RALPH, housekeeping. Malmsbury blames him for taking WestAbp. Cant. bury from the monks, which had been settled on them by Wulstan, his predecessor. He was consecrated in June, 1097, and died this year, in May. He was succeeded by Theulphus, a canon of Baieux, nominated by king Henry, in December, 1113, in which year the city and cathedral of Episc. Wi- Worcester was burnt. Malmsb. de Gest. Pontif. 1. 4. fol. 161. Godwin in gorn. to the see of During the vacancy of the see of Canterbury, Ralph, Ralph, bi- bishop of Rochester, was, as it were, guardian of the shop of Rochester spiritualities, managed the jurisdiction, and consecrated translated churches upon the lands of the archbishoprick, without Canterbury. consulting the bishops of the dioceses in which they lay. And thus the matter rested for five years. At last, the king, being solicited by the pope and monks of Canterbury, convened the bishops and temporal nobility at Windsor, to consult about the choice of an archbishop. Ralph, bishop of Rochester, the prior of Canterbury, and some of the monks, of whom Eadmer was one, were summoned to court upon this occasion. Eadmer Hist. 1. 5. p. 109. The bishops, at first, endeavoured to set up a secular clergyman; but, at last, were persuaded to waive that point, and pitch upon one of the monastick order. The king designed to promote Faricius, abbot of Abingdon; but, perceiving the prelates were unanimous for Ralph, bishop of Rochester, he complied, upon condition the monks and burghers of Canterbury would consent. The election was, upon trial, easily carried by this party; and Ralph made a A.D. 1114. magnificent entry into Canterbury, and was received with great demonstrations of welcome. The diocese had now great expectations of an agreeable in the administration balked the Kentish-men, and sunk HENRYI. his reputation in some measure. K. of Eng. lish admit in the And now the king preparing for a voyage into Nor- The Engmandy against the French, was willing to leave the English m affairs well settled. To this purpose, amongst other things, preferments he filled up the vacant abbacies. If these preferments had Church. not been all disposed of to foreigners, Eadmer is of opinion the matter would have been better regulated; but it seems the old English were in so great disfavour at court, that no distinction of learning, no commendation of conduct, no sobriety of behaviour, were sufficient to recommend them. Their Saxon extraction was blemish enough to make them refused. Whereas, a moderate share of capacity and improvement would make a Norman pass muster. Eadmer, p. 110. About this time, Joffrid, abbot of Croyland, began a custom of discipline, which was afterwards, by his order, continued upon the abbey. Upon Good Friday, the abbot, every year, stripping himself to the waist before the whole convent, was severely scourged: this precedent of austerity was afterwards copied by all the monks. It was done as Pet. Blean act of penance for their sins, and to make a more serviceable impression of the sufferings of our Saviour. About this time, Ernulph, abbot of Bourg, was promoted to the see of Rochester, and had the pastoral staff put into his hands by Ralph, archbishop of Canterbury. This Ernulph was chosen by the monks, clergy, and laity of the diocese, the king giving his consent. But what share each of these parties had in the election is not mentioned. sens, Con- Ingulph. p. 129. 304. Eadmer, Histor. 1. 5. p. 111. This year, Thomas, archbishop of York, departed this life. Godwin reports him a considerable benefactor to his Church; that he founded two prebends; furnished Hexham with canons regular; bought several estates, and settled them upon the canons of Southwell, procuring the same privileges for them with those of Ripon, Beverley, and York. About this time the town and cathedral of Chiches- Godwin in ter was burnt; the last was quickly rebuilt by the interest and munificence of Ralph, bishop of that diocese. Notwithstanding the see of Canterbury was filled, yet the Gest. Pont. pall being not received, the archbishop was thought unqua- The pall lified for part of his function. To remove this impediment, sent him the bishops of the province, and the Church of Canterbury, Eboracens. Malms. de 1. 2. f. 146. from Rome. RALPH, sent commissioners to the pope to notify the election, and Abp. Cant. to entreat his holiness to send the pall, and not to insist upon the archbishop's personal attendance; suggesting, that his health could by no means hold out under the fatigue of so long a voyage, and that the province would suffer great inconveniency by his absence. Eadmer, ibid. The English agents were at first very coldly received at the court of Rome, till Anselm, abbot of St. Saba, and nephew to archbishop Anselm, espoused their cause. By this abbot's interest the pope was mollified, and sent him into England with the pall. When Anselm came to Canterbury, he was received by the monks of both the convents, in procession. He was likewise met by the archbishop, attended with the suffragans. The pall being laid upon the altar of Christ's-church, the archbishop took it from thence, having first made a profession of canonical obedience and fideEadmer, lity to the pope. p. 113. The reason of the court of Rome's being disgusted with the English agents, may be collected from two of the pope's letters. In one of them, directed to the Church of CanterA. D. 1115. bury, he acquaints them, "that though their commissioners The pope's were unexceptionable, their business was