g to the rules of prosody, not from
pride, but from a desire to cultivate the beginnings of a slender
genius, and because I wanted your help. I learnt the art from Eadburga,
my mistress, who devotes herself unceasingly to searching Divine Law."

When Boniface was establishing religious houses in Germany he sent to
Abbess Tetta, asking that Lioba might be allowed to come over and help
him. She went, and Boniface put the monastery of Bischofsheim on the
Tauber, a tributary of the Main, under her care. Here she carried on the
traditions of Wimborne, for she taught and encouraged learning in every
way. Her rule was sane and wise. Her biographer says of her, "She was
careful always not to teach others what she herself did not practise.
Neither conceit nor overbearing found any place in her disposition; but
she was gentle and kind to everyone without exception. She was beautiful
as an angel and her conversation was charming. Her intellect was
renowned, and she was able in counsel. She was catholic in faith, most
patient in hope, and of widespread charity. Though her face was always
cheerful, she never broke into hilarious laughter. No one ever heard an
ill-natured remark fall from her lips, and the sun never went down upon
her wrath. Though she provided food and drink with the greatest
liberality for others, she was very moderate herself; and the cup from
which she used to drink was called by the sisters, on account of its
size, 'darling's little mug.'"

She knew that a heedful mind is necessary for both prayer and study, and
so she insisted upon moderation in holding vigils. She allowed herself,
and the sisters under her, a short rest after dinner, especially in the
summer time; and would never willingly allow people to stay up late; for
she maintained that loss of sleep meant loss of intelligence, especially
in reading. Her methods were undoubtedly successful, for Rudolf says
that among the other convents for women in Germany, there was scarcely
one which had not teachers trained under Lioba, so eagerly sought after
were her pupils.

Here this account of some early double monasteries must end. In England
they probably existed right up to the Danish invasions of 870, and
disappeared in the general devastation of the country during the
succeeding years. The organisation, however, appears again in this
country in the C12, and even as late as the C15. The order of S. Gilbert
of Sempringham in the C12 was a double one, and the