[33] See Neustria Pia, p. 639.
[34] Dom Blanchard, a Benedictine Monk, who left an unpublished history of this monastery, says, “that the Conqueror obtained about the same time from Constantinople, St. Stephen's skull; and that the translation of it into the abbatial church was celebrated by an annual festival on the eighth of October.” The Cathedral of Soissons boasted of the possession of the same relic; and of having also procured it from Constantinople.—“Too much confidence,” it is prudently observed by a catholic writer on this subject, “must not be placed in the authenticity of those relics, which cannot be traced to the date of St. Gregory of Tours, the sixth century!”
[35] Lanfranc, after having for some time directed at Bec the first school ever established in Normandy, upon his translation to Caen, opened another in that town. In the Lives of the Abbots of Bec, written in latin verse, in the twelfth century, by Peter, a monk of the convent of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives, particular honor is given to Lanfranc on the subject of his school at Caen, which had produced many men eminent for their proficiency in sacred and secular literature, and was at that time flourishing. The Abbé De la Rue gives a long list of them. Essais Historiques, II. p. 70.
[36] Ordericus Vitalis, in Duchesne's Scriptores Normanni, p. 549.
[37] Essais Historiques, II. p. 64.
[38] Duchesne, Scriptores Normanni, p. 663.
[39] Neustria Pia, p. 640.
[40] Gallia Christiana, II. p. 425.
[41] His name is not to be found in the list of abbots given in the Neustria Pia; but the authors of the Gallia Christiana say, (XI. p. 480,) “that he was nominated to the prelacy upon the resignation of the thirty-fourth abbot, Charles d'O, and was confirmed in it by the States of Blois. It is admitted, however, that, notwithstanding his appointment in 1596, his predecessor continued to receive the emoluments of the office, till 1624, and enjoyed a large pension arising from them, till his death, in 1627.”
[42] In speaking of these, the Abbé De la Rue takes occasion to lay down a general rule, (Essais Historiques, II. p. 61) that “on ne trouve ordinairement en Normandie, que des arcades semi-circulaires dans les Xe. XIe. et XIIe. siècles; au contraire, les arcades en pointes des nefs, des fenêtres et des portes des églises, autrement les arcades en ogive, n'ont eu lieu chez nous que dans le XIIIe. siècle et les suivans. On trouve également ces deux styles en Angleterre et aux mêmes époques, et leur différence est une des principales règles qui servent aux antiquaires Anglois, pour discerner les constructions Normandes et Anglo-Normandes, des constructions d'un autre genre.”—But Mr. Turner, in his inquiries respecting the former cathedral of Lisieux, (Tour in Normandy, II. p. 131) appears to have proved that the pointed arch must have had existence at a considerably earlier period in France; and it is expected, that some instances which will be adduced in the sequel of the work, will have the effect of confirming his opinion.