 = Osbert de Bayeux = 
 
 Osbert de Bayeux ( floruit 1121 to 1184 ) was a medieval English cleric and archdeacon in the Diocese of York . A relative of Thurstan , the Archbishop of York , Osbert probably owed his ecclesiastical positions to this relative . After Thurstan 's death , Osbert was opposed to one of the candidates for the archbishopric , William fitzHerbert , and worked to secure fitzHerbert 's deposition and replacement by Henry Murdac . After Murdac 's death in 1153 , Osbert tried to prevent the return of fitzHerbert , but these attempts were unsuccessful . When fitzHerbert died suddenly in 1154 , Osbert was accused of murdering the newly returned archbishop . Although he was never convicted of the murder in either a secular or an ecclesiastical court , he was stripped of his clerical status and became a layman before 1158 . He died after 1184 , perhaps even after 1194 . 
 
 = = Early life = = 
 
 Osbert was first mentioned in the historical record between 1121 and 1128 when he appears in a charter , which although likely a forgery , probably contains an authentic witness list . This document lists him as " Osbert archdeacon " , which means that he probably held the archdeaconry of Richmond . He was the nephew of Thurstan , who was Archbishop of York from 1114 to 1140 . Presumably he owed his position as archdeacon to his uncle and was probably appointed at a young age . A charter of Thurstan 's , dating to around 1138 , names Osbert explicitly as Thurstan 's nephew . 
 
 = = Opposition to William fitzHerbert = = 
 
 Osbert was opposed to the election of William fitzHerbert as Archbishop of York and supported William 's rival and successor Henry Murdac . Although he remained a supporter of Murdac after 1147 , he did oppose Murdac 's interventions in Selby Abbey , where Murdac had deposed one abbot and appointed another . In 1153 , Osbert deposed Murdac 's choice as abbot of Selby and appointed another abbot . Originally , Osbert had supported Elias Paynel , Murdac 's choice for abbot , but then changed his stance and helped with the deposition . 
 After Murdac 's death in 1153 , Osbert was opposed to William 's return as archbishop , but was unsuccessful in his attempts to prevent William 's reappointment . William died a week after his return to York , however , and Osbert , along with Robert of Ghent , the Dean of York , secured the quick election of the new archbishop , Roger de Pont L 'Évêque . 
 
 = = Poisoning accusations = = 
 
 Osbert was accused of murdering William , specifically by poisoning him through the communion chalice . A fellow cleric , Symphorian , who had been a chaplain of the deceased archbishop , brought murder charges against Osbert . Symphorian obtained a hearing on the charges at a royal council presided over by King Stephen of England at Michaelmas in 1154 , but Stephen 's subsequent death prevented a resolution . Osbert attempted to have the trial switched to an ecclesiastical court and was supported in his efforts by Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury . A trial was finally held in 1156 and Osbert 's accuser did not produce any witnesses , but Osbert was unable to prove his innocence , prompting the transfer of the case to a papal court . No record of any judgment exists , but Osbert apparently appeared before two popes , Adrian IV and Alexander III . A further appeal to the papal court was referred to papal judges @-@ delegate between 1175 and 1180 . 
 The case attracted commentary by two contemporary writers . John of Salisbury , who was a secretary for Theobald , added information about Osbert in a letter to Alexander III on unrelated business . In the section of the letter , John pointed out to the pope that no matter what others might say about Osbert , he had failed to secure other clergy willing to swear that he was innocent . Another contemporary , Gilbert Foliot , who was Bishop of Hereford , wrote to the pope to remind him that although Osbert 's accuser had offered to prove his accusations by undergoing a trial by ordeal , this was essentially meaningless since canon law forbade the clergy from the ordeal . 
 
 = = Later life and death = = 
 
 Osbert was no longer archdeacon by 1158 , as his successor is attested by that point . Osbert , however , continued to call himself " archdeacon " even though he held land as a secular lord , including lands in Lacy and Skipton . He also acted as a steward for Hugh de Tilly . Osbert was still alive in 1184 , as he was a witness to a document at York then , and may have been alive as late as 1194 , when Hugh Bardulf was responsible for the farm of Osbert 's lands , as the record of that transaction in the escheat roll is unclear if Osbert was alive at that time or dead . 
 Osbert had two sons , William de Bayeux and Turstin de Baius . Osbert was a benefactor to a number of monasteries , including Drax Priory , Pontefract Priory and Gisborough Priory . He also gave land to a hospital in York and to the Templars and Hospitallers . 
 
 