This disadvantage of the site was in fact rather self-evident this June afternoon of 1125, when David had been on his throne for thirteen months - yet he had deliberately chosen this venue for what was certainly the first really important essay in statecraft of the reign. As he saw it, the meeting had to take place somewhere in Bishop John of Glasgow's see, since this was the only one with papal recognition in Scotland, as yet.
Bishop John, his old tutor, rode with him now as he splashed across the Rook's Burgh ford, with others, to climb to the higher ground beyond and rein up, facing eastwards. Some, including the Chancellor, Robert - who was inclined to be stuffy - suggested that even this was unsuitable, that the King should actually go out to meet his guests instead of letting them come to him; all right for lesser men, but. . . To which David had pointed out that this was no ordinary guest - and had gone.
"A large company," he commented to John, peering into the middle distance. "Hugo would not have sufficient horses. He would have to hire more at Berwick. Do princes of the Church usually travel in such state?"
"In Rome, yes, Sire. But for a sea voyage, I would not have looked for it."
"Holy Church proving that there is more to holiness than meek looks!" Hervcy de Warenne, Lord of Keith, the new Knight Marischal of Scotland, growled. He had ever been the least religiously inclined of John's pupils.
The approaching cavalcade was almost a mile off still, coming along at a suitably dignified pace after fording Tweed, all banners and glitter, the music of instrumentalists, which David had sent with Hugo, wafted faintly on the easterly air-stream. The watchers, however, perceived that a single rider spurred ahead of the main body, towards them.
This proved to be young Thomas de Mautelent, esquire to Hugo, from the de Morville manor in Huntingdon. "Sire," he cried, "the Lord Hugo sends me. To tell you that all is well. With the Cardinal. But he says to tell you also that the Lord Fergus is here. With his lady. They came in the cardinal's ship, from London. To Berwick ..."
"Fergus! Fergus, you say? Of Galloway?"
"Yes, my lord. With a large train."
"That viper . . . !" Hervey snorted - he who had been Sweenie Mac Sween's closest friend once. "What does he want?"
"I know not, lord . . ."
"Forget Fergus for the present," David said. "What is important is the Cardinal. How does he seem, Thomas?" "A dark-avised man, Sire. But softly-spoken. Smiling little
When the company of perhaps five-score came up, gorgeously-dressed and decked-about, Hugo silenced the musicians.
"My lord King - it is my honour to present to you the Most Illustrious lord Cardinal John of Crema, papal legate of His Holiness at Rome."
David had dismounted. "I rejoice to hail the illustrious lord Cardinal, and welcome him most warmly to my realm," he declared. "This is a notable day, the Eve of St. Columba - the first visit of a papal legate to Scotland. My lord Cardinal - have you a blessing for me - who need it?" And King though he was, he sank to his knees there on the grass - as so perforce must all the waiting group, however much Hervey muttered.
"The Holy Father sends his warm greetings, my son David," the other said, in a mildly sibilant voice in contrast to his stern, almost cadaverous appearance, a younger man than David had looked for, younger than himself. "And gives his Pontifical Benediction," he added, and raised two fingers to make the sign of the cross.
"I thank His Holiness. And yourself, my lord," David rose. "Here is the Bishop John of Glasgow."
"Ah, yes. I have, to be sure, heard much of this Bishop. Although I did not meet him when he was in Rome. Or in Jerusalem! His Holiness sends him greetings also." The Bishop was given something between a cross and a flick.
John bowed over the Cardinal's ring. "I am much honoured that the Holy Father remembered my unworthy self," he said -although David recognised well that it was only because Pope Honorius had remembered John of Glasgow that this momentous visit had come about.
"Sir Hervey of Keith, Knight Marischal of my realm . . ."
David turned to look at the other and larger party behind the Cardinal-Legate's group. Fergus Mac Sween grinned at him boldly enough. They had not seen each other, these two, for long. Fergus had kept out of the King's way ever since his surprising marriage to Henry's daughter, indeed spending much of his time in the South, with that young woman's brother, Robert the new Earl of Gloucester, and leaving Galloway in the care of his kinsman Dunegal of Nithsdale.
