238:
1113:
922:
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they had appealed to earlier. This myth originates in a 1384 "French petition" to King
251:
230:
199:
1164:
1038:
962:
354:
143:
1048:
346:
195:
1104:
274:, concerning a major property dispute which the College wished to be heard in the
267:
1130:
1040:
Remarks and Collections of Thomas Hearne, Vol. X: March 27, 1728—December 8, 1731
389:
275:
123:
1096:
1117:
1066:
954:
350:
139:
1124:. Victoria County History. London: Oxford University Press. pp. 61–81.
927:. University of Oxford College Histories. London: F. E. Robinson & Co.
173:
Portrait of Thomas and John Cockman and some Fellows of University College
215:
107:
1074:
385:
219:
119:
70:
1122:
A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 3, the University of Oxford
560:
558:
545:
543:
541:
167:
384:
remarkable, the work was "confused in arrangement and the style
336:, which he disparages as "without any Coherence or Dependance".
299:
111:
575:
573:
361:
college". Early-20th-century historian of University College,
241:(in office, 1692–1722), a profound divide emerged between the
674:
672:
670:
594:
592:
590:
588:
689:
687:
317:
2:11) before they shall lye bid, or remain undiscovered.
293:
Smith, so perturbed by this judgement, set about writing
118:. A botched election had led to a dispute over whom had
511:
509:
507:
505:
503:
501:
198:
from University College, Oxford, going on to obtain an
824:
822:
528:
526:
524:
1043:. Oxford Historical Society. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
900:
705:
564:
549:
154:", if also "maddening" and "confused" in its style.
621:
619:
237:. Upon the death of the unpopular previous Master,
194:to the locals, William and Anne Smith. In 1668, he
76:
66:
58:
48:
38:
310:
106:The book, composed while Smith was retired in
1051:(1999). "The Cult of King Alfred the Great".
994:"Papers of Thomas Cockman (Master 1722–1745)"
888:
840:
579:
369:of the college, acknowledged his debt to the
8:
1091:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
439:Hearne commented on Smith extensively: see,
21:
1085:McConnell, Anita (2013). "Smith, William".
975:Early Records of University College, Oxford
33:The title page of the original 1728 edition
1145:University College Oxford: News and Events
27:
20:
515:
114:, was provoked by a controversy over the
532:
444:
256:
1201:Cultural depictions of Alfred the Great
1088:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
460:
407:
266:election, as opposed to the university
99:by the college archivist and antiquary
876:
864:
852:
741:
678:
649:
598:
440:
286:, who moved to a 'prohibition' in the
130:, with the express purpose of proving
977:. Suffolk, UK: Boydell & Brewer.
813:
801:
789:
777:
765:
753:
729:
717:
467:
7:
1017:"The Rev. William Smith of Melsonby"
942:Journal of the Society of Archivists
828:
693:
661:
637:
625:
610:
322:William Smith, 'Preface' of the
1191:History of the University of Oxford
1186:History books about the Middle Ages
973:Darwall-Smith, Robert, ed. (2015).
1135:. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: John White.
14:
91:is a 1728 book on the history of
22:The Annals of University College
1132:The Annals of University College
901:Darwall-Smith & Riordan 2009
706:Darwall-Smith & Riordan 2009
565:Darwall-Smith & Riordan 2009
550:Darwall-Smith & Riordan 2009
326:, discussing the Alfredian myth.
295:The Annals of University College
227:Mastership of University College
116:Mastership of University College
1141:"King Alfred and Univ – part 1"
1037:(1915) . Salter, H. E. (ed.).
992:Darwall-Smith, Robert (2017).
1:
1181:History books about education
184:
1105:UK public library membership
935:; Riordan, Michael (2009).
1217:
1196:University College, Oxford
1176:18th-century history books
161:
16:1728 book by William Smith
1067:10.1017/S0263675100002337
955:10.1080/00379810903264641
485:University College Oxford
164:William Smith (antiquary)
62:Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 1728
26:
1120:; Salter, H. E. (eds.).
1080:(Subscription required.)
1022:The Gentleman's Magazine
968:(Subscription required.)
183:Reverend William Smith (
1129:Smith, William (1728).
1112:Oswald, Arthur (1954).
367:Victoria County History
229:, between two Fellows:
1171:1728 non-fiction books
1097:10.1093/ref:odnb/25927
1001:Univ Online Catalogues
481:"Portraits in College"
443:, pp. 27–29, 33;
319:
262:
180:
120:visitational authority
288:Court of King's Bench
260:
243:Northern and Southern
171:
162:Further information:
1114:"University College"
1025:. 2nd (New) series.
933:Darwall-Smith, Robin
756:, pp. xiii–xiv.
340:Reception and legacy
192:Easby, Richmondshire
53:History of education
1054:Anglo-Saxon England
855:, pp. 322–323.
816:, p. xxi-xxii.
696:, pp. 176–177.
652:, pp. 260–269.
212:Robin Darwall-Smith
190:–1735) was born in
23:
924:University College
903:, pp. 99–100.
889:Darwall-Smith 2015
841:Darwall-Smith 2017
792:, p. 129-132.
780:, p. xv, 1-3.
768:, p. i-xxiii.
664:, p. 173-174.
613:, p. 172-173.
580:Darwall-Smith 2015
263:
181:
93:University College
1103:(Subscription or
1015:E. H. A. (1853).
152:Cambridge college
132:William of Durham
110:and riddled with
84:
83:
67:Publication place
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284:Attorney General
235:William Dennison
189:
186:
177:Benjamin Ferrers
31:
24:
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1084:
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772:
764:
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748:
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736:
732:, p. xxxi.
