Bishops

Chichester 1066-1300

LIST 1 BISHOPS

Biographical notes on the bishops between 1075 and 1207 will be found in H. Mayr-Harting, The Bishops of Chichester, 1075-1207: Biographical Notes and Problems (Chichester Papers no. 40, Chichester, 1963) (abbreviated below as Bps. of Chichester).

Æthelric (fn. 1)

Monk of Christ Church, Canterbury, cons. to Selsey 1058 by abp. Stigand (The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, ed. in translation D. Whitelock (1961) 'E' 1058 ('D' 1057/ 8); The Chronicle of John of Worcester, ed. R. R. Darlington and P. McGurk (OMT, 1995) II 582, 584). Deposed at council of Windsor 24 May 1070, but pope ordered his reinstatement (Councils & Synods with other Documents relating to the English Church, I, 871-1204, ed. D. Whitelock et al. (2 pts, Oxford, 1981) pt 2 pp. 578- 80; see Letters of Lanfranc, ed. V. H. Clover and M. T. Gibson (OMT, 1979) p. 62 n. 7). Still alive 1 Apr. 1076, when his deposition was confirmed at council of Winchester (Councils & Synods I pt 2 p. 616).

Stigand

King's chapl., nominated to Selsey on deposition of capæthelric 24 May 1070 (Councils & Synods I pt 2 p. 579). Occ. as one of participating bps. at cons. of abp. Lanfranc 29 Aug. 1070, so his own cons. had taken place before that date (ibid. p. 588). Approval given for transfer of see from Selsey to Chichester at council of London 25 Dec. 1074 × 28 Aug. 1075 (ibid. p. 613). Died 1087 (AngloSaxon Chronicle; Florentii Wigorniensis Chronicon, ed. B. Thorpe (2 vols., English Historical Soc., 1848-9) II 19; Ann. Chichester p. 92; Ann. Winchester, Ann. Mon. II 35). Commem. 4 kal. March (Ely obit., Trinity Coll. Cambridge MS O.2.1 fo. k2v). So presum. died c. 27 Feb. 1088.

Godfrey (fn. 2)

Cons. by abp. Lanfranc at Canterbury 1088 (Gerv. Cant. II 367). Prof. obed. undated (Cant. Profs. no. 46 = Acta no. 2). Died 25 Sept. 1088 (papal absolution for all his sins buried with him, Sussex Notes and Queries x (1945) 112-17, illustrated in Bps. of Chichester plate IV; cf. Ann. Chichester p. 92; Ann. Winchester, Ann. Mon. II 36).

Ralph Luffa (fn. 3)

Cons. by Thomas, abp. of York, 5 Jan. 1091 (Ann. Chichester p. 93, giving 'die Epiphanie', i.e. 6 Jan., Monday; cf. 1 Fasti II 55, for Herbert Losinga's cons. as bp. of Norwich on same day, citing Hugh the Chanter: History of the Church of York, ed. C. Johnson, revised M. Brett et al. (OMT, 1990) p. 12). Prof. obed. to church of Canterbury in presence of abp. of York during vacancy in abpric. of Canterbury, undated (Cant. Profs. no. 49 = Acta no. 3). Died 14 Dec. 1123 (Ann. Chichester p. 94).

Seffrid I (Pelochin) (fn. 4)

Monk of Séez; abbot of Glastonbury 1120-5 (Heads of Religious Houses, England and Wales, 940-1216, ed. D. Knowles et al. (Cambridge, 1972) p. 51; Early History of Glastonbury, ed. J. Scott (Woodbridge, 1981) p. 162). Nominated to Chichester c. Feb. in Normandy, cons. by abp. William at Lambeth 12 Apr. 1125 (The Chronicle of John of Worcester, 1118-1140, ed. J. R. H. Weaver (Oxford, 1908) pp. 18-19). Prof. obed. undated (Cant. Profs. no. 72 = Acta no. 12). Deprived 1145 (Ann. Chichester p. 95; see Mayr-Harting's discussion, Bps. of Chichester pp. 6-7), perhaps for homosexuality (suggested by F. Barlow, The English Church, 1066-1154 (1979) p. 89, on the basis of Henry of Huntingdon's description of Seffrid as 'gnatonicus', Historia Anglorum (cited below, n. 4) pp. 612-13 and n. 77). Died 1150 (Ann. Chichester p. 95; Ann. Tewkesbury, Ann. Mon. I 47). Commem. 11 Aug. (Glastonbury and Séez obits.: see M. Blows, in The Archaeology and History of Glastonbury Abbey, ed. L. Abrams and J. P. Carley (Woodbridge, 1991) p. 268). So presum. died c. 11 Aug. 1150. Perhaps buried at Glastonbury (C. A. R. Radford, in Somerset and Dorset Notes and Queries xxvii (1955-60) 169).

