252 



Bishops of Old Sarum. 



benevolence, the sanctity of his life, and his tender care for the 

 spiritual welfare of his friends and dependents, shown in the pious 

 exhortations which he repeatedly addressed to them immediately 

 before his death, agree with the lessons of piety so earnestly and 

 affectionately addressed in this book to the "Anchoresses" of Tarrant. 



Well ! to this little village of Tarrant — and the monastery which 

 he there refounded — the place of his birth — after all, his first love 

 — the thoughts of Richard Poore reverted, as he saw his own life 

 drawing to its close. He would now willingly forget Durham and 

 all its massive glory, and Sarum with all its chastened loveliness, 

 and say — " Let Thy servant turn back again, that I may die in my 

 own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my 

 mother.'''' And so to his native village he went, there, in its longed- 

 for retirement, to prepare him for the Master's call. Warned one 

 day that the time was at hand when he must really leave the world, 

 he assembled his attendants and the people, and spoke earnestly to 

 them about heavenly things. On the morrow, when his illness 

 increased upon him, he renewed his exhortations to them, asking 

 forgiveness if he had offended any, and then bidding them all fare- 

 well. On the third day, he sent for his domestics and retainers, 

 distributed gifts among them according to their deserts, and calmly 

 settled all his worldly affairs. Then he took leave of his relatives 

 and friends, one by one, and gave them each his blessing. The hour 

 of Compline had arrived ; the office was said in the chamber where 

 lay the dying Bishop. He followed them as best he could through 

 the first psalm till they came to the last verse — his lips softly 

 murmured, " I will lay me down in peace and take my rest/'' when 

 his gentle spirit fled. Those around chanted solemnly, yet hopefully, 

 on — " For Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." 



Bishop Richard Poore. As regards the monastery itself, Matthew Paris says 

 (Chronica Majora, iii., 392), " illam dedit Reginse, ubi sibi elegit sepulturam." 

 Joan, daughter of King John and wife of Alexander King of the Scots, was 

 buried there, and hence it was sometimes called " Locus benedictus reginae super 

 Tarente." It was also called, after its second founder, " Locus Ricardi Episcopi." 

 See Hutchins' Dorset, i., 120. 



