Eustace (bishop of Ely)

It was at this time that Pope Innocent III began to use Eustace as a papal judge-delegate, first appointing him to help mediate a dispute between Hubert Walter and the monks of Canterbury.

The commissioners set forth a plan, but Savaric died soon after and Pope Innocent III was persuaded to disallow the move.

[7] During King John's dispute with the pope over the election of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury, the pope once more chose Eustace as a commissioner in August 1207,[8] along with William of Sainte-Mère-Eglise, the Bishop of London, and Mauger the Bishop of Worcester.

[11] In 1212, Eustace journeyed to Rome to complain to Innocent about John's oppression of the English Church.

John had pledged to compensate Eustace for the damages done to Ely during the interdict, which were estimated to have been around £1000.

When John came into conflict with the barons, the king attempted to win over Eustace by giving Ely the royal rights of patronage to Thorney Abbey.

[1] A modern historian, C. R. Cheney, said of Eustace that even though he started as a royal official, he "rose to [his] responsibilities" as bishop.