“An herald
Can make a gentleman scarce a year old
To be descended of a race
Of antient kings in a small space.”
And,
“For a piece of coin,
Twist any name into the line.”
The satire may have been deserved at the time—it was a corrupt age; but I am not sure that the reputation of the College has not suffered, even to our days, from this biting sarcasm, which is as far from the truth, as applied to the learned and respectable body now composing it, as Hudibras is from poetry.
[270] Rushworth.
[271] In the churchwardens’ accounts of Great Marlow are the following entries:
“1650, Sept. 29. For defacing of the King’s Arms £0 ,, 1 ,, 0.
“1651. Paid to the painter for setting up the State’s Arms £0 ,, 16 ,, 0.”
Three years earlier there is an entry of 5s. ‘payd the ringers when the king came thorowe the towne!’
[272] Dallaway.