Classicus, subs. (Winchester).—A Junior in each Part (q.v.): his duty is to get lessons set, &c. Classicus-paper = CUSE (q.v.).
Clean-straw, subs. (Winchester).—Clean sheets. [Before 1540 the beds were bundles of straw on a stone floor. At that date Dean Fleshmonger put in oaken floors, and provided proper beds, such as existed in 1871 in Third, and later in the case of the Præfect of Hall’s unused beds in Sixth. The term is never used in reference to mattresses of any kind, straw or other.] The dormitory arrangements are now thoroughly modernised.
Clipe, verb (general).—To tell tales; to “split”; to peach.
Clodding, subs. (Rugby).—A ceremony of initiation [put down by Dr. Wooll, temp. 1808-28] performed on those who were promoted into the Fifth. They had to run along the course of a small gutter which flowed from the cow-sheds (see Barn-school), through a double line of boys, who pelted them with clods of clay moistened in that not very delicate stream. Unpopular boys had these clods specially hardened for their benefit—it was even said with stones inside. On promotion from the Fourth to the Remove a boy had to run the gauntlet up and down the big school between a double line of his fellows, armed with handkerchiefs tied in “Westminster knots.” He was allowed to protect himself with books stuffed inside his trousers; but the punishment was fearful.—Collins.
Cloister-peals, subs. (Winchester).—See Peals.
Cloister-roush, subs. (Winchester: obsolete).—See quot.
c. 1840. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester College, p. 117. We had some singular customs at the commencement of Cloister time. Senior part and Cloisters, just before the entrance of the Masters into School, used to engage in a kind of general tournament; this was called CLOISTER-ROUSH.
Cloisters, subs. (Winchester).—The name given to Middle and Junior Part of Fifth Book (q.v.), when combined together in Cloister-time (q.v.).
1867. Collins, The Public Schools, p. 24. But the younger commoners probably seldom came into school, being taught chiefly in the chamber of the warden or fellow under whose charge they were placed; and in summer-time the whole of the scholars usually adjourned for lessons into the adjacent CLOISTERS: a delightful arrangement, from which the latter portion of the “long-half” is still called CLOISTER-TIME.
Cloister-time, subs. (Winchester).—Ten or twelve weeks at the latter end of Long Half, commencing about Whitsunday and ending at Standing-up week (q.v.).