On this day in 1355, the St. Scholastica Day Riots began in Oxford. The disturbance began when two students from the University of Oxford complained about the quality of wine served to them in the Swindlestock Tavern, which stood at the crossroads now known as Carfax (The name “Carfax” derives from the Latin quadrifurcus via the French carrefour, both of which mean “crossroads”).
The students quarreled with the taverner; the argument quickly escalated to blows. The inn’s customers joined in on both sides, and the resulting mêlée turned into a riot. The violence started by the bar brawl continued over three days, with armed gangs entering the town from the countryside to assist the townspeople. University halls and students’ accommodation were raided and the inhabitants murdered; Around twenty townsfolk were killed, as were up to sixty-three members of the university.
King Edward III sent judges to the town with commissions of oyer and terminer to determine what had gone on and to advise what steps should be taken. He came down on the side of the university authorities, who were given additional powers and responsibilities to the disadvantage of the town’s authorities. The town was fined 500 marks and its mayor and bailiffs were sent to the Marshalsea prison in London.
An annual penance was imposed on the town: each year, on St Scholastica’s Day, the mayor, bailiffs and sixty townspeople were to attend a Mass at the University Church of St Mary the Virgin for those killed; the town was also made to pay the university an annual fine of one penny for each scholar killed. The practice was dropped in 1825; in 1955—the 600th anniversary of the riots—in an act of conciliation the city’s mayor was given an honorary degree, while the university’s vice-chancellor was made an honorary freeman of the city.
Ending the St Scholastica Day riot, as depicted on a 1907 postcard
Let’s hear it for good people!
Thanks, Debra…
BADA BING!
Covering up your camera on your laptop could damage it. Apple. Yes this statement is correct. Please remove the tape immediately. For… Safety reasons. FBI.
What a time in life to have an anxiety disorder, a love of history, and a compulsive need to stay informed.
At my age, to see the Northern lights, all I have to do is stand up too fast. Sometimes I even see a solar eclipse.
I wish I could still buy things at the prices I used to complain about.
My doctor asked me if I exercise and I replied with “I jump to conclusions really well”.
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Oh but 4 inches is suddenly a lot when it’s snow.
I hate watching breakfast on TV shows. You know they’re not going to eat 90% of the food.
Guy 1: Socialism doesn’t work. Guy 2: Did a satanic pedophile billionaire tell you that?
Your body needs 1000 calories an hour when you are snowed in.
The storm isn’t even here yet and I ate all my food.
Be the reason someone can’t use your name for their baby.
School teacher asked little Jane to tell the class what her dad did for a living. She said that he was a stripper at a gay night club and turned tricks in the alley for extra cash. After school the teacher asked Jane if that was really true. Jane said no, he really works at Fox news, but she was too ashamed to say that.
his year feels like being awake during surgery, but also it’s the wrong surgery and now you have a serious infection, and none of it is covered by your insurance anymore, and you still have to go to work tomorrow.
On February 2nd a ground hog was harassed by a bunch of dipshits in stupid hats.
The president of the United States and the dumbest motherfucker on earth should be two different people.
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Do clouds ever look down on us and say “that orange one is shaped like an idiot”?
After recent events, Mexico has decided to pay for the wall. Canada has one in the plans also.
Today is the birthday, in 1937, of American singer Roberta Flack who had the 1972 US No.1 single ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’. Clint Eastwood chose the song for the soundtrack of his directorial debut Play Misty for Me. The song was written by British political singer/songwriter Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger, who later became his wife. Flack also had the 1973 US No.1 & UK No.6 single ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’. Flack was the first artist to win the Grammy Award for Record of the Year in two consecutive years: ‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’ won in 1973 and ‘Killing Me Softly with His Song’ won in 1974. Flack died of cardiac arrest on 24 February 2025, on her way to a hospital in Manhattan. She was 88 years old. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8_fLu2yrP4