"Here's a happy occasion, my lord David!" he cried. "You King, and myself in wedded bliss! Here is the Lady Elizabeth - who has heard much of Your Grace."
David was not a man to harbour resentment, but it demanded some effort to greet Fergus and his wife with civility, his old school-fellow had not in fact, committed any major offence against him, nothing that he could be charged with — only entered into negotiations with King Henry secretly, without informing his superior and friend, to the extent of marrying the daughter. Was that so ill? Only, Henry always had sufficient reason for all he did; and to give this Elizabeth to anyone so remotely situated and comparatively unimportant as the Lord of Galloway, not even a subject of his, he must have gained something substantial in return. That was what worried David.
"I wondered when I would see you — and this lady," he said, stiffly for him. "But I welcome you back to my kingdom, Fergus - for there are matters in Galloway requiring attention. As to your wife, I wish her well. For her own sake, and as her father's daughter." That was the best he could do.
The new Lady of Galloway was a thick-built, pale but pert young woman, who reminded him of the late Sybilla, but with a less calculating eye. The Conqueror's line did .not breed good looks. She curtsied and smirked. David wondered what Fergus would get out of this match, as well as Henry.
It seemed that the Cardinal's ship, from Italy had put in at London on its way north, for the Legate to have some discussion with William, the new Archbishop of Canterbury; and whilst there, Fergus had heard that the vessel was bound for Berwick-on-Tweed and had sought passage. As the King's son-in-law, the Cardinal could scarcely refuse. There appeared to be no more to it than that.
They remounted and rode down to the ford.
If Fergus's arrival was a surprise, a further surprise awaited the King, for after refreshment and settling in, with introduction of the others who would take part in the discussions, when David, who was seldom one for delay, suggested in early evening that they might make a start on preliminary matters, it was to be told by the Cardinal that it might be better to wait a little to allow the Archbishop Thurstan time to arrive.
"Thurstan? The Archbishop of York!" David exclaimed. "Do I hear you aright, sir? Thurstan - coming here?"
"Indeed, yes, my son," the other said calmly. "Did you not know? Not realise that he must be here? We can scarcely enquire fully into this matter lacking his point-of-view, can we?"
"He agreed to come? Himself? To Scotland? Into my house?"
"I required him to do so, in His Holiness's name," the other said simply.
So they had to wait, David now in some disquiet. When he had written to the Pope, as one of the monarchs of Christendom, requesting a papal pronouncement on the undoubted independence of the Scottish Church and a decision on the vexed matter of the consecration of Robert to the see of St. Andrews, making use of Bishop John's new-forged links with the Vatican as lever; and had been rewarded by the announcement that a special papal legate would be sent to resolve the matter, he had been elated. But this bringing in of Thurstan might well put a very different complexion on the business, for of course Scotland had no churchman to speak with the authority of an archbishop. Clearly the debate was not going to amount to any mere formal pronunciamento, as David had hoped.
Another aspect which began to disturb David was some evident lack of sympathy between the Cardinal and Bishop John. It was no doubt more on the Italian's part, but it was unfortunate, to say the least, with John the only accepted episcopal dignitary present; for although Cormac of Dunkel
d and Gregory of Moray were there, the Legate appeared to be very doubtful as to their authenticity as bishops, neither having been consecrated by an archbishop or primate. There seemed to the Scots to be an arrogance about the Cardinal, partly hierarchal no doubt but possibly also racial, for although he appeared to be quite able to accept Normans as perhaps fit to be shepherds of God's flock, Saxons and Celts were a different matter - and of course both Cormac and Gregory were Celtic Scots, who had started their ministries in the Columban Church. David realised that he would have to keep his temper very much in hand if any success was to come out of this exercise.
Happily, Matilda seemed to make a great impression on the Italian, who surprisingly appeared to be something of a lady's man. Her husband reluctantly urged her to do her best with the Cardinal.
