216 



Bishops of Old Sarum. 



We may conclude this brief sketch of the short tenure of our 

 episcopate at Sarum by Hubert Walter, in the following 1 words ot 

 Professor Stubbs : — "The special importance of his ministerial career 

 arises from the fact, first of all, that having" occupied a position 

 involving close and constant intercourse with Henry II. during the 

 latter years of his life, he had a thorough acquaintance with the 

 principles that guided the reforms of Henry's reign, and as probably 

 developing those principles in the changes and improvements he 

 adopted when practically supreme ; and, secondly, that the period 

 during which he exercised the authority of the crown as Justiciar, 

 or in his offices of Chancellor, Archbishop and Legate, brought his 

 powerful influence to bear on the sovereign and the people, was 

 the last period of orderly government that preceded the granting of 

 Magna Charta. On Archbishop Hubert's death, the regular ad- 

 ministration of the country was thrown out of gear by the tyrannical 

 conduct of John. Hubert's advice had been all powerful with 

 Richard ; with John it had a certain weight, sufficient to modify if 

 not to over-rule his self-willed behaviour. Hubert exercised a 

 control, the removal of which was felt by the King as a great relief ; 

 whilst the nation, with whom, as his master's servant, he had never 

 been popular, found almost immediately that in him they had lost 

 their best friend, the only bulwark strong enough to resist or break 

 the attack of royal despotism." 1 



1 Stubbs' R. de Hoveden, IV., lxxvii. 



