to Swaine Earle Goodwins eldest sonne Vpon this assurance he was furnished by the duke his cousin with all meanes fit both for his enterprise and estate And so hee passed the Seas arriued in England and with generall iov was receiued for King He tooke to wife Edith the daughter of Earle Goodwine but whether vpon vow of chastitie or whether vpon impotencie of nature or whether vpon hatred to her father or whether vpon suspition against herselfe for all these causes are alleaged by seuerall writers of those times he forbore all priuate familiaritie with her When he was well locked into the chaire of State Duke William came out of Normandie to see him to shew his magnificence to the English people to shew to the English both that he loued their King and that he was of power to relieue him in case his necessities should so require Here besides honourable enterteinement besides many rich gifts both to himselfe and to his followers the King hauing neither hope nor desire of issue promised him in regard of his great fauours and deserts that hee should be his next successour in the Kingdome And for further assurance thereof sent him also the like message into Normandie by Robert Archbishop of Canterburie After this Harold sonne to Earle Goodwine passed the Seas into Normandie to deale for the discharge of his brother Wolnoth and Hacon his nephew who had bene deliuered for hostages to the Duke In his passage he was much tossed with troublesome weather and in the end was cast vpon the coast of Ponthieu and there taken by the Earle and committed to prison But at the request of the Duke of Normandie hee was released with honourable respect and by the Earle himselfe accompanied to the Duke who enterteined him with great magnificence at Roan The Duke was then going in Armes against the Britaines in which iourney Harold did accompany him and shewed himselfe a man neither rash in vndertaking nor fearefull in perfourming any seruices of the field After prosperous returne the Duke declared to Harold the purpose of King Edward cōcerning the Dukes succession to this Crowne Harold did auow the same to be true and promised to affoord thereto the best furtherance that he could Hereupon the Duke assembled a Councell at Boneuill where Harold did sweare fidelitie vnto him and promised likewise by oath that after the death of King Edward he would keepe the Realme of England to the vse of the Duke that he would deliuer vnto him the castle of Douer and certaine other pieces of defence furnished at his owne charge Hereupon the Duke promised vnto him his daughter in marriage and with her halfe the Realme of England in name of her dower He also deliuered to him his nephew Hacon but kept his brother Wolnoth as an hostage for performance of that which Harold had sworne In short time after King Edward died and Harold being generall commander of the forces of the Realme seized vpon the soueraignetie and without any accustomed solemnities set the crowne vpon his owne head The people were nothing curious to examine titles but as men broken with long bondage did easily entertaine the first pretender And yet to Harold they were inclinable enough as well vpon opinion of his prowesse as for that hee endeauoured to winne their fauour partly by abating their grieuous paiments and partly by increasing the wages of his seruants and Souldiers generally by vsing iustice with clemencie and courtesie towards all About this time a blasing starre appeared and continued the space of seuen dayes which is commonly taken to portend alteration in States Of this Comet a certaine Poet alluding to the baldnesse of the Norman wrote these verses Caesariem Caesar tibi si natura negauit Hanc Willielme tibi stella comata dedit Duke William sent diuers Ambassadours to Harold first to demaund perfourmance of his oath afterward to mooue him to some moderate agreement But ambition a reasonlesse and restlesse humour made him obstinate against all offers or inducements of peace So they prepared to buckle in armes equall both in courage and in ambitious desires equall in confidence of their fortune but Harold was the more aduenturous William the more aduised man Harold was more strong in Souldiers William in Alies and friends Harold was seated in possession which in case of a kingdome is oftentimes with facilitie attained but retained hardly William pretended the donation of King Edward and that he was neere vnto him in blood by the mothers side Now there wanted not precedents both ancient and of later times that free kingdomes and principalities not setled by custome in succession of blood haue been transported euen to strangers by way of guift Attalus king of Pergamus did constitute the people of Rome his heire by force wherof they made his kingdome a part of their empire Nicomedes King of Bithynia made the people of Rome likewise his heire whereupon his kingdome was reduced to the forme of a Prouince So Alexander King of Egypt gaue Alexandria and the kingdome of