John Ayliffe facts for kids

John Ayliffe (1676–1732) was an English expert in law, known as a Doctor of Law. He was famously expelled from the University of Oxford after a big disagreement.

John Ayliffe's Early Life

John Ayliffe was born in 1676 in Pember, Hampshire, England. He went to school at Winchester College and then studied at New College, Oxford. He joined Oxford University in February 1690.

He earned several degrees: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1699, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1703, and then both a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) and Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) in 1710. Until 1710, he worked as a proctor, which is a type of lawyer in the university's court. However, his strong political beliefs made it hard for him to advance in his career.

Political Problems and University Conflict

Ayliffe was a strong supporter of the Whig political party. This was a problem because Oxford University at that time was mostly home to Tories and supporters of Jacobitism, who wanted to bring back the old royal family.

In 1712, Ayliffe tried to publish a book about Oxford University. He had gathered information for it while working in the university court. But his idea was not well received. The book was finally published in 1714, just before Queen Anne died.

A few months later, Ayliffe was called before the university court. He was accused by the vice-chancellor, Bernard Gardiner, and a former vice-chancellor, Thomas Braithwaite. They were upset about things he wrote about them. Ayliffe had suggested that money from the Clarendon Printing House had been used improperly.

Because of this, Ayliffe was removed from the university. He lost all his special rights and degrees. He was also criticized by John Cobb, the head of New College. Ayliffe had written that the men from New College were not very distinguished. He was also accused of not obeying orders and of threatening the Warden during a conversation. Instead of apologizing, he chose to give up his position at the college.

The full story of this event is told in a pamphlet called The Case of Dr. Ayliffe at Oxford. Many believe Ayliffe himself wrote or helped write this pamphlet. It claimed that the real reasons for the university's actions were:

• His questions about why some colleges wouldn't share information about their donors' funds.
• His disagreement with the power some college heads had to block decisions.
• His political opinions.

Another writer, Nicholas Amhurst, described a public speech given shortly after King George I became king. In this speech, Ayliffe was strongly criticized.

Later Life and Death

John Ayliffe passed away on 5 November 1732.

John Ayliffe's Important Books

Most of Ayliffe's book, Ancient and Present State of Oxford, which caused all the trouble, was based on and corrected from an earlier work by Anthony Wood. Ayliffe's book went into great detail about legal matters.

Ayliffe is best known for his two books about canon law (church law) and civil law (Roman law).

• His book Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani came out in 1726.
• In 1734, the first part of his New Pandect of the Civil Law was published. He had written this book several years earlier. At that time, there was a lot of interest in civil law. Ayliffe wrote his book not just for lawyers, but also for politicians and diplomats.

Here are some of his published works:

• The Ancient and Present State of the University of Oxford, in two volumes, published in 1714 and reprinted in 1723. This book included many important documents about Oxford and Cambridge universities.
• The Case of Dr. Ayliffe at Oxford, published in 1716. This book explained his side of the story regarding his legal troubles and expulsion from the university.
• Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani, published in 1726, with a second edition in 1734. This book was a detailed guide to the laws and rules of the Church of England.
• The Law of Pledges, or Pawns, published in 1732. This book discussed the rules about pawning items, both in ancient Rome and in other countries at the time.
• A New Pandect of Roman Civil Law, the first volume of which was published in 1734. This book explored Roman civil law and how it was used in European countries.