They disbanded and arranged to meet again within a week. But before that time John had arrived in Canterbury.
He had come, he said, to pay his last respects to the Archbishop, his dear friend and adviser. He then extolled the virtues of Hubert, inwardly amused as he turned their differences to displays of amity. Such a situation appealed to his sense of humour.
‘We must make sure,’ he told the Abbot, ‘that we appoint a worthy successor to our good Hubert. He would be distraught, looking down from Heaven, if we appointed one who was the wrong man. Of course it is impossible to find one of his worth but we must ensure that he who follows is capable of wearing the mantle so tragically discarded by himself.’
‘We have been thinking deeply on the matter,’ said the Abbot.
John was alert. So you have, have you? he thought. And you would like to put up your man, somebody who would bow to Rome. I know you churchmen! Nay, my old abbot, the next Archbishop of Canterbury is going to be my man as old Hubert never was.
‘It is a matter which all those who have the good of the Church … and the Court … at heart, must consider deeply. I myself have been thinking and it seems to me that I could not find a better man than John de Grey, Bishop of Norwich, who has been a very good friend to his country.’
The Abbot was dismayed. John de Grey was the King’s man. It had been said that Hubert was more a statesman than a churchman but at least he had always had the good of the Church at heart. John de Grey would work entirely for the King and this was clearly why the King had decided on him.
The Abbot did not reply and John went on to extol the virtues of Hubert.
‘Alas, alas we shall never see his like,’ he said and thought: Thank God for that.
He was present at the ceremonial burying of the Archbishop and lingered for six days in Canterbury making himself agreeable to the monks, never again mentioning that he was determined on the election of John de Grey but nevertheless making up his mind that as soon as he returned to Westminster he would send envoys to the Pope. The fact that this had to be done infuriated him as it had kings before him. The yoke of Rome was never very comfortable for a royal neck. It was for this reason that uneasiness always existed between Church and State, and therefore imperative for the King that this most important office should be filled by a man who would work for him. John de Grey was that man.
As soon as John had left Canterbury the Abbot called another meeting.
‘It is clear,’ he said, ‘that the King has decided to put forward the Bishop of Norwich. He is the King’s man; he will do exactly as ordered and that means that if the King demands the abolition of the Church’s privileges, the King’s archbishop will do as ordered. That will not serve the Church well.’
One of the monks reminded the Abbot that it was their privilege to elect an archbishop and ask the Pope’s sanction for his appointment.
‘That is exactly what I suggest we do.’
‘Against the King’s wishes?’ asked one.
‘That is not a State matter,’ replied the Abbot firmly. ‘It is for the Church to choose and as it is our privilege to elect the Archbishop, let us do so. We will then send him in person to Rome to solicit papal approval but not before we have placed him on the Archbishop’s chair.’
There were some of the more timid monks who talked of the King’s displeasure but the Abbot pointed out that not only must the Church stand against the State when necessary but that they who were the monks of Canterbury, where the martyr St Thomas à Becket had shown his defiance to the crown, must inspire their countrymen to do their duty and that lay with the Church. They would, secretly by night, elect their archbishop, go through the ceremony of putting him on the Primate’s throne and then send him to Rome. By the time his election was known he would have the Pope’s consent and when that was given, the King could do nothing.
The monks saw that unless they were going meekly to accept the King’s man, this was how they must act, so they attended the secret conclave and elected their sub-prior Reginald – a pious and scholarly man who had proved his devotion to the Church. They went through the ceremony at the altar and set him on the throne. Then it was agreed that he should set out for Rome without delay and tell the Pope that he had been elected by the monks of Canterbury and that all he needed was the papal sanction for his office.
‘It is imperative,’ said the Abbot, ‘that none should know what has happened here tonight until you have the Pope’s sanction, so I am going to ask you to swear an oath of secrecy.’
Reginald declared that nothing would draw the information from him and he eagerly took an oath swearing absolute secrecy.
Then he set out for Rome.
As soon as John left Canterbury he sent for John de Grey, his Bishop of Norwich.
The King was in a good mood. With de Grey at the head of the Church in England he could look forward to little interference in that direction and he was congratulating himself on having the very man for the post.
‘My dear Bishop,’ he said, ‘it does me good to see you. I have plans for you. What say you to Canterbury?’
‘Canterbury, my lord!’
‘Oh, that makes you open your eyes, does it?’
‘My lord, I know that Hubert is dead …’
‘Interfering old man. His idea was that he would make the State subservient to the Church. He did not say so but the implication was there. Well, now he is no more and we must find another to take his place. Because I know you have been my friend and will continue to be so, I have decided to appoint you Archbishop of Canterbury.’
‘My lord!’ John de Grey was on his knees kissing John’s hand.
‘My dear Bishop,’ said John, ‘I am sure that you will serve me well as you have in the past. You have been a good secretary and friend, and I know that, with you on the Primate’s throne, I shall have done with these trying and interfering old men who would presume to tell me my duty.’
‘I shall serve you with all my heart and soul,’ the Bishop assured him.
‘I know it well and now I shall send envoys at once to Rome, though it irks me to, but so must it be. Then, my dear friend, when you are my archbishop we can work together for the country’s good and keep the Church where it rightly belongs.’
A good day’s work, thought John, when he said farewell to the Bishop of Norwich.
Pope Innocent III, born Lothario of Segni, was a man of great intellectual powers. He had been destined to become Pope ever since the time – some sixteen years before – when he had become a cardinal under his uncle Pope Clement III. Highly educated, he had a lawyer’s mind and was deeply interested in world affairs. He was not content with being the figurehead to whom the Church throughout the world was answerable. He considered all kings and rulers to be subject to the law of the Church and therefore they were under his control no less than the clergy.
Every pope was aware of the conflict which it seemed must inevitably arise between heads of states and the Church and he was more determined than most of his predecessors to keep all subservient to him.
Hubert Walter had been an ideal Archbishop of Canterbury; a strong man who had been a statesman as well as a churchman; it was such men whom Innocent wished to see at the head of the Church throughout the world.
He was surprised, therefore, when Reginald arrived in Rome to ask for his sanction of his appointment as Archbishop of Canterbury. He had never heard of Reginald and as the man had arrived with some secrecy he realised that there must be people in England who would not be eager to see him as Primate. He learned that Reginald had already been elected by the monks of Canterbury, though neither the King nor the bishops had set their seal of approval on this choice. He would make careful inquiries.