may be that Johel was acting in a temporary capacity: he attests a Salisbury charter of about the same date.[1] We shall find that somewhat later archdeacons of other dioceses not unfrequently are employed in Somerset. We must not hastily draw a conclusion from the descriptions of Johel and Girbert as archdeacons of Salisbury and Bath respectively: they bear the titles of the dioceses, not necessarily of their particular archdeaconries.
Arald who was present at this court at Bath appears again on 4 April 1122 in a group of witnesses: 'archidiaconi et capellani episcopi, Johannes, Araldus, Atselinus, Vitalis, Osuuardus'.[2] As Atselin occurs elsewhere as bishop's chaplain, we may assume that the archdeacons here are two only, John and Arald. John, who attests first, was the bishop's nephew, of whom we have spoken elsewhere.[3] Bishop John died 29 Dec. 1122: Bishop Godfrey was consecrated 26 Aug. 1123, and he died 16 Aug. 1135. In the Bath Chartulary (i. 57) Bishop Godfrey's gift to the church of Bath is placed under 1136: though this is obviously wrong, we may suppose that the charter was granted towards the end of his life. It is attested by John and Arald archdeacons, who are followed by William prior of Taunton and three canons of Wells.
To sum up for the first period, we find that in Bishop Giso's time there is but one archdeacon, and that he continues in office for a while under Bishop John. Soon afterwards however there are three archdeacons, a usual number under the Norman bishops. No local title has so far appeared, except Bathensis (c. 1120); but it is probable that the diocese was already divided into three archdeaconries, as it certainly was a little later.
The next period comprises the episcopate of Robert and the eight years' vacancy which followed. There is an unfortunate lack of evidence for Bishop Robert's first ten years, and we cannot be sure that we have any charter of his earlier than 1146.[4] No earlier archdeacon reappears under Bishop Robert; but we frequently meet with a new group of three—Eustace, Martin, and Hugh: the order varies, but Eustace is generally first. The first to drop out is Martin, and his place is taken by Robert (Ath. 87). It is a curious fact that not one of these three persons occurs as archdeacon in any
- ↑ Reg. Osm. i. 381. The charter of Hen. I which confirms this charter must be dated 1121-2 (not c. 1109): see Round, Geoffrey de Mand., p. 433.
- ↑ B. i. 54.
- ↑ See above, p. 55.
- ↑ Two charters have been assigned to his first year: one the Ordinatio prebendarum (R. i. 31), by a note at the close; the Bath Donation (B. i. 61), by a note at the beginning. But internal evidence is decisive for a later date in each case: see above, pp. 56 f., 60.
