^{page 1 note 1} The present article is an elaboration of a chapter of an Oxford B. Litt. thesis, ‘The career, family and influence of Alexander le Poer, bishop of Lincoln, 1123–1148’ (1971). I welcome this opportunity to acknowledge, however inadequately, my debt to my supervisor, Professor R. H. C. Davis.

^{page 1 note 2} Archbishop Thurstan of York (1114–40) was reputed to have founded as many as eight monastic houses, a claim which can only be sustained in the single case of Clementhorpe, near York. But he certainly played a vital part in the establishment of some ten such houses, both Cistercian and Augustinian, and it is remarkable that no specific evidence survives of any association with his neighbour at Lincoln.

^{page 1 note 3} Saltman, A., Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury, London 1956, 14Google Scholar; Nicholl, D., Thurstan, archbishop of York (1114–1140), York 1964, 204.Google Scholar

^{page 2 note 1} Kealey, E. J., Roger of Salisbury, viceroy of England, Berkeley and London 1972, 104–5, 112, 121–2. Alexander's own record towards religious houses in his diocese compares much more favourably, and although he exercised a firm control over the two greatest, St. Albans and Peterborough, there is only one plain instance (the Peterborough estates at Thorpe-in-Lindsey) of the appropriation of regular property. Even then, the property was in the hands of the Lincoln chapter when it was finally recovered.Google Scholar

^{page 2 note 2} Liber Eliensis, ed. Blake, E. O., Camden Society, 3rd. ser., xcii (1962), 294–9.Google Scholar

^{page 2 note 3} Herman, De miraculis Sancte Marie Laudunensis (Patrologia Latina, ed. J. Migne, clvi, col. 982).

^{page 2 note 4} The Red Book of the Exchequer, ed. Hall, H., Rolls series, London 1896, iii. ccclvi–xi, 1032.Google Scholar

^{page 2 note 5} Florence of Worcester, Chronicon, ed. Thorpe, B., London, 1848–1849, ii. 77–8;Google ScholarRegesta regum Anglo-Normannorum (hereafter cited as Regesta), ed. Johnson, C. and Cronne, H. A., Oxford 1956, ii. 1301.Google Scholar

^{page 2 note 6} William of Malmesbury, Historia novella, ed. Potter, K. R., London 1955, 39.Google Scholar

^{page 3 note 1} Davis, R. H. C., King Stephen, 1135–1154, London 1967, 80, n.6.Google Scholar

^{page 3 note 2} Historia renum Anglicarum, ed. Hamilton, H. C., London 1856, i. 28–9.Google Scholar

^{page 3 note 3} Gesta Stephani, ed. Potter, K. R., London 1955, 53.Google Scholar

^{page 3 note 4} Newark-on-Trent, Sleaford and, probably, Banbury.

^{page 3 note 5} The Letters of St. Bernard, ed. and trans. Jarnes, B. S., London 1953, no. 67;Google ScholarKnowles, D., The Monastic Order in England, Cambridge 1948, 705.Google Scholar

^{page 4 note 1} Regesta, ii. 1660–1, 1770, 1791.

^{page 4 note 2} Regesta, iii, ed. Cronne, H. A. and Davis, R. H. C., Oxford 1968, 465.Google Scholar

^{page 4 note 3} Hugh the Chantor, ed. Johnson, C., London 1961, 120 ff.Google Scholar

^{page 4 note 4} Henrici archidiaconi Huntendunensis Historia Anglorum, ed. Arnold, T., Rolls series, London 1879, 278, 280.Google Scholar

^{page 4 note 5} Regesta, ii. 1552 (dated c. 1128).

^{page 4 note 6} Henry of Huntingdon, Historia Anglorum, 255.

^{page 4 note 7} Waverley annals, Annales monastici, ed. Luard, H. R., Rolls series, London 1864–1869, ii. 226.Google Scholar

^{page 4 note 8} Historia Anglorum, 3.

^{page 4 note 9} Ibid., 246.

^{page 5 note 1} Chronicon Angliae Petriburgense, ed. Giles, J. A., London 1845, 89.Google Scholar

^{page 5 note 2} Historia rerum Anglicarum, ed. Hamilton, i. 26.

^{page 5 note 3} Orderici Vitalis Historiae ecclesiasticae libri tredecim, ed. Prévost, A. le, Paris 1838–1855, v. 119.Google Scholar

^{page 5 note 4} The History of the Kings of Britain, ed. Thorpe, L., Harmondsworth 1966, 171.Google Scholar

^{page 6 note 1} The Thame Cartulary, ed. Salter, H. E., i (Oxford Record Society, xxv (1947)), no. 1: Prologus in cartas.Google Scholar

^{page 6 note 2} Waverley annals (Annales monastici, ii. 227).

