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IV.—Some account of Savaric, bishop of Bath and Glastonbury 1192—1205

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2012

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Extract

“Savaric is a person whose career if it could be explored would be very interesting.” So wrote Dr. Stubbs in 1865. The history of Savaric is yet to be written.

Some knowledge of his episcopate is necessary for the consideration of the question whether any part of the fabric of the church was his work.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1888

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References

page 73 note a Vide Epistolae Cantuariemes, Pref. and Notes, p. lxxxvii. by Dr. Stubbs. Also Gentleman's Magazine, November, 1863, p. 621. These notes supply material for the pedigree of the families of Savaric and Bohun in Appendix A.

page 73 note b Scanty notes of a paper by the late J. R. Green are to be read in the Somerset Archaeological Society's Proceedings for 1863.

page 74 note a Vide Appendix A. Pedigree of Savaric and Bohun family.

page 74 note b Dr. Stubbs, vide Pref. Epp. Cantuar. p. lxxxvii. Howden, 3, 197.

page 74 note c Franco de Bohun attests a charter of bishop Reginald to Glastonbury—John de Bohun was canon at Wells in Savaric's time. There is some reason for thinking Alexander the dean 1180— 1209 was a Bohun. Roger de Bohun was canon in Savaric's time, and nephew of the dean, v. Appendix A.

page 74 note d “Savaricus clericus debet xxvi. libras et iii. solidos et iv. denarios pro arcu quam voluit auferre ministris Regis in foresta.” Mug. Rot. 18 Hen. II. Rot. 106, Surreia: quoted by Stubbs.

page 74 note e Le Neve, Fasti, i. p. 38. Ralph de Diceto, f. 588.

page 74 note f Jones, Fasti of the Ghurch of Sarum. V. Osmund Reg, i. 268–299, 312.

page 74 note g R. i. f. 24

page 75 note a Benedict, i. p. 356. Ralph de Diceto, ii. p. 105.

page 75 note b He was “Cruce signatus ” when archdeacon of Northampton. Abbreviatio Placitorum, p. 38.

page 75 note c Richard of Devizes, p. 28. Ed. Stevenson. Richard was at Messina from Sept. 23, 1190, to March 30, 1191.

page 75 note d “Ipse vero Romam concessit sicut qui fuerat Romanis notissimus.” Ralph de Diceto, p. 46.

page 75 note e Epp. Cantuar. ccclxxxi. November 1191. The emperor urges the convent to take the advice of Savaric, “our dear cousin and your good friend.”

Ep. ccclxxxii. Philip recommends Reginald as his father's friend, “et propter commendationem a Savarico amico et fideli nostro.”

page 76 note a Richard of Devizes, p. 46. “Walterus prior et suus sine clero (sc. Wellensi) conventus elegerunt sibi in futurum episcopnm Savaricum, et licet clerus reniteretur obtiniierunt.”

R. i. f. 93. “Canonicis irrequisitis et reclamantibus.”

page 76 note b Henry VI. Emperor of the Romans 1190–1197, “son and successor of Barbarossa, inherited all his father's harshness with none of his father's generosity.” Bryce, Holy Roman. Empire, p. 205.

page 77 note a Vide Howden, 3, 194–231, for notices of Richard's captivity under the emperor Henry. The stations and dates of his imprisonment were—

Speyer, March 21–30. 1193.;

Treifels in Rhenish Bavaria.

Hagenau in Alsace, April—May.

Worms, May 28—June 30.

Speyer, December and Christmas.

Mainz, Feb. 1194.

page 77 note b Vide Adam of Domerham, p. 353.

page 78 note a Vide Epp. Gantuar. 402, 403.

page 78 note b Vide Adam of Domerham, 356–7. The betrayal of the abbey has condemned the memory of abbot Henry to infamy in the Glastonbury history, notwithstanding that he obtained for the abbot from pope Celestine the privileges of the mitre and ring, and of blessing the vestments. The “Inquisition of the manors of Glastonbury Abbey,” Liber Henrici de Soriaco,—the terrier of the abbey in 1189,—was made in his time.

page 78 note c It is not likely that Savaric, named as a hostage for the payment of the ransom, was in England at this time. He was at Mainz at the time of Richard's release, which took place on Feb. 2, 1194

page 79 note a Ralph of Lechlade, a well-known name in the chapter registers, afterwards (in 1217–20) dean in bishop Jocelin's time, is named as proctor.

page 79 note b St. Alban's was made the primal abbey nnder pope Adrian IV. (Nicolas Breakspear) who had been a monk of St. Alban's in 1154.

page 79 note c It is instructive to compare how at the same time another and a very different man was fighting a like battle with the king, and with what different weapons he gained his cause.

St. Hugh of Lincoln in 1197 pressed his claim to the right of patronship (jus patronatus) based upon ancient precedent, to the vacant abbey of Eynsham, which had been disputed by the king's ministers.