M. Hilary (fn. 5)

Clerk of Henry of Blois, bp. of Winchester; dean of Christchurch, Twynham (Hants), by 1139; canon lawyer, at Rome as an advocate prob. 1144 (John of Hexham, in Symeonis Monachi Opera Omnia, ed. T. Arnold (2 vols., RS lxxv, 1882-5) II 321, cf. p. 316, 320; EEA VIII, Winchester 1070-1204 nos. 79, 58, 126). Candidate in el. of abp. of York, July 1147 (John of Hexham p. 320). Nominated to Chichester by pope Eugenius III; cons. and prof. obed. at Canterbury 3 Aug. 1147 (ibid. p. 321; Cant. Profs. no. 88 = Acta no. 19; Gerv. Cant. I 132). Died 1169 (Ann. Winchester, Ann. Mon. II 59; Ann. Waverley, ibid. p. 239; Ann. Worcester, ibid. IV 382; Ann. Tewkesbury, ibid. I 50). Commem. 13 July (Chichester obit. fo. 4v). So presum. died c. 13 July 1169. Uncle of M. Jocelin, chanc. and archdcn. of Lewes (lists 5, 9, 41).

John 'de Greenford' (fn. 6)

Dean (list 2). El. at London late Apr. or 1 May 1173 (Radulfi de Diceto... Opera Historica, ed. W. Stubbs (RS lxviii, 1876) I 368; Ann. Winchester, Ann. Mon. II 61; cf. Gerv. Cant. I 243). Objections to his el. made to pope by the young king Henry; papal disp. for being son of a canon, Apr. x Aug. 1174 (M. G. Cheney, Roger Bishop of Worcester 1164-1179 (Oxford, 1980) pp. 214-15, 332). Cons. at Canterbury 6 Oct. 1174 (Diceto I 392; Gerv. Cant. I 251); prof. obed. undated (Cant. Profs. no. 109 = Acta no. 56). Died 1180 (Ann. Waverley, Ann. Mon. II 242). Commem. 26 Apr. (Chichester obit. fo. 3r). So presum. died c. 26 Apr. 1180.

M. Seffrid II (fn. 7)

Dean (list 2). No record of el. or temps. Cons. at Canterbury 16 Nov. 1180 (Diceto I 295; Gerv. Cant. I 295; cf. Ann. Waverley, Ann. Mon. II 242); prof. obed. undated (Cant. Profs. no. 115 = Acta no. 70). Died 1204 (Ann. Waverley, Ann. Mon. II 256; cf. Ann. Winchester, ibid. p. 79, Ann. Dunstable, ibid. III 28, Memoriale Walteri de Coventria, ed. W. Stubbs (2 vols., RS lviii, 1872-3) I 197). Commem. 17 March (Chichester obit fo. 2v). So presum. died c. 17 March 1204. Although in the 14th century Seffrid I was credited with gifts of books to cathedral library, the dates of some surviving MSS suggest that the donor was Seffrid II (see Medieval Libraries of Great Britain, ed. N. R. Ker (2nd edn., Royal Historical Soc., 1964) pp. 50-1; Mary Hobbs, in Chichester Cathedral p. 171). Uncle of Seffrid, dean of Chichester in 1197/8 (list 2).

Simon of Wells (fn. 8)

Archdcn. of Wells, provost of Beverley, preb. of London and Salisbury (I Fasti I 33, IV 82). El. between 4 Apr. 1204, when still called provost of Beverley (Rotuli Chartarum in Turri Londinensi asservati, ed. T. D. Hardy (Rec. Commission, 1837) p. 125b), and 9 Apr., when called bp.-el. of Chichester (ibid.; cf. Chron. Maj. II 488, 'factus est episcopus' 16 Apr.). No record of restoration of temps. Cons. and prof. obed. at Westminster 11 July 1204 (Cant. Profs. no. 145 = Acta no. 142). Died 21 Aug. 1207 (Ann. Waverley, Ann. Mon. II 259). Commem. 21 Aug. (Chichester obit. fo. 5r).

