What is "terrae filius"

Terra \Ter"ra\, n. [It. & L. See Terrace.] The earth; earth.

Terra alba [L., white earth] (Com.), a white amorphous earthy substance consisting of burnt gypsum, aluminium silicate (kaolin), or some similar ingredient, as magnesia. It is sometimes used to adulterate certain foods, spices, candies, paints, etc.

Terra cotta. [It., fr. terra earth + cotta, fem. of cotto cooked, L. coctus, p. p. of coquere to cook. See Cook, n.] Baked clay; a kind of hard pottery used for statues, architectural decorations, figures, vases, and the like.

Terr[ae] filius [L., son of the earth], formerly, one appointed to write a satirical Latin poem at the public acts in the University of Oxford; -- not unlike the prevaricator at Cambridge, England.

Terra firma [L.], firm or solid earth, as opposed to water.

Terra Japonica. [NL.] Same as Gambier. It was formerly supposed to be a kind of earth from Japan.

Terra Lemnia [L., Lemnian earth], Lemnian earth. See under Lemnian.

Terra ponderosa [L., ponderous earth] (Min.), barite, or heavy spar.

Terra di Sienna. See Sienna.

The terræ filius (son of the soil) was a satirical orator who spoke at public ceremonies of the University of Oxford, for over a century. There was official sanction for personal attacks, but some of the speakers overstepped the line and fell into serious trouble. The custom was terminated during the 18th century. The comparable speaker at the University of Cambridge was called "prevaricator".

The bawdy poem The Oxford-Act (1693) contains a terræ filius speech, and is attributed to Alicia D'Anvers. Nicholas Amherst took Terrae-filius, Or, The Secret History of the University of Oxford for the title of a series of periodical essays appearing from 1721, making up a 1726 book.