St Alban Hall and Merton College, Oxford: King Henry VIII granting St Alban Hall to the college. Line engraving by G. Vertue, 1747.

In the background stands a group identifiable as follows. At the front, Robert Huicke, fellow of Merton College, principal of St. Alban's Hall 1534-1535, royal physician, holding the staff of Aesculapius; William Lenthall (Speaker of the House of Commons) with his hand on the mace; and a bishop, possibly Francis Gough, alumnus of St Alban and Bishop of Limerick 1626-1634. On the left, possibly Thomas Bouchier, principal of St Alban Hall from 1678 until 1723, pointing towards the hall. Other figures in the group are Richard Fitzjames, warden of Merton from 1483 to 1507 and bishop of London; Sir Walter Buckler, fellow of Merton and member of the royal household under Queen Elizabeth; and Sir Arthur Atye (Atey)

In the background is St Alban Hall, acquired by Merton College in 1548/1549, and a mediaeval student residence that survived as an independent hall of the University until 1881/1882, when it was incorporated with Merton College. Foreground left, King Henry VIII grants the hall to his physician George Owen (1537), while the Abbess of Littlemore convent, its previous occupant, departs sorrowfully to left. Right, Archbishop Laud recommends the use of Merton College chapel; beside him (right to left) stand Thomas Lamplugh, Archbishop of York; Narcissus Marsh, principal of St Alban Hall 1673-1679, and archbishop of Armagh; and Benedict Barnham, whose bequest paid for the rebuilding of the front of the hall: Barnham holds a plan of the new buildings

[Oxford] : [Oxford University Press?], [1748]

1 print : line engraving ; platemark 50.8 x 45.7 cm

The Oxford almanack for the year of our Lord God. MDCCXLVIII being bissextile or leap year. G. Vertue sculp. ... Lettering continues with a calendar for 1748 and names of officers of the university

Helen Mary Petter, The Oxford almanacks, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1974, p. 65

Wellcome Collection 2871154i

Identification of subjects from Petter, loc. cit., and from annotations on the verso of the British Museum's impression (transcribed in the British Museum online catalogue)