Hugh's friends tried to dissuade him from entering into a hopeless conflict with the king: but he stoutly prosecuted his suit, and by the oath of twenty-four credible witnesses, cleric and lay, gained his cause in the king's court. Vita S. Hugonis, iv. 8, p. 188, ed. Dimock.

page 80 note a Vita S. Hugonis, iv. 8, p. 188. Ed. Dimock. “Huic ei restituitur abbatiae vacantia custodia —praeficiendi quoque abbatis jurisdictio plena et absoluta.” These words are to be somewhat modified by the description of what took place.

page 81 note a The dates in Adam of Domerham are confused; but he definitely assigns this act to the first autumn after Henry of Sully's consecration to Worcester, which took place Dec. 1193. Ste. Mere l'Eglise is a village in the C6tentin near Carentan. William, bishop of London, is more generally called William of St. Marychurch, but cf. Stubbs, Episcopal Succession, anno 1199.

page 82 note a Cf. Epp. Gantuar.—Richard's Letters, June 14, 15, 1198, Pref. p. cxi.

page 82 note b Vide Appendix B.

page 82 note c “Regnum Arelatense,” including Provence, Dauphiné, the southern part of Savoy, and the country between the Saône and the Jura. Bryce, Holy Soman Empire, p. 448.

page 82 note d Howden says, that Richard when in captivity, “consilio matris suae deposuit se de regno Angliae et tradidit illud imperatori Henrico sexto sicut universorum domino.” But as he was invested at the same time with the kingdom of Aries by Henry VI. his homage may have been for that fief only. Vide Bryce, p. 187.

page 82 note e Howden, 4, 30. Ralph de Diceto, 699

page 83 note a Howden, 4, 66.

page 83 note b “Tam prece quam pretio ejus comparans gratiam.” Adam of Domerham, 382.

page 83 note c He appears in the Canterbury Letters as one of the agents of the archbishop Baldwin at Rome against the convent of Canterbury.

page 84 note a His brother was a Milanese, miles potentissimus.—Vide Royal Letters, Henry III. 2, 512, and he is called “subdiaconus noster ” by pope Innocent. Adam of Domerham, 419.

page 84 note b He attests documents from July 1 to Sept. 7 at different places in Normandy.

page 84 note c Adam of Domerham, p. 406

page 85 note a The names occur again of William the precentor, Thomas of Dinant subdean, John de Bohun, and Jocelin, afterwards bishop.

page 85 note b The report is printed in Adam of Domerham, p. 410–425, and a duplicate MS. copy is among the Wells chapter documents.

page 86 note a Vide Liber de Soliaco, notes to p. 10. The offices of porter, master baker, cook and butcher, were hereditary (some from Dunstan's time), and occasionally descended to females who acted by deputy, e.g. the office of pincerna, “butler,” who distributed wine to the guests, was held by a daughter of a former pincerna. This office, and some others held hereditaria jure, were afterwards bought up by the abbey. Vide Adam of Domerham, p. 531.

page 86 note b The manors of Pucklechurch, Wynescomb, Badbury in Wilts, Essebury (Ashbury in Berks), Backland, Lyme, Blackford, East Brent, Berges (Berrow), Cranmore.

page 86 note c “Ut habeat episcopus domos juxta eapellam beatae mariae quae fuerunt abbatum, cum clausura sua per murum qui extenditur a lardario usque ad angulum preedictae capellae; et ut fiat porta ejus versus forum Grlastoniense.”

page 87 note a Martinus de Summa, “our subdeacon,” is expressly mentioned as one who had suffered. His services to the convent and their ingratitude to him afterwards are the subject of complaint to Henry III. in 1223 from the Podestá and the commune of Milan. Royal Letters, Henry III. 2, 215.

page 88 note a He says, “Summus pontifex pro ecclesiae nostrae impensis beneficiis remunerari voluerit et sub episcopo nihil recipere curaverit.” Adam of Domerham, pp. 399, 404. There is another reading, “ab episcopo.” These words have an ambiguous meaning.

page 88 note b Adam of Domerham, p. 406.

page 88 note c R. 3, f. 262.

page 88 note d He can be traced at Gildeford, Oct. 11. Leddibria (Ledbury), Nov. 6, Upton 7, Feckenham, 9, Lincoln 21–24, Geytenton 28

page 89 note a Vita S. Hugonis, p. 331, “Proprium diversorium quod secus Londonias apud vetus Templum possidebat.”

page 89 note b P. 370.

page 89 note c Vita S. Hugonis, p. 377, “Sepultus est sicut ipse nobis praeceperat secus parietem non procul ab altare Sancti Johannis Baptistae—a boreali ipsius aedis regione.”

page 89 note d For these letters, vide Adam of Domerham, pp. 425, 437. John was at Glastonbury Sept. 3rd, at Wells Sept. 5th 1205.

page 90 note a Gregorii Decretalia, lib. iii. tit. ix. c. i. “Ne sede vacante aliquid innovetur.”

page 90 note b The precedent of St. Hugh was before him; vide p. 86.

page 91 note a Decree of Dissolution of Union, by Honorius III. May 17, 1218. R. iii. ff. 263–265.

page 91 note b So Adam of Domerham, pp. 469–475, and John of Glastonbury, i. 208. But they still complain that the “jus patronatus ” remained with the bishop.

page 92 note a Comptona Fulconis de Alneto—Dando in Somerset. Dawnay in Wilts is the family name.

page 92 note b Vide Beg. Prioratus Bathon. in Lincoln's Inn Library, Appendix C.

page 93 note a R. i. f. 59. Cf. iii. f. 371. “Attendentes quam honeste et landabiliter in ecclesia Wellensi Domino serviatur, communam eorum temieni nimis et insufficientem inveiiimus,” i. f. 37. i. f. 23.

page 93 note b This charter bears a date, “Actum aptid Welles in praesentia venerabilis domini et patris Savarici in pleno capitulo ipsius ecclesiae anno 1201 in crastino beati Andreae apostoli.”

