Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-16
Concealment of the Tombs.


II appears that some time in the seven
teenth century the abbess of Fontevrault,
for some reason, decided to raise the
floor of the cathedral She filled in
seven or eight feet of earth mixed with
rubble and debris, and the pavement was
relaid upon it.. This concealed the re-
cesses in which the tombs We're placed
but nc record of the fact was made, and
for that reason the burial place OF
Richard the Lion Hearted has been one
of the great mysteries of history. The
royal abbess. however, appears to have
unconsciously performed great serv-
concealed they would doubtless have been
destroyed by the iconoclastic fury of the
French revolution, which committed so
many devastations in that part Of
France.
FonteyrauIt was one of the most re-
markable of all the religious establish
ments in Europe. and one of the largest.
1t was founded in the year 100 by a
monastic order known as THE Poor of
Christ" and consisted Of four great in
stitutions-one for nuns. one for monks,
one for lepers. and fourth for peni-
tent women. For several hundred years
there were between three and five thou
sand inmates continually in these sew
eral institutions. and the remarkable Sea-
ture was that they were organized and
governed by a woman. The first abbess
general was the Princess Herlande de
Champagne, who was followed BY twen-
ty-six woman successors. all OF them
representatives from royal families. And
all of the inmates of the nunnery were
of royal blood or from the noble fam
lilies and aristocracy OF France For
several hundred years these nuns were
intrusted with the education OF the
princesses of France and other countries
Many Of the monks were also of high
birth. and several men of distinction were
at different times inmates of the insti-
tuition.
Change of Control Sought.
The ecclesiastics submitted willingly to
the authority of a woman for 40 years,
until. under Pope Clement VII, in 1920.
they made an attempt to secure a
change. and petitioned the holy father
to substitute for a woman superior a
council of both man and woman in
mates selected at the Vatican.
This scheme failed. Another effort was
made century later, under the pontif-
cate OF Urban VIII. who favored it. but
he died before II was carried out. and the
establishment continued as 1t was orig
inally organized. under the control of a
woman. until il was suppressed during
the French revolution and the properly
tb1HSCdCSu DN the government. IL
since been used for prisons, hospitals and
charitable purposes. and Is now a re-
formatory for incorrigibe boys and girls
with more than 1900 inmates. The church
is one OF the largest and finest in France
"A magnificent specimen OF the early
Gothic-and was begun in 1917.
The Plantagenets.
Richard the Lion Hearted, one of the most
spIandid a nd actarular heroes Of tho mid
die ages. was the son of Henry Ii, who was
the grandson of Henry ]. who was the
son OF William the Conaueror. Henry I
was born in Yorkshire in 1865 and died at
Rouen France. in 1l3o. His daughter
Matilda married Godfrey Plantagenet
Count of Aniou. who was descended from
a valiant and piouS knight. the first Earl
Of hnlou. Having committed some sin,
tho latter went on a pilgrimage to Rome.
where the holy father. as penance. com
manded him 10 be scourged with broom
Observation-Disclosures. Hence the name