Terræ filius

The terræ filius (son of the soil) was a satirical orator who spoke at public ceremonies of the University of Oxford, for over a century. There was official sanction for personal attacks, but some of the speakers overstepped the line and fell into serious trouble. The custom was terminated during the 18th century.^[1][2] The comparable speaker at the University of Cambridge was called "prevaricator".^[3]

Frontispiece to Terrae-filius, Or, The Secret History of the University of Oxford (1726), by William Hogarth

The bawdy poem The Oxford-Act (1693) contains a terræ filius speech, and is attributed to Alicia D'Anvers.^[4] Nicholas Amhurst took Terrae-filius, Or, The Secret History of the University of Oxford for the title of a series of periodical essays appearing from 1721, making up a 1726 book.^[5]

List of terræ filii

• 1591 Supposedly "Thomas Tomkins", although this individual cannot be traced. This is the earliest known terræ filius.^[6]
• 1592 John Hoskins, expelled^[7]
• 1637 "Mr. Masters," expelled^[8]
• 1651 William Levinz^[9] and Thomas Careles^[10]
• 1655 Robert Whitehall^[11] and John Glendall^[10]
• c. 1656 unnamed terræ filius was forcibly arrested at the podium and taken to Bocardo Prison due to offensive language^[8]
• 1657 Daniel Danvers^[8]
• 1657 Lancelot Addison, forced to retract^[12]
• 1658 Thomas Pittys, expelled^[8]
• 1661 (one of several) Arthur Brett^[13]
• 1663 John Edwards and Joseph Brooks^[10]
• 1664 William Cave and Richard Wood, "stopped in their regency"^[8]
• 1665-8 no terræ filius^[10]
• 1669 Thomas Hayes and Henry Gerard, both expelled^[8]
• 1670 no terræ filius^[10]
• 1671 John Roderham and Nicholas Hall^[10]
• 1673 John Shirley^[14]
• 1674 Charles Layfield^[10]
• 1675 Venables Keeling^[10]
• 1676 Balthazar Vigures, expelled,^[15] and John Crofts, chaplain of New College, who retracted after the speech so was not expelled^[8]
• 1681 John More, beaten with a cudgel following the speech^[8]
• 1682 Henry Boles^[16] and Jacob Allestry^[17]
• 1683 Michael Smith ^[16]
• 1684 Henry Walbanke and Thomas Easton^[16]
• 1693 Robert Turner and Henry Aldworth.^[16] Their full speeches (in Latin) survive in the notebook of Thomas Hearne.^[8]
• 1703 Robert Roberts;^[18] this year William Delaune was attacked^[19]
• 1706 Theodore Brooke^[8]
• 1713 Bernard Gardiner suppressed a Whig speech, as a threat to political stability.^[20] The speech was printed, but some copies were burned.^[8]
• 1713-33 No terræ filius^[8]
• 1733 No terræ filius but a speech was printed anonymously.^[8]
• 1763 Final appearance of the terræ filius, closely censored by the university and free of improper remarks.^[8]