A HISTORY OF YORKSHIRE 



protesting, and was consecrated by Eugenius at Treves.' Some of William's 

 party already had taken their revenge on the Cistercians by sacking Fountains.' 

 Pudsey stirred up the citizens of York against Murdac ; the men of Beverley 

 were fined by Stephen for admitting him. Unable to enter York, he retired 

 to Ripon, and excommunicated the treasurer and citizens." In 1 150-1 he was 

 enthroned at York ; " but when, two years after, he excommunicated those 

 who had taken part in the election of Pudsey to the bishopric of Durham," 

 the city once more rose against him, and he had to flee. He died at Sherburn 

 in the same year (1153) ;" and Anastasius IV restored William," who had 

 spent most of the interval in Sicily ,^^ and may be fairly absolved of complicity 

 in the excesses of his partisans. His return to York was greeted by a multitude 

 of citizens and country-folk (9 May 1154). The wooden bridge over the 

 Ouse broke down beneath the crowd, but no loss of life followed, and William 

 was held responsible for a miracle." Thirty days later he died in his palace." 

 The circumstances of his restoration impressed the minds of men deeply. 

 Stories of his prophetic gifts and miracles wrought at his tomb went abroad," 

 and he received canonization in 1226." 



His successor was Roger of Pont I'Eveque, Archdeacon of Canterbury, 

 who received consecration from Archbishop Theobald,*" Roger, in spite of his 

 connexion with Canterbury, had no mind for submission. The jeaLusy 

 between the two metropolitan sees came to its height in his quarrel with 

 Becket, to whom he showed his enmity at the Council of Northampton, and 

 before the pope at Sens." In 1170 Roger crowned Prince Henry during 

 Becket's exile. This brought about his excommunication by Alexander III," 

 and Becket's friends held him guilty of instigating the murder which took 

 place in December.*^ A year later he solemnly exculpated himself before the 

 Archbishop of Rouen.''* He continued the contest with Becket's successor. 

 At the synod of Westminster (1175) his proctors asserted his right to carry 

 his cross erect, and claimed the sees of Lincoln, Chester, Worcester, and 

 Hereford as members of the northern province, appealing to Rome on these 

 points, and on the immunity of St. Oswald's at Gloucester from the jurisdic- 



' Stubbs, Hist. Ch. Tork (Rolls Ser.), ii, 394 (second account). The date of the consecration was 7 Dec. 

 1 148. 



' Ibid. 392, 393 ; Mem. of Fountains (Surt. Soc.), i, lOI, 102. This took place while the election was 

 as yet undecided, and seems to have been the ultimate cause of William's deposition. 



'" Stubbs, Hist. Ch. York (Rolls Ser.), ii, 394. " Ibid. The date was 25 Jan. 



" Ibid, ii, 395. Geoffrey of Coldingham {Hist. Dunelm. Serif tores Tres [Surt. Soc], p. 4) says that 

 St. Bernard joined Murdac in opposition. Murdac excommunicated Pudsey's partisans, but absolved tliem at 

 Beverley, at the request of Archbishop Theobald (ibid, i, 5). 



" Stubbs, Hist. Ch. Tork (Rolls Ser.), ii, 395. " Ibid. 396. 



''Ibid. 392; 'ad Rogerum regem Siciliae, cognatum suum, divertit, et cum eo plurimis diebus 

 commoratus est.' 



" ' Vita S. Willelmi,' Hist. Ch. Tork (RoUs Ser.), ii, 275, 276. 



" Stubbs, Hist. Ch. Tork (Rolls Ser.), ii, 397. Hoveden (op. cit. i, 213), Wendover (Matt. Paris, op. 

 cit. ii, 203), and others relate the tradition that he was poisoned in the Eucharist. This scandal is the theme 

 of the hymn (MS. Cotton. Titus, A. 19, 150) given by Dixon and Raine, Fasti Ebor. 231, 232. 



" Various ' Miracula S. Willelmi ' form an appendix to his anonymous life {Hist. Ch. Tork [Rolls Ser.], 

 ii, 278 seq.). 



" See bull of Honorius III, 18 Mar. 1225-6 {Hist. Ch. Tork [Rolls Ser.], iii, 127 seq.). 



" See Dixon and Raine, op. cit. 234, with authorities. The consecration took place in Westminster 

 Abbey on 10 Oct. 11 54. 



" Hoveden, Chron. (Rolls Ser.), i, 224 seq. 



" Ibid, ii, 6. The text of the bull is given. 



" See especially the Archbishop of Sens' letter to the pope ; ibid. an. 1 1 72. 



'* Wendover gives the date as 6 Dec. (Matt. Paris, Chron. Maj. [Rolls Ser.], ii, 284.) 



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