text: In 1244 saint Richard was elected Bishop of Chichester. Henry III and part of the chapter refused to accept him, the king favouring the candidature of Robert Passelewe (d. 1252). Archbishop Boniface refused to confirm Passelew, so both sides appealed to the pope. The king confiscated the see's properties and revenues, but Innocent IV confirmed Richard's election and consecrated him bishop at Lyons in March 1245. Richard then returned to Chichester, but the king refused to restore the see's properties for two years, and then did so only after being threatened with excommunication. Henry III forbade anyone to house or feed Richard.   At first, Richard lived at Tarring in the house of his friend Simon, the parish priest of Tarring, visited his entire diocese on foot, and cultivated figs in his spare time.
  Richard's private life was said to have displayed rigid frugality and temperance. Richard was an ascetic who wore a hair-shirt and refused to eat off silver.  He kept his diet simple and rigorously excluded animal flesh; having been a vegetarian since his days at Oxford.
  Richard furnished the chronicler, Matthew Paris, with material for the life of St. Edmund Rich, and instituted the offerings for the cathedral at Chichester which were known later as "St. Richard's pence".
  Richard was merciless to usurers, corrupt clergy and priests who mumbled the Mass.  He was also a stickler for clerical privilege.