^{page 6 note 3} Regesta, ii. 1707.

^{page 6 note 4} Chronicon de Melsa, cited by Hill, B. D., English Cistercian Monasteries and their Patrons in the Twelfth Century, Urbana 1968, 51–2.Google Scholar

^{page 6 note 5} Thame Cartulary, 198.

^{page 6 note 6} Ibid., 199.

^{page 6 note 7} Ibid., 172.

^{page 6 note 8} Regesta, iii. 874.

^{page 6 note 9} Rotuli hundredorum, Record Commission, London 1812–1818, ii. 820.Google Scholar

^{page 6 note 10} The Memorials of Fountains Abbey, ed. Walbran, J. R., Surtees Society, xlii (1862), 66–8.Google Scholar

^{page 7 note 1} Calendar of Charter Rolls, London 1903–1927, iii. 247.Google Scholar

^{page 7 note 2} Cf., Transcripts of charters relating to Gilbertine houses, ed. Stenton, F. M., Lincoln Record Society, xviii (1922), xii.Google Scholar

^{page 7 note 3} Dugdale, W., Monasticon Anglicanum (hereafter cited as Monast.), ed. Caley, , Ellis, and Bandinel, , London 1817–1830, v. 372.Google Scholar

^{page 7 note 4} Memorials of Fountains Abbey, 68.

^{page 7 note 5} Cf., D. Nicholl, Archbishop Thurstan, 153.

^{page 8 note 1} E.g., Gesta Stephani, 48–50; Orderic, v. 119.

^{page 8 note 2} The Registrum Antiquissimum of the cathedral church of Lincoln (hereafter cited as Reg. Antiq.), i, ed: Foster, C. W., Lincoln Record Society, xxvii (1931), no. 283.Google Scholar

^{page 8 note 3} Regesta, iii, x.

^{page 8 note 4} White, G. H., ‘Waleran of Meulan,’ Trans. Royal Historical Society, XVII (1934), 19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

^{page 8 note 5} Monast., vi. 820; Reg. Antiq., ii. 317, 533.

^{page 8 note 6} Reg. Antiq., i. 283.

^{page 9 note 1} Ibid., ii. 324.

^{page 9 note 2} J. Nichols, The History of Leicestershire, London 1795–1811, iv (i), 235.

^{page 9 note 3} Chronicon Henrici Knighton, ed. Lumby, J. R., Rolls series, London 1889–1895, i 62.Google Scholar

^{page 9 note 4} Reg. Antiq., i. 249; Regesta, ii. 1791.

^{page 9 note 5} Regesta, iii. 490.

^{page 9 note 6} Ibid., 482.

^{page 9 note 7} Reg. Antiq., i. 284.

^{page 9 note 8} Gesta Stephani, 73; Orderic, v. 125.

^{page 9 note 9} Radulfi de Diceto decani Lundoniensis opera historica, ed. Stubbs, W., Rolls-series, London 1876, i. 252.Google Scholar

^{page 9 note 10} Monast., vi. (ii), 948.

^{page 9 note 11} Cal. Charter Rolls, iii. 247.

^{page 10 note 1} Reg. Antiq., i. 132.

^{page 10 note 2} Monast., v. 455, no. 1.

^{page 10 note 3} Ibid., no. 3.

^{page 10 note 4} E. J. Kealey, Roger of Salisbury, 251, no. 17.

^{page 10 note 5} Cartulary of St. Frideswide's Monastery, ed. Wigram, S. P., Oxford Historical Society, xxviii (1895), no. 27.Google Scholar

^{page 10 note 6} Kealey, op. cit., 256–7, no. 21.

^{page 10 note 7} Ibid., 98–9.

^{page 10 note 8} Reg. Antiq., i. 286.

^{page 10 note 9} Cited by Dugdale, Monast., vi (i), 324.

^{page 10 note 10} Lincoln Cathedral Statutes, ed. Bradshaw, H. and Wordsworth, C., Cambridge 1892–7, ii. 789 ff.Google Scholar

^{page 11 note 1} Kealey, op. cit., 108–9.

^{page 11 note 2} VCH (Oxon.), ii. 87; Rotuli Chartarum, Record Comm., London 1812, i. 150.Google Scholar

^{page 11 note 3} Dickinson, J. C., The Origins of the Austin Canons and their introduction into England, London 1950, 86–7.Google Scholar

^{page 11 note 4} The Cartulary of Great Missenden abbey, ed. Jenkins, J. G., London, i (1962), 19.Google Scholar

^{page 11 note 5} See below, 20.

