A catalogue of the bishops of England, since the first planting of Christian religion in this island together with a briefe history of their liues and memorable actions, so neere as can be gathered out of antiquity. By F.G. subdeane of Exceter.

31. Roger.

NO sooner was William dead, but Robert the Deane, and Osbert the Archdeacon, laide plots for the electi∣on of Roger Archdeacon of Canterbury, and procu∣ring the Archbishop and the Popes Legate to become suters for him, with much adoo they induced the Chapter to choose him. He was consecrate by Anastasius the Pope about the end of the yéere 1154. This man is not gratious in our sto∣ries; yet he is confessed to haue béene very learned, well spo∣ken, passing wise, and a great augmenter of the state of his Bishopricke, both in reuenewes and buildings. The reason is, he fauoured not monkes, by whom in a manner all our histories are written. He was wont to say, that Thurstan ne∣uer did a worse deede, then in erecting the Monastery of Fountney. And that it may 〈◊〉〈◊〉, he faigned not this mislike, you shall find in Newbridg. lib. 3. cap. 5. That a cer∣taine religious man comming vnto him when he lay vpon his death bed, requested him to confirme certaine graunts made vnto their house: to whom he answered, you see my friend I am now vpon the point of death, it is no time to dis∣semble; I feare God, and in regard thereof refraine to satisfie your request, which I protest I can not doo with a good con∣science; A strange doctrine in those daies; but being a wise man and learned, he must néedes discerne, that the monkes of his time were so farre swarued and degenerate from the holinesse of those first excellent men of the primitiue Church, as they resembled rather any other kinde of people, then those whom they pretended in profession to succeed. These men (the monkes I meane) to be reuenged vpon him, haue stamped vpon him two notable faults, one, that he preferred whipping boyes vnto the chiefe dignities of the Church, wherein (were it true) no body can excuse him; The other thing they lay to his charge is manifestly false; They say he was miserably co∣uetous, and how doo they prooue it? Because forsooth he left a certaine deale of ready money behind him. Surely in my

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same, made no haste to receiue consecration, as knowing bet∣ter how to sheare his shéepe, then to feed them, which he knew he might do without consecration as well as with it. Seuen yéeres he held the Bishoprick after that sort, and at length by the perswasion of his father, desirous to haue his sonne néere about him (as some say) or perceiuing him vnfit to make a cleargy man (as other say) He resigned his interest in the church of Lincolne, and got him to the court, where he was made Lord Chanucellour of England, and held that office about eight yéeres, viz. vntill the yéere 1189. at what time his father died. Many Bishoprickes at that time were void, and had béene some of them a long time, as Yorke now ten yeeres, and Lincolne seuenteene. King Richard therefore vn∣derstanding the people murmured and grudged much at these long vacations, and knowing also it imported him to see his brother prouided for; he thought to stop two gaps with one bush, and at once to furnish Yorke with an Archbishop, and his brother with a liuing. So he writ his letters vnto the chapter of Yorke in his brothers behalfe, who (not with∣out some difficulty) elected him. He was consecrate at Tours in Fraunce in the moneth of August 1191. Presently after his consecration comming ouer into England, he was impri∣soned by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bishop of Ely the Chauncellour, being drawen from the very altar of Saint Martins church in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but he was quickly set at liberty againe. And the proude Chauncellour 〈◊〉〈◊〉 repented him of his rashnesse and folly, being excommunicate for the same, and otherwise hardly ynough vsed, as you may see more at large in his life. This man prooued a better Bishop then was expected, gouerning his Prouince (if not somewhat too stoutely, according to the courage 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in a man of so high birth and nobility) very well and 〈◊〉〈◊〉. He is praysed much for his tempe∣rance, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 both of conntenance and beha∣uiour. All the time of his brother 〈◊〉〈◊〉 (expecting the wrong done vnto him by the Bishop of Ely) he liued quietly without 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or complaint of any. Betweene him and king Iohn (who was his brother also) there was much adoe. In the second yeere of his raigne, he commaunded the Sheriffe of Yorkeshire to seise vpon all the goods and lands of the Arch∣bishop,

and his seisure to returne into the exchecquer, which was done accordingly: whereupon the said Archbishop ex∣communicated, not onely the Sherisie that had done him this violence, but all those in generall that were the authors of the same, and that had béene any meanes to stirre vp the kings indignation against him. The cause of this trouble is diuersly reported: some say, that he hindered the kings offi∣cers in gathering a kind of taxe through his 〈◊〉〈◊〉; others, that he refused to saile into Norwandy with him, when he went to make a marriage for his neice, and to conclude a league with the French king. Whether one of these were the cause, or both, or none, I can not tell; But certaine it is, that one whole yéere his temporalities were detained from him, his mooueable goods neuer restored, and yet moreouer he was saine to pay a thousand pound sterling for his restituti∣on. This was a greater wound then that it might easily be cured. Sixe or 7. yéeres after, it brake out againe, to wit, an. 1207. King Iohn then being at Winchester required such of the cleargy & Nobility, as were there present to consent, that payment should be made vnto him, of the thirtéenth shilling of all the mooueable goods in England; This motion no man gainesaid, but Geffrye the Archb. his brother. After this, whe∣ther it were he were guilty of some greater attempt, or that he vnderstood, his brother to be gréeuously offended with him for withstanding, this his desire; well perceiuing England was too hote for him, secretly he auoyded the Realme, ex∣communicating before his departure such of his iurisdiction, as either had paied the said taxe, or should hereafter pay it. He liued then in banishment 5. yéeres, euen vntill he was called to his long home by death, which was the yéere 1213. So he continued Archbishop somewhat more then 21. yéeres.