Page:Englishhistorica36londuoft.djvu/27

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

1921 MAURICE OF RIEVAULX 19 the one which appears in his Sanctilogium Anglie (MS. Cott. Tib. E. 1) and later in Capgrave and the Acta Sanctorum, 1 another and rather longer summary in a manuscript written at Bury St. Edmunds, now Bodleian 240. Both versions are printed by Horstman in his edition of the Nova Legenda Anglie. The Bury MS. alone contains more information about Maurice than we know already : Mortuo Willelmo primo abbati Rieuallie successit Mauritius vir magne sanctitatis et prudencie, utpote qui a puero in claustro Dunelmensi edu- catus creverat in sublimi, ita ut a sociis secundus Beda cognominaretur. Hie moleste ferens onera cure pastoralis portare villicacioni abrenuncians post duos [annos] in claustro maluit residere. 2 When we turn to the original source of this account, in Walter Daniel's own words, we find a more intimate reference : Huic [Willelmo] successit Mauritius magne sanctitatis vir et preclare prudencie utpote qui potaverat a puero vinum leticie spiritualis in claustro Dunolmensi et ex pane Cuthberti viri Dei refectus creverat in sublime [sic] ita ut a sociis secundus Beda cognominaretur, cui reuera erat in tem- pore suo tarn vite quam sciencie prerogativa secundus. Hunc virum ego ipse uidi et bene noui et scio quod paucos tales modo terra tenet moriencium. Hie autem moleste ferens inquieta onera cure pastoralis portare uillicacioni abrenuncians post duos annos in claustro maluit consedere. 3 Walter Daniel, then, who knew Maurice personally, is the authority for the statement that Maurice was regarded as 1 a second Bede '. Moreover, if his remark that Maurice was abbot of Rievaulx for two years can be taken literally, the date of Ailred's succession is definitely established as the end of 1147. It would be remarkable if a man who could be compared to Bede had left no writings nor record of writings. The name of Maurice does not appear in Bale, in Leland or Pits, and there- fore it has no place in literary history. But, as Mr. R. L. Poole has recently reminded us, another monk of Rievaulx, Nicholas, is also unmentioned by the literary historians, although his poems and letters survive in a manuscript once in the library of the abbey of St. Victor. 4 I think that we may safely identify Maurice with the author of three volumes which were in the library of 1 12 January, i. 41-6. 2 Nova Legenda Anglie, ii. 550 (ed. Carl Horstman, Oxford, 1901). 3 Jesus College, Cambridge, MS. Q. B. 7, fo. 69. This interesting life has hitherto been neglected. I am much indebted to the Master and Fellows of Jesus College for depositing the manuscript in the John Rylands Library for my use. The Rylands Library has recently acquired another work by Walter Daniel, the Centum Sententiae, known to Leland, but since lost. Mr. Robert Fawtier, who called my attention to this manuscript, has generously placed at my disposal the notes which he had made upon it, and I hope shortly to publish a study of it and of Walter's life of Ailred. 4 Ante, xxxv. 341 and note. C 2