Richard of Dover

Both sides appealed to Rome, and Richard journeyed to Rome with Reginald fitz Jocelin, who had recently been elected Bishop of Bath, to rebut the charges of simony, illegitimate birth, and swearing an oath to the king that had been raised.

[3] Richard returned to England at the close of the year bearing his pallium which he had received directly from the pope.

King Henry II secured a truce between the archbishops for five years, but Richard was soon embroiled in another dispute.

Richard was less dogmatic on the rights of the clergy than his great predecessor had been; but his compromises were regarded by the monastic writers and the followers of Becket as a sign of weakness.

Richard also spent part of 1177 in Flanders on diplomatic business for King Henry.

[3] Richard attracted canon lawyers to his household, including Gerard la Pucelle, Peter of Blois, and Henry Pium of Northampton, all of whom advised him on legal matters.

Four of his questions to Alexander III entered the Decretals and the other collections of canon law of the 13th century.

[3] Richard died at Halling, Kent[3] on 16 February 1184[7] of colic and was buried in his cathedral.

[16] On a more domestic note, Richard was held to have been an able steward of the estates of Canterbury, very much interested in increasing production.