Page:English Historical Review Volume 35.djvu/340

 332 THE MASTERS OF THE SCHOOLS AT July IV. Gilbert of La Porree When John of Salisbury studied under Gilbert of La Porree in 11 40 or 1141, he says ' Reperi magistrum Gilbertum ', from which we must infer that he had known him before. Since Schaar- schmidt wrote, it has been commonly agreed that this acquain- tance was made at Chartres, and this opinion is confirmed by the fact that John elsewhere quotes some words which Gilbert used, being ' tunc quidem cancellarius Carnotensis '.^ We have there- fore to inquire whether John could have been known to Gilbert when he held that office. Now Gilbert, we have seen, is mentioned as chancellor in November 1126; he afterwards appears with that designation in February 1133/4 2 and 1136.^ The charter in which this last notice occurs is dated in the twenty-first year of Bishop Geoffrey, who was consecrated shortly before 5 April 1116, presumably on Easter Day, 2 April.* But his years were reckoned from an earlier date than that. There is a charter dated on Wednesday 24 January 1138/9, luna xx, in the second year of Louis VII and the twenty-fourth of Bishop Geoffrey.^ All the chronological elements are in accord, except the weekday, which should be Tuesday. It follows then that the bishop's years were counted from a day not later than 24 January 1116. The reckoning was no doubt from Geoffrey's election, not long before 24 January 1116.* Hence the record mentioning Gilbert as chancellor in 1136 in the bishop's twenty-first year indicates a date earlier than 24 January 1136/7. But in the course of the year 1137, that is before 25 March 1138, another chancellor, Guy, seems to make his appearance.' This, however, cannot be asserted with confidence ; for the charter of 24 January 1139 bears the attestation not of Guido cancellarius but of Guido cancellarii, and this form is found in a document more than fifteen years earlier.® According to Clerval, Guy was the nephew of a former chancellor, Vulgrin, and was known as cancellarii or even as cancellaritis. If this be so and Gilbert continued to be chancellor for a year or more later, John would have had ample time to become acquainted with him at Chartres, but even if he ceased before 25 March 1138 it would still have been possible for him to have met him there, for John's two years at Mount St. Genevieve need not be pressed beyond the autumn of 1137. » Cartul. de SairU-Phre, p. 506. 1135 «. been accidentally given by Gams, Series Episcoporum, as that of his accession. ' Cartul. de SairU-Pire., p 384, • Un Manuscrit Chartrain, p. 196.
 * Metalog. i. 5. * Cartvl. de Notre-Dame de Chartres, L 142.
 * See above, p. 324. Compare the documents cited in OaUia Christ, viii. (1744)
 * Cartul. de Notre-Dame de Chartres, i. 148.
 * It chanced that the bishop died on 24 January (ibid. iii. 28), and this day has