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.

35. Rodolphus.

THe King well remembring how troublesome the auste∣rity of Anselme had béene vnto him,* 1.1 and knowing it greatly imported him to make choice of some quiet tracta∣ble man to succéede in that place; tooke fiue yéeres delibe∣ration before hee would appoint any thereunto. April, 26. 1114. hée caused a Councell to bée called of all the chiefe Clergy men, and Nobility of the Realme, referring him∣selfe vnto them for the nomination of an Archbishoppe, but declaring that for his owne part hée liked best of one Farecius Abbot of Abingdon. They notwithstanding made choice of Ralfe Bishop of Rochester. This Ralfe or Ro∣dolph was a Norman borne, a Monke first of the order of Saint Bennet, and a Disciple of Lanfrank in the Abbey of Cane. Then hee became Abbot of Say; and so continued, vntill that vpon disagréement betweene him and a Noble man of that Country Robert de Belesmo, waxing weary of that Country, he came into England; and hauing no place of abode, trauelled vp and downe from one Monastery to an other, till at last the Archbishop gaue him entertainement for a while, and then preferred him to the Bishopricke of Roche∣ster,

whereunto hée was consecrate, Aug. 11. 1108. To Can∣terbury he was remoued in Iune, 1114. and had his pall ve∣ry solemnely deliuered vnto him by Anselm Abbot of Saint Sabine, Ne•••••••• vnto Saint Anselme by his sister, Iune 27•• at Canterbury. In this mans time Thurstan obtained consecration of the Pope vnto the Archbishopricke of Yorke, without making the vsuall profession of obedience, for which there was long time after much adoo. This our Archbishoppe being an aged and sickly man, much troubled with the pal∣sie, and lame in his féete, would yet néedes trauell to Rome in person about that matter as some report•• (Sée the end of that controuersie in Thurstan of Yorke.) William Malms∣bury sayth, his chiefe errand was to complaine of iniury done vnto him, by the sending of Legates into England, wheras alwayes it had béene a Priuiledge of the Archbishop of Can∣terbury, to bée Legatus natus, and none other to bée admitted into the Realme without speciall licence. This allegation (saith Malmsbury) was prooued before the Pope, and appro∣ued by him. Eight yéeres Ralfe continued Archbishoppe, be∣hauing himselfe well in the place, but that hée was sometimes way ward, and ouersoone prouoked to anger, an infirmity fol∣lowing those that are subiect to his disease, the palsie: other∣wise generally hée was a very affable and courteous man, willing to pleasure, and not especially roted with any great vice: Onely some blame him for béeing more delighted with iesting and merry toyes, th••n became the grauity of his age and place, in regarde whereof, some haue giuen vnto him the surname (or rather nickename) of Nugax. Thrée yéeres before his decease hée was continually h••ld of his palsle, whereof at last hee died, October 20. 1122. and thrée dayes after was buried in the middle of the body of Christ Church in Canterbury, howbeit I sée not any mo∣nument or other signe of his Sepulture there at all.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1114. Hen. 1.15.