728:
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434:
428:
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413:
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395:Tristram Shandy
380:
342:
329:
321:
308:
248:vice-chancellor
239:Arthur Charlett
187:
166:
160:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1214:
1212:
1204:
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1163:
1162:
1158:
1157:
1147:. 14 July 2015
1137:
1126:
1118:Lobel, Mary D.
1109:
1082:
1045:
1035:Hearne, Thomas
1031:
1012:
989:
983:
970:
929:
914:
912:
909:
906:
905:
893:
891:, p. 253.
881:
879:, p. 323.
869:
857:
845:
833:
831:, p. 177.
818:
806:
804:, p. 232.
794:
782:
770:
758:
746:
734:
722:
720:, p. 165.
710:
708:, p. 103.
698:
683:
666:
654:
642:
640:, p. 173.
630:
615:
603:
584:
582:, p. xix.
569:
567:, p. 100.
554:
537:
520:
516:McConnell 2013
497:
472:
459:
458:
456:
453:
450:
449:
432:
422:
406:
405:
403:
400:
341:
338:
309:
307:
304:
276:King's Council
252:Robert Shippen
231:Thomas Cockman
159:
156:
82:
81:
78:
74:
73:
68:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
50:
46:
45:
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36:
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32:
15:
13:
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4:
3:
2:
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1123:
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1115:
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1098:
1094:
1090:
1089:
1083:
1076:
1072:
1068:
1064:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1050:
1049:Keynes, Simon
1046:
1042:
1041:
1036:
1032:
1028:
1024:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1002:
995:
990:
986:
984:9780904107272
980:
976:
971:
964:
960:
956:
952:
949:(1): 93–115.
948:
944:
943:
938:
934:
930:
926:
925:
920:
919:Carr, William
916:
915:
910:
902:
897:
894:
890:
885:
882:
878:
873:
870:
867:, p. 33.
866:
861:
858:
854:
849:
846:
842:
837:
834:
830:
825:
823:
819:
815:
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743:
738:
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731:
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719:
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631:
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581:
576:
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566:
561:
559:
555:
552:, p. 99.
551:
546:
544:
542:
538:
534:
533:E. H. A. 1853
529:
527:
525:
521:
517:
512:
510:
508:
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502:
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486:
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445:E. H. A. 1853
442:
436:
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408:
401:
399:
397:
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355:Paul de Rapin
352:
348:
339:
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328:
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316:
305:
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208:Thomas Hearne
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178:
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155:
153:
149:
145:
141:
135:
133:
129:
125:
121:
117:
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109:
104:
102:
101:William Smith
98:
94:
90:
89:
79:
75:
72:
69:
65:
61:
57:
54:
51:
47:
44:
43:William Smith
41:
37:
30:
25:
19:
1149:. Retrieved
1144:
1131:
1121:
1086:
1058:
1052:
1039:
1026:
1020:
1004:. Retrieved
1000:
974:
946:
940:
923:
896:
884:
872:
860:
848:
843:, p. 7.
836:
809:
797:
785:
773:
761:
749:
737:
725:
713:
701:
657:
645:
633:
606:
488:. Retrieved
484:
475:
470:, p. 1.
463:
435:
425:
416:
415:
410:
393:
377:
375:
370:
363:William Carr
359:
347:Simon Keynes
343:
330:
323:
320:
311:
294:
292:
264:
224:
196:matriculated
182:
172:
136:
127:
105:
87:
86:
85:
18:
1151:7 September
1061:: 225–356.
1006:7 September
877:Keynes 1999
865:Hearne 1728
853:Keynes 1999
742:Oswald 1954
679:Oswald 1954
650:Keynes 1999
599:Oswald 1954
490:7 September
441:Hearne 1728
376:One of the
268:convocation
188: 1653
124:King Alfred
1165:Categories
1107:required.)
814:Smith 1728
802:Smith 1728
790:Smith 1728
778:Smith 1728
766:Smith 1728
754:Smith 1728
744:, par. 40.
730:Smith 1728
718:Smith 1728
681:, par. 39.
601:, par. 38.
468:Smith 1728
455:References
390:circuitous
351:David Hume
272:Richard II
158:Background
963:109139539
829:Carr 1902
694:Carr 1902
662:Carr 1902
638:Carr 1902
626:Univ 2015
611:Carr 1902
334:Hugh Todd
280:Solicitor
59:Published
1075:44512350
1029:: 163–4.
921:(1902).
315:Habakkuk
216:advowson
144:de Rapin
108:Melsonby
911:Sources
306:Content
71:England
1101:
1073:
981:
961:
386:prolix
378:Annals
371:Annals
324:Annals
220:living
148:Oxford
128:Annals
97:Oxford
39:Author
1116:. In
1071:JSTOR
997:(PDF)
959:S2CID
430:time.
402:Notes
381:'
218:(or '
175:, by
77:Pages
49:Genre
1153:2019
1008:2019
979:ISBN
492:2019
388:and
353:and
300:gout
282:and
233:and
202:and
142:and
140:Hume
112:gout
1093:doi
1063:doi
951:doi
150:or
80:376
1167::
1143:.
1069:.
1059:28
1057:.
1027:40
1019:.
999:.
957:.
947:30
945:.
939:.
821:^
686:^
669:^
618:^
587:^
572:^
557:^
540:^
523:^
500:^
483:.
250:,
204:BA
200:MA
185:c.
95:,
1155:.
1099:.
1095::
1077:.
1065::
1010:.
987:.
965:.
953::
628:.
535:.
518:.
494:.
447:.
420:.
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