 |
 |
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 12:35:40 +0000 Priority: normal Subject: Re: Bishops, titular From: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] Reply-to: [log in to unmask] Besides various Levantine bishops, such as that of Bethlehem, roaming around medieval Europe - and who were very probably titular, as Tom Izbicki suggested - it strikes me that some time ago I ran across an inordinate number of references to Welsh and Irish bishops roaming around England, heavily engaged in consecrating new churches and altars. Presumably, they weren't titular, but I've always wondered what they were doing wandering around like that. Any suggestions? Cheers, Jim Bugslag (This is a follow-up to Colman's answer on the Irish bishops). Welsh bishops could spend quite a lot of their time in England - for a variety of reasons (a) they could live in monastic houses, either in return for being acting heads of religious houses (cf. the career of Bishop Peter de Leia of St Davids, as described by Gerald of Wales), or (this probably on a short-term basis) if they issued an indulgence for the monastic house. I'm speculating here, but in proportion to the surviving acta the number of indulgences surviving issued by Welsh bishops 12th-13th cs is higher per bishop than the number issued by English bishops, and the English bishops are apparently fussier, at least in the 12th c., about which churches they issued indulgences to. (b) living in a monastic house meant they didn't have to run a household at the same time - perhaps they could make do with a servant or two plus a chaplain, if that. No hospitality, no relatives, no upkeep of buildings. Then, when they'd reduced their debts a bit, they could go home if they wanted. (c) Church councils for the Canterbury province (which they were expected to attend) were always in England, and they would need to turn up looking respectable (consecrating a few altars may have helped with the travelling expenses and the laundry). (d) Some bishops of Welsh sees, like Peter de Leia, were English and didn't like Wales. The Welsh bishops of Welsh sees (usually Anglo-Norman-Welsh) were happier about spending time in Wales. For examples of all these sorts of behaviour, see my (hooray, now I can do a plug for it) edition of charters issued by bishops of St Davids: St Davids Episcopal Acta 1085-1280, South Wales Record Society, vol. 13 (Cardiff, 1980), a snip at just under £20. Best wishes Julia Barrow PS: I'm sure Peter de Leia's behaviour was uncanonical, before anyone writes in to say so, but then so were many other medieval dealings. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%