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LEARNING AND EDUCATION 5 2 S
its mark until the present day. In the course ofit all academical
muniments stored in the University church were burned in the
marketplace. By the close of the middle ages both universities
were so well fortified with privileges as to form, ecclesiastically
and civilly, two exceptionally independent clerical communi'
ties, directly responsible to the Crown. Neither university was
in origin, despite
the claims of their medieval champions,
a
royal foundation: but each became a royal university (unwersitas
nostra) by grace of royal patronage.
Until the fifteenth century the university of Cambridge
seems to have been largely dependent on the eastern counties for
its support; but Oxford soon attracted clerks from all parts of
Great Britain and Ireland: and the rapidly/growing prestige of
its schools rendered the continued resort of English secular
scholars to the university of Paris something of a luxury. The
days had passed when able Englishmen, like Archbishop
Langton (d. 1228) made their reputations as theologians in the
schools ofParis. Langton's successor, St. Edmund ofAbing/ don (d. 1240) studied at both places. Until the outbreak ofthe
Hundred Years War placed
the French universities out of
reach, connexion between Oxford and Paris was maintained,
but by friars rather than by secular scholars. In medieval times
neither Oxford nor Cambridge drew scholars in appreciable
numbers from the Continent. Again the chief link was fur^
nished by foreign friars assigned to study theology in the Eng'
lish studia oftheir orders.
Although at Oxford and Cambridge racial differences did
not affect the constitutional organization ofthe university
to the
same extent as at Paris, regional loyalties and prejudices neces^
sitated at an early stage the recognition of two 'nations',
Northerners and Southerners. In addition there were explosive
groups ofclerks from Wales and Ireland, who for the purpose
of factionxfights ranked as Southerners. As late as 1 3 34 a party
of aggrieved northern masters seceded to Stamford and, being
minded to establish themselves there, had ultimately to be dis/
lodged by royal writ Feud between North and South bit deep
into the social life ofthe universities and outlasted the medieval