But Boniface of Savoy, who had succeeded
St Edmund in the archbishopric of Canterbury, besought him to return.
He obeyed, and was appointed rector of Charing and vicar of Deal in
1243, becoming once more Chancellor of Canterbury. But still there
remained the enmity of the King. Two good things Henry III. gave us,
Westminster Abbey and Edward I.; but he was almost as difficult as
Henry II., with regard to investitures. Fortunately he was not so
obstinate, or we might have had a martyr instead of a confessor in
Chichester, as we have in Canterbury.
In the year 1244 the See of Chichester fell vacant by the death of
Bishop Ralph Neville, and at the King's suggestion the canons elected
their archdeacon, a keen supporter of his. Boniface at once held a
synod, quashed the election, and recommended his chancellor Richard as
Bishop, to which the chapter agreed. The king was, of course, furious.
Richard, who was received by him, could do nothing with him, and so
immediately appealed to the Pope, Innocent IV., it was, who consecrated
him at Lyons upon March 5, 1245. Even this did not move the King.
Pages:
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297