CHRONICLE OF DALE ABBEY. 23 
church may be perceived to this day to be redolent with the 
fragrance of the religion of such a father. Then began, not 
only those of the race of Grendons, but also other fathers, 
noble and simple, to frequent the place of Depedale, to endow 
it largely with their goods, and at their decease, to leave their 
bodies to be buried there. I have heard it said both credibly 
and worthy of trust, that in the same place there rest buried 
more than forty warriors, setting aside others, noble and well 
born of mixed sex, and numerous common people. Moreover, 
there reposes in the same spot, Peter Cocus, of Batheley, an 
anchorite of that place, of cherished memory; of whose holy 
conversation, which in part I knew, and of his works, revealed by 
himself and others to me in full confidence, in future (works), by 
the aid of God, solemn mention shall be made. And, therefore, 
to the place itself on account of the sanctity of the same, and the 
bodies of so many of the faithful in Christ there reposing, devout 
honour and reverence are due. 
Therefore for many courses of years while the aforesaid Canons 
sojourned in the aforesaid place since they had been long separa- 
ted from social intercourse of men, and to them thus secluded the 
pleasantness of the place was delightful, they began too remissly 
to hold themselves in the service of God and the Divine obsery- 
ances ; they began to frequent the forest more than the church; 
turning more to buffoonery than the benefit of their souls; more 
to hunting than to prayer or meditation; and since the whole 
land was forest as above mentioned, the king hearing of their 
unwonted conduct, on account of the game caused them to with- 
draw from the place. ‘Then they, resigning everything that they 
had into the hands of their patron, and having returned to 
the place whence they came being compelled by necessity. 
Humfrid their Prior withdrew to “la Magdalen” and there 
for many days followed the life of a hermit. 1 for my part 
cannot believe this happened accidentally, but by the will of 
Him without whom neither the leaf of a tree floats down to the 
earth nor a sparrow falls to the ground. O the height of the wis- 
dom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His 
