Sempringham Priory, Lincolnshire, North-Central England, British Isles

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet. At that time in England there were illustrious men renowned for holiness: Thurstan, archbishop of York, and Gilbert¹, founder of the order called that of Sempringham. The first, endowed with learning, after exercising the office of pastoral care for many years with praise and performing notable works of piety, when he felt that the time of his service was nearly completed, resigned his office and excusing himself from the burden, spent the last days of his life among the monks of the Cluniac order at Pontefract. The other, Gilbert, a man of outstanding religious devotion and, as it is said, from youth endowed with a singular grace in the guardianship of women, not content with his own salvation, was inflamed with zeal for winning souls for God. He began especially to care for the weaker sex, undertaking every effort of pious zeal with confidence in heavenly grace and in the consciousness of his own chastity. Since the divine favour seemed to smile upon his undertakings, and fearing lest he might run or have run in vain if the zeal bursting forth were not tempered by guiding knowledge, he judged it right to consult the blessed Bernard, abbot of Clairvaux. Instructed by his salutary counsel and strengthened in his purpose, he did not cease to pursue his pious undertakings with all the more fervor and confidence. He prospered in what he was doing and became very great, both in the large number gathered for the service of Almighty God and in the temporal resources necessary for bodily support. Finally he built two monasteries for the servants of God and eight for the handmaids of God; these he filled with numerous communities and adorned, according to the wisdom given him by God, with regular institutions.

Claruerunt his temporibus in Anglia viri sanctitate illustres Thurstinus Eboracensis archiepiscopus et Gilbertus, ordinis, qui dicitur de Symplyngham, institutor. Quorum primus litterarum scientia præditus, post laudabilem officii pastoralis administrationem annis plurimis exercitam, præclaraque pietatis opera, cum jam fere expletum militiæ suæ tempus sentiret, resignato honore et excusans se ab onere, apud Pontem Fractum inter Cluniacensis ordinis monachos ultimos vitæ dies exegit. Alter vero Gilbertus, eximiæ vir religionis, in feminarumque custodia gratiæ singularis ab adolescentia, ut fertur, propria non contentus salute, lucrandarum in DEO animarum zelo ignitus, infirmiorem sexum cœpit propensius æmulari, omni æmulationis piæ ausu sumpto ex supernæ gratiæ fiducia, et conscientia propriæ castitatis. Cumque cœptis ejus favor videretur arridere Divinus, veritus ne forte in vacuum curreret aut cucurrisset, si erumpentem zelum moderatrix scientia non condiret, Clarevallensem abbatem beatum Bernardum adeundum censuit, cujus salubri informatus consilio, et in proposito roboratus, tanto ferventius quanto confidentius piis cœptis insistere non cessavit. Prosperatus autem est in his quæ gerebat, magnusque vehementer effectus est, tam in multitudine copiosa ad Omnipotentis Dei servitium congregata, quam in rerum temporalium ad necessaria vitæ subsidia corporalis. Denique servorum DEI duo et ancillarum DEI octo, non ignobilia construxit monasteria, quæ et numerosis replevit collegiis, et juxta datam sibi a Deo sapientiam ornavit regularibus institutis.

Note 1. Gilbert of Sempringham, in Lincolnshire, founder of the order of Gilbertins, which was approved by Eugenius III., died 1190, aged 106, and was canonized by Innocent III in 1202. At the time of the dissolution of monasteries there were twenty-one houses of Gilbertins, exclusive of the parent priory of Sempringham, The male houses of the order followed the rule of St. Augustine; the female that of St. Benedict, with some special restrictions. For which, with a contemporary life, see Dugdale, ii. 696, et seq.; also in Henschenius and Capgrave, Acta SS, Feb. 4.