Egypt and so Ptolemie gaue the kingdome of Cyrene to the same people of Rome Prasutagus one of the kings of great Britaine gaue the kingdome of the Iceni to Caesar Nero and to his daughters Yea in the Imperial state of Rome Augustus designed Tiberius to be his successour and by like appointment Nero became successour to Claudius Troiane to Nerua Antonius Pius to Adrian and Antoninus the Philosopher to another Antoninus When the Emperour Galba did openly appoint Piso for his successour he declared to the people that the same custome had been obserued by most approued and ancient Princes Iugurth being adopted by Mycipsa succeeded him in the kingdome of Numidia and that by the iudgement as well of Mycipsa himselfe as of the Senate and people of Rome The holy histories report that Salomon gaue twentie cities to Hiram king of Tyre and if the argument be good from the part to the whole he might in like sort haue disposed of all his kingdome Who hath not heard of the donation falsly attributed to Constantine the great being in trueth the donation of Lewis sirnamed the pious whereby he gaue to Pope Paschal the citie of Rome and a large territorie adioyning vnto it the instrument of which gift Volaterrane doth recite So the Ladie Matild daughter to Roger the most famous Prince of Cicilie and wife to king Conrade sonne to Henrie the 4. Emperour gaue the Marquisate of Apulia to the Bishop of Rome which when the Emperour Otho the 4. refused to deliuer hee was for that cause excommunicate by the Pope In like sort the countrey of Daulphin was giuen by Prince Vmbert to the King of France vpon condition that the eldest sonne of France should afterward be called Daulphine Lastly the Dukes first auncestor Rollo receiued the Dukedome of Normandie by donation of Charles King of France And himselfe held the Countie of Maine by
donation of Earle Herebert as before it is shewed And by donation of the King of Britaine Hengist obtained Kent the first kingdome of the English Saxons in Britaine After which time the Countrey was neuer long time free from inuasion first by the English and Saxons against the Britaines afterward by the seuen Saxon kingdomes among themselues and then lastly by the Danes By meanes whereof the kingdome at that time could not bee setled in any certaine forme of succession by blood as it hath been since but was held for the most part in absolute dominion and did often passe by transaction or gift and he whose sword could cut best was alwaies adiudged to haue most right But of this question more shall hereafter be said in the beginning of the life of King William the second Touching his propinquity in blood to King Edward by the mothers side he enforced it to be a good title because King Edward not long before had taken succession from Hardicanutus to whom hee was brother by the mothers side And although King Edward was also descended from the Saxon Kings yet could not he deriue from them any right For that Edgar and his sisters were then aliue descended from Edmund Iron side elder brother to King Edward Hee could haue no true right of succession but onely from Hardicanutus the Dane So Pepine when he was possessed of the State of France did openly publish that hee was descended of the blood of Charles the Great by the mothers side And albeit the said Edgar was both neerer to King Edward then the Duke of Normandie and also ioyned to him in blood by the fathers side yet was that no sufficient defence for Harold The vsurped possession of Harold could not be defended by alleaging a better title of a third person The iniurie which hee did to Edgar could not serue him for a title against any other These grounds of his pretence beautified with large amplifications of the benefits which he had done to King Edward he imparted to the Bishop of Rome who at time was reputed the arbitrator of controuersies which did rise betweene princes And the rather to procure his fauour and to gaine the countenance of religion to his cause hee promised to hold the kingdome of England of the Apostolike Sea Hereupon Alexander then Bishop of Rome allowed his title and sent vnto him a white hallowed banner to aduance vpon the prowe of his ship also an Agnus Dei of gold and one of S. Peters haires together with his blessing to begin the enterprise But now concerning his further proceedings concerning his victorious both entrance and cōtinuance within the Realme of England two points are worthy to be considered one how he being a man of no great either power or dominion did so suddenly preuaile against a couragious King possessed of a large and puissant State The other is how he so secured his victorie as not the English not the Britains not the Danes not any other could dispossesse or much disturbe him his posteritie from enioying the fayre fruits thereof And if we giue to either of these their true respects wee shall find his commendation to consist not so much in the first as in the second because that was effected chiefly by