not so; that the expostulatory letters. translation of the bishop of Rochester to the see of Canter bury, without pre-acquainting his holiness, was too hardy a step, and utterly unjustifiable by the canons. However, in consideration of the worth of the person translated, he should pass over this presumption." His other letter to the king is likewise penned in a very expostulating strain. After the usual ceremony of salutation, and giving his blessing, he lets the king know, "that since God has blessed his highness so signally with peace, plenty, and success, he is very much surprised to find so little regard paid to St. Peter in his dominions; for neither any nuncio, or letters sent from the apostolick see, could make their way, or receive any countenance in his kingdoms, without his majesty's order. That there were now no application, no appeals, no recourse for justice made from thence to St. Peter's see; that, upon the score of those omissions, the government of the Church was disturbed, a great many uncanonical ordinations ventured upon; and those who, by their station, were to correct the irregularities of others, we a precedent of misbehaviour themselves. That he had HENRYI. K. of Eng. hitherto borne with this mismanagement, in hopes the king would have put a stop to it; and here he desires to know, which way the king could suffer in his honour, or in any other branch of his interest, by his subjects paying a just deference to St. Peter?" The observance of the king's predecessors to the apostolick see, made his holiness take the present neglect the more unkindly: and here he mentions Eadmer, eral English kings going in pilgrimage to Rome, and ending their days there. At the close of the letter, he takes care to put the king in mind of the Peter-pence; complains they were ill-collected; charges the king with that mismanagement, and puts him upon rectifying the case, in very lively expressions: however, he mentions the Peterpence in terms of truth and modesty, calls them Eleemosyna Beati Petri, or bounty money, given for St. Peter's sake, and does not, like the annalist Alford, pretend it a tribute from the English crown. 1. 5. p. 113. The reason the pope complained of the non-admission of The Roman his legates, was, because that character had been insignifi-ged in legates not cant in England for some time: for Guido, archbishop of England. Vienne, was not acknowledged, as has been already observed; neither was Anselm, and several that came after him, more successful in their negotiations; though, as to their private interest, they greatly advanced it. For this reason, the court of Rome dispatched their agents very Their frequently into England; but the king was so cautious as avarice. to disappoint them in their design: he would not suffer the old customs to be set aside, nor own any person as legate, excepting the archbishop of Canterbury. And, as for the delegates from Rome, they were contented to waive their Malmsb. de commission, and let their authority lie by, in consideration 11. f. 131. of a sum of money. This year, about the middle of September, the king summoned all the bishops, and temporal nobility, to his court at Westminster, which gave an expectation of a provincial council: but the king, it seems, had nothing of that in his view. However, there were some ecclesiastical matters debated; for when the convention was met, Anselm, the legate, who brought the pall to Canterbury, delivered a letter from the pope to the king and bishops, with the following contents: VOL. II. M Gest. Pont. 305. RALPH, "Paschal, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to the Abp. Cant. illustrious king Henry our dear son, and to the bishops of Pope Pas the kingdom of England, greeting, and apostolical benedicto the king tion. In what manner the Church of God was first founded, and bishops. is not necessary for us to discourse at present; the history chal's letter of this matter being plainly set forth in the Gospels, and writings of the apostles; but then as to the methods of preserving the Church, that affair is to be referred to our advice and prosecution; for the Holy Ghost, speaking to the Church, declares, instead of fathers thou shalt have children whom thou mayest make princes in all lands.' Now, with reference to this designation of governors, St. Paul commands St. Timothy, to lay hands suddenly on no man, nor be partaker of other men's sins.' Which precept of the apostle is thus expounded by St. Leo: What is the meaning of sudden laying on of hands? It is the giving the sacerdotal character at peradventure, before people are of age for that honour; before they have past the test of a proper examination; before they have any pretence of merit, or any experience to qualify them for the post they are put into. Which way, therefore, can we be in a condition to confirm the character of the English bishops, when we have no information sent us, either of their life or learning? Our blessed Saviour, who is the head of the Church, when he recommended that holy society to his principal shepherd and apostle, St. Peter, delivered his charge in these words: 'feed my sheep, feed my lambs.' Now, by the sheep in the Church, are meant the governors of it, who, by the grace of God, are qualified to increase their number, and propagate a spiritual issue. But which way is it possible for us to feed either the lambs or sheep, when we are perfect strangers to them? When we have never so much as heard Which way, as things of them, nor, it may be, they of us? |