The recent Freshman riot at the Yale Commons had a counterpart in the "Great Rebellion of 1776" at the University which had its inception in the Harvard Commons of that day.

In the "Book of Harvard" which was written soon after the uprising is an account in biblical language of the disorders in the College in September, 1776, consequent on the stewards' persisting in serving bad butter in the commons. A contributory cause of the disorders is also to be found in the fact that the faculty had lately refused to accept certain customary and time-honored, but very elastic, excuses for absence from college exercises. The "Book of Harvard" and "Arguments for the Defence" gives the students' side of the question while the faculty prepared a long list of "Representations" to explain their side of the matter to the Overseers.

Trouble was in the air when first the authorities insisted that students should eat in the commons, and that "the scholars should be restrained from dieting in private family."

Decency Required at Meals

In 1776 the faculty drew up a harsh law which precipitated the trouble, the text of which follows in part: "Article 1 . . . And all Scholars while at their Meals shall sit in their Places and behave with Decency; and whosoever shall be rude or clamorous at such time shall be punished by one of the Tutors; not exceeding five shillings.

"Article 10: Every Scholar shall for the Present pay seven-shillings and Four Perce a Week for his whole diet.

"Article 13: No Scholar shall be allowed to go into Debt to the Butler above five Dollars, and shall have no more Credit till that is paid."

"The Book of Harvard" Account of the rebellion which this announcement called forth is given below:

"Chapter First 1. And it came to pass in the ninth month, on the 23d Day of the Month, the Sons of Harvard murmured and said:

"2. Behold! bad and unwholesome Butter is served 'at unto as daily; now let us therefore depute Asa, the Scribe, to go unto our Ruler, and seek Redress.

"3. There arose Asa, the Scribe, and went unto Belcher, the Ruler, and said, behold our Butter stinketh, and we cannot eat thereof; now give us we pray thee Butter that stinketh not.

"4. And Belcher the Ruler, said, trouble me not but begone unto thine own palace; but Asa obeyed him not.

"5. So when Belcher and others of the Rulers departed, the Sons of Harvard clapped their Hands, and kissed and cried, Aha! Aha!

"6. Then Edward the Chief Ruler and John and another Edward (not the chief) and Stephen and Belcher and Simeon and Thomas, surnamed Horsehead, and Andrew and Joseph consulted together and said:

"7. Behold, Asa the Scribe hath risen up against us. and the Sons of Harvard have hissed and clapped in Derision of us;