Excerpt from Registrum Johannis Gilbert, Episcopi Herefordensis, A. D. 1375-1389Gilbert was translated from Bangor to Hereford in 1375, after a rule of only three years. From the first he was immersed in high politics, and committed the administration of the diocese very largely to his Vicars general. Till 1386 he managed to fulfil the special functions of a bishop, in that year his political career reached its climax, and he was compelled to appoint a suffragan. The general discipline of the diocese did not suffer from this enforced absence of its head, the visitations of deaneries and monasteries seem to have been systematic, irregularities of the clergy, as in the case of the Vicars of Monkland2 and Clifton, 3 were punished by removal from their cures, absentees were sternly recalled to their duties4, and in smaller matters there is evidence of a strict and minute control. Thus William Mody was not permitted to exchange his benefice of Winforton till he had per formed a penance previously incurred?The chancellorship of Ireland, conferred on the bishop 8th April, was the gift of the ministers of the Crown, but on October 23rd, 1386, the king himself appointed him treasurer of England. The chancellor and the treasurer were the two great executive officers of state, and in changing them at will Richard thought to throw off the control of those who had hitherto directed his government. The attempt was short-lived, and in the following November he was compelled to delegate his royal authority to a commission of fourteen, which for two years practically ruled the country in his place. In this commission, though it was composed of persons opposed to the king, John Gilbert, as treasurer, had a place, and during the continuance of its regime retained his office. When in 1389 the king resumed the reins of government he was dismissed from his post, but consoled for its loss by a translation to the See of S. David's.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.