clearly from a passage in the _Life of Anthony a Wood_ (ed. 1771, pp.
45-50.). Anthony a Wood was matriculated in the University of Oxford,
26th May, 1647, and on the 18th of October "he was entered into the
Buttery-Book of Merton College." At various periods, from All Saints
till Candlemas, "there were Fires of Charcole made in the Common hall."

"At all these Fires every Night, which began to be made a little
after five of the clock, the Senior Under-Graduats would bring
into the hall the Juniors or Freshmen between that time and six
of the clock, and there make them sit down on a Forme in the
middle of the Hall, joyning to the Declaiming Desk: which done,
every one in Order was to speake some pretty Apothegme, or make
a Jest or Bull, or speake some eloquent Nonsense, to make the
Company laugh: But if any of the Freshmen came off dull or not
cleverly, some of the forward or pragmatical Seniors would
_Tuck_ them, that is, set the nail of their Thumb to their chin,
just under the Lipp, and by the help of their other Fingers
under the Chin, they would give him a chuck, which sometimes
would produce Blood. On Candlemas day, or before (according as
Shrove Tuesday fell out), every Freshman had warning given him
to provide his Speech, to be spoken in the publick Hall before
the Under-Graduats and Servants on Shrove-Tuesday night that
followed, being alwaies the time for the observation of that
Ceremony. According to the said Summons A. Wood provided a
Speech as the other Freshmen did.

"Shrove Tuesday Feb. 15, the Fire being made in the Common hall
before 5 of the Clock at night, the Fellowes would go to Supper
before six, and making an end sooner than at other times, they
left the Hall to the Libertie of the Undergraduats, but with an