Introduction 
Return to list of Bishops 
Next BishopLIVES OF THE BISHOPS OF EXETER
LEOFRICUS (the Leuricus of Domesday) descended from an illustrious family in Burgundy, but reared and educated in Lorrain, had probably formed an acquaintance with Edward the Confessor abroad. Shortly after his accession to the English throne we meet Leofric as his chaplain, to whom he gave an estate now called Holcombe, in the parish of Dawlish, in the county of Devon, " cuidam meo idoneo capellano, Leofrico onomate nuncupato, septem mansas in Doflishe." The original grant is in the archives of the cathedral. He further made Leofric his chancellor for a short period; and promoted him to the charge of the united sees of Devon and Cornwall. The district had greatly suffered from the incursions of pirates; and we learn from a manuscript in the Bodleian Library (No. 579) that our zealous and faithful prelate exerted himself in visiting and administering comfort to his afflicted flock - that he was assiduous in preaching God's Word - that he trained up his clergy in religious discipline, erected several churches, and was exemplary in the discharge of his spiritual functions. Crediton was then a defenceless town, in comparison to Exeter, which had rapidly recovered from its disasters inflicted by the Danish invaders; and Leofric contemplated a removal of his residence into this fortified city, the capital of Devonia, læta fluviis nemorumque comâ. To succeed in his object he despatched his confidential chaplain Landbert to Rome, to explain to the saintly Pope Leo IX. the expediency of such translation of residence, and to request his holiness to recommend the measure to his sovereign. The pope readily consented; his recommendation met the royal approval, and King Edward bestowed on our prelate the monastery of St. Mary and St. Peter in Exeter for his future residence, and, in the course of the year 1050, assisted with Editha his queen, at the installation of the bishop in the said abbey-church, in the presence of a numerous assemblage of the nobles of England. The monks, who, according to Leland ('Itin.' vol. iii. p. 67), were but eight in number, were transplanted to Westminster, and twenty-four secular canons, and twenty-four vicars were appointed to perform the daily and nightly service in his new Cathedral. These canons adopted in a great measure the rule of St. Chrodegang, Bishop of Metz, who had died 6th March, 766 - a rule which had found favour at the great national council of Ænham (Hants), at which the primate Elphege presided in 1009. It enjoined celibacy, attendance at choir during the seven canonical hours, eating together in the same refectory, and sleeping in a common dormitory; but in process of time such convictus became obligatory on the vicars only. Leofric found his church ill provided with revenues and ornaments, and especially books. From his private resources he maintained his cathedral staff until he succeeded, by his industrious zeal and influence with the state, in recovering some of the alienated property of the late monastery at Culmstock, Branescomb, Saltcumb, St. Mary Church, Staverton, St. Sidwell, &c. With the permission of William the Conqueror in 1069, he conveyed to his church the above-mentioned estate at Holcombe, with property at Bampton, Estium and Ceommanyng in Oxfordshire; and in the second volume of the ' Monasticon Anglicanum,' p. 527 (ed. 1819), may be seen a catalogue of his numerous and valuable donations. The editors, however, have overlooked some other books mentioned in the original manuscript, in the possession of the Dean and Chapter, viz. the 'Hymns of Prudentius,' Bede's 'Commentary on St. Luke's Gospel, as also "Liber Persii, et Sedulii Boc, et Liber Oratoris, et Liber de Sanctis Patribus." Several of these books were parted with by the Dean and Chapter, and are now in the Bodleian Library. In 1061 our bishop witnessed the grant by King Edward the Confessor of the manor of Ottery St. Mary in this diocese to the cathedral church of Rouen. On the 10th of February, 1072-3, this worthy prelate was called to his repose, and was buried in the crypt of his church " in cryptâ ejusdem ecclesiæ," supposed to be under the present vestry of the Priest-vicars' or St. James's Chapel. In the fabric roll of the cathedral of 1419 is a charge "Pro scripturâ lapidis Domini Leofrici, primi ecclesias Exon episcopi." In 1568 a memorial to him, partly composed of ill-assorted, but beautiful marble fragments, was erected within the south tower. The crypt afore-said had served for several years as a wine-vault for the episcopal palace; but, having been previously cleared by order of the chapter, an excavation was made on 30th April, 1847, to ascertain if the remains of the bishop were actually there, yet without any satisfactory result.
Can that beautifully designed sepulchral monument against the south wall of St. James's Chapel be intended to perpetuate his memory?
ARMS:- Or, a cross fleuree, sable, having on the fess point a mitre proper.
CHARTER of KING EDWARD the CONFESSOR
to his Chaplain LEOFRIC, of HOLCOMBE in Dawlish.
CARTA de vij mansis de Dowchlics quos Sanctus EDWARDUS REX dedit LEOFRICO capellano suo in tempore Lyfingi Episcopi Cridianensis, sub anno Domini M°.xliiij°.
