the English church more than all his predecessors; and that the yearly income of the foreign beneficiaries amounted to 70,000 marks, above two thirds more than the real revenues of the crowns.

Under the impressions suggested by his reflections on these and other circumstances, which have been mentioned, our excellent prelate, being then nearly in the eightieth year of his age, crossed the sea once more and presented himself to the pope at Lyons. Having transacted his other business, he placed in the hands of his holiness, two remonstrances;―one, against the abuses of the papal administration, particularly the excess of the provisions required for the foreign clergy, and the exemptions from episcopal jurisdiction, too frequently granted by the popes to religious houses; and one, against the exactions of the archiepiscopal see of Canterbury. The remonstrances were presented at a private consistory of select cardinals. We are not apprised what the feelings of the pope were on receiving them: but his holiness certainly exhibited no exterior symptom of displeasure, and the usual intercourse continued between the pope and the prelate.

But, in 1253, pope Innocent directed a letter to our prelate ordering him to provide Frederick de Lavinia, the nephew and secretary of his holiness,

**

M. Paris, p. 858-859.-The same author, (p. 579,) mentions that the annual income of Henry did not exceed 40,000 marks or 26,336 l. 13s. 4d. But he informs us that the revenue of William the conqueror amounted to 387,000 or 258,000 marks. All these calculations appear questionable,

† Pegge, 194.

with the first prebend in his cathedral which should fall vacant. Here, the prelate made his stand: he addressed a letter to the archdeacon of Canterbury, and to the pope's secretary, in which, after shewing the unfitness of foreigners to discharge parochial or any other spiritual duty in England, and after expatiating on the wickedness of persisting in a measure so ruinous to the souls of the faithful, he concludes by saying, that," the holy see can do nothing, but for edification: that it is the pleni"tude and perfection of her authority, to do all

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things for edification: now, these provisions, as "they are termed, are not for edification, but for "manifest destruction; therefore, they cannot be "issued out, or enjoined by the blessed see apos"tolic. No! flesh and blood, which cannot inherit "the kingdom of God, have inspired them; not "the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is in "heaven*."

That the pope was extremely offended by this letter, is certain : and it is said by some authors that he proceeded so far as to excommunicate Grossetete: but, as Mr. Lingard justly observes, "this rests on

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very questionable authority;" and the opinion of it probably arose from the "comminatory denun"ciations in the provision, which had been re"jected t.' Doctor Perry, in his manuscript life

* There are many printed and manuscript copies of this letter; the best edition of it, is in Browne's Fasciculus, vol. ii. p. 400. Browne supposes that it was addressed to the pope himself, and not to his delegates. Dr. Perry thinks it was addressed to the latter.

+ Hist, vol. iii. p. 385, note 171.

of the bishop, weighs the conflicting authorities, and, on grounds, which appear. conclusive to the present writer, decides for the negative. He cites. from the works of our prelate many passages which make it clear, that, though in matters of discipline he occasionally defended with firmness the rights of the British church against the papal claims, he acknowledged, in all cases in which faith or morals are concerned, the supremacy of the mother and mistress see, and the duty of obedience to the spiritual legislation entrusted to her, in the person of Peter, by Christ.

On the receipt of the letter, which we have mentioned, the pope felt and expressed the strongest indignation; and, if we believe Matthew Paris, "called the bishop a deaf and doating old fellow:

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swore, by St. Peter and St. Paul, that, if it were "not for his own good nature, he would make him “the fable and scorn of the world; and asked, if "the king of England was not his vassal, ready at "his beck to imprison and disgrace the prelate." The same author adds, "that several of the car

dinals, particularly one Gyles, a Spanish cardinal, "then in his eightieth year, and of prudence and integrity equal to his years, endeavoured to pacify "his holiness, saying to him, Holy Father! it would "be nowise expedient to decree any thing against "this bishop; for to be plain with your holiness, he "has written nothing but the truth; nor is he liable "to censure: he is a catholic, and a most holy "prelate, by far more religious than we are; and "of such an eminent life, that he is thought not to

"have his superior or even his equal in the whole episcopal body. This is a point notorious to the "French and English clergy. Nor could our op"posing him be to any purpose; the truth contained "in this letter, would probably be made known to many, and would only raise against the apostolic "see a host of enemies. For this prelate hath the "reputation of being a great philosopher, an able

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linguist, perfectly skilled in Latin and Greek, a " zealous asserter of justice, a professor of school theology, a preacher and instructor of the people, "a lover of chastity, a persecutor of simony."-The cardinal concluded by advising his holiness" to "wink at the letter as he wished to avoid dis"turbance, and say no more upon it, especially as "it was well known that the separation must one day come*." The same advice was given to his holiness by the other cardinals.

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His holiness seems to have followed their advice; he refrained from harsh measures, and promulgated a moderate and conciliating document, which soothed the angry spirit of the time.

VIII. 6.

Death of bishop Grossetete.

THE dangers of the church dwelt much on the mind of our prelate. Almost in his last moments, he exclaimed against the measures of Innocent; and predicted their consequences. "For now,

* A remarkable expression, similar to some which we have noticed in this chapter.

says Matthew Paris, "he began to feel in his mind, "the great tribulation, which threatened the church, but which we did not then foresee." The historian relates at length the discourse, which our prelate held on this important topic, while he lay on his death-bed.

He died in October 1253, universally beloved and respected; and, if we should believe M. Paris, God gave immediate testimony of his having been received into eternal happiness, by miracles wrought through his intercession. The fame of these, and the general opinion of his sanctity, were so prevalent throughout the realm, that, within fifty years after his decease, four solemn applications were made to Rome for his canonization: the first, by the university of Oxford; the second, by John le Romaine, archbishop of York; the third, by William Grenfield, archbishop of the same see; the fourth, by the dean and chapter of St. Paul's in Lincoln. All were unsuccessful: "still it is true," as doctor Pegge* justly observes, "that, for his learning "and abilities, he is still valued and revered in the "breasts of all reasonable men." From the time of his decease, till the period of the reformation, he was generally known by the appellation of "The "holy Robert of Lincoln."

The holy bishop Robert," says Matthew Parist, departed out of this world, which he never loved, " and which was always to him as a place of banish"ment. He was the open reprover both of my lord "the pope and of the king; the censurer of pre+ P. 876.

P. 219.