ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



all during his last ten years. In 1203 he was sent with Hubert Walter on 

 an embassy to Philip Augustus. In 1205 he was nominated archbishop of 

 Canterbury, but his election was quashed by the pope, and Stephen Langton 

 was appointed in his room. This was the first occasion of the long quarrel 

 between King John and Innocent III. Next year he acted as justiciar in the 

 King's Court. In 1208 he was sent to Ireland, where as deputy or justiciar 

 he exhibited very great activity in more ways than one, and he remained there 

 till 12 1 3, when he was sent as envoy to the pope who (possibly to make 

 him some amends for his rejection from the primacy nine years before) 

 nominated him to succeed to the vacant bishopric of Durham, but he died 

 on his way home at St. Jean I'Andelys on 14 October, 12 14, and was buried 

 in the presbytery of Norwich Cathedral next to the resting-place of Bishop 

 William Turbe.' 



The most prominent personages in the diocese during the frequent and 

 protracted absences of Bishop John de Grey, and the men to whom the 

 working of the diocese was practically surrendered, were Geoffrey de Burgh, 

 archdeacon of Norwich, a brother of the famous justiciar Hubert de Burgh, 

 and Adam de Walpole, who appears to have acted as vicar-general of the 

 diocese after the death of Bishop John of Oxford, and subsequently received 

 the archdeaconry of Suffolk. 



Of anything like religious activity, culture, devotion, or zeal in the 

 county we hear scarcely a word. Four little Augustinian priories appear 

 to have been founded during these dreary fifteen years, which were practically 

 useless.' One Premonstratensian abbey however was founded at West 

 Dereham, by Hubert Walter the primate, which grew into a wealthy house 

 in later times. 



The bishopric of Norwich had been vacant eight months, and the 

 question was hotly debated, not so much as to who should succeed but as 

 to who was to nominate and elect the successor. The result was, as usual, 

 a compromise. In August, 12 15, we find that Pandulf, the papal nuncio, was 

 already spoken of as bishop-elect of Norwich. It is clear that the Norwich 

 priory was allowed technically to be consulted as to the candidate they were 

 supposed to nominate. Pandulf was a Roman born," and at the time that he 

 appears first in history he figures as a clerk in the papal court and familiaris 

 of Innocent II. He was only in minor orders, a sub-deacon, and, during all 

 the years that he spent in England as nuncio and papal legate, he never thought 

 it worth his while to be advanced even to the priesthood. I cannot find 

 that he was ever seen in his diocese, and he refrained from being consecrated 

 lest he should, by entering upon the episcopate, become in any way subject 

 to the authority of Stephen Langton the primate.* Hence he is spoken of 

 invariably as bishop-elect of Norwich only. I cannot find that the estates 

 of the bishopric were handed over to him, though he managed, under the 

 sanction of the pope, to levy heavy taxes upon the beneficed clergy of the 

 diocese and held preferment in other dioceses than his own. He seems to 

 have been in debt at times, but if the character for rapacity which his 



' Anthony Bek's Book (MS.) in the Archives of Lincoln Cathedral. 



* Beeston and Weybourne on the north coast of the county, St. Mary de Pratis at North Creak, and 

 Mount Joy Priory at Haveringland. 



' He is commonly but erroneously styled Pandulf Masca. Prof. Tout, in the Diet. Nal. Biog. 



* Cal. of Papal Letters, i, 58. 



227 



