A most interesting and instructive series of papal letters is preserved in the valuable Cotton MS. known as Tiberius, A. vi. The earliest with which we are here concerned are those referred to in the Historia Eliensis as obtained by Alexander and his fellows, the "nuncii" of Nigel to the pope, in virtue of which the bishop regained his see in 1142 (ante, p. 162).[1189] These letters are dated April 29. As the bishop was driven from the see early in 1140, the year to which they belong is not, at first sight, obvious. The Historia indeed appears to place them just before his return, but its narrative is not so clear as could be wished, nor would it imply that the bishop returned so late as May (1142). The sequence of events I take to have been this. Nigel, when ejected from his see (1140), fled to the Empress at Gloucester. There he remained till her triumph in the following year (1141). He would then, of course, regain his see, and this would account for his knights being found in possession of the isle when Stephen recovered his throne. The king, eager to reassert his rights and to avoid another fenland revolt, would send the two earls to Ely (1142) to regain possession of its strongholds. The bishop, now once more an exile, and despairing of Maud's fortunes, would turn for help to the pope, and obtain from him these letters commanding his restoration to his see. I should therefore assign them to April 29, 1142. This would account for the expression "per longa tempora" in the letter to Stephen. They could not belong to 1141, when the Empress was in power, and the above expression would not be applicable in the year 1140.

The following is the gist of the letter to Stephen:—

"Serenitati tue rogando mandamus quatinus dignitates et libertates.... Venerabili quoque fratri nostro Nigello eiusdem loci episcopo in recuperandis possessionibus ecclesie sue injuste distractis consilium et auxilium prebeas. Nec pro eo quod ecclesia ipsa sua bona jam per longa tempora perdidit, justitie sue eam sustinere aliquod preiuditium patiaris" (fol. 114).

To his brother, the Bishop of Winchester, Innocent writes thus:—

"Rogando mandamus et mandando precipimus quatinus sententiam quam venerabilis frater noster Nigellus Elyensis episcopus in eos qui possessiones ecclesie sue iniuste et per violentiam detinent rationabiliter promulgavit firmiter observetis et observari per vestras parrochias pariter faciatis" (fol. 113 b).

A letter (also from the Lateran) of the same date to Nigel himself excuses his presence and that of the Abbot of Thorney at a council. A subsequent letter ("data trans Tyberim") of the 5th of October, addressed to Theobald and the English bishops, deals with the expulsion and restitution of Nigel, and insists on his full restoration.

The next series of letters are from Pope Lucius, and belong to May 24, 1144, being written on the occasion of Nigel's visit (ante, p. 208). Of these there are five in all. To Stephen Lucius writes as follows:—

"Venerabilis frater noster Nigellus Elyensis episcopus quamvis quibusdam criminibus in presentia nostra notatus fuerit, nec tamen convictus neque confessus est. Unde nos ipsum cum gratia nostra ad sedem propriam remittentes nobilitati tue mandamus ut eum pro beati Petri et nostra reverentia honores, diligas, nec ipse sibi vel ecclesie sue iniuriam vel molestiam inferas nec ab aliis inferri permittas. Si qua etiam ... ab hominibus tuis ei ablata sunt cum integritate restitui facias" (fol. 117).

The above "crimina" are those referred to in the Historia Eliensis as brought forward at the Council of London in 1143:—

"Quidam magni autoritatis et prudentiæ visi adversus Dominum Nigellum Episcopum parati insurrexerunt: illum ante Domini Papæ præsentiam appellaverunt, sinistra ei objicientes plurima, maxime quod seditiones in ipso concitaverat regno, et bona Ecclesie sue in milites dissipaverat; aliaque ei convicia blasphemantes improperabant" (p. 622).

A second letter of the same date "Ad clerum elyensem de condempnatione Symonie Vitalis presbyteri" deals with the case of Vitalis, a priest in Nigel's diocese, who had been sentenced to deprivation of his living, for simony, and whose appeal to the Council of London in 1143 had been favourably received by the legate.[1190] The pope had himself reheard the case, and now confirmed Nigel's decision:—

"Dilectis filiis Rodberto Abbati Thorneie et capitulo elyensi salutem etc. Notum vobis fieri quia iuditium super causa, videlicet symonia, Vitalis presbyteri in synodo elyensi habitum in nostra presentia discussum est et retractatum. Quod nos rationabile cognoscentes apostolice sedis auctoritate firmavimus," etc., etc. (fol. 117).

Then come two letters, also of the same date, one to Theobald and the English bishops, the other to the Archbishop of Rouen, both to the same effect, beginning, "Venerabilis frater noster Nigellus elyensis episcopus ad sedem apostolicam veniens, nobis conquestus est quod," etc. (fol. 116 b):[1191] the fifth document of the 24th of May (1144) is a general confirmation to Ely of all its privileges and possessions (fols. 114 b-116 b).

Last of all is the letter referring to Geoffrey de Mandeville, which must, from internal evidence, have been written in reply to a letter from Nigel after his return to England (ante, p. 215).