PEEFACE
THE list of names given in the Brasenose Register is
based primarily on College archives, but many have
been added from other sources, such as the publications
of the Oxford Historical Society, and Foster's Alumni
Oxonienses. For the first period (1509-1575) the chiefsource
is the Vice-Principal's Register,^ the earliest date in which
is February 26, 15|§. This Register is concerned mainly
with the acts of the Governing Body, but it also contains
lists of members of the College in residence at certain
dates (the first being June 24, 1549), occasional admissions,
and lists of College Officers (viz. Vice-Principal, Bursars,
and praelector publicus) from 1559-60 onwards. In 1576,
so far as Brasenose men are concerned, the University
Matriculation Register begins, and is the chief source of
information up to 1602. For the sixty years from 1602 to
1662 there is a copy of the ' first and earliest Admission
Book belonging to the College'. This copy was made by
the Rev. John Holmes, Fellow of the College (1770-88).
The original is not now to be found. In 166f the Caution
Book begins. This was used by Holmes for his list of
names, but the original is still preserved. Other sources
are lists of admissions and applications for admission.
A list of Fellows up to Principal Yate's time is given in
the very valuable Register which he compiled, and has
been continued to the present date.
^ The Vice-Principal's Eegisters are in Latin up to the year 1799
inclusive. Towards the end of the eighteenth century an English
Register begins to be used, at first irregularly, side by side with the
Latin Register, and from 1800 onwards English alone is used. A few
specimens have been given from the eaily Registers, especially for the
period up to 1575, illustrating either the Latinity, or the customs of
the time.
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