160 THE LIFE AND LEGEND OF MICHAEL SCOT 



that Michael Scot would soon enjoy a rich English 

 living ; the El dorado of the foreign clergy in 

 those easy days of sinecures secured by dispen- 

 sations of plurality and non-residence. 



Meanwhile, however, a much more favourable 

 occasion offered itself to the Pope for securing 

 the interests of Frederick's protege, and one which 

 dispensed with any concurrence of the English 

 Primate in the matter. In the same year which 

 witnessed his application to Stephen Langton a 

 vacancy occurred in the Archbishopric of Cashel. 

 The chapter of that see proposed a candidate of 

 their own to Honorius, probably the Bishop of 

 Cork, but the Pope saw his opportunity and named 

 Michael Scot for the vacant benefice. The obedi- 

 ent Chapter at once proceeded to elect him. The 

 consequence being to their apprehension a foregone 

 conclusion, the Curia issued another dispensation 

 permitting this favourite of fortune to hold the 

 Archbishopric along with all his other benefices. 1 

 So nearly did Scot come to the possession of a 

 high place in the Church, and an office which would 

 surely have altered his fame in the ages that were 

 to come. 



But those who thus took into their hands the 

 shaping of the future for Michael Scot were soon 

 to learn that the man they had to deal with was 

 of another nature than their own ; a very Scot 

 in his scruples and the conscientiousness with which 

 he gave effect to them. Incredible as it must 

 then have seemed, remarkable as it would be even 

 in our own day, Michael Scot refused Cashel, 2 and 



1 Theiner, Monumenta, p. 23, ad annum viii. Hon. in. i.e. 1223. 



2 Declinature noted June 20, 1223. 



