APPENDIX Z.
BISHOP NIGEL AT ROME.
(See p. [209].)
A most interesting and instructive series of papal letters is preserved in the valuable Cotton MS. known as Tiberius, A. vi. The earliest with which we are here concerned are those referred to in the Historia Eliensis as obtained by Alexander and his fellows, the "nuncii" of Nigel to the pope, in virtue of which the bishop regained his see in 1142 (ante, p. 162).[1189] These letters are dated April 29. As the bishop was driven from the see early in 1140, the year to which they belong is not, at first sight, obvious. The Historia indeed appears to place them just before his return, but its narrative is not so clear as could be wished, nor would it imply that the bishop returned so late as May (1142). The sequence of events I take to have been this. Nigel, when ejected from his see (1140), fled to the Empress at Gloucester. There he remained till her triumph in the following year (1141). He would then, of course, regain his see, and this would account for his knights being found in possession of the isle when Stephen recovered his throne. The king, eager to reassert his rights and to avoid another fenland revolt, would send the two earls to Ely (1142) to regain possession of its strongholds. The bishop, now once more an exile, and despairing of Maud's fortunes, would turn for help to the pope, and obtain from him these letters commanding his restoration to his see. I should therefore assign them to April 29, 1142. This would account for the expression "per longa tempora" in the letter to Stephen. They could not belong to 1141, when the Empress was in power, and the above expression would not be applicable in the year 1140.
The following is the gist of the letter to Stephen:—
"Serenitati tue rogando mandamus quatinus dignitates et libertates.... Venerabili quoque fratri nostro Nigello eiusdem loci episcopo in recuperandis possessionibus ecclesie sue injuste distractis consilium et auxilium prebeas. Nec pro eo quod ecclesia ipsa sua bona jam per longa tempora perdidit, justitie sue eam sustinere aliquod preiuditium patiaris" (fol. 114).
To his brother, the Bishop of Winchester, Innocent writes thus:—
"Rogando mandamus et mandando precipimus quatinus sententiam quam venerabilis frater noster Nigellus Elyensis episcopus in eos qui possessiones ecclesie sue iniuste et per violentiam detinent rationabiliter promulgavit firmiter observetis et observari per vestras parrochias pariter faciatis" (fol. 113 b).
A letter (also from the Lateran) of the same date to Nigel himself excuses his presence and that of the Abbot of Thorney at a council. A subsequent letter ("data trans Tyberim") of the 5th of October, addressed to Theobald and the English bishops, deals with the expulsion and restitution of Nigel, and insists on his full restoration.
The next series of letters are from Pope Lucius, and belong to May 24, 1144, being written on the occasion of Nigel's visit (ante, p. 208). Of these there are five in all. To Stephen Lucius writes as follows:—