PUISET,    Hugh  de    (1125-95),  Bishop   of
Durham,  was  a  nephew  of  King  Stephen,


(478)


Puiset]


Dictionary  of  English  Church  History


[Puritanism


and  owed  his  rapid  promotion  in  the  Church
to  that  relationship. In  1142  he  was  made
Archdeacon  of  Winchester  by  his  uncle,
Henry  of  Blois  (q.v.) ;  in  1143  received  the
treasurership  of  York  from  his  cousin,  Arch-
bishop William ;  and  in  1153  was  elected  to
the  see  of  Durham,  though  under  the  canoni-
cal age,  at  the  instance  of  the  King. Arch-
bishop Henry  Murdac  refused  to  consecrate
him,  on  the  ground  of  his  youth,  his  secular
tastes,  and  his  loose  morals. But  he  obtained
support  from  Henry  of  Blois  and  even
from  Theobald  of  Canterbury ;  and  Anas-
tasius  iv. was  persuaded  to  consecrate  him
at  Rome. As  Bishop  of  Durham  he  ruled
his  monks,  his  clergy,  and  his  barons  with  an
iron  hand,  riding  rough-shod  over  privilege
and  custom. He  defended  the  liberties  of
Durham  with  success  against  the  see  of
York  ;  and  Henry  n. showed  him  a  remark-
able degree  of  indulgence,  in  consideration
of  the  importance  of  his  palatinate  as  a
bulwark  against  the  Scots. This  favour  was
ill  repaid  by  Puiset,  who  in  1173  made  a
truce  with  William  the  Lion,  and  gave  the
Scots  free  passage  through  his  lands. In
consequence  he  lost  for  a  time  his  chief
castles,  but  he  recovered  the  King's  grace  by
paying  a  fine  of  two  thousand  marks. His
energies  were  chiefly  devoted  to  the  aggran-
disement of  his  see. He  added  largely  to  the
episcopal  estates,  and  compiled  the  famous
survey  of  them  which  is  known  as  the  Boldon
Book ;  he  reorganised  the  administration  of
the  palatinate,  restored  the  castles  of  Durham
and  Northallerton,  and  completed  the  city
wall  at  Durham. His  life  was  secular ;  but
he  observed  a  certain  decorum,  and  spent  his
wealth  lavishly  on  such  pious  works  as  the
Galilee  of  Durham  Cathedral  and  the  leper
hospital  of  Sherburn. On  the  accession  of
Richard  I. the  bishop  made  haste  to  purchase
from  the  King  the  earldom  of  Northumber-
land and  the  justieiarship  of  England  be-
yond the  Humber — a  transaction  which
scandalised  strict  churchmen,  and  placed
Puiset  in  a  position  resembling  that  of  a
German  prince-bishop. 