force this by wisedome only which as it is most proper to man so few men doe therein excell Hee that winneth a State surmounteth onely outward difficulties but he that assureth the same trauaileth as well against internall weaknes as external strength To attaine a Kingdome is many times a gift of Fortune but to prouide that it may long time continue firme is not onely to oppose against humane forces but against the very malice of Fortune or rather the power and wrath of time whereby all things are naturally inclineable to change For the first then besides the secret working and will of God which is the cause of all causes besides the sinnes of the people for which the Prophet saith Kingdomes are transported from one Nation to another King Edward not long before made a manifest way for this inuasion and change For although he was English by birth yet by reason of his education in Normandie he was altogether become a Normane both in affection and in behauiour of life So as in imitation of him the English abandoned the ancient vsages of their Country and with great affection or affectation rather conformed themselues to the fashions of France His chiefe acquaintance and familiar friends were no other then Normans towards whom being a milde and soft spirited Prince he was very bountifull and almost immoderate in his sauours These he enriched with great possessions these he honoured with the highest places both of dignitie and charge Chiefly he aduanced diuers of them to the best degrees of dignitie in the Church by whose fauour Duke William afterward was both animated aided in his exploit Generally as the whole Clergie of England conceiued a hard opinion of Harold for that vpon the same day wherein King Edward was buried he set the Crowne vpon his owne head without Religious Ceremonies without any solemnities of Coronation so they durst not for feare of the Popes displeasure but giue either furtherance or forbearance to the Dukes proceedings and to abuse the credite which they had with the people in working their submission to the Normans Now of what strength the Clergie was at that time within the Realme by this which followeth it may appeare After that Harold was slaine Edwine and Morcar Earles of Northumberland and Marckland brothers of great both authoritie and power within the Realme had induced many of the Nobilitie to declare Edgar Athelinge to be their King but the Prelates not onely crossed that purpose but deliuered Edgar the next heire from the Saxon Kings to the pleasure of the Duke Againe when the Duke after his great victorie at Hastings aduanced his armie towards Hartford-shire Fredericke Abbot of S. Albanes had caused the woods belonging to his Church to be felled and the trees to be cast so thicke in the way that the Duke was compelled to coast about to the castle of Berkhamstead To this place the Abbot vnder Suerties came vnto him and being demanded wherefore he alone did offer that opposition against him with a confident countenance he returned answere that he had done no more then in conscience and by Nature he was bound to doe and that if the residue of the Clergie had borne the like minde hee should neuer haue pierced the land so farre Well answered the Duke I know that your Clergie is powerfull indeed but if I liue and prosper in my affaires I shall gouerne their greatnesse well ynough Assuredly nothing doeth sooner worke the conuersion or subuersion of a State then that any one sort of Subiects should grow so great as to be able to ouerrule all the rest Besides this disposition of the Clergie diuers of the Nobilitie also did nothing fauour King Harold or
vndaunted countenance and heart conducted his Armie into Sussex and encamped within seuen miles of the Normans who thereupon approched so neere to the English that the one Armie was within view of the other First espials were sent on both sides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uer the state and condition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They who were sent from the English 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 large report both of the number and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ment and discipline of the Normans Whereupon Girth yonger brother to King Harold presented him with aduise not to play his whole State at a cast not to bee so caried with desire of victory as not to awaite the time to attaine it that it is proper to Inuaders presently to fight because they are then in the very pride and flourish of their strength but the assailed should rather delay battell rather obserue only and attend their enemies cut off their reliefe vexe them with incommodities weary them and weare them out by degrees that it could not be long before the Dukes armie being in a strange Countrey would be reduced to necessities it could not bee long but by reason it consisted of diuers nations it would draw into disorder that it was proper to an armie compounded of different people