Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/39

Rh the paragraph should be inserted in order to test its accuracy.

Anno ab incarnatione Domini M°LXX°V°. indictione xiii° Guillelmus Rex Fiscanni sanctum Pascha celebravit, Ceciliamque filiam suam per manum Johannis archiepiscopi Deo consecrandam obtulit. Quæ cum grandi diligentia in cœnobio Cadomensi educata est et multipliciter erudita, ibique sanctæ et individuæ Trinitati dicata sub venerabili Mathildi abbatissa virgo permansit, sanctæ regulæ fideliter subjugata. Defuncta vero prædicta matre post annos xlvii regiminis sui, hæc successit, et fere xiv annis sanctimonialium regimen laudabiliter gessit, annoque Dominicæ incarnationis M°CC°XXVII° iii° idus Julii de hoc sæculo migravit. Sic quinquaginta duobus annis habitu et ordine, studioque pio laudabiliter monacha, post- quam a patre oblata est Deo, servivit, annoque xxvi° regni Henrici tratris sui obiit.

In the charter of foundation of the Holy Trinity, dated 18th June, 1066, a few months previous to the Conquest, we read—

Preterea præfatus comes gloriosissimus et uxor ejus cum filiis suis Deo eodem die obtulerunt filiam suam Ceciliam nomine, favente archiepiscopo Rothomagensi, cum ceteris presulibus, quatinus in eodem loco deifice, videlicet, Trinitatis ipsa in habitu religionis perenniter serviret, cujus munere tam prolem quam cetera bona, intelligunt se possidere.

But as the youngest daughter of the Conqueror, it is probable that she was then an infant, and hence the real time of her taking the veil was at the feast of Easter, 5th April, 1075, after attaining the age of fourteen years. At the time of the decease of the Abbess Mathildis, who had been previously abbess of St. Leger-de-Preaux during seven years, on the 6th of July, 1113, a precatory roll, called a titulus, was sent round to the several monasteries, beseeching their prayers for her, and for Mathildis, queen of the English, and for her daughters Adelidis, Mathildis, and Constantia, then deceased; and from it alone we learn the existence of this sixth daughter of the Conqueror and Queen Matilda, and it is doubtless correct, as otherwise there would have been no daughter bearing the name of her parent.

In conclusion of this lengthened essay, proving that Gundreda, as sister of Ghorbod and Frederic, the one the avoué