26 Anniversary Add7xss. 



He had entered the Monastery of Durham as a youth.^*' 

 A story is told which throws a sidehght on his impulsive 

 disposition. Having been ordered to sit by himself in the 

 middle of the choir for some levity during service, he seized 

 his stool and threw it amongst the people in the nave. Rather 

 than submit to punishment, he fled during the night ; when 

 nearing the Rood, on the south side, a heavenly voice bade 

 him return, assuring him of the succession to the See. " He 

 was not disobedient to the heavenly Vision, " and thereafter so 

 devoted himself to the study of Holy Scripture that, in a short 

 time, his learning and deportment won the admiration of his 

 contemporaries. "Ut scientia ejus multis miraculum fieret, 

 et mores ejus plurimi commandarent."^°^ 



Ere long he became Vicar of Shirburn.^°^ About 1245 he 

 was chosen Prior of Finchale, in the county of Durham.'"^ His 

 attestation with this farther denomination occurs amongst the 

 witnesses to a charter of Reginald Pinchard of Cokene, (4 miles 

 from Durham), and Petronella his wife. " Hiis testibus Roberto 

 de Stichehull tunc priore de Finchale.'""* In 1242 the monks 

 had begun building the church of the Priory,^°^ so, in aid of 

 its building fund, Prior Stichill authorised a number of 

 indulgences.^"^ On the 30th September 1260 he was elected 

 Bishop of Durham, but not without some difixculty.'"' Being 

 the son of a priest, he was ineligible for this dignity. But 

 a brother monk, Henry of Horncastre, " non mediocriter 

 circumspectus," obtained the necessary dispensation from the 

 Pope, so that his election was duly sustained. Thereafter the 

 various steps follow as a matter of course. His election was 

 confirmed by Godfride, Archbishop of York, on St. Clement's 

 Day, 23rd November 1260,'°^ and he was consecrated by him 

 at Southwell, 13th February 1261. It appears that a note 



'"° Tres Scriptores, p. 45. 

 101 Do. p. 45. 



lo^ Reg. Palat. Dunelm. (Surtees' Society) Vol. in., p. 226. 

 103 rpjjg Priory of Finchale (Surtees' Society.) 

 w* Do. p. 87, xcvi. 



i°* Generally but erroneously called Finchale Abbey. — Hist, and Dscr. 

 View of the city of Durham, etc. — Durham, 1847, p. 104. 



106 r^'j^g Priory of Finchale (Surtees' Society) p. 169. 



107 Tres Scriptores, p. 45. 



1"* Hutchinson's Durham, Vol. i. p. 214. 



