Note 233 — NOTES ON PARISHES ROUND HORNCASTLE. (continued 6)

The Beks, who have been mentioned before in this volume, became a powerful and wealthy family. They attained to the honour of Knighthood, and Barony, married into families of good position, acquired the Constableship of Lincoln Castle, and were especially strong in Bishops; four members of the family being raised to the episcopate, one as Bishop of Lincoln, then the largest See in the Kingdom, another as Bishop of Durham. Of this last it is related that he was so enormously wealthy that his ordinary retinue consisted of 140 knights. Hearing that a piece of cloth was said to be “too costly for even the Bishop of Durham,” he at once bought it, and had it cut up into horse cloths. While he was staying in Rome, a Cardinal greatly admired his horses. He thereupon sent two of the best with his compliments, begging the Cardinal to take which he preferred. The cardinal took both; whereat the Bishop drily remarked, “He has chosen the best.”