ose whom he calls the Flowers
of the Church, Pearls of Christ, his monastic sisters and scholarly
pupils, whose prayers he always desires.

In Wessex the double monastery of Wimborne was the most important of its
time, and most famed for its literary activity. According to the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,[30] it was founded by Cuthburg, sister of Ine,
king of Wessex. Most of our knowledge of the community comes from the
Life of S. Lioba[31] ('the beloved'), who was educated there during the
reign of the Abbess Tetta, another sister of the royal founder. The
author of S. Lioba's Life describes the arrangement at Wimborne. He says
that there were two monasteries there, one for clerks and the other for
women. The two houses were surrounded by high walls and the monastery
was well endowed. No nun could obtain permission to go to the monks'
house, and no man might enter the nuns' convent, except the priests who
came to celebrate in their church. One gathers from this that there was
not a common church for both sides of the community, as was often the
case. The abbess gave any necessary orders to the monks through a
window. No woman was admitted to the community unless she undertook not
to attempt to leave it except for very urgent reasons and by permission
of the abbess.

Some idea of its size may be gathered from the fact that there were five
hundred nuns at Wimborne. That strength and tact were needed to rule
them is shown by one amusing if lamentable episode.

A very religious virgin was placed in authority over the novices, and
she was so hated by them on account of her severity that even after her
death the young nuns could not forget; and rushing out, they trampled
upon her grave, with curses, until the mound became a hole half a foot
deep. The abbess Tetta rebuked them for their unchristian behaviour, and
ordered a three days' fast and penance, after which the culprits
apparently recovered their senses.

Lioba herself seems to have had an attractive personality, and to have
gained the affection both of the abbess and the other nuns. A little
letter of hers is extant, wherein she writes to Boniface recalling
herself to his mind and claiming relationship with him through her
mother. She also encloses some Latin verse for his criticism. She says,
"This too, I ask, that you will correct the mistakes of this letter, and
send me a few words as a proof of your goodwill. I have composed the
little verses written below, accordin