By the thirteenth century Lombard was the
standard text-book of the schools: a work of such reputation
that it was studied in preference to the Scriptures, as
Bacon complained.
[1] Rashdall, i. 42.
A demand also arose for instruction in civil and canon
law, which the existing schools did not supply. This
broader learning was provided in the early universities, at
first to the dislike of the Church, and sometimes to the
annoyance of royal heads. Particular objection was taken
to the study of law. An Italian named Vicario (Vacarius)
lectured on Justinian at Oxford in 1149. Then he abridged
the Code and Digest for his students there. King Stephen
forbade him to proceed with his lectures, and prohibited the
use of treatises on foreign law, many manuscripts of which
were consequently destroyed. But these measures were
not very effectual. Within a short time civil law became
recognised in the University as a proper subject of study.
By 1275, when another Italian jurist named Francesco
d'Accorso, a distinguished teacher at Bologna, came to
Oxford to lecture, the study of civil law was pursued with
the royal favour.
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