Show KNEW IT WAS THE POPE titled woman not strong on points of historical accuracy the duchess of bedford who died in 1859 was rather weak minded and un happily her education did little to dis guise the detects defects which nature had im posed upon her her ifer great dread was to have a visitor at woburn coburn abbey who would ask her bard hard questions about the foundation and history ot of the abbey so if she had a savant in the party she always asked a man of higher rank to meet him so that she might not be taken in to dinner ly the savant once as bad luck mould have it she got I 1 ord stanhope the historian who though be had to take her in to dinner was none the less a savant As soon as he sat down to dinner he began the dreaded inquiries about the date of the abbey the poor duchess much frustrated ted said I 1 have a very poor head for or these historical things but I 1 bill will tell aou ou all I 1 know the founder was a crusader who finding himself in great dangcil in battle vom vowed ed tb that at if be got home ti 0 europe safe he would do anything the pope told him he ile got back safe a and went to rome and the pope told him to build a cistercian abbe and ha built woburn coburn abbey that s all I 1 know lord stanhope sail sal 1 that s exact ly what I 1 R wanted anted for it if 0 i can tell me which pope it was I 1 can approximately fix the date oh ohl said the duchess I 1 aiwaz understood it was the pope of rome manchester guardian |