Ralph D'Escures - Time in England

Time in England

Soon afterwards Ralph paid a visit to England, perhaps to visit Shrewsbury Abbey, which was a daughter house of Séez. He may have been involved in the mediating the surrender of Robert of Bellême at Shrewsbury in 1102, for some chroniclers state that it was Ralph who delivered the keys of the castle to King Henry I of England. In 1103 he took refuge in England from the demands of Robert of Bellême for homage. Ralph declined to do homage because Pope Urban II had ordered that no clergy could do homage to the laity. Robert was also demanding heavy taxes, and Ralph fled with Serlo, Bishop of Séez, who was also subjected to Robert's demands. He passed his time in England with his friends Saint Anselm and Gundulf the Bishop of Rochester. He attended the translation of Saint Cuthbert's remains at Durham, where he was one of examiners of the body, and declared the saint's remains uncorrupt. In 1106 he visited Anselm at the Abbey of Bec, but probably did not try to assert himself at Séez. After Anselm was elected to the see of Canterbury, Ralph appears to have become part of the archbishop's household.

In June 1108 Ralph succeeded Gundulf as Bishop of Rochester, having been nominated by Gundulf before his death. Ralph was consecrated on 9 August 1108. He was at Anselm's deathbed in April 1109, and, afterwards, Ralph acted as administrator of the see of Canterbury until 26 April 1114, when he was chosen Archbishop at Windsor. The king had wanted his doctor, Faricus, who was an Italian and Abbot of Abingdon, but the nobles and the bishops objected to anyone but a Norman being appointed. The bishops also desired someone who was not a monk, or at least not one who was so close to Henry. As a compromise, Ralph was chosen, rather than the secular clergy that the bishops favoured. Although Ralph was a monk and had not served as a royal clerk, he was also a bishop, which seems to have reconciled the other bishops to his selection.