LEACH. — NORWEGIAN AND ENGLISH CHURCHES, 1066-1399. 547 



"frater Benedictus canonicus et Radulfus clericus " in 1228 ; 116 "friar 

 Ivoer of the order of Minors " in 1297. 117 



English clerics, in their turn, served as diplomats in Norway, some- 

 times as servants of the Norwegian as well as the English crown. In 

 1234 Henry III ordered the bailiffs of Lynn to permit " Richard of St. 

 Albans, envoy of the King of Norway," to have one of four ships de- 

 tained in their port on account of a contention between subjects of the 

 King of England and those of the King of Norway to return to Norway 

 in order to treat with the king about the difficulty. 118 Again, four 

 years later, this same " Richard of St. Albans, envoy of the King of 

 Norway," was given by letter of Henry III protection without term. 119 

 Richard seems to have been on the same confidential footing with 

 Hakon as his brother monk at St. Albans, Matthew Paris. In 1247 

 Norwegian monks told the pope that Matthew of St. Albans was " a 

 most particular friend to our king," 120 and in the following year he 

 bore letters even from the king of France, St. Louis, to king Hakon, 121 

 who gave him rich presents 122 and confided state secrets to him. 123 



Disputes over the Hebrides were occasions for sending church digni- 

 taries from England and Scotland to Norway. In 1244, for instance, 

 Alexander II sent two bishops. 124 About 1290, when Margaret, "the 

 Maid of Norway," was coming to rule Scotland, the clergy played 

 important roles. 125 



English clerks were employed also as secretaries to the Norwegian 

 crown. In Sverri's time the chaplain occupied much the position of 

 chancellor, and Sverri's chaplain, Martin, was an Englishman. 126 In 

 1293 one Geoffrey, formerly a clerk in Yorkshire, brought letters to 

 King Edward, one from Duke Hakon, another from King Eric, his 

 brother, highly recommending the bearer to Edward. Geoffrey had 

 long served King Eric and Duke Hakon in the capacity of secretary. 127 



116 Close Rolls, 1227-1231, p. 80. 



117 Pat. Rolls, 1292-1301, p. 255. 



118 Close Rolls, 1231-1234, p. 532, "Quod permittant Ricardum de Sancto 

 Albino, nuntium regis Norwegie." 



119 Rymer, I, 236; Pat. Rolls, 1232-1247, p. 226. 



120 Matt. Paris, Chron. Maj. (Rolls), V, 44. 



121 Chron. Maj., IV, 650 f . ; Hist. Min., Ill, 304. 



122 Chron. Maj., Addit., VI, 391. 

 Chron. Maj., V, 201. 

 Hakonar Saga, chap. 245. 

 Pat. Rolls, 1281-1292, p. 350. 



126 Sverris Saga (ed. Unger), chap. 119. Cf. above, under "Bergen." 



127 Rymer, I, 787, 788. 



123 

 124 

 125 



