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 1921 MAURICE OF RIEVAULX 25 tion for himself as a second Bede. He had known William and Henry Murdac and other friends of St. Bernard, and in his old -age he followed with his prayers the career of St. Thomas. He was one of those among the friendly Cistercians from whom Thomas had sought more intimate sympathy. If he lived to read the life of his old companion Ailred, he may have lived to hear of Thomas's death at the hands of the messenger who had turned out of his way eight years before to visit him at Rievaulx. F. M. Powicke. Appendix 1. A note on the Chronology of Events about the time of the Resignation of Maurice as Abbot of Rievaulx The fullest account of Cistercian politics in north Yorkshire at this time is that given in the Register of Byland. This narrative was written by a successor of the long-lived Abbot Roger of Byland (d. 1196), and is based on the recollections of Roger and others. Its chronology is obviously defective, and the compiler admits in two or three places that it is doubtful. I add a short note in the hope that it may clear the ground for further in- vestigation. As a central point we may take the document in which Serlo, abbot of Savigny in Normandy, gave Jervaulx to Byland. 1 It appears from the narrative that Serlo prepared this charter in Normandy, after a general chapter of the Savigniac order (1146). He gave it to the abbot of Quarr, who was to produce it, if this course was desirable, after a visitation of Savigniac houses in England. It was produced and read, and the names of the witnesses are given : ' Henrico archiepiscopo Eboracensi, Aldredo abbate Rievallis, Turoldo abbate de Fontibus et fratribus eorum plurimis.' One year, or some say two years, latter Odo, prior of Savigny, came to England bearing letters from Serlo, who commanded the Savigniac abbeys to obey the constitutions of Citeaux in accordance with the terms of union arranged at the council of Reims. This story will not fit known facts. The general chapter at Savigny must have been held in 1147, for the narrative definitely states that it was held in the year in which Archbishop Henry Murdac was consecrated. The order of events in this year was as follows. In April Pope Eugenius III presided at the council of Paris, when the views of Gilbert de la Porree on the being of God were examined. At this council Archbishop William of York was deposed. 2 The papal letters ordering the election of his successor were issued in July, and Henry Murdac was consecrated by Eugenius at Treves on 7 December. In the meanwhile the general chapter of the Cistercian order held at Citeaux in September had arranged the union with the Savigniac order, 3 and the union was confirmed by the pope on 19 September, not at the council of Reims in March 1148. It follows from these facts that Abbot Serlo's charter as given in the Byland Register has been tampered with. If he issued it in 1147, the witnesses 1 Monasticon, v. 570, col. 2. 2 For a discussion of the texts see Miss Norgate, Angevin Kings, i. 366 and note; Hefele, Hist, des Conciles (trans. Leclercq, v. i. 831-2, with the translator's notes). 3 See Miss Cooke, ante, 1893, viii. 673-4, following Janauschek.