Cambridge

Culture/Religion: Cymric/British Christian The city of Cambridge guards the crossing of the Cam River, and is the highest point of navigable river. Rulers Ruler: City Council Vassal of: Earl of Huntington Aventure

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CAMBRIDGE WAS originally settled as a roman military outpost guarding the River Cam. They called the location Duroliponte, which means "The Fortified Bridge". At the same time a small town, Camboritum, was founded on the far side of the river by Romanized Britons. With the coming of the Saxons and the decline of the Romans, the fort was abandoned, and the place names changed. The Roman fort of Duroliponte no longer exists, but the sprawl of homes surrounding it remained. This area eventually became known as Chesterton. The adjacent river is still called the Cam by most people, but Saxons refer to it as the Granta. The Saxons also renamed the town on the opposite (south) bank Grantabrigia, which means "Bridge over the Granta" Eventually, the mixture of the Saxon and Roman languages resulted in the town's current name ‑ Cambridge. Cambridge lies at the hub of many secondary roads that link Anglia to the rest of Logres. From Cambridge, roads lead northwest to the Castle of Beale Valet in Huntingdon, southwest to Royston in Hertford, and south and east to the Ickneid Way, the great Roman causeway that runs from Norwich to London. Cambridge also has the only road that leads through the fens to Ely Isle and the magnificent abbey found there. Because of its position, Cambridge is a strategic base to hold during Anglian wars and rebellions. If the town were ever to fall to the Anglians, their infectious rebellion could spread south and east in many directions. However, since none of the Anglian rebellions has ever threatened this far west most people view the Anglian troubles as remote events, especially during the Pax Britannica of the Pendragon. Un centre de commerce In addition to its many overland highways, Cambridge is a thriving port. Downstream, the Cam joins the rivers Nene and Dubglas, which eventually meander through the Fens to empty into the Wash. The sea and river traffic brings travelers and traders from Logres and beyond. The river is navigable up to Cambridge by small boat; larger ships cannot make the narrow turns easily or clear the shallows of the river. Because of this, most of the traffic on the Cam consists of rafts, coracles and curraghs, though some smaller Saxon longships have made it with difficulty. Many of the passengers are traveling to or from the famous colleges, churches and priories, as well as knights and other warriors en route to military expeditions or quests. Cambridge is a magnet for many local and international goods ‑ books, scrolls and other scholarly works, animals from distant lands, rare artworks and artifacts can be found at Cambridge's Market Place. Merchants also flock to the town to trade grain at Cam Exchange Place, or buy some of the finest shoes in the world made by the local guildsmen along Shoemaker Row. Because of the great spree of construction during Arthur's reign, the town has also attracted a great many architects, masons, carpenters and other craftsmen. La population The population of Cambridge falls into a few key categories : the collegium, the clergy, the military, guildsmen, merchants, the Jewery, and the commoners. The population varies greatly in size and composition during the reign of Arthur. Around the time of Arthur's birth, the town consists mostly of commoners, with a population slightly over 800. By the founding of the first college, the population has grown to over 1,000 due to the rise in trade and the garrison of the new stone castle. Wealthy merchants and famous knights start to call Cambridge their home. During the great period of learning and prosperity (Phase Four), the population rises to 1,600, consisting of over three hundred scholars and two hundred more learned clergy. Wealth and nobility flood the town in search of opportunity and knowledge. By the end of Arthur's reign, Cambridge's population explodes to an insane and unsustainable 3,000 people, of which over l,000 are students and faculty. Because of crime and general despotism, it becomes difficult to tell students from opportunistic criminals ‑ many times they are one and the same! Knights become less common, having abandoned the crowded town in search of battle and quests. Eventually, after Arthur's passing, the town suffers a massive uprising which reduces it to the same rustic character it had before the Pendragon Era. However, until its dramatic end Cambridge is filled with energy, ingenuity, growth, and affluence. Les Collèges The collegium consists of the scholars, teachers, proctors, regents, chancellors and other administrators of the eight colleges in Cambridge. By the Fourth Phase of Pendragon (Apogee), the schools offer a full range of degrees in one of four fields: Art, Medicine, Law, or Theology. Law is further subdivided into Canon (Religious) Law and Civil Law. Cambridge's colleges offer variations in the general curriculum and different specialties. For instance, King's College emphasizes the study of the philosophy of the Round Table and the laws of King Arthur (the patron of the school), whereas Corpus Christi offers a deeper study of Canon Law and the philosophy of the Doctors of the Church (such as the works of Saint Augustine). See the chronology for a full listing of the colleges and the years they were founded. Each of the fields of study is further divided into degrees, from Bachelor's degree, Licentiate's, Master's to a full Doctorate. A Master's degree in the Arts is usually seen as a prerequisite for enrollment into the school of Medicine, but some gifted youths are allowed into this more advanced program at the discretion of the college's regents. Depending on the period of Cambridge history, the collegiate segment represents between 10% to 50% of the town's population. See the section on "Attending College" below for a full explanation of the curriculum at the colleges of Cambridge. Les bourgeois de Cambridge Le Clergé Cambridge has many different types of clergy: canons, friars, priests, nuns and monks. The city is host to over a dozen churches. Those listed on the map are only a sampling of the total number of parish churches; many other less important churches and shrines exist. All of the churches on the map are parish churches, responsible