218 ROGER OF WENDOVER. [A.D. 120C Of the controversy between the suffragan bishops of the church of Cnnterbiiry and the monks of the .*ame piace, about the choice of an archbishop- A.D . 1206. King John kept Christmas at Oxford; and about tlic same time sent some, monks of the church of Canterbury, amongst whom, in particular, was Master Elias de Iîrantfield, to the court of Iiomc, and supplied them with large presents from the treasury in order to obtain from our lord the pope the confirmation of the election of John bishop of Norwich. At the same time, too, the suffragan bishops of the church of Canterbury sent agents to Koine to lay a serious complaint before our lord the pope, namely, that the monks of Canterbury had audaciously presumed to make election of an archbishop without them, although they ought, by common right and ancient custom, to have been present at the election as well as the monks ; the said agents also set fortlL decrees and examples on the foregoing matters, bringing some witnesses, and producing testimonials, whereby they endeavoured to show that they, the said suffragans, had chosen three, metropolitans conjointly with the monks. The monks, on the contrary, asserted, that, by a special privilege of the Roman pontiffs, and by a proved and old custom, they had been accustomed to make elections without the bishops, and promised to prove this by fitting witnesses. After the allegations on both sides had been heard, and the witnesses admitted and carefully examined, the 21st of December was fixed on by our lord the pope for declaring judgment between the parties, and that they were then to come and hear what the law appointed. Jlotc king John crossed over to Poictou and took forcible possession of ttie castle of Montauban. At Whitsuntide of this same year king John assembled a large army at Portsmouth, and taking ship on the 2óth of June, he landed on the 9th of July at Rochelle; on hearing which the inhabitants of those provinces were delighted, and, instantly flying to the king, gave him sure promises of money and assistance. After this then he marched forward with more, confidence, and subdued a great portion of that territory. At length he arrived at the. noble castle of Montauban, in which all the warlike nobles of that district, and especially his own enemies were shut up, and immediately disposed his