They took him to see the still unfinished Priory of Jedworth in the morning — with which he did not seem much impressed, being more interested in the castle being built nearby, for which he suggested some improvements. One visitor was very interested in the new monastery, however, a Saxon Benedictine monk named Gosfrid, whom William of Canterbury had sent north, in the same ship, in answer to an appeal from David for an experienced canon to make abbot of the new abbey at Dunfermline. The Cardinal ignored him completely, as no concern of his. But this Gosfrid appeared to be a useful, pleasant and effective youngish man; and he was exercised over the problems and stages of setting up a monastery here in Scotland, as he himself would be called upon to do.
When they returned to the March Mount, it was to find Thurstan of York arrived, with a large entourage - which included, to David's further displeasure, Flambard, Bishop of Durham.
Thurstan was now an elderly man, getting frail and brittle-seeming. He had thin, intellectual features which, although distinguished, seemed to lack strength, his whole bearing a strange mixture of surface authority and underlying uncertainty. He was frostily correct towards David, but appeared to be much more in awe of the Papal Legate - an awe which was far from reciprocated. He was, of course, another Saxon. Flambard, on the other hand, was easy, affable, assured, clearly the power behind the archiepiscopal throne, very much the former Lord Chief Justice of England, however grossly unwieldy now. The Cardinal paid rather more attention to him.
In the great hall of the castle the council took place. David sat at the centre of a long table facing directly across to the Cardinal. On the King's right was Bishop John, and on his left the Chancellor and Bishop-Elect Robert, while the Legate had the Archbishop and Flambard on his right and a couple of secretaries - both apparently titular bishops - on the left. The other two Scots bishops, with Abbot William of Shiel Kirk and Prior Osbcrt of Jedworth - and it was noted, the new Abbot-to-be of Dunfermline, Gosfrid — sat on John's right. David was a little uneasy over this apparent line-up of sides, as it were; that had not been his intention. It looked all too like a confrontation, and with the Cardinal on the wrong side. The rest of the hall filled up with spectators and members of the various trains. The Queen sat prominently.
David asked Bishop John to open the proceedings with prayer, and then, as introduction, read out the letter the Pope had sent him in answer to his own, asking him to cause the bishops of Scotland to meet together, in synod, and to receive with reverence his personal legate, the Cardinal John of Crema, to put the issues in dispute before him. This, although seeming to place their fate rather too much in the Italian's hands, at least indicated the Pope's acceptance that there was more than one bishop in Scotland, and so might give Cormac and Gregory authority to speak as such.
Since it was thus a synod and not a royal council, John took the lead thereafter. He declared their satisfaction in having the presence of the personal representative of His Holiness — and less warmly - the company of the Archbishop and his advisers. Without preamble he went on to declare that there were two major matters before them, one bearing on the other. Namely the claims of the archdiocese of York to spiritual hegemony over Scotland; and the refusal of Archbishop Thurstan to consecrate the Bishop of St. Andrews, or other Scots bishops, without recognition of such superiority. Which Holy Church in Scotland, an entirely independent kingdom, could nowise accept. Other problems stemmed from these - but did all agree that these were the vital issues?
Without waiting for any others, the Cardinal nodded curtly and ordered John to proceed.
After a glance at the King, who half-shrugged, half-nodded, the Bishop went on to point out that never, at any time, had the Scottish Church come under the authority of York, or Canterbury either. Indeed, as the Columban branch of the Celtic Church of Ireland, it had not even recognised the hegemony of Rome itself, for long centuries. It was only when the late and sainted Queen Margaret, His Grace's mother, introduced the Roman rite and rule into Scotland less than fifty years before, that papal authority was recognised. How then could the Archbishop of York, or any other claim such authority?
The Legate glanced at Thurstan.
That man coughed. "My lord Cardinal," he said, "There are three good reasons why I do so, must do so. Firstly Scotland is not an independent kingdom, since its monarchs owe allegiance to the Kings of England, as Lords Paramount. This as established by King Canute, by King William the First, King William the Second and now King Henry . . ."
