ains, a Baron of the
Exchequer, and Archdeacon of Canterbury. The delay in his consecration
was due to a disagreement between King Henry II. and his son Henry, who
had actually been crowned, the latter considering that he ought to have
a voice in the appointment. The dispute was not settled without an
appeal to Rome. Bishop Riddell furthered the building of the church, and
embellished it in various ways. He also recovered some property that had
been taken away. Before consecration he had been compelled to profess
publicly that he had had nothing to do with the murder of Archbishop
Becket: "Mortem S. Thomae Archiepiscopi neque verbo neque facto neque
scripto scienter procuravit." He became very wealthy. He died in 1189 at
Winchester, whither he had gone to welcome King Richard. Not long after
his death his tomb was violated, and the episcopal ring on his finger
purloined. The violators were anathematised from the pulpit.
The fourth bishop was #William Longchamp# (1189-1197), Chancellor of
England and subsequently Papal Legate. When the king went abroad he was
appointed to govern England south of the Trent. He behaved in this
office "with great insolence, pride, and oppression," and having
particularly offended John, the king's brother, he made an attempt to
escape from the country in the disguise of a woman; but he was detected
at Dover and thrown into prison. Being allowed, after a time, to go to
Normandy, he there waited until the king's return, by whom he was
restored to favour. He died in 1197 at Poictiers, and was buried there
in a Cistercian abbey, his heart being brought to Ely.
He was succeeded by #Eustace# (1198-1215), Archdeacon of Richmond,
Treasurer of York, Dean of Salisbury, and Keeper of the Great Seal. He
was one of the bishops to whom was entrusted the invidious employment of
publishing the excommunication of King John and putting the kingdom
under an interdict. For this, in 1209, he was outlawed, and had to leave
the country. Upon the king's submission in 1213, he (with Archbishop
Stephen Langton and three other bishops) returned to England. He built
the galilee at the west end of the church. He died in 1215 at Reading.
Robert of York was chosen by the monks to succeed him. They had at first
selected Geoffrey de Burgh, but for some reason that does not appear
they altered their minds before making their selection known. Robert
got possession of the temporalities, and even gave away preferments that
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