, the only Englishman who ever had the honour of sitting in the papal
, the only Englishman who ever
had the honour of sitting in the papal chair. His name
was Nicholas Brekespere; and he was born about the end
of the 11th century, at Langley, near St. Alban’s, in Hertfordshire. His father having left his family, and taken the
habit of the monastery of St. Alban’s, Nicholas was obliged
to submit to the lowest offices in that house for daily support. After some time he desired to take the habit in that
monastery, but was rejected by the abbot Richard: “He
was examined,
” says Matthew Paris, “and being found
insufficient, the abbot said to him, Wait, my son, and go
to school a little longer, till you are better qualified.
” But
if the character given of young Brekespere by Pitts be a
just one, the abbot was certainly to be blamed for rejecting a person who would have done great honour to his
house. He was, according to that author, a handsome and
comely youth, of a sharp wit and ready utterance; circumspect in all his words and actions, polite in his behaviour,
neat and elegant; full of zeal for the glory of God, and
that according to some degree of knowledge; so possessed
of all the most valuable endowments of mind and body,
that in him the gifts of heaven exceeded nature: his piety
exceeded his education; and the ripeness of his judgment
and his other qualifications exceeded his age. Having met
however with the above repulse, he resolved to try his fortune in another country, and went to Paris; where, though
in very poor circumstances, he applied himself to his
studies with great assiduity, and made a wonderful proficiency. But having still a strong inclination to a religious
life, he left Paris, and removed to Provence, where he
became a regular clerk in the monastery of St. Rufus. He
was not immediately allowed to take the habit, but passed
some time by way of trial, in recommending himself to the
monks by a strict attention to all their commands. This
behaviour, together with the beauty of his person, and
prudent conversation, rendered him so acceptable to those
religious, that after some time they entreated him to take
the habit of the canonical order. Here he distinguished
himself so much by his learning and strict observance of
the monastic discipline, that, upon the death of the abbot,
he was chosen superior of that house; and we are told that
he rebuilt that convent. He did not long enjoy this abbacy: for the monks, being tired of the government of a
foreigner, brought accusations against him before pope
Eugenius III. who, after having examined their complaint,
and heard the defence of Nicholas, declared him innocent;
his holiness, however, gave the monks leave to choose
another superior, and, being sensible of the great merit of
Nicholas, and thinking he might be serviceable to the
church in a higher station, created him cardinal-bishop of
Alba, in 1146.