Bishop Roger of Salisbury seized control of Malmesbury Abbey in 1118, ensuring that there was no abbot for over twenty years. In 1140, following Roger's disgrace and death, the abbacy was restored, and a Malmesbury monk called John was elected to the post. The powerful papal legate, Henry of Blois, disapproved of this particular candidate because, as William of Malmesbury recounted, he accused the abbot-elect of simony.

Perhaps it was because of the legate's attitude that John felt immediately obliged to go to Rome to seek blessing directly from Pope Innocent II. William of Malmesbury wrote an account, unfortunately now lost, of the journey to Rome. Abbot John died soon after his return from Rome and was replaced by Peter Moraunt, the close friend of William of Malmesbury, and a second Malmesbury delegation went to Rome in the early months of 1142 hoping to obtain formal endorsement from the pope of the validity of Malmesbury's status as a community that was exempt from episcopal control. Abbot Peter was politically astute and had had obtained prior approval for his mission from both King Stephen and Henry of Blois. The embassy to Rome proved successful: on 23 May 1142 Pope Innocent II issued a detailed charter to Malmesbury Abbey confirming the grant of exemption made by Pope Sergius to Aldhelm. The papal diploma made it clear that the pope welcomed the fact that the petition from Malmesbury was endorsed by King Stephen. The charter of Innocent II also required the Abbey to make an annual payment – a so-called ‘census’ – of an ounce of gold. While the value of the payment was relatively small, the giving of ‘census’ was a visible sign of a special relationship with Rome.

Roger's successor as bishop of Salisbury, Jocelin de Bohun, enjoyed an extremely lengthy episcopal career, from 1142 to 1184.