These gowns were of scarlet baize, with loose-hanging sleeves, and very broad collars of dark red silk velvet. They are much the same at the present time, but now-a-days the students wear trencher caps. Then they did not. They might array themselves in Glengarries, in broad Prince Charlies, or in Tarn o’ Shanters, just as they chose, so long as they wore the gown.
The King’s College University gown had only a plain collar, and it had no loose sleeves. The reason, it was said, why the gown was deprived of sleeves was this: the students used to fasten a stone in the end of each, and go swinging along the streets, hitting the passengers right and left in all directions.
It was also said that at one time this King’s College gown had a velvet collar, but that this was taken away on account of a crime the students committed. It seems that a certain porter played the sneak, and got many of them into serious trouble for some lark they had taken part in. They determined to punish this porter by pretending to execute him.
At the midnight hour he was taken from his bed, his eyes were bandaged, and he was led through the streets. When the bandage was removed, to the poor fellow’s horror he found himself in a room all hung with black. At one side sat judge and jury, at another stood, immovable as statues, two masked men with broad axes beside a crape-covered block. The porter was tried and at once condemned to death. He was allowed five minutes, then led trembling to the block. His head was placed thereon.
“Strike!” cried the judge.
A student struck a light blow with a wet towel across the neck.
“Now,” said the judge, “now, Mr. Porter, you can get up. You’ve had your fright, but take care how you play the sneak again. Arise!”
But the poor porter never moved.
Dead, from the very fear of death.