I - Grossetete is created Bishop of Lincoln. Sketch of his Episcopal virtues.

Summary

Bardney writes that the King, moved with the great abilities and reputation of Archdeacon Grossetete, took him into his services and made him Keeper of his Privy Seal. This civil promotion is nowhere mentioned by any of our ancient historians and seems a mistake of Bardney in confounding Grossetete with Hugh Wells his predecessor in the See of Lincoln, who as we are informed by the Annals of Worcester, and by Matthew Paris, was Signifer, i.e. Chancellor to King John. What Bardney adds is much more certain viz that on the death of Bishop Wells in February 1235, King Henry III promoted his Archdeacon Grossetete to that vacancy at the joint petition of the clergy and people of Lincoln. The royal congé d’élire was granted the 19 of February, Grossetete was elected on the 27 March. His election admitted by the King the 5 of April, and the temporalities restored the 16 of the same month. But his consecration was put off till June or September, on account of a contest betwixted his consecrator St Edmund Archbishop of Canterbury and his Metropolitical Chapter. The Chapter of Canterbury, as the metropolitical Church was in possession of having the ordinations of suffragens performed in her precincts. St Edmund, being discontented with the monks, refused to perform the ordination in their church but the monks of Canterbury insisting upon it as their right. The elect of Lincoln wrote to St Edmund a most excellent letter to beg his consecration might be performed at Canterbury, rather than occasion strife and scandal. After proposing the example of St Paul, and that of Christ himself, the former of which to avoid scandalising the weak consented never to eat flesh [1 Cor. 8:13], the latter paid the Temple tax to which he was no ways obliged. He subjoins,

As I verily believe the monks of Canterbury will never consent to my being consecrated in any other church but their own, and if I am there will ensue a grievous and expensive lawsuit, which ought to be avoided by the servants of God. Therefore not to scandalise them, and not to destroy any of the weak for whom Christ died, I humbly beg that since my consecration may be performed there without either sin or scandal so it may be done.