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 As a sign of
his remorse for his role in the murder of the Archbishop Thomas a Becket,
King Henry II founded the first house in England of the strict monastic
order called the Carthusians. Difficulties arose with the first two priors,
and a French noble recommended Hugh de Avalon, who at that time had been a
monk at the mother house of the order for 17 years.
On his arrival in England in 1176, Hugh found that the building of the
monastery had not begun. Worse, no compensation had been paid to those who
would have to lose their lands and property to make room for it. Hugh
refused to take office until these persons had been paid "to the last
penny." He intervened again on behalf of the builders, whose pay was not
forthcoming.
Henry loved him for his plain speaking. "I do not despair of you," Hugh said
to him at their first interview; "I know how much your many occupations
interfere with the health of your soul." Henry, impressed by his frankness,
swore that while he lived he should not leave his kingdom, and took so much
pleasure in his conversation, and paid so much heed to his counsels, that a
rumor arose that Hugh was his son. Hugh's biographer wrote that "of all men
only Hugh could bend that rhinosceros to his will." When Henry was in danger
of shipwreck, he cried out, "If only my Carthusian Hugh were awake and at
prayer, God would not forget me."
This affection never diminished, though Hugh dared to oppose the king,
particularly in the matter of keeping bishoprics vacant in order that their
revenues might fall to the king's treasury. One of the worst examples was
Lincoln, which, except for a few months, had been without a bishop for
eighteen years. Hugh was elected to the post in 1186, and his monastic
superiors ordered him to accept. After so long a period of neglect, there
was great need of reform. Hugh employed priests of great piety and learning,
and made the fullest use of his authority in disciplining his clergy. He
took a stern view of the ill-treatment of the poor by the royal foresters,
and when a subject of the church of Lincoln suffered at their hands he
excommunicated their chief.
He also refused to appoint a royal favorite to a meaningless but lucrative
post. Henry was furious, and summoned him to his presence. He came, and
Henry turned away his face and would not speak, but by way of ignoring his
presence took out a torn glove and began to sew it. At last Hugh said, "How
like you are to your relations at Falaise." The king might have resented
this allusion to the humble birth of William the Conqueror's mother, the
daughter of a glove-maker, but he only laughed, and the quarrel was made up.
Riots against the Jews broke out in England at the time of the Third
Crusade. In defence of the persecuted, Hugh faced armed mobs in Lincoln,
Stamford and Northampton and compelled their submission.
Hugh refused to raise money for the foreign wars of King Richard the
Lion-Heart, calmed the king's rage with a kiss, and persisted in his
refusal: this was the first clear example on record of the refusal of a
money-grant demanded directly by the crown, and an important legal
precedent. Richard said, "If all bishops were like my lord of Lincoln, not a
prince among us could raise his head against them."
His relations with King John were less happy. John showed him an amulet,
which he said was sacred and would preserve him. Hugh replied, "Do not put
your trust in lifeless stone, but only in the living and heavenly stone, our
Lord Jesus Christ." The following Easter he preached at length on the duties
of kings, and the king slipped out partway through.
Devout, tireless, and forgetful of self, Hugh also had wit, a temper that he
described as "more biting than pepper," and a great love and concern for
children and the defenceless. He visited leper-houses and washed the
ulcerous limbs of their inmates.
He was fond of animals, and they of him. Birds and squirrels came readily to
his hand. He had a swan that would feed from his hand, follow him about, and
keep guard over his bed, so that no one could approach it without being
attacked.
In 1200 the king sent him on an embassy to France. His mission was a
success, but he took ill and returned to England to die on 16 November 1200.
John Ruskin called him "the most beautiful sacerdotal (priestly) figure
known to me in history."
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