54S OXFORD. Theophilus Leigh ^6, elected in 1726. John Davy, D.D., elected in 1785. Ob. 5th Oct. 1798. John Parsons elected in 1798. He became bishop of Peterborough in 1813. Ob. 1 2th March 1 8 1 9. Richard Jenkyns, D.D., elected in 1819. The arms of* this college are thus blazoned : The field gules, an orle argent. MERTON COLLEGE Was founded in the year 1270 by Walter de Merton, lord chancellor of England in 1261, and afterwards bishop of Rochester. He first placed his society at Maldon in Surrey in 1 264-3", but he settled them at Oxford in 1266 •3'^. •■^6 On the death of Dr. Hunt there was a contest forthe master- ship between Mr. Best of this college and Mr. Theophilus Leigh of Corpus Christi. It was de- termined in favour of Mr. Leigh in March 1726-7. 37 As it has been doubted whe- ther this college was originally established at Maldon, I give the commencement of the foundation charter: " InnomineDeiomnipo- tentis Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti in honore ejusdem Sanctae et IndividuieTrinitatis et beatis- simcr I )ei genitricis Marisc et beati Johannis Baptistae Christi jirae- cursoris atque Sanctonuu Om- nium, Kgo Walterus de Merton illustris domini Henrici Regis Anglia" filii Regis. Tohannis quon- dam Cancellarius, tam auctori- tate mihi a dicto domino mco liege concessa quam rationc ju- ris ct potestatis qua? mihi in meis maneriis de Maudon et de Farley cum eorum pertinentiis competunt, do, assign© et con- cedo maneria ipsa cum omnibus pertinentiis suis quocumque no- mine censeri possint, ad funda- tionem domus quam dici volo et nuncupari Domum Scolarium de Merton, quam et ego in profec- tum ecclesiae Sancta? Dei pro salute animae domini mei Regis prsedicti et animarum domini Nicholai quondam Dunelmensis Episcopi, Ricardi quondam co- mitis Gloucestriap et Hertford (lilberti fihi ejus Willielmi de ^^'hateville et Petri de Cudinton necnon parentum et benefacto- torum mcorum omnium ; aucto- ritate venerabilis patris Johannis Wintoniensis Episcopi loci dio- cesani intorveniente : necnon et consensu cajiituli sui — in dicto manerio de Maudon statue, fun- do, ct stabilio ad perpetuam sus- tentiitioncm viginti scolarium in Rcolis degentium Oxon. vel ahbi i
