mentioned,
has a lively dispute with his canons. Hugh is ordered by the Pope to
suspend him, but would rather be suspended (by the neck) himself.
Geoffrey certainly was a little extreme, even for those days--a Broad
Churchman indeed. He despises the Sacraments, said the canons, he hunts,
hawks, fights, does not ordain, dedicate, or hold synods, but chases the
canons with armed men and robs them; but Hugh, though he cannot defend
the man, seems to know better of him, and at any rate will not be a mere
marionette of Rome. Geoffrey, indeed, came out nobly in the struggles
with king John in later story, as a defender of the people. Then there
is the dispute between the Bishop of Coventry, another striking bishop,
who brought stout fellows against the saucy monks. He had bought their
monastery for three hundred marks of the king, and when they would not
budge, he chased them away with beating and maiming, sacked their
house, burnt their charters, and so on. Hugh was against this too
vigorous gentleman, who was clearly indefensible; but it was by no means
because he was blindly prejudiced in favour of monks, for he seems to
have supported the Bishop of Rochester against his monks. These disputes
of astonishing detail, are very important in the history of the church,
as by their means the Papal Empire grew to a great height of power; and
however little the bishops' methods commend themselves, the monasteries,
which became rebel castles in every diocese, were very subversive of
discipline, and their warfare equally worldly.

In cases less ecclesiastical, we have a glimpse of Hugh defending two
young orphans against Jordan of the Tower, the most mighty of Londoners.
This powerful robber of the weak came to the court with an army of
retainers, king's men and London citizens, to overawe all opposition.
The "father of orphans" made a little speech on the occasion which has
come down to us. "In truth, Jordan, although you may have been dear to
us, yet against God we can yield nothing to you. But it is evident that
against your so many and great abetters it is useless not only for these
little ones to strive, but even for ourselves and our fellow judges. So
what we shall do, we wish you to know. Yet I speak for my own self. I
shall free my soul. I shall therefore write to my lord the Pope that you
alone in these countries traverse his jurisdiction; you alone strive to
nullify his authority." The vociferous and well-backed Jordan took