for the ministrations and sacraments for the neighborhood around them. Holy Sepulchre is the one exception. This small circular church was founded in the year 554 by knights searching for the Holy Grail. After it was completed, the knights quickly handed it over to a small group of priests while they rode off to continue their quest. Besides the churches, many religious orders have chapters in Cambridge: the Augustinian canons of Barnwell priory (off the map to the east), the Benedictine nuns of St. Radegund, as well as orders of Dominican, Carmelite and Augustinian friars. Each of these orders are heavily involved in the local community. Early in the Pendragon Era, before the construction of the colleges, the religious houses and churches are used for classrooms and to house newly‑arrived students. Of the religious orders, the nuns of St. Radegund have the most beautiful compound, which includes a large fish pond surrounded by a magnificent garden. Nobility from across Logres venture to the nunnery to see its beauty and meditate beside the still waters. One last group of clergy in Cambridge are the Hospitallars of St. John. These monks have taken vows to care for and feed the sick, wounded, elderly and poor of the community. Unlike the wealthy medical doctors of the Colleges, the Hospitallars of St. John welcome anyone into their sanctuary and accept no payment for their labors. The clergy comprise between 10% to 20% of the town's population. L’armée The King's Sheriff is the liege of Cambridge Castle, as well as the direct appointed representative of Arthur's justice. Currently this is Sir Giles. The military population of Cambridge, including the castle's knights and men‑of‑arms, town bailiffs, adventurers, etc., represents a small percentage of the population. Usually, the number is less than 5% of Cambridge's population. During time of war or unrest, this figure can increase dramatically. For example, in the Anglian revolt of 531 the convergence of Arthur's army almost doubles the town's population for the duration of the campaign. Les nobles et les puissants Many highly‑ranked individuals make Cambridge their home. Most are merchants, but others are nobility with interests in the administration or endowment of the colleges. Two wealthy families of Cambridge include the Dunnings and the Blancergnons. These rival houses consistently vie for prestige and bragging rights through outrageous accomplishments. One of their greatest contentions is over Pythagoras House, a student hostel north of the Cam. The two clans alternately buy the house from the other, each time adding their own expansions and improvements to it. They then sell the house to the other family at a profit. After the house is traded a number of times, both families find their profits illusory, and all of their money sunk into the expensive and unprofitable venture. The rivalry ends with both families bankrupt, and Pythagoras House bought up by a shrewd continental businessman, Walter de Merton. In general, the number of noble and wealthy personages in Cambridge usually represents less than 5% of the population. Les guildes As mentioned above, Cambridge is a center of trade and commerce. Shoemakers, tanners, millers, masons, carpenters, bakers, storekeepers, river boatsmen, scribes, architects, smiths, artists and many other professionals make up the core of the middle class. Important business usually revolves around the events at the Guild Hall just south of Market Place. New jobs are posted, pay is disbursed, meetings are held and deals are brokered from dawn till dusk. After sundown and on holidays the hall is often used to host feasts. Depending on the period, guildsmen represent about 10% to 25% of the town's population. Les fermiers Cambridge is not a walled town. Because of this farmland, shops, animal pasture, churches, townhouses and barns often lie side‑by‑side in a patchquilt of the urban and the rural. Herds of pigs often hold up traffic in town. Harvest festival is celebrated by scholar and townsman alike. Many parishes are composed of strip farms, with the family home facing the street and a long field behind it for crops and animals. This amalgam has served the town well. Produce is cheap and locally available. The farmers of Cambridge represent a good portion of the townsfolk roughly 15%‑20%. It is not until later in the Phase Three that the urban population begins to outstrip local and regional production. Les pauvres As in all towns, Cambridge has many poor. A good deal are taken care of by the Hospitallars of St. John. As time goes on, however, their numbers grow. The rise of capitalisrn also sees the advent of many who lose their life savings in bad investments and heavy debts to moneylenders. The poor range from 5% to 10%, depending on the year. La Juiverie The section of town along Bridge Street between St. John's Hospital and Shoemaker Row is called The Jewry. This refers to the heavy concentration of Jews in this area. Although usually a srnall minority, the Jews command great influence by virtue of their activities in moneylending and mercantile speculation. They have monetarily backed many ventures in town, including the construction of the colleges. During Phase Five, the Jewry are made scapegoats for many of the town's problems. The Jewry make up roughly 5% of Cambridge's population. Les voyageurs Merchants, adventurers, would‑be students, and other folk often pass through Cambridge. Their numbers fluctuate greatly depending upon the time of year and the current period in the Pendragon chronology. Rowdies One miscellaneous group of outcasts can usually be found hanging around the seedier parts of town. This is the group of rowdy students. They are usually the slow learners (see "Attending College" regarding "subdeterminans") or have already been expelled, but have decided to hang around Cambridge to cause trouble for various reasons. Many are indolent, living on stipends from their rich patrons. Others are just vicious bullies, too tempestuous for the quiet life of the scholar and unfit for any other profession. Eventually, the worst of the lot can be found south of Cambridge at the small hamlet of Trumpington Ford. Here, all forms of decadent behavior can be found gambling, loose women, shady Saxons with illicit stolen goods, etc. As Pendragon time progresses into Phase Five, the rowdy students become both more numerous and bolder, until the revolt of the townspeople in 563.