^{page 11 note 6} Dickinson, op. cit., 173.

^{page 11 note 7} Ibid.

^{page 12 note 1} Calendar of documents preserved in France, ed. Round, J. H., London 1889, no. 139.Google Scholar

^{page 12 note 2} Regesta, iii. 497.

^{page 12 note 3} Ibid., 377–8.

^{page 12 note 4} Rotuli Chartarum, i. 150.

^{page 12 note 5} Giraldi Cambrensis opera, ed. Brewer, J. S., Rolls series, London 1863–7, vi. 39.Google Scholar

^{page 12 note 6} Regesta, ii. 1301.

^{page 12 note 7} Cartulary of Saint Frideswide's, i. 27.

^{page 12 note 8} Reg. Antiq., iii. 920.

^{page 12 note 9} Clay, C. T., ‘The family of Amundeville,’ Lincolnshire architect, and archaeol. society. Reports and papers, new ser., III (1938), 112.Google Scholar

^{page 12 note 10} Ibid., 112,114.

^{page 12 note 11} Ibid., 118.

^{page 12 note 12} Regesta, iii. 990.

^{page 12 note 13} Ibid., 989–94.

^{page 13 note 1} Eyton, R. W., The History and Antiquities of Shropshire, London 1855, ii. 202–6Google Scholar, and ‘Lilleshall abbey,’ Archaeological Journal, VII (1855), 230–2.Google Scholar

^{page 13 note 2} Dickinson, op. cit., 112–3. Bishop Richard chose St. Osyth as his burial place.

^{page 13 note 3} Radulfi de Diceto opera, i. 251–2.

^{page 13 note 4} Regesta, iii. 484; Reg. Antiq., i. 76; ii. 346.

^{page 13 note 5} Thame Cartulary, no. 99.

^{page 13 note 6} The Early Charters of St. Paul's, ed. Gibbs, M., Camden Society, lxviii (1939), no. 154.Google Scholar

^{page 13 note 7} Ibid., 156; The Life of Christina of Markyate, ed. Talbot, C. H., Oxford 1959, 29–30.Google Scholar

^{page 14 note 1} Kealey, Roger of Salisbury, 106.

^{page 15 note 1} Gross, C., The Sources and Literature of English History, 2nd ed., London 1915, 353, no. 1747.Google Scholar The MS. of the Chronicon is B. M. Cotton Claudius A. v.

^{page 15 note 2} Chronicon Angliae Petriburgense, ed. J. A. Giles, London 1845.

^{page 15 note 3} Ibid., 99 (1168).

^{page 15 note 4} Ibid., 91. The text, followed by Giles, assigns to this annal the year 1141, but other references to the empress Matilda's investment in Oxford castle and to Baldwin III's accession to the kingdom of Jerusalem show that the real date is 1142.

^{page 15 note 5} Ibid., 89; B. M. Cotton Claudius A. v, fol. 21^v.

^{page 15 note 6} Historia Anglorum, 280.

^{page 16 note 1} Ibid., 278, 280.

^{page 16 note 2} Ibid., 280.

^{page 16 note 3} The Latin text of Gilbert's Vita (B. M. Cotton Cleopatra B. i) is printed in Monast., vi (ii), interpolated between 946–7. Most of the relevant passages are quoted (in translation) in Graham, Rose, S. Gilbert of Sempringham and the Gilbertines, London 1901, 1–34.Google Scholar

^{page 16 note 4} Graham, S. Gilbert, 3; Monast., v.

^{page 16 note 5} Graham, S. Gilbert, 6–7; Monast., vii.

^{page 16 note 6} S. Gilbert, 9–10; Monast., viii. As chaplain, Gilbert attested two of Alexander's acta in favour of Thorney abbey (Thorney Cartulary, Cambridge University Library, Add. MS 3021, fol. 409^v).

^{page 16 note 7} Graham, S. Gilbert, 10; Monast., viii–ix.

^{page 16 note 8} S. Gilbert, 4–5; Monast., vi.

^{page 16 note 9} S. Gilbert, 10–1; Monast., ix. The date of the foundation is supplied by the Successio magistrorum ordinis, P.R.O. 31/9/16, fol. 2 (a transcript of the Vatican MS.).

^{page 16 note 10} S. Gilbert, 12; Monast., x.

^{page 17 note 1} Ibid., vi (ii), 948.

^{page 17 note 2} B. M. Landsdowne MS. 207A, fol. 116^v (Gervase Holles's transcript c. 1638–9 of the Haverholm cartularly).