R. i. f. 42, 49.

R. iii. f. 384. Sutton, R. i. f. 24, R. iii. f. 369.

page 93 note c R. iii. f. 381. The abbot of Bee paid 4 marcs yearly. Cf. Diceto, i. 16.

page 93 note d R. i. f. 28.

page 94 note a So Wharton. A. S. i. 563. Senes la Vieille = Civita Vecchia, Glossary to Benedict, ii. 114. Howd. iii. 40. Senes la Vieille,— Siena, idem ii. 229. Howd. iv. 25

page 94 note b So Godwin, p. 442, ed. Richardson.

page 94 note c Vide paper in Archaeologia, on bishop Reginald, vol. L. p. 329Google Scholar

page 95 note a Gregory's Decretals, iii. tit. ix. c. l. “De illo episcopo nomini Savarico dixit quidam versifi-cator,” “Hospes erat mundo, &c.” “Item dum describerentur debita sua dixit quidam alius, Domine me pone creditorem in legione, id est in societate multorum creditorum quos moriens reliquit episcopus.”

page 95 note b Godwin de praesulibus, Lat. Ed. 1616. “Bathoniae sepultus cum epitaphio.” He omits “the epitaph ” in the English edition.

Cf. Archaeologia, vol. L. p. 335Google Scholar. I have quoted these lines again because I have now found their source and original text in a gloss upon the Decretals of Gregory IX. The absurd statement of Godwin that the lines of a Roman “pasquinade ” formed the epitaph on Savaric's tomb at Bath may be set aside. I take the opportunity of adding the admirable translation given to me by my friend and colleague chancellor Bernard, whose help in many ways I thankfully acknowledge—

“Through the world travelling, all the world's guest, His last day of life was his first day of rest.”

page 96 note a R. i. f. 46.

page 96 note b R. i. f. 23, in dors.

page 96 note c Vide Appendix D.

page 96 note d R. iii. 127, a.d. 1206, three priests, thirteen vicars to celebrate in turn.

page 97 note a Wells MS. Ledger D. f. 30. St. Martin's chapel has been used for long years as the “Canons Vestry.”

page 97 note b Appendix E. This charter and that of king John are carefully preserved among the city records in the town hall of Wells, and have been kindly lent to me by the Mayor and Council.

page 97 note c Vide King John's Itinerary. He was at Wells and Glastonbury, 1204, June 15, 17; 1205, Sept. 3, 5; 1207, Sept. 13; 1208, March 3, 4. Archaeologia, vol. xxii. pp. 138, 9Google Scholar

page 97 note D Appendix F.

page 98 note a FitzSteplien, W., Materials for Life of Becket, iii. p. 129Google Scholar, calls Engelger “patrnus Jocelini Episcopi.” Bishop Stnbbs suggests there may be a mistake for ‘Reginaldi.” Engelger held lands in S. Marculf in 1180. Vide Botnli Scac. Norman. Lechaud D'Anisy, Caen, 1840.

page 98 note b An Alexander was dean during Reginald's and Savarie's time, 1180–1209. Roger de Bohun, “nephew of the dean,” is mentioned as canon of Wells, anno 1205. Rot. Zitt. Clausarum, pp. 62, 56, 63, 67. Another John de Bohun was also canon in Savarie's time, 1196. Adam of Domerham, pp. 368, 387.

page 98 note c Pat. Rolls, 35 Edw. III. contains inspeximus of 1 Ric. I. and Henry III. in which mention is made of (a) “Savaricns filius Savarici heres Engelgeri de Bohun.” (b) “Savaricus filius Chana et Radulfus filius ejus, et Savaricus filius Savarici.” (c) “Geldewinus filius Savarici.”

Cf. also Madox, Hist. of Exchequer, i. 561, 6th Henry II. " Geldewinus filius Savarici.”

It is conjectured by bishop Stubbs that there was a Burgundian conneetion with the emperor Henry through Estrangia, mother of bishop Savaric.

page 98 note d Annal. Waverley, ii. 248

page 101 note a i.e., as their diocesan and ordinary—also as their abbot.

page 103 note a “Tidesput.” Cf. Reg. Prioratus Bathon. f. 67, inspeximus of charter of bishop Roger, 1245, of lands “in manerio nostro de Wellis in Tithesput furlang qui jacet intra terram Roberti le Sedere et terram Thorn, fil Sode super cheminam versus gardinum nostrum de Wellis ex parte orientali.”

page 104 note a Fossatum, an artificial channel, such as a moat.

page 105 note a “The king's right of enforcing demands.”