From jon@asylum.apocalypse.org  Sun Oct 22 08:58:19 1995
To: geriy@asymetrix.com, jsp, sandy@actlab.utexas.edu, casseres@apple.com,
        a-alices@microsoft.com, peterde@microsoft.com, drewry@sybase.com,
        sdrewry@aol.com, davidby@microsoft.com, volnak@got.net,
        ggarb@bing.apple.com, karensu@WELL.sf.ca.us,
        haunted@haunted.seanet.com, dewi@alert.cityscape.co.uk,
        a-jons@microsoft.com
Subject: Lex Cantabrigiensis...
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 1995 11:58:12 -0400
From: Jon Singer 




------- Forwarded Message



This reminds me of an old story that I
heard regarding exams at Cambridge.
It seems that during an examination
one day a bright young student popped
up and asked the proctor to bring him
Cakes and Ale. The following dialog ensued:

 Proctor: I beg your pardon?

 Student: Sir, I request that you bring
me Cakes and Ale.

 Proctor: Sorry, no.

 Student: Sir, I really must insist.  I
request and require that you bring me
Cakes and Ale.

At this point, the student produced a
copy of the four hundred year old
Laws of Cambridge, written in Latin
and still nominally in effect, and
pointed to the section which read
(rough translation from the Latin):

"Gentlemen sitting examinations may
request and require Cakes and Ale".

Pepsi and hamburgers were judged
the modern equivalent, and the
student sat there, writing his
examination and happily slurping
away.

Three weeks later the student was
fined five pounds for not wearing a
sword to the examination.

------- End of Forwarded Message

Date: Tue, 24 Oct 95 10:21:02 GMT
 From: Mark Wainwright 
 Subject: Re: FW: Lex Cantabrigiensis...

 >   It seems that during an examination
 >   one day a bright young student popped
 >   up and asked the proctor to bring him
 >   Cakes and Ale.

 This story is at least as old as you might imagine.  There are variants
 from other ancient universities, though I have always had a preference
 for the ring of the Cakes and Ale version (as opposed to, say, the glass
 of port wine, or similar), which I've only heard attached to Cambridge.
 The sword is sometimes replaced by ceremonial buckles, another enjoyable
 touch.

 One of the most unimaginative versions appears in the a.f.u. FAQ (or one
 of the associated resources). It is set in an American university, with
 the regulations in question (including the one about the sword) asserted
 to date from 1873.  Whoever wrote that had no sense of history; it would
 be about as likely to date from 1973.  But then these Americans will
 spoil things.  I didn't like the insertion about hamburgers and pepsi.

 Incidentally, it wouldn't be the (non-existent) Laws of Cambridge, but
 the Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge.  They are
 certainly still in effect, and still continually revised and amended;
 it's entirely probable that there are some very ancient ones still on
 the statute books.

 Mark

 L'amant, trahi par ce qu'il aime,                | markw@harlequin.co.uk
 Veut-il guerir presque en un jour?               |
 Qu'il aime ailleurs; l'amour lui-meme            |    http://www.cl.cam.
 Est le remede de l'amour.             --Marivaux |    ac.uk/users/maw13/