14 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS 



also of agreements between, and arrangements by, the 

 various monasteries, on matters coming within their 

 episcopal jurisdiction. More interesting than any of 

 these even, is a glimpse which we get, in an old pontifical 

 of St. Andrews, preserved in one of the great French 

 libraries — the Bibliutheque Nationale — of an early 

 occupant of the See — David de Bernhara — 1239-1253 — 

 hard at work consecrating churches in this remote pro- 

 vince of his diocese. One thinks with a kindly feeling 

 of this shadowy figure, were it for nothing else than 

 his evident industry, and his quaint appropriation of 

 the opening words of the Vulgate version of the 131st 

 Psalm (132nd in Authorized English version) — Memento 

 Domine David, "Lord Remember David," — as the motto 

 on his episcopal seal. An impression of the seal on 

 which the legend may be read is preserved at Durham."^' 

 This little " touch of nature " gives some assurance that 

 the old bishop was possessed of a sense of quiet humour 

 as well as piety, two qualities not always found in 

 combination. 



Our brief glance at the ecclesiastical state of the Merse 

 in the Middle Ages may show us how complete was 

 the hold which the Mediaeval Church had upon the entire 

 district, and how ample was the provision originally 

 made for the spiritual wants of the inhabitants, as these 

 were then understood. And had the primitive zeal and 

 purity been maintained, who can tell for how many cen- 

 turies the imposing edifice built by the piet}^ of the early 

 generations might have stood ? But decay soon set in. 

 The monastic orders became more concerned to conserve 

 and extend the rights of their several houses, than with 

 the proper discharge of their religious duties; and when 

 their spiritual influence declined, the very wealth on which 

 they prided themselves proved their ruin. Possessions 

 such as theirs could not but excite the cupidity of the 

 rapacious feudal Lords by whom the}'' were surrounded, 



* Coldingham Charters, No. 478, 



