GROSSETO
39
GROSSETO
realized how necessary it was to support the papacy
against the Emperor Frederick II, and his objection
was chiefly to the manner in which much of this rev-
enue was raised, the appointment of papal partisans in
Italy to English benefices and preferments. Such a
practice necessarily involved much spiritual damage,
and was consistently resisted by the bishop. lie felt,
also, \-ery deeply the abuses of the Curia, and tlie ease
with which exemptions and privileges which counter-
acted his own reforms could be obtained from Rome
by means of pecuniary supply. On the other hand, he
himself constantly appealed to Rome, and frequently
received papal support.
He visited the court of Innocent IV on two occa- sions: in 12-15, when he attended the General Council at Lyons, and for the second time in 1250, when he came to beg the pope's help in his many difficulties. This tithe the aged bishop (he must have been about seventy-five), more zealous than ever for ecclesiastical reform, but troubled to the depths of his soul by the royal misgovernment, the resistance of the regulars to his measures, the difficulty of reforming the seculars, the financial demands of the Curia, which had not diminished with the defeat of Frederick, antl hnally by a ([uarrei in which he had been involved with his own arclibishop, read out in the presence of the ])ope and cardinals an impressive recital of the evils of the time and a protest against the abuses of the Curia, "the cause and origin of all this". Innocent listened without interruption, and probably had some previous knowledge of the attack which the bishop intended to make upon his court. The last case in which (irosse- teste refused to obey a papal order called forth the let- ter to Master Innocent" which has been already mentioned. In the last year of his life Grosseteste re- ceived a letter which notified him that the Holy See had conferred a vacant canonry at Lincoln on the pope's nephew, Frederick di Lavagna, and had fur- thermore threatened excommunication against any- one who should oppose his installation. The bishop's refusal to acknowledge the papal choice, and the terms in which it was expressed, led to the report, quite lui- founded, that he had actually been excommunicated before his death; and to much fanciftd history on the part of Matthew Paris. As a matter of fact the pro- test was partly successful; in November, 1253, Inno- cent IV issued a Bull, restoring to the English eccle- siastical authorities their full rights of election and I^resentation.
The Bisliop of Lincoln held a high position in the State, but his relations with the civil authorities were imusually difficult, as he had to carry out the duties of his office during such a period of misgovernment as the reign of Henry HI. Personally, he was usually on friendly terms with the king and his family; but lie was often in opposition to the royal policy, both in ecclesiastical and civil matters, and threatened on one occasion to lay the king's chapel under an interdict. Grosseteste's attitude on the question of ecclesiastical privilege was much the same as that adopted by St. Thomas. He took a prominent and sometimes a leading part in the constitutional opposition to Henry, and in 1244 was one of the committee of twelve nomi- nated by Parliament to draw up a list of reforms. When, in 1252, the charters were solemnly confirmed, and a sentence of excommunication pronounced against anyone who should violate them, Grosseteste had the sentence read out to the people in every parish of his diocese. His friendship with Simon de Montfort was one of intimacy and long standing, and was cele- brated in contemporary popular songs. It was of mo- ment in confirming Simon in that devotion to national interests which distinguished him later from the other leaders of the baronial opposition. Grosseteste before his death was full of anxiety for the state of the coun- try and dread for the civil war which was so soon to break out. He was buried in his cathedral. Very
soon he was regarded almost universally in England as
a saint The chroniclers tell of miracles at his tomb,
and pilgrims visited it. Early in the following cen-
tury a Bishop of Lincoln granted them an indulgence.
Efforts were made by different prelates, by Edward I,
and by the Universit}' of Oxford to procure his canoni-
zation by the pope, but they were all unsuccessful.
Besides M.\tthew Paris, whose monastic and anti-papal bias must never be forgotten, and the other chroniclers, the chief materials for Grosseteste's life are to be found in his Letters IRoberti Grosseteste EpistolfE, Rolls Series, ed. Lu.\rd, 1S61), in Monumenta Franciscana, I {liotls Series, ed. Brewer, 1S5S), which contain Adam Marsh's letters, and in the Calendar of Papal Registers, ed. Bliss. The most important modern au- thorities are Lu.\rd's Preface to the Letters; Felten, Robert Grosseteste, Bischof von Lincoln {Freiburg, 1SS7); Stevenson, Robert Grosseteste, Bishop of Lincoln (London. 1899), a most impartial work, which supersedes Perry's rather biased Life and Times of Robert Grosseteste (1S71). See also Pohle in Kircherdex.,s. v. Information on Cirosseteste's Oxford career can be obtained from R.\shdai.l, Vniversities of Europe during the Middle Ages: Little, G'rey Friars at Oxford : and Felder, Geschtchte d. wissenschaftl. Studien im Frnnzisknner-Orden (Freiburg, 1904), 260 sqq. For a list of the printed editions of his works see Luard m Diet. Nat. Biog., s. v.
F. F. Urquhart.
Grosseto, Diocese of (Gho.s.set.vn.v), suffragan of Siena, has for its episcopal city the capital of the prov-
Facade, Cathedral of Grosseto
Designed by Sozo Rustichini (XIII Century)
ince of Grosseto in Tuscany. Grosseto is situated at the mouth of the Ombrone, in the unhealthy Marem- ma country. It is first mentioned in S03 as a fief of the Counts Aldobrandeschi. It grew in importance with years, owing to the decay of Ruselloe and Vetu- lonia. The ruins of the former are still to be seen, about five miles from Grosseto — cyclopean walls four miles in circumference, and sulphur baths, which in the last century were restored for medicinal uses. There was formerly an amphitheatre. Grosseto was one of the principal Etruscan cities. In 1 137 it was be.sieged by Henry of Bavaria, envoy of Lothair III. In 1224 the Sienese captured it and were legally invested with it by the imperial vicar; thus Grosseto shared the fortunes of Siena. It became an important strong- hold, and the fortress (rocca), the walls, and bastions are still to be seen. In 1266, and again in 1355, it
