Transcript

of

Bartholomew Bishop of Exeter

Devon & Cornwall Notes and Queries vol. VII, (1912-1913), Exeter: James G. Commin. 1913, pp. 251-255.

by

Arthur P. Lancefield

Prepared by Michael Steer

Bartholomew Iscanus (or Bartholomew of Exeter; died 1184) came from Normandy and after being a clerk of the Archbishop of Canterbury, was made Archdeacon of Exeter in 1155. He became bishop of Exeter in 1161. He was known as having excellence in canon law and theology and during his time as bishop visited all the parishes in the diocese to investigate how well-managed they were. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Bartholomew Iscanus (or Bartholomew of Exeter; died 1184) came from Normandy and after being a clerk of the Archbishop of Canterbury, was made Archdeacon of Exeter in 1155. He became bishop of Exeter in 1161. He was known as having excellence in canon law and theology and during his time as bishop visited all the parishes in the diocese to investigate how well-managed they were. The article, from a copy of a rare and much sought-after journal can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. Google has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. These books, on which copyright has expired, are available for free educational and research use, both as individual books and as full collections to aid researchers.

Note 179. BARTHOLOMEW BISHOP OF EXETER. - In the reign of Henry II. there were two distinguished English Bishops, the fame of whose wisdom reached to Italy, Pope Alexander III. describing them as "the two lights of England." One was Roger of Gloucester, Bishop of Worcester, a grandson of Henry I., and consequently a cousin of the reigning King. The other was Bartholomew, Bishop of Exeter, who had, it was said, been born of poor parents in Exeter itself, and had risen through his great ability and his transparent goodness to be Bishop of the diocese, in whose Cathedral city he had been born about the time that the transept towers, the noble conception of Bishop William Warelwast, the Conqueror's nephew, were rising above the surrounding buildings in all their stately grandeur. As a little boy the intelligent Bartholomew may have seen the great Norman Cathedral gradually nearing completion, and as a young man he probably heard in Exeter the news that William Warelwast, the blind Bishop, had passed away in extreme old age at Plympton Priory.

Dr. Oliver, who is most enthusiastic in his admiration for Bartholomew, described him in his Lives of the Bishops of Exeter, as "of humble origin in this city," but it ought to be mentioned that others say he was a native of Brittany. Be that as it may, he became a thorough Englishman, and took a special delight in his own city of Exeter, with which he had a long connection. He became a Canon of the Cathedral, and in or before 1155, the year in which Robert Warelwast (nephew of the celebrated William) became Bishop, Bartholomew was made Archdeacon of Exeter. His friendship with Theobald, Archbishop of Canterbury, seems to have been as close as was that of a modern Archdeacon, the beloved Ernest Grey Sandford, with Archbishop Temple in recent times. On March 22, 1161 - or more probably 1 160, the date given by Bishop Stubbs - Robert Warelwast died, and his able and energetic Archdeacon, recommended by the Primate himself, appeared to be his only possible successor, and was duly elected. But his old friend the Archbishop was too ill to consecrate him, and deputed the duty to his brother Walter, Bishop of Rochester ; but before the arrangements were completed, Archbishop Theobald died on April 18th, 1161, and there were long delays before Thomas

Becket, a worldly-minded Archdeacon only in deacon's orders, was elected to the primacy. But in 1162, at some date earlier than May 4, and presumably with the permission of the Archbishop-elect - still only a deacon - Bartholomew was consecrated by Bishop Walter in Canterbury Cathedral. ' The next consecration there was that of Becket himself on June 3, the Sunday after Pentecost, but on the previous day Bishop Walter had ordained him priest. Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester, was the chief consecrator, and Bartholomew was one of the thirteen Bishops who assisted him. Amongst the others were Gilbert Foliot of Hereford and Walter of Rochester, against whom in later years Becket hurled his excommunications. It was probably not until after Becket's consecration that the new Bishop was able to return to his diocese, for journeys from Kent to Devonshire and back were serious undertakings in the twelfth century.

The earliest extant Exeter Register is that of Bishop Walter Bronescombe (1258-1280), consequently not much is known of the actual diocesan work of the earlier Bishops. But in 1 163 Bartholomew granted to the lepers of St. Mary Magdalen's Hospital, whose memory still survives in "Magdalen Street," Exeter, a toll of corn and bread sold in the Exeter markets. He was a special benefactor of the nunnery of Polsloe, which held the patronage of the parish of Aylesbeare, then including the hamlet of Newton Poppleford, which is within sight of the place where this article is written. He assigned to Polsloe a pension from his episcopal manor at Ashburton. To the leper hospital, just outside the South Gate of Exeter, he gave some bark from his wood at Chudleigh, and its inmates were at the same time strictly forbidden to enter the city. Plympton Priory in after years revered him as a special benefactor ; so also did St. German's Priory.

