The succession of the bishops of England since the first planting of Christian religion in this island together with the historie of their liues and memorable actions faithfully gathered out of the monuments of antiquity. VVhereunto is prefixed a discourse concerning the first conuersion of our Britaine vnto Christian religion. By Francis Godwin now Bishop of Hereford.

15. Giso.

GIso a Frenchman of Lorraine, borne in a village called Saint Trudo within the territory of Hasban,* 1.1 was sent Ambassadour to Rom•• by King Edward the Confessor, to bée resolued there of certaine doubtes concerning matter of religion, about the time that Dudoco died. Béeing so ab∣sent, he was elected Bishop by the Chapter of Wels, and re∣ceiued consecration at Rome, April 4. being Easter day, 1059 togeth••r with Aldred Archbishop of Yorke, and Walter Bi∣shop of Hereford. At his returne, hee found the estate of his Church very miserable; Harald the Quéenes brother, that afterwards became for a while King of England, being yet a priuate man.

(Quid Dominifacient, audent qui talia serui?)

Upon what occasion I know not, had spoiled the Church of all ornaments, chased away the Canons, and inuading al the possessions of the same, had conuerted them to his owne vse; so that the Canons remaining, which fled not for feare of this tyrant (they were onely fiue) they (I say) were faine to begge their bread. The Bishop complaining vnto the King of this outragious hauocke, found cold comfort at his hands: For, whether it were for fear of Haralds power or his wiues displeasure, he caused no restitution at all to be made. Onely the Queene was content to giue of her owne, Marke and Modesty vnto the Church. After the death of King Edward,

Giso was faine to flye the land, till such time as Harold the sacrilegious vsurper being vanquished and slaine, William the Conqueror was a meane to restore, not onely him to his place and country, but his Church also to all that the other had violently taken from it, except some small parcels that, (I know not by what meanes) had beene conueighed vnto the Monastery of Glocester. Yet in stead of them also, hee was pleased to bestow vpon the Church, the mannor of Yat∣ton, with the Patronage of the benefice there; and moreouer caused one Ealsi to restore vnto y^e same the mannor of Win∣sham, which long since had been alienated from it, by some si∣nister practise as it should seeme. Giso being thus setled, took great paines, in recouering such other things as had bin im∣besilled from his Church, in procuring such things as seemed to be wanting, and charters of confirmation for the better as∣surance of what already they had: Namely, of one Arser a Courtier he found means to obtaine the mannors of Coomb-Nicolas, Woormister and Lytton. Then seeing the state of his Church so wel amended, he thought good to augment the number of his Canons, and for their better intertainement built them a cloyster, a hall, and a dorter or place for their lod∣ging. Lastly hee appointed one Isaac by the name of a Pro∣uost to be their gouernour. Hauing béene Bishop the space of 28. yéeres he departed this life, and was buried vppon the Northside of that place where the high altar then stood. I take his to be the highest of those olde tombes that lye vpon the outside of the quier toward the North.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1059.