to be almost inuincible at the first whilest all contend to excell or at least to equal other in braue performance but if they be aduisedly endured they will easily fall into disorders and lastly of themselues dissolue Or if sayd he you resolue to fight yet because you are sworne to the Duke you shall doe well to withdraw your presence to imploy your authoritie in mustering a new armie to bee readie to receiue him with fresh forces And if you please to commit the charge of this incounter vnto me I will not faile to expresse both the loue of a brother and the care and courage of a Commander For as I am not obliged to the Duke by oath so shall I either preuaile with the better cause or with the quieter conscience die Both these counsailes were reiected by Harold The first out of a violent vehemencie of these Northerne nations who doe commonly esteeme delay of battell a deiected cowardise a base and seruile deflouring of time but to beare through their designes at once they account a point of honourable courage The second he esteemed both shamefull to his reputation and hurtfull to the state of his affaires For what honour had he gained by his former victories if when he came to the greatest pinch of danger hee should fearefully shrinke backe with what heart should the Souldiers fight when they haue not his presence for whom they fight when they haue not their Generall an eye witnesse of their performance when they want his sight his encouragement his example to enflame them to valour The presence of the Prince is worth many thousands of ordinarie Souldiers The ordinary Souldier wil vndertake both labour and danger for no other respects so much as by the presence of the Prince And therefore he did greatly extenuate the worth of the Normans terming them a company of Priests because their fashion was to shaue their faces But whatsoeuer they were as he had hee said digested in his minde the hardest euents of battell so either the infamie or suspicion of cowardise in no case hee would incurre Hee resolued not to ouerliue so great dishonour he resolued to set vp as his last rest his Crowne and Kingdome and life withall And thus oftentimes Fortune dealeth with men as Executioners doe with condemned persons she will first blindfold and then dispatch them After this the Norman sent a Monke to offer the choise of these conditions to Harold Either to relinquish his kingdome vpon certaine conditions or to hold it vnder homage to the Duke or to try their cause by single combate or to submit it to the iudgement of the Pope according to the Lawes of Normandy or of England which he would Againe some conditions were propounded from K. Harold to the Duke But their thoughts were so lifted vp both with pride and confidence by reason of their former victories that no moderate ouerture could take place and so they appointed the day following which was the 14. of October to determine their quarrell by sentence of the sword This happened to be the birth day of K. Harold which for that cause by a superstitious errour he coniectured would be prosperous vnto him The night before the battaile for diuers respects was vnquiet The English spent the time in feasting and drinking and made the aire ring with showtings and songs the Normans were more soberly silent and busied themselues much in deuotion being rather still then quiet not so much watchful as not able to sleepe At the first appearance of the day the 〈◊〉 and the Duke were ready in Armes enâ—…ging their Souldiers and ordering them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whose eyes it seemed that 〈◊〉 did sparckle and that in their face and gesture victorie did sit The Duke put certaine reliques about his necke vpon which King Harold had sworne vnto him It is reported that when he armed the backe of his Curasses was placed before by errour of him that put it on some would haue bin dismayed hereat but the Duke smiled and said Assuredly this day my Fortune will turne I shall either be a King or nothing before night The English were knit in one maine body on foot whereof the first rancks consisted of Kentishmen who by an ancient custome did challenge the honour of that place the next were filled with Londoners then followed the other English Their chiefe weapons were pole-axe sword and dart with a large target for their defence They were paled in front with paueises in such wise that it was thought impossible for the enemie to breake them The King stood on foot by his Standard with two of his brothers Girth and Leofwine as well to relieue from thence all parts that should happen to be distressed as also to manifest to the Souldiers that they reteined no thought of escaping by flight On the other side the Normans were diuided into three battailes The first was conducted by Roger Montgomerie and William Fitz-Osborne it consisted of horsemen of Aniou Maine and Britaine commanded by a Britaine named Fergent It caried the Banner which the Pope had sent The middle battaile consisting of Souldiers out of Germanie and Poictou was led by Geoffrye Martell and a Prince of Almaine The Duke himselfe closed the last battaile with the strength of his Normans and the flowre of his Nobilitie The Archers were diuided into wings and also dispersed by bands through all the three battails Thus were both sides set vpon a bloody bargaine ambition hope anger hate enflaming them to valour The duke edged his Souldiers by declaring vnto them the noble Acts of their ancesters the late admirable atchieuement of their fellow Normans in subduing the Kingdome of Sicill their owne braue exploits vnder him by shewing them all that pleasant and