Regis cunctorum regum regimine reguntur omnia supera ima profundaque, cujus quoque immensa benivolentia sub inde, quem sibi obtemperantem perspexerit et praesentibus locupletat habunde opibus, et pst istius misere vite de cursum - facit eum pennis angelicis transcendere ad regna supernorum gaudiorum. Qui etiam solus voluntate eterni patris disponit sceptra juraque regnorum: et nempe flux ducum rexque omnium procul dubio regum. Cujus rei autem gratia a nobis inchoatus sit hic donationis libelus consequenter manifestabitur in precedente paginula. Igiur ego Eduuardus, opitulante potentissimo Deo, possidens totus monarchiam Anglicæ necne et Brittanniæ telluris haud mdice, concedendo concessus sum cuidam meo idoneo capellam Leofrico onomate nuncupato quoddam rus in villa que abincolis regionis illius vocitatur Doflise scilicet VII mansos illi et ad arandum eo tenore quo omnibus diebus vite sue absquealiqua machina sub illius honorifice regatur dominio atque potestate postque finem dierum illius habeat potestatem cuiamque placuerit tribuendi aut erogandi. Precepimus autem it antefatum rus sit liberum ab omni fiscali tributo vel vectigai cum omnibus ad se rite pertinentibus tam in maximis quam in modicis rebus, campis pascuis pratis silvisque, excepti istis tribus, expeditione, pontis, arcisque constructione. His taque a nobis, prout debuimus ceuque placuit reverentie noste et voluntati stabilitis, adhuc quod minime est oblivioni traendum, volumus ut hic presens codicellus nostre licentie scrptus dampnet conculcet atque anathematizet cunctos emulorm si qui contra eundem reperti fuerint, libellos. Siquis autem quod futurum minime autumo presumptione audaci instinctque diabolico contra nostrum decretum hanc donationis kartrulam adnihilare vel pro nihilo ducere temptaverit inprimis quod gravius est iram Dei omnipotentis genitricisque ejus velelicet alme et intacte Marie incurrat, dehinc meam omnimque satellitum meorum noscatque se obnoxium atque reumomnibus horis atque momentis solorum fiatque pars illius cum Dathan et Abyron cumque tortuoso Beelzebub principe ruscarum in baratro inferiori et quod indigne seu procaciter epexit me emu dicet sed cum dedecore multimodo expulsus sit a nobis nisi prius hic digna penitudine studuerit ultro me coactus emendare. Anno incarnationis dominice M.XLIIII indictione XII epactaque XVIII et concurrente VII scilicet bissexti anno karaxata est hec kartula gubernante piissimo Anglorum atervam rege feliciter Eaduuardo.
CONFIRMATION by King WILLIAM the CONQUEROR
to Bishop LEOFRIC, of Holcombe, in Dawlish, and Bampton, in Oxfordshire.
Mundo accrescentia mala minantur etiam mundi appropinquare excidia, et beatius est hominem mortalem illucmentis passibus tendere, ubi post finem hujus vitæ beatis datur perenniter vivere. Hoc enim vivere beatissimum oportet Regem Christianum omni mentis conamine sibi alacriter emere, quia miserabile est regem hoc seculo coronari et in futuro æternis poenis mancipari. Hæc vero vigili mente intuens, his quoque me succumbam recavens Ego Wilhelmus victoriosus Anglorum basileus concessi fidelem meum Leofricum Episcopum septem mansos terræ in privatis locis, hoc est apud Bemtun & Estiun & Ceommanyg, ac Holacumb æccelesitæ Sancti Petri Apostoli in Exonia ubi ejus episcopalis sedes est, donare & canonicorum ejusdem æcclesize victum ampliare hereditario jure, tam in magnis quam in modicis rebus ad se ritè pertinentibus, videlicet agris, silvis, pratis, pascuis, cultis & incultis exitibus & reditibus, eo tenore ac concessu, ut prefata terra ab omni censu sit libera, excepta expeditione, pontis ac urbis constructione & restauratione. Si quis autem, quod absit, diabolo instigante meum regalem concessum presumat evertere, & beneficia predictæ æccelesiæ & canonicis data detrahere, vel in aliquo minuere, nisi conversus reddendo & dupliciter restituendo sanctæ Dei æcclesiæ satisfaciat, in resurrectione beatorum divina voce damnatus fiat socius omnium demoniorum. Anno dominicæ incarnationis millesimo LXVIIII consentiente Wilhelmo rege data est hæc terra Ecclesiæ Sancti Petri Apostoli in Exonia civitate a venerabili presule Leofrico sub testimonio eorum qui subscripti sunt.
Indorsed. - Confirmatio Regis Willelmi de 6 Hidis de Bentun et de Estun et de Ceommanig et de una hida et virgata et dimidia in Devonia ad Holecumb de terra de Doflisc.
{Carta Willelmi Regis de Bamptun
Carta de Bampton et Holecumb infra manerium de Docwlysch}
(In a much later hand.)
This is the dede of sex hide en Oxenford Schire at Bampton & at Eston and at Chemenye & thilke 1 hide & other half hide Lande en Devonschire at Holcombe of Dawlisch lande that Leofric Bisshop gaf on to his Bisschiprych of Excestr by Kyngis leve will for his Sowle.