[M. Nicholas de Laigle (fn. 9)

Dean (list 2). El. 1209 (Ann. Dunstable, Ann. Mon. III 31; Ann. Oseney, ibid. IV 54), following papal mandate to dean and chapter to proceed with an el., c. 13 Jan. 1209 (Innocent III, Cal. Letters no. 832). Presum. not cons. El. quashed before 24 July 1213, when king issued mandate for [a new] el. to be held (Rot. Litt. Claus. I 150b).]

Temps. in king's hands from 1208 to 1211 during general Interdict (Pipe Roll 11 John p. 5, 12 John pp. 4-5, 14 John pp. 8-9.

M. Richard Poore (fn. 10)

Dean of Salisbury (last occ. 15 Sept. 1214, I Fasti IV 10-11). Royal assent and temps. 7 Jan. 1215 (Rot. Litt. Pat. p. 126a). Cons. and prof. obed. at Reading 25 Jan. 1215 (Ann. Waverley, Ann. Mon. II 282; Cant. Profs. no. 151). In dispute with Robert of York over bpric. of Ely (CPL I 49, detail not given in Reg. Hon. III no. 846). Still called bp. of Chichester 28 May 1217 (Rot. Litt. Claus. I 309b). Translated to Salisbury in May or June 1217: granted custody of bpric. of Salisbury 9 May (Pat. R. 1216-25 pp. 62-3), and prob. in possession of Salisbury temps., called bp. of Salisbury, c. 27 June (ibid. p. 75; see 1 Fasti IV 4).

M. Ranulph de Wareham (fn. 11)

Prior and official of Norwich 1217 (I Fasti II 60). Lic. el. granted 24 July 1217 (Pat. R. 1216-25 p. 83). Royal assent and temps. 17 Dec. 1217 (ibid. p. 130). Cons. and prof. obed. at Canterbury 7 Jan. 1218 (Cant. Profs. no. 156). Suffered paralysis before death (CPL I 92, detail omitted in Reg. Hon. III no. 4342). Died 14 Sept. 1222 (Gerv. Cant. II 113). Commem. 15 Sept. (Chichester obit. fo. 5v). Bpric. vacant 17 Sept. (Pat. R. 1216-25 p. 340).

Ralph de Neville (fn. 12)

Keeper of king's great seal 1213-14, 1218-38, 1242-4. Chanc. of Chichester (royal collation 28 Oct. 1222, list 5). Royal assent to el. as bp. 1 Nov. 1222 (Pat. R. 1216-25 p. 349). Temps. 3 Nov. (ibid. p. 350). Cons. at Westminster 21 Apr. 1224 (Gerv. Cant. II 113). Prof. obed. undated (Cant. Profs. no. 163). Royal chanc. from 12 Feb. 1227 to death (Cal. Charter Rolls I 9). Nominee for abpric. of Canterbury late 1228 (J. and L. Stones, in Archives xvi (1984) 232-3). Abp.-el. of Canterbury 1231 (ibid. pp. 233-4; 1 Fasti II 6). Postulated to Winchester 1238, quashed 1239 (1 Fasti II 86). Died 1 Feb. 1244 (Chron. Maj. IV 287). Commem. 4 Feb. (Chichester obit. fo. 2r). For his will and his anniversary, see Chart. Chichester nos. 212, 462, and cf. CPR 1232-47 p. 415. Brother of Nicholas de Neville, canon (list 42), and therefore also of M. William de Neville, treas. (list 6), Robert de Neville (Chart. Chichester no. 577), and Roger de Neville (see list 42, sub Nicholas de Neville).

[Robert Passelewe (fn. 13)

Royal clerk. Archdcn. of Lewes (royal collation 5 March 1244, list 9). Lic. el. granted 17 Feb. 1244 (CPR 1232-47 p. 420). Passelewe el. bp. by canons hoping to please the king (Chron. Maj. IV 401). Royal assent 19 Apr. 1244 (CPR 1232- 47 p. 423). Examined 2 June 1244, el. quashed by abp.-el. Boniface of Savoy 3 June (Ann. Waverley, Ann. Mon. II 333). Papal indult of 23 March 1245 allowing his el. to another bpric. in future (Reg. Innoc. IV no. 1177 = CPL I 215).]

