Hierarchy of the Church
Pope
Clergy
Archbishops
Bishops
Abbots summoned to Parliament, the prior of the Hospitallers, and the Master of the Templars (to 1308)
Abbots of lesser abbeys
Priors of the larger priories, and priors of of the mendicant orders (friars)
Canons of cathedrals, archdeacons, and priors of lesser priories
Other higher clergy and wealthy rectors (normally of multiple parishes)
Rectors of single parishes
Vicars of parishes
Chaplains, friars, and minor clergy
Hermits
Clergy
Archbishops
Bishops
Abbots summoned to Parliament, the prior of the Hospitallers, and the Master of the Templars (to 1308)
Abbots of lesser abbeys
Priors of the larger priories, and priors of of the mendicant orders (friars)
Canons of cathedrals, archdeacons, and priors of lesser priories
Other higher clergy and wealthy rectors (normally of multiple parishes)
Rectors of single parishes
Vicars of parishes
Chaplains, friars, and minor clergy
Hermits
The roles of the Church and its members:
"Bishops were bound by three chief loyalties: to the king, to the pope, and (in varying degree) to the barons, particularly those who were their neighbors"
"... after the accession of John XXII [King of France] in 1316, and the greatly increased use of papal provisions as the normal method of appointing to bishoprics, king's clerks came to form considerably more than half the episcopate. These men, unlike the wardrobe clerks, were often distinguished scholars with high qualifications in canon and civil law; while their experience in the royal service had been chiefly in diplomatic work, which gave them a rather different outlook from that of the household clerk. Apparently they mostly owed their bishoprics to John XXII, himself a lawyer, who had known certain of them at Avignon, rather than to the king, who was often angrily opposed to their appointments. Therefore, though they might normally have greater sympathy with the political outlook of the court party than with that of the opposition barons, unlikely to be personally loyal to Edward; and their attitude was a chief factor in the triumph."
We can look to these two facts especially when we try to understand the viewpoints of the church-members in Edward II. It is clearer why loyalties to their king, the French king, rather than to King Edward II had large effect on the clergymen. We can also clearly see why any affront to the Pope was an affront to these men.
In terms of Piers Gaveston, many of the Bishops differed in opinion. While some played large part in his recall from exile, others were less accepting. For example, "Winchelsea showed his resentment at Gavaston's return by fixing the consecration of John Droxford, bishop of Bath and Wells, at Canterbury Cathedral at the same time as the king's parliament at Stamford in July 1309, thus making it impossible for those bishops who obeyed his summons to the consecration to be present also at the parliament. The king angrily ordered him to postpone the consecration; and a definite political breach in the ranks of the episcopate was plainly shown up by the following events." The crown and the church were gradually becoming further and further at odds.
There was also the issue of King Edward II not paying the annual tax of 1000 marks to the holy see. This was only making relationships worse.
As we know from our play, the rift grew ever wider and the church sided with the nobility against the King. The king still had a few men in the church whom he believed to still be loyal. "...in March 1312 Bishop Salmon received a royal commission to treat with the prelates, earls, and barons for the correction of those ordinances prejudicial to the king, while on 3 September 1312 a further proof of Edward's trust in the loyalty of these two bishops was his order to them to forbid the earls from proceeding against their king with an armed force."
The relationship of Edward II to the Church continued to be tenuous after the death of Piers Gaveston, and many were greatly opposed to Gaveston due to the treatment of the church by both the king and his minion.
More information can be found below.
"... after the accession of John XXII [King of France] in 1316, and the greatly increased use of papal provisions as the normal method of appointing to bishoprics, king's clerks came to form considerably more than half the episcopate. These men, unlike the wardrobe clerks, were often distinguished scholars with high qualifications in canon and civil law; while their experience in the royal service had been chiefly in diplomatic work, which gave them a rather different outlook from that of the household clerk. Apparently they mostly owed their bishoprics to John XXII, himself a lawyer, who had known certain of them at Avignon, rather than to the king, who was often angrily opposed to their appointments. Therefore, though they might normally have greater sympathy with the political outlook of the court party than with that of the opposition barons, unlikely to be personally loyal to Edward; and their attitude was a chief factor in the triumph."
We can look to these two facts especially when we try to understand the viewpoints of the church-members in Edward II. It is clearer why loyalties to their king, the French king, rather than to King Edward II had large effect on the clergymen. We can also clearly see why any affront to the Pope was an affront to these men.
In terms of Piers Gaveston, many of the Bishops differed in opinion. While some played large part in his recall from exile, others were less accepting. For example, "Winchelsea showed his resentment at Gavaston's return by fixing the consecration of John Droxford, bishop of Bath and Wells, at Canterbury Cathedral at the same time as the king's parliament at Stamford in July 1309, thus making it impossible for those bishops who obeyed his summons to the consecration to be present also at the parliament. The king angrily ordered him to postpone the consecration; and a definite political breach in the ranks of the episcopate was plainly shown up by the following events." The crown and the church were gradually becoming further and further at odds.
There was also the issue of King Edward II not paying the annual tax of 1000 marks to the holy see. This was only making relationships worse.
As we know from our play, the rift grew ever wider and the church sided with the nobility against the King. The king still had a few men in the church whom he believed to still be loyal. "...in March 1312 Bishop Salmon received a royal commission to treat with the prelates, earls, and barons for the correction of those ordinances prejudicial to the king, while on 3 September 1312 a further proof of Edward's trust in the loyalty of these two bishops was his order to them to forbid the earls from proceeding against their king with an armed force."
The relationship of Edward II to the Church continued to be tenuous after the death of Piers Gaveston, and many were greatly opposed to Gaveston due to the treatment of the church by both the king and his minion.
More information can be found below.
Suggested further reading:
- "The Political Importance of the English Bishops during the Reign of Edward II"
- link to full text or download below
The Political Importance of the English Bishops during the Reign of Edward II | |
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