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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 March 2011
In a particularly active, if sadly undocumented, period in the history of the English Church, Alexander, third bishop of Lincoln (1123–1148), stands out as a prelate of unusual energy and achievement. Beyond his intermittent involvement in national affairs, he was responsible in the twenty-five years of his episcopate for the establishment of at least nine prebends in the Lincoln chapter; the acquisition of substantial assets for his see—including the right of market and fair in two towns; the setting up of an additional and final, archdeaconry; extensive structural and decorative innovations at his cathedral; the founding of at least one leper hospital; the erection of two, and very probably three, castles; and the establishment of four religious houses. The last of the activities in this impressive curriculum, the founding of the Cistercian houses of Thame and Louth, the Arrouaisian house of Dorchester and the Gilbertine house of Haverholm, all in the brief period 1139–41, represents an achievement approached at that time only by the three foundations of bishop Warelwast of Exeter (1107–37) at Plympton, Launceston and Bodmin. If, moreover, Alexander was not the formal founder of the Gilbertine house of Sempringham some years earlier, it is at least clear that he played a decisive role there, as, indeed, there is good reason for supposing that he made a more positive and critical contribution to the early development of this, the only indigenous English monastic order, than has previously been allowed.
page 1 note 1 The present article is an elaboration of a chapter of an Oxford B. Litt. thesis, ‘The career, family and influence of Alexander le Poer, bishop of Lincoln, 1123–1148’ (1971). I welcome this opportunity to acknowledge, however inadequately, my debt to my supervisor, Professor R. H. C. Davis.
page 1 note 2 Archbishop Thurstan of York (1114–40) was reputed to have founded as many as eight monastic houses, a claim which can only be sustained in the single case of Clementhorpe, near York. But he certainly played a vital part in the establishment of some ten such houses, both Cistercian and Augustinian, and it is remarkable that no specific evidence survives of any association with his neighbour at Lincoln.
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page 15 note 4 Ibid., 91. The text, followed by Giles, assigns to this annal the year 1141, but other references to the empress Matilda's investment in Oxford castle and to Baldwin III's accession to the kingdom of Jerusalem show that the real date is 1142.
page 15 note 5 Ibid., 89; B. M. Cotton Claudius A. v, fol. 21v.
page 15 note 6 Historia Anglorum, 280.
page 16 note 1 Ibid., 278, 280.
page 16 note 2 Ibid., 280.
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page 16 note 6 S. Gilbert, 9–10; Monast., viii. As chaplain, Gilbert attested two of Alexander's acta in favour of Thorney abbey (Thorney Cartulary, Cambridge University Library, Add. MS 3021, fol. 409v).
page 16 note 7 Graham, S. Gilbert, 10; Monast., viii–ix.
page 16 note 8 S. Gilbert, 4–5; Monast., vi.
page 16 note 9 S. Gilbert, 10–1; Monast., ix. The date of the foundation is supplied by the Successio magistrorum ordinis, P.R.O. 31/9/16, fol. 2 (a transcript of the Vatican MS.).
page 16 note 10 S. Gilbert, 12; Monast., x.
page 17 note 1 Ibid., vi (ii), 948.
page 17 note 2 B. M. Landsdowne MS. 207A, fol. 116v (Gervase Holles's transcript c. 1638–9 of the Haverholm cartularly).
page 17 note 3 Monast., x-xi.
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page 18 note 2 The Life of Christina of Markyate, ed. Talbot, 14–5, 145–7.
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page 19 note 3 S. Gilbert, 31–2; Monast., viii.
page 19 note 4 S. Gilbert, 11–2; Monast., x.
page 19 note 5 S. Gilbert, 12, 48 ff.
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page 21 note 2 S.Gilbert, 13.
page 21 note 3 Ibid., 13–4.
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page 22 note 2 Ibid., no. 37. Cf. no. 36: Cui enim et ad doctrinam scientia et ad honestatem mores exuberant, dignum est apud patrem totum gratie, quod pietatis, experiri.
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page 23 note 4 Historia Anglorum, 280: … maiores inde animos contraxit, quam opportunum esset suis; siquidem praeterire volens principes ceteros largitione munenan et splendore procurationum, cum proprii redditus ad hoc sufficere non possent, a suis summo carpebat, unde egestatem suam nimietate predicta comparatam posset; nec tamen complere poterat qui semper magis magisque dispergebat.
page 23 note 5 Ibid.: vir prudens et adeo magnificens ut a curia Romana vocaretur magnificus. This is the origin of the much quoted epithet ‘Alexander the Magnificent’, and it should be noticed that in this context Henry was almost certainly using it with ironic intent.
page 23 note 6 Ibid., xxxi.
page 23 note 7 Ibid., 246.
page 24 note 1 Monast., vi. (ii) xii: Reversus denique ad sua pater Gilbertus quoniam suo proposito defraudatus est, quo per humilitatis intentionem pastoralis curae, pondera refugiens … nec impetravit.
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