The Chief Magistrate Resident In The University, Answering To Our
Vice-Chancellor, And To The Rector Magnificus On The Continent, Had
Commonly The Title Of Lord Rector; But Being Addressed Only As Mr.
Rector In An Inauguratory Speech By The Present Chancellor, He Has
Fallen From His Former Dignity Of Style.
Lordship was very
liberally annexed by our ancestors to any station or character of
dignity:
They said, the Lord General, and Lord Ambassador; so we
still say, my Lord, to the judge upon the circuit, and yet retain
in our Liturgy the Lords of the Council.
In walking among the ruins of religious buildings, we came to two
vaults over which had formerly stood the house of the sub-prior.
One of the vaults was inhabited by an old woman, who claimed the
right of abode there, as the widow of a man whose ancestors had
possessed the same gloomy mansion for no less than four
generations. The right, however it began, was considered as
established by legal prescription, and the old woman lives
undisturbed. She thinks however that she has a claim to something
more than sufferance; for as her husband's name was Bruce, she is
allied to royalty, and told Mr. Boswell that when there were
persons of quality in the place, she was distinguished by some
notice; that indeed she is now neglected, but she spins a thread,
has the company of her cat, and is troublesome to nobody.
Having now seen whatever this ancient city offered to our
curiosity, we left it with good wishes, having reason to be highly
pleased with the attention that was paid us.
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