"Fellow-Commoners," says Bristed, "are 'young men of fortune,' as the Cambridge Calendar and Cambridge Guide have it, who, in consideration of their paying twice as much for everything as anybody else, are allowed the privilege of sitting at the Fellows' table in hall, and in their seats at chapel; of wearing a gown with gold or silver lace, and a velvet cap with a metallic tassel; of having the first choice of rooms; and as is generally believed, and believed not without reason, of getting off with a less number of chapels per week. Among them are included the Honorables not eldest sons,—only these wear a hat instead of the velvet cap, and are thence popularly known as Hat Fellow-Commoners."—Five Years in an Eng. Univ., Ed. 2d, p. 13.
A Fellow-Commoner at Cambridge is equivalent to an Oxford Gentleman-Commoner, and is in all respects similar to what in private schools and seminaries is called a parlor boarder. A fuller account of this, the first rank at the University, will be found in the Gentleman's Magazine, 1795, p. 20, and in the Gradus ad Cantabrigiam, p. 50.
"Fellow-Commoners have been nicknamed 'Empty Bottles'! They have been called, likewise, 'Useless Members'! 'The licensed Sons of Ignorance.'"—Gradus ad Cantab.
The Fellow-Commoners, alias empty bottles, (not so called because they've let out anything during the examination,) are then presented.—Alma Mater, Vol. II. p. 101.
In the old laws of Harvard College we find the following: "None shall be admitted a Fellow-Commoner unless he first pay thirteen pounds six and eight pence to the college. And every Fellow-Commoner shall pay double tuition money. They shall have the privilege of dining and supping with the Fellows at their table in the hall; they shall be excused from going on errands, and shall have the title of Masters, and have the privilege of wearing their hats as the Masters do; but shall attend all duties and exercises with the rest of their class, and be alike subject to the laws and government of the College," &c. The Hon. Paine Wingate, a graduate of the class of 1759, says in reference to this subject: "I never heard anything about Fellow-Commoners in college excepting in this paragraph. I am satisfied there has been no such description of scholars at Cambridge since I have known anything about the place."—Peirce's Hist. Harv. Coll., p. 314.
In the Appendix to "A Sketch of the History of Harvard College," by Samuel A. Eliot, is a memorandum, in the list of donations to that institution, under the date 1683, to this effect. "Mr. Joseph Brown, Mr. Edward Page, Mr. Francis Wainwright, fellow-commoners, gave each a silver goblet." Mr. Wainwright graduated in 1686. The other two do not appear to have received a degree. All things considered, it is probable that this order, although introduced from the University of Cambridge, England, into Harvard College, received but few members, on account of the evil influence which such distinctions usually exert.
FELLOW OF THE HOUSE. See under HOUSE.
FELLOW, RESIDENT. At Harvard College, the tutors were formerly called resident fellows.—Quincy's Hist. Harv. Univ., Vol. I. p. 278.
The resident fellows were tutors to the classes, and instructed them in Hebrew, "and led them through all the liberal arts before the four years were expired."—Harv. Reg., p. 249.
FELLOWSHIP. An establishment in colleges, for the maintenance of a fellow.—Webster.