M. Richard de Wich (fn. 14)

Formerly chanc. of Edmund of Abingdon, abp. of Canterbury, from 1237 to Edmund's death in 1240. El. immediately after quashing of Passelewe's el., on nomination of abp.-el.; conf. by abp.-el. (Ann. Waverley, Ann. Mon. II 333). Royal assent withheld; case taken to Curia (cf. Close R. 1242-7 p. 352; CPR 1232-47 p. 449). Cons. by pope Innocent IV at Lyons 5 March 1245 (Chron. Maj. IV 426; Ann. Waverley, Ann. Mon. II 335). Prof. obed. to abp. undated (Cant. Profs. no. 182). Received into king's grace 20 July 1246, temps. 21 July (Close R. 1242-7 p. 442). Died at Dover 2 Apr. 1253 (Chron. Maj. V 369). Commem. 3 Apr. (Chichester obit. fo. 3r). Buried in Chichester cathedral. For his will, see St Richard pp. 4-5, 66-70; for his synodal legislation, see ibid. pp. 3-4, 54-65; for his itinerary, see ibid. pp. 52-3; for his acta, see ibid. pp. 2-3, 25-51. Canonized 28 Jan. 1262 (Reg. Urbain IV no. 59 = CPL I 376-7; and see D. J. Jones, 'The cult of St Richard of Chichester in the middle ages', Suss. Archaeol. Collections cxxi (1983) 79-86).

M. John of Climping (fn. 15)

Chanc. (list 5). Lic. el. requested 9 Apr. 1253 (PRO, C.84/1/34b), granted 14 Apr. (CPR 1247-58 p. 187). El. by canons (Chron. Maj. V 380). Royal assent requested 21 May (PRO, C.84/1/37), granted 23 May (CPR 1247-58 p. 193). Abp.'s conf. 26 May (PRO, C.84/1/35). Temps. 27 May (Close R. 1251-3 p. 359). Cons. at Canterbury 11 Jan. 1254 (Ann. Tewkesbury, Ann. Mon. I 153; cf. Cant. Profs. no. 187). Died before 22 May 1262 (PRO, C.84/2/22; cf. Ann. Winchester, Ann. Mon. II 99, giving 20 March). Commem. 18 May (Chichester obit. fo. 3v).

M. Stephen of Bersted (fn. 16)

Canon (preb. unident., list 42). Lic. el. requested 22 May 1262 (PRO, C.84/2/ 22), granted 26 May (CPR 1258-66 p. 213). Temps. 20 June (ibid. p. 217). Cons. at Canterbury 24 Sept. (Ann. Oseney, Ann. Mon. IV 132; cf. Cant. Profs. no. 202, giving 1261). Supporter of Simon de Montfort; suspended by Ottobon, papal legate, 1 Dec. 1265 (Councils & Synods with other Documents relating to the English Church, II, 1205-1313, ed. F. M. Powicke and C. R. Cheney (Oxford, 1964) pt 2 pp. 725-8); went to Rome and was absolved by pope 26 Nov. 1272 (Reg. Grégoire X, ed. J. Guiraud (Bibliothèque des Ecoles Françaises d' Athènes et de Rome, 2nd ser. xii) no. 89, cal. CPL I 443); on his return to England his temps. were confiscated by the king and were restored 20 Apr. 1273 (Close R. 1272-9 p. 80; cf. CPR 1271-81 p. 27). Died 21 Oct. 1287 (Gerv. Cant. II 293), certainly before 24 Oct. (Reg. Epistolarum Johannis Peckham, ed. C. T. Martin (3 vols., RS lxxvii, 1882-5) II 951; cf. Cal. of Fine Rolls preserved in the PRO, I (1911) 241). Commem. 30 Oct. (Chichester obit. fo. 6r). Presum. a relative of M. Thomas of Bersted, dean (1296-1306) (list 2) and of Stephen of Bersted, canon (list 42).

M. Gilbert de Sancto Leofardo (fn. 17)

Treas. (list 6). El. 30 Jan. 1288 (Gerv. Cant. II 293). Temps. 24 June (CPR 1281-92 p. 297). Cons. at Canterbury 5 Sept. (Gerv. Cant. II 294). Prof. obed. undated (Cant. Profs. no. 232). Died 12 Feb. 1305 (Chronicles of the Reigns of Edward I and Edward II, ed. W. Stubbs (2 vols., RS lxxvi, 1882-3) I 134). Commem. 12 Feb. (Chichester obit. fo. 2r). Presum. a relative of M. John de Sancto Leofardo, precentor (1295-1308) (list 4).