Note 68 — Chapter I · THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE

The importance of Cambridge was steadily growing in the reigns of Henry I. and Stephen. The isle of Ely supported Matilda; and the earldom of Cambridge was conferred both by her and by Stephen for the first time. The former by her letters, issued before the year 1146, bestowed it on her favourite Aubrey de Vere, “if the King of Scotland hath it not,” as prior in dignity to the counties of “Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, or Dorsetshire” one of which he was to take if Stephen’s gift of the earldom of Cambridge to Saint David of Scotland held good. De Vere had to accept the county of Oxford which has since remained in that family—the earldom of Cambridge passing to royal hands and becoming in time a royal dukedom. David of Scotland held Cambridge in his own and Huntingdon in right of his wife. Malcolm of Scotland held both earldoms together in exchange for the northern counties of Northumberland and Cumberland. The union of these earldoms is still represented by the union of Huntingdon and Cambridge under one vicecomes or sheriff. Edward III. created his wife’s brother (the Count of Hainault) and after him his son Edmund Langley, earls of Cambridge. Edmund’s son Richard held the earldom until his attainder, and his son Richard Duke of York was again created Earl of Cambridge by Henry V. (p. 295). This was Edward IV.’s father in whom the earldom became merged in the crown. The arms of Edmund Langley, Duke of York and Earl of Cambridge, are on the first of the 6 shields of arms of Edward’s sons over the entrance gate of Trinity; beneath is inscribed: Edmondus D. Ebor. C. Cantabrugie.