Bishops of Old Sarum. 



on unfit or even unworthy persons. 1 A formal peace was at last 

 concluded at Westminster, Bishop Herbert of Sarum and Abbot 

 Alan of Tewksbury, the judges delegate appointed by the Pope, 

 being accepted as arbitrators. After a long discussion Geoffrey 

 received the kiss of peace from Simon the Dean, and Reginal Arundel 

 the Precentor, and, personal enmity being at an end, all further 

 questions were to be settled in the Chapter House at York. 2 



The Bishop of Sarum was present in this same year at Lincoln, 

 when William, King of Scots, did homage to King John — and also 

 at the burial of his really great and saintly friend, Hugh, Bishop of 

 Lincoln, in that Cathedral. 



But thick clouds soon again overshadowed the episcopate of 

 Herbert Poore. Besides the well-known troubles between the 

 Barons and King John, there were also grave disputes between 

 England and the Holy See. In addition to these there were 

 some very severe visitations, insomuch that in consequence of 

 hard frosts which prevailed for two whole months — from January 

 14th till March 22nd, 1205 — the ground could not be tilled, and 

 in the following summer a load of corn sold ion fourteen shillings. 3 

 Three years afterwards — in 1208 — the disputes between King John 

 and Pope Innocent reached their climax, and the whole kingdom 

 was laid under an interdict, many of the Bishops, especially those 

 who were charged to proclaim it, fleeing from their flocks and 

 seeking a place of safety abroad. Among the fugitives were the 

 Bishops of London, Winchester, Ely, Bath, and Hereford. The 

 name of Herbert Bishop of Sarum, is not among them. I like to 

 think and believe that he and his brother Richard the Dean, re- 

 mained bravely at their posts, and did what they could to mitigate 

 the horrors of those sad times. For sad indeed they were — whilst 

 that interdict remained in force — for two whole years — all Church bells 

 were silent, and all Church services ceased,and the whole nation seemed 

 given over, body and soul, to the destroyer. The only exceptions 



1 See much on this point in the preface to the fourth volume of Professor 

 Stubbs' edition of Rog. de Hoveden (Rolls Series). 



2 Stubbs' Hoveden, IV., lxxiv., and 126. 

 3 Wendover, ii., 214 (Bonn's edition). 