^{page 17 note 3} Monast., x-xi.

^{page 18 note 1} Godstow (Oxon.; 1139); Harrold (Beds.; 1136–8); Littlemore (Oxon.; 1135-); Markyate (Herts.; 1145); St. Mary's, Northampton (1141–5); Sopwell (Herts.; c. 1140) and Stixwold (Lincs.; 1135).

^{page 18 note 2} The Life of Christina of Markyate, ed. Talbot, 14–5, 145–7.

^{page 18 note 3} D. Nicholl, Archbishop Thurstan, 194–9.

^{page 18 note 4} Gesta abbatum monasterii Sancti Albani, ed. Riley, H. T., Rolls series, i, London 1857, 80.Google Scholar

^{page 18 note 5} See above, 13 n.7.

^{page 19 note 1} Monast., iv. 362; Godstow Cartulary (P.R.O., E. 164 20), fol. 5^r.

^{page 19 note 2} Ibid., fol. 5^r.

^{page 19 note 3} S. Gilbert, 31–2; Monast., viii.

^{page 19 note 4} S. Gilbert, 11–2; Monast., x.

^{page 19 note 5} S. Gilbert, 12, 48 ff.

^{page 20 note 1} Dickinson, Origins of the Austin Canons, 88.

^{page 20 note 2} Records of Harrold priory, ed. Fowler, G. H., Bedfordshire Hist. Rec. Soc., XVII (1935), 7–8, 10–1Google Scholar; VCH (Beds.), i. 387.

^{page 20 note 3} Records of Harrold, 8.

^{page 20 note 4} S. Gilbert, 14; Monast., xii.

^{page 20 note 5} A. A. Gosse, Histoire de l'abbaye et de l'ancienne congrégation des chanoines réguliers d'Arrouaise, Lille 1786, 44–5.

^{page 21 note 1} S. Gilbert, 12–3; Monast., xi.

^{page 21 note 2} S.Gilbert, 13.

^{page 21 note 3} Ibid., 13–4.

^{page 21 note 4} Chicksand, Watton, Old Malton, c. 1150; Tunstal, North Ormsby, Catley before 1154; Alvingham, Bullingham, Sixhills 1148–54: Knowles, D. and Hadcock, R. N., Medieval Religious Houses, England and Wales, London 1953.Google Scholar

^{page 21 note 5} Henry of Huntingdon, Historia Anglorum, 280.

^{page 21 note 6} Regesta pontificum Romanorum, ed. Jaffé, P., rev. Wattenbach, Loewenfeld, and others, Leipzig 1885, sub anno.Google Scholar

^{page 22 note 1} The Letters and Charters of Gilbert Foliot, ed. Morey, A. and Brooke, C. N. L., Cambridge 1967, nos. 36–7.Google Scholar

^{page 22 note 2} Ibid., no. 37. Cf. no. 36: Cui enim et ad doctrinam scientia et ad honestatem mores exuberant, dignum est apud patrem totum gratie, quod pietatis, experiri.

^{page 23 note 1} Historia et cartularium monasterii Sancti Petri Gloecestriae, ed. Hart, W. H., Rolls series, ii, London 1867, no. 709.Google Scholar

^{page 23 note 2} Morey, A. and Brooke, C. N. L., Gilbert Foliot and his Letters, Cambridge 1965, 92.Google Scholar

^{page 23 note 3} Ibid., 34–5, 40; Reg. Antiq., ii. 346.

^{page 23 note 4} Historia Anglorum, 280: … maiores inde animos contraxit, quam opportunum esset suis; siquidem praeterire volens principes ceteros largitione munenan et splendore procurationum, cum proprii redditus ad hoc sufficere non possent, a suis summo carpebat, unde egestatem suam nimietate predicta comparatam posset; nec tamen complere poterat qui semper magis magisque dispergebat.

^{page 23 note 5} Ibid.: vir prudens et adeo magnificens ut a curia Romana vocaretur magnificus. This is the origin of the much quoted epithet ‘Alexander the Magnificent’, and it should be noticed that in this context Henry was almost certainly using it with ironic intent.

^{page 23 note 6} Ibid., xxxi.

^{page 23 note 7} Ibid., 246.

^{page 24 note 1} Monast., vi. (ii) xii: Reversus denique ad sua pater Gilbertus quoniam suo proposito defraudatus est, quo per humilitatis intentionem pastoralis curae, pondera refugiens … nec impetravit.

^{page 24 note 2} Capgrave's Life, ed. Munro, J. J., Early English Text Society, ist. ser., vol. 140 (1910), 89, 91.Google Scholar