tooke his sister Margaret to wife He possessed himselfe of a great part of Cumberland and of Northumberland wherewith the people were well content for that hee was their Earles sisters sonne Hereupon King William sent against him first Roger a Norman who was traiterously slaine by his owne Souldiers then Gospatrick Earle of Gloucester These did onely represse the enemie but were not able to finish the warre fully Lastly hee went himselfe with a mighty armie into Scotland where hee made wide waste and in Lothiam found King Malcolme prepared both in force and resolution to entertaine him with battell The great armie of King William their faire furniture and order their sudden comming but especially their firme countenance and readinesse to fight much daunted the Scots whereupon King Malcolme sent a Herault to King William to mooue him to some agreement of peace The more that the King was pleased herewith the more hee seemed vnwilling and strange the more he must be perswaded to that which if it had not bin offered he would haue desired At the last a peace was concluded vpon conditions honourable for King William and not vnreasonable for the King of Scots whereby all the English were pardoned who had fled into Scotland and borne armes against their King As for the Welsh albeit both their courage and their power had been extreamely broken in the time of King Edward and that by the valour and industry of Harold yet vpon aduantage of these troubled times they made some incursions into the borders of England but in companies so disordered and small so secretly assaulting so suddenly retiring so desirous more of pillage then of blood that they seemed more like to ordinarie robbers then to enemies in field Against these the King ledde an armie into Wales reduced the people both to subiection and quiet made all the principall men tributary vnto him receiued pledges of all for assurance of their obedience and faith Whilest the King thus setled his affaires abroad he secured himselfe against his subiects not by altering their will but by taking away their power to rebell The stoutest of the Nobilitie and Gentlemen were spent either by warre or by banishment or by voluntary auoidance out of the Realme All these hee stripped of their states and in place of them aduanced his Normans insomuch as scarce a ny noble family of the English blood did beare either office or authoritie within the Realme And these ranne headlong to seruitude the more hasty and with the fairer shew the more either countenanced or safe These he did assure vnto him not onely by oath of fidelitie and homage but either by pledges or else by reteining them alwaies by his side And because at that time the Clergie were the principall strings of the English strength he permitted not any of the English Nation to be aduanced to the dignities of the Church but furnished them with Normans and other strangers And whereas in times before the Bishop and Alderman were absolute Iudges in euery Shire and the Bishop in many causes shared in forfeitures and penalties with the King he clipped the wings of their Temporall power and confined them within the limits of their Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction to maintaine the Canons and customes of the Church to deale in affaires concerning the soule He procured Stigand Archbishop of Canterburie Agelwine Bishop of East-Angles and certaine other Bishops and Abbots to be depriued by authoritie from Rome and deteined them in prison during their liues that strangers might enioy their places The matters obiected against Stigand were these 1 That hee had entruded vpon the Archbishopricke whilest Robert the Archb. was in life 2 That he receiued his Pall from Benedict the fifth who for buying the Papacie had bene deposed 3 That hee kept the Sea of Winchester in his handes after his inuestiture into the Sea of Canterburie He was otherwise also infamous in life altogether vnlearned of heauie iudgement and vnderstanding sottishly seruiceable both to pleasure and sloath in couetousnesse beneath the basenesse of rusticitie insomuch as he would often sweare that he had not one penie vpon the earth and yet by a key which hee did weare about his necke great treasures of his were found vnder the ground And this was a griefe and sicknesse to honest mindes that