york00orns

YORK. 157
CHAPTER XII.
Little of interest as regards the work of the diocese
is recorded concerning Archbishop Gray's immediate
successors, excepting the efforts that were made by
Archbishops Giffard and Wickwaine to reform abuses.
The latter, in particular, was a rigid disciplinarian,
and carried out a systematic visitation of the monastic
houses, which had fallen into a state of the extremest
laxity. It was found, for example, that the abbot of
Selby neither sang mass, nor preached, nor attended
chapter ;
rarely entered the choir, and scarcely ever
heard matins, except in his bed, and was, moreover,
grossly incontinent. The Archbishop's reforming zeal
led him likewise to seek to reform abuses, or, at all
events, to inquire if any existed, in the great monastery
of Durham. But he met the most determined resistance.
The prior of Durham would have none of his
interference. The Archbishop retorted by a sentence
of excommunication, which was little heeded. He
persevered in his attempts. Again and again he
sought to obtain submission from the prior, but in
vain. On his last visit to Durham he was so roughly
handled that he was fain to make a hasty retreat from
the church of St. Nicholas to the hospital of Kepier,
and the ear of his unfortunate palfrey was cut off in
the struggle that attended his escape. After this we