But he had hardly settled into his diocesan work when the bitter dispute arose in 1164 between Archbishop Becket and King Henry II., throwing the entire Church of England into confusion. He was present at the famous Council of Northampton, where he said to Becket it was "better for one head to be endangered than for the whole Church to be in peril." He saw that there were faults and merits on both sides, and was probably blamed by some for being ready to compromise, and for taking, as he did, a middle course in the Becket controversy. He was one of the five Bishops sent by Henry II. to Sens to confer on the Becket question with Alexander III., who, coming into personal contact with him, was impressed by his tact, learning and wisdom. It is said that he and Bishop Roger, inclining to Becket's side, offered to share his exile, but yielded to his persuasion not to do so. At home in England he was able to shield the Primate's friends from persecution, and it is said that he occasionally sent, with difficulty, pecuniary help to Becket. He seems to have endeavoured, in a time of great excitement, to act as far as possible as peacemaker, but be refused to give to Gilbert Foliot, Bishop of London, who had defied Becket and was under his excommunication, the kiss of peace. Meanwhile the impetuous Primate shewed him but little gratitude for his kindly efforts, but accused him of cowardice, and of "not being wise in the things pertaining to God." In 1 170 he helped in the coronation of Prince Henry, and was the only Bishop who escaped censure.

Exciting events were crowded into the dark days of December, 11 70, when Becket returned from the Continent, and on the 29th he was slain in his own Cathedral. The new year had probably begun before the news reached Exeter. The Bishop, who was horrified at the tidings, always held the King responsible for the Archbishop's murder, and seems to have let him know his opinion. One of the murderers, William de Tracy, was a Devonshire man, and is said to have always gone about in terror of Bishop Bartholomew after the crime. Nearly a year passed away, and still no successor was appointed to the murdered Primate, and no enthronisation could take place until the Cathedral, desecrated by the crime, had been reconciled. On St. Thomas' Day, Dec. 21, 1171, which would have been Becket's 53rd birthday, a service of reconciliation was held in Canterbury Cathedral by Bishop Bartholomew, assisted by Robert Peche, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. Bartholomew celebrated the Holy Communion, and preached from Psalm xciv., 19, "In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart, Thy comforts have refreshed my soul." The sermon, presumably preached in Latin, has probably been lost, but should its MS. still exist, it could be fittingly included in Canon Macleane's next series of Famous Sermons by Famous Preachers, and would be of thrilling interest.

The obvious man for filling the Archbishopric would have been Bartholomew himself, but his candour probably caused him to be passed over. Richard, Prior of Dover, who had assisted at Becket's hurried interment on the night of his murder, was at last appointed, and Bartholomew, who seems to have known him, requested Alexander III. not to disallow the nomination. Richard was consecrated by Alexander at Anagni on April 7th, 1174, so that it is hardly likely that Bartholomew, assisted as he did in the case of Becket.

But although the Bishop of Exeter missed the Primacy, being too strong-minded for the King, who wanted a submissive man after his experience of Becket, he did the next best thing by training in Exeter a poor but gifted young man who was destined eventually to fill the chair of Augustine. He was always kind to poor scholars, and took special interest in a clever young man, born in Exeter, named Baldwin, and ordained him priest. For a short time Baldwin was Abbot of Ford, but he found the monastic life did not suit him, and during the greater part of Bartholomew's episcopate he was Archdeacon of Exeter. On August 10, 1180. this Exeter boy of humble birth was consecrated at Lambeth to the Bishopric of Worcester by Archbishop Richard. The names of the assisting prelates are not given, but if Bartholomew's age and infirmity did not hinder him in getting from Exeter to Lambeth, we may be confident that he assisted in hallowing to the office of a Bishop his former protege and faithful Archdeacon, and that that was one of the happiest days of his life. Within a few days of his death the good old Bishop Bartholomew must have heard, perhaps whilst lying upon his deathbed, that his young friend and pupil was to be the new Archbishop of Canterbury.

After the confusion caused by the Becket tragedy, Bartholomew and the Archbishop of Rouen were empowered by Alexander III. to absolve Gilbert Foliot and the other Bishops whom the late Primate had excommunicated. Almost archiepiscopal powers were given him during the vacancy, when he worked most actively. One disagreeable task entrusted to him was that of enquiring into irregularities at St. Augustine's Abbey at Canterbury, and he had to write to the Pope about the Prior's gross extravagance.

Yet, although he paid due deference to the Pope as the chief Bishop of the Western Church, he was far from being subservient to Rome, when complaints were made to him about the collection of "Peter's pence" in Exeter diocese being insufficient. He wrote an independent letter and threatened that, in the event of further impertinence, there might be no collection at all! In 1177 we find him investigating a scandal in Salisbury diocese, where he dismissed the Abbess of Amesbury and reformed the nunnery.

Bishop Bartholomew was a lover of learned men, and was intimate with Walter Map, Giraldus Cambrensis, the noted Welsh chronicler, and St. Hugh, the famous Bishop of Lincoln. He was probably impatient of conceited ignorance, and is credited with "a strong turn for uttering stinging remarks." His own writings included works on Predestination, Freewill, and Penance. He and Archdeacon Baldwin used to dedicate their works to one another. His death took place on Dec. 15, 1184, and he was buried in Exeter Cathedral, where his effigy represents him wearing a mitre, and having a moustache and jagged beard.

On St. Thomas' Day, 1171, Bishop Bartholomew of Exeter was reconciling Canterbury Cathedral after the murder of his personal friend St. Thomas of Canterbury. On St. Thomas' Day, 1890, his successor, Edward Henry Bickersteth, was holding a far different service in Exeter Cathedral. One of those whom he then ordained to the diaconate was the writer of this article.

                                        ARTHUR P. LANCEFIELD.