To the revered father
and lord Ernald, abbot of Rievaulx, from his devoted William, the least
of
Christ’s servants, who prays that when the Prince of pastors appears
he may obtain the crown of glory which will not wither.
William was an Augustinian canon of Newburgh
Priory, which was only a mile from Byland Abbey. William compiled
a ‘History of English Affairs’ at the request of Abbot
Ernald of Rievaulx (1189-1199), ‘for
the knowledge and instruction of posterity’. This work speaks
favourably of ‘the
three luminaries of the North’ – Byland, Fountains and
Rievaulx. William was most familiar with Byland, which was situated
only a mile from his own priory and shared the same founder,
Roger de Mowbray. Chapter XV of the ‘History’ describes
the foundation of Byland.(1)
