Two cities with, in their history, episodes of different kinds; but both involving, broadly, wartime restraint and "sparing". In the English Civil War, the Earl of Newcastle's troops had in December 1642 just taken -- or were with certainty about to -- strongly-Parliamentarian Bradford. Spending the night at a "stately home" hard by the city, the Earl awoke during the night to see in his room, a spectral-seeming woman dressed in white, wringing her hands and saying in imploring tones, "pity poor Bradford". Shaken by this visitation, he decided to be merciful to the city, and ordered his troops to refrain when occupying it, from wanton killing / rapine / looting / destruction; they mostly complied. Three centuries later: throughout the course of World War II, no bombs were dropped on the historic and beautiful central area of the city of Oxford. No certainty as to how this came about: maybe just "happenstance"; maybe tactical factors were involved; maybe some sort of behind-the-scenes deal between the warring sides -- "we'll spare Oxford if you spare [wherever]" -- assorted possibilities.