"Untrue!" David intervened, although quietly, restrainedly. "I cannot sit silent while such statement is made in my royal presence, in this my realm. I owe allegiance to Almighty God alone, and to King Henry only in respect of my English earldom of Huntingdon. That stands."
"You, you may not admit it, Sire- but that does not alter the fact that the King of England so asserts. And did not your own brother, King Edgar, carry the sword of state, England's sword of state, at King William the Second's Crown-wearing? Surely symbol of allegiance and subservience?" The old man's voice shook, but he went on. "I say that, as my own liege lord asserts, the Kingdom of Scotland is subject to his paramountcy in matters temporal, so in matters spiritual it must be subject to the paramountcy of Holy Church in the King of England's dominions. As metropolitan of Holy Church in the northern parts of those dominions, I can do no other than assert such superiority."
Bishop John began to speak but the Cardinal held up his beringed hand. "Brother Thurstan - you said three reasons?"
"Yes, Illustrious - three. The second is this. The fact that the mistaken and heretical Columban Church in Scotland did not recognise the authority of Holy Mother Church at Rome and of St. Peter's glorious and undoubted successors, does not in anyway affect their authority. The Pope's holy sway over Christendom is indisputable and indivisible, whatever blindness or error may prevail from time to time in any part. The fact that the Columbans estranged themselves from Rome does not mean that they were therefore outside the Holy Father's love and care. So this bishop's contention, for that sad period, means nothing. You cannot but accede. Illustrious?"
"We shall see. And your third point?"
"It is that Holy Church has never ceased to have spiritual charge and direction over Scotland from York. The Blessed Ninian who brought Christ to that land established a line of bishops at Candida Casa, which owed allegiance to York and were appointed therefrom. Later the Blessed Cuthbert also. And since then, in Queen Margaret's time, since there were no properly ordained or consecrated clergy in her land, she had to bring them in from York or Canterbury. Her sons likewise, as His Grace still is doing. So how can they claim independence?"
"Bishop - you wished to speak?"
"I do. If my lord Archbishop's last reasoning is accepted, no nation's Church could ever be independent, for at first all have to accept ordinands from otherwhere. There has been no Bishop of Candida Casa or Whithorn since the eighth century, when it and Strathclyde were not then in the realm of Scotland. There is no reason, other than spiritual pride and wordly vainglory, why York should seek to lord it over Scotland - save as an aid to English monarchial ambitions!"
"Insolent . . . !" the Archbishop quavered.
"May I sp
eak. Illustrious?" Flambard intervened smoothly. "Does not the Bishop of Glasgow agree that one of the most potent forces for establishing Christ in Southern Scotland was St. Cuthbert; who ruled from Holy Island and was consecrated bishop at York in 685? He held sway over all these parts - there is even a town and water with his name in Galloway. And Melross near to here was his monastery. He set up many of your churches ..."
"May I remind the Bishop of Durham that St. Cuthbert was, in his Scottish period a bishop of the Celtic Church, not the Roman?" Cormac of Dunkeld, said.
"That is not important, Illustrious - since he saw the error in time! What is important is that this country has traditionally been ruled ecclesiastically from York. And, if you will bear with me, there is another point to consider. Is Holy Church not divided, pontifically by law, into provinces or metropolitan primacies? Each under a metropolitan or archbishop. This Scotland, then, must come under some archbishop. The obvious and nearest is York. It can scarcely be otherwise."
"The metropolitan need not be an archbishop," John contended. "There are provinces of the Church, independent, where the metropolitans are bishops. As in the Kingdom of Man. As should be Scotland's Bishop of St. Andrews, the King's Bishop - when he is consecrated. Which brings us to the second representation, Illustrious . . ."
"Let us be finished with the first first, Bishop!" the Cardinal directed. "I have heard all these assertions. Has other any point not yet put forward on the first issue?"
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