Possible Clues:

• It might get me down to have the cleric around
• Humble cleric taking me to heart
• Head of faculty holds this person to be lower in reputation
• Take down a few pegs
• Belittle Derbyshire opening pair's average
• A college boss who holds me in discredit
• Humble cleric gives me sanctuary
• Reduce in worth
• Make little of study covering capitals of Macedonia, Estonia, Armenia
• Discredit director getting mail from workers with note inside