An Anonymous Source and Jacques de Vitry

Colleges and universities were founded in Europe in the twelfth century. France and Italy claimed the first universities, with England, Germany, and Spain following suit by the mid-1200s. The original universities were societies or guilds of teachers (who were individually paid by students) and students (who in addition to attending lectures would monitor the teachers' performances, making certain that the instruction was worth the tuition). Both teachers and students would gather in a town, rent space (lofts, storefronts, even barns), and conduct and attend classes. As universities began spreading and becoming an important part of the intellectual landscape of Europe, they gradually evolved into institutions much like those of today, with permanent campuses and central administrative systems.

The following excerpts by medieval sources illustrate that certain aspects of university student life seem...