[862]. Though monks are not strictly speaking the clergy, so many prelates and presbyters were bound by monastic vows in this country, that I might be supposed to have fallen into confusion here, and forgotten the troubles of Eádwig’s reign. But it will be seen hereafter that I attach little credit to the exaggerations of the monkish authors respecting those events, and believe their clients to have done much less mischief than they themselves have recorded, or than their modern antagonists have credited.
[863]. See on this subject Lingard, Anglos. Church, i. 89 seq. His view seems upon the whole satisfactory, and conformable to truth.
[864]. Lingard attributes this to the intrigues of Wini, whose simoniacal bargain for the see of London does certainly not give a favourable impression of his character. “The influence of the stranger was secretly undermined by the intrigues of Wini, a Saxon ecclesiastic, who possessed the advantage of conversing with the king in his native tongue.” Anglos. Church, i. 90. But Beda says nothing of this: he merely hints that Coinwalh was disgusted with the difficulties which arose from Ægilberht’s ignorance of the Anglosaxon language. The whole transaction is thus related in the Hist. Eccl. iii. 7:—“Cum vero restitutus esset in regnum Coinwalch, venit in provinciam de Hibernia pontifex quidam nomine Agilberctus, natione quidem Gallus, sed tunc legendarum gratia Scripturarum in Hibernia non parvo tempore demoratus, coniunxitque se regi, sponte ministerium praedicandi adsumens: cuius eruditionem atque industriam videns rex rogavit eum, accepta ibi sede episcopali, suae genti manere pontificem. Qui precibus eius adnuens, multis annis eidem genti sacerdotali iure praefuit. Tandem rex, qui Saxonum tantum linguam noverat, pertaesus barbarae loquelae, subintroduxit in provinciam alium suae linguae episcopum vocabulo Uini, et ipsum in Gallia ordinatum: dividensque in duas parochias provinciam, huic in civitate Venta, quae a gente Saxonum Uintancestir appellatur, sedem episcopalem tribuit; unde offensus graviter Agilberctus, quod hoc ipso inconsulto ageret rex, rediit Galliam, et accepto episcopatu Parisiacae civitatis, ibidem senex et plenus dierum obiit. Non multis autem annis post abcessum eius a Britannia transactis, pulsus est Uini ab eodem rege de episcopatu; qui secedens ad regem Merciorum, vocabulo Uulfheri, emit pretio ab eodem sedem Lundoniae civitatis, eiusque episcopus usque ad vitae suae terminum mansit.” Wessex then remained for some time without a bishop, till Coinwalh sent to Ægilberht and invited him to return. The Frankish prelate replied that he could not desert his church and see, but recommended his nephew Lothaire, as a proper person to be ordained to Wessex: and he was accordingly consecrated by Theodore: “Quo honorifice a populo et a rege suscepto, rogaverunt Theodorum, tunc archiepiscopum Doruvernensis ecclesiae, ipsum sibi antistitem consecrari.” Hist. Eccl. iii. 27. See also Will. Malm. de Gest. Pontif. lib. ii.
[865]. Throughout every difficulty the English kings never lost sight of this part of their prerogative, often as they were deceived in its exercise. A writer of the twelfth century very justly calls it “the custom of the realm.” “Cum autem iuxta regni consuetudinem, in electionibus faciendis potissimas et potentissimas habeat partes,” etc. Pet. Blesensis, Ep. de Henrico II. An. Trivet. 1154. p. 35.
[866]. Page [221] of this volume.
[867]. Page [115] of this volume.
[868]. Cod. Dipl. No. 833.
[869]. Gisa was a chaplain of the king, and also of Lotharingen or Lorraine.
[870]. The same in Latin. “✠ Eádwardus rex Haroldo comiti, Ailnodo abbati, Godwino vicecomiti, et omnibus ballivis suis Somersetae, salutem! Sciatis nos dedisse Gisoni presbytero nostro episcopatum hunc apud vos cum omnibus pertinentiis, in bosco et plano, et saca et socna, in villis et extra, ita plene et libere in omnibus sicut episcopus Dudocus aut aliqui praedecessorum suorum habuerunt; et si quid inde contra iustitiam fuerit sublatum, volumus quod revocetur, vel quod aliter ei satisfaciat. Rogamus etiam vos ut auxiliari eidem velitis ad Christianitatem sustinandam si necesse habuerit, nolumus autem ut ullus hominum ei auferat aliquid eorum quae ei contulimus.” Cod. Dipl. No. 835.
[871]. The same in Latin. “✠ Eádwardus rex Haroldo comiti, Ailnodo abbati, Godwino, et omnibus ballivis suis Sumersetac, salutem! Significamus vobis nos velle quod episcopus Giso episcopatum apud vos possideat cum omnibus dictum episcopatum in villis et extra de iure contingentibus, cum saca et socna, adeo plene et libere per omnia sicut ullus episcoporum praedecessorum suorum unquam habebat. Rogamus etiam vos ut coadiutores ipsius esse velitis ad fidem praedicandam et Christianitatem sustinendam pro loco et tempore, sicut de vobis fideliter confidimus vos velle id ipsum. Et si quid de dicto episcopatu sive in terris sive in aliis rebus contra iustitiam fuerit sublatum, adiuvetis eum pro amore nostro ad restitutionem, prout iustum fuerit habendam. Conservet vos Dominus.” Cod. Dipl. No. 838.