;,·:• r: :-, . A.D. 1260. EOBEETDE STICHIX MADE BISHOP OP DTJBHAM. 385 final peace. But while these deeds were being accomplished, having waited for a proper time to place the parties in the possession of the things which were admitted to belong to both, under the name of exchange and peace, the good bishop was removed from this world, and so, of necessity, the business was not brought to the same end that it would have been. And immediately the guardianship of the aforesaid bishopric was entrusted by the king to John Mansel, which was contrary to the common provision. And afterwards, on the Friday after the Nativity of the blessed Virgin Mary, the lord John de Krakehale, treasurer of England and archdeacon of Bedford, bidding farewell to the world while it was smiling on him from every quarter, died at London ; and being possessed, as it was said, of no inconsiderable wealth, he left eighteen thousand pounds untouched behind him. He also released the church of Wantham from the payment of no small sum of money which it owed him, and having conferred other benefits on that church, he also bequeathed his body to it, to be buried there. When the lord William de Kirkham, of blessed memory, bishop of Durham, had been taken from among men, the chapter of Durham, taking care that their church should not be too long in want of a shepherd, fixed a day for the election, and then, on the day after the feast of Saint Michael, with unanimous consent elected the lord Robert de Stichil, one of the monks of their own body, and the prior of Finchale, to be their bishop and pastor, an accomplished, discreet, and praiseworthy man ; for although they had been canvassed by the royal .request in favour of the secular clergy, still, having God before their eyes, they, without any favour towards or fear of any one, decided their election by a choice from among themselves. And the bishop, elect, embracing the proffered honour as what was bestowed upon him by the divine interposition, which he was bound to obey, being conducted by his own prior of Durham, went at once before the king's presence. And so coming to London about the feast of Saint Edward at the time when parliament was sitting, as some persons tried to hinder him, he found the king for a time adverse to him, but at last, after he had remained at the court a fortnight, he brought him over to be as favourable to him as he wished. Therefore, being received by the king and doing him homage for his barony, and having sent off the king's letters to the guardian of the VOL,, η. π ,