such spurious and impure creatures should susteine or rather destaine the reuerence and maiestie of Religion Further the King caused all the Monasteries and Abbeys to be searched pretending that the richer sort of the English had layd vp their money in them vnder colour whereof he discouered the state of all and bereaued many of their owne treasure Some of these Religious houses he appropriated wholly to himselfe of diuers others he seized the liberties which they redeemed afterward at a very high and excessiue rate Those Bishopricks and Abbeis which held Baronies and had bene free before from secular subiection he reduced vnder the charge of his seruice appointing how many Souldiers and of what sort they should furnish for him and his successours in the time of their warres Those strangers which he entertained in pay he dispersed into Religious houses and some also among the Nobilitie to be maintained at their charge whereby he not onely fauoured his owne purse but had them as a watch and sometimes as a garrison ouer those of whose alleageance he stood in doubt Now against the inferiour sort of people knowing right well that hee was generally hated hee prepared these remedies for his estate All their armour was taken from them they were crushed downe with change of calamity which held them prostrate vnder yoke and brake the very heart of their courage leauing them no hope to be relieued no hope to rise into any degree of libertie but by yeelding entire obedience vnto him Those who either resisted or fauoured not his first entrance he bereaued of all meanes afterward to offend him holding them downe and keeping them so lowe that their very impotencie made him secure All such as had their hand in any rebellion albeit they were pardoned their liues lost their liuings and became vassals to those Lords to whom their possessions were giuen And if they attained any thing afterward they held it onely at the pleasure of their Lords at the pleasure of their Lords they might bee despoyled Hee much condemned the iudgement of Swanus the Dane sometimes King of England who permitted those whom hee had vanquished to retaine their former both authoritie and estates whereby it happened that after his death the inhabitants were of force to expell the strangers and to quit themselues both from their societie and subiection Hereupon many seuere lawes were made diuers of all sorts were put to death banished stripped of their wealth disabled in their bodies by vnusuall variety of punishments as putting out the eyes cutting off the hands and such like not onely to diminish his feares if they were suspected but sometimes if they were of
that as he rode in chase hee was hanged vpon the bow of a tree by the chaps others more probably doe write that he perished by a fal from his horse He was buried at Winchester with this inscription Hic iacet Richardus filius Wilielmi senioris Berniae Dux William did succeed next to his father in the Kingdome of England To Henry the King gaue at the time of his death fiue thousand pounds out of his treasure but gaue him neither dignitie nor lands foretelling that hee should enioy the honour of both his brothers in time and farre excel them both in dominion and power Whether this was deuised vpon euent or whether some doe prophesie at their death or whether it was coniecturally spoken or whether to giue contentment for the present it fell out afterward to be true For hee succeeded William in the Kingdome of England and wrested Normandie out of the possession of Robert Of these two I shall write more fully hereafter His daughter Cicelie was Abbesse of Caen in Normandie Constance was married to Allen Fergant Earle of Britaine Adela was wife to Stephen Earle of Blois to whom she bare Stephen who after the death of Henry was King of England Margaret was promised in marriage to Harold she died before hee attained the Kingdome for which cause he held himselfe discharged of that oath which he had made to the Duke her father Elianor was betroathed to Alphonso King of Gallicia but she desired much to die a Virgine for this she daily prayed and this in the end she did obtaine After her death her knees appeared brawnie and hard with much kneeling at her deuotions Assuredly it will be hard to find in any one Familie both greater Valour in sonnes and more Vertue in daughters In the beginning of this Kings reigne either no great accidents did fall or else they were obscured with the greatnesse of the change none are reported by the writers of that time In the fourth yeere of his reigne Lanfranke Abbot of Caen in Normandie but borne in Pauie a Citie of Lumbardie was made Archbishop of Canterbury And Thomas a Norman and Chanon of Bayon was placed in the Sea of Yorke Betweene these two a controuersie did arise at the time of their consecration for prioritie in place but this contention was quieted by the King and Thomas for the time subscribed obedience to the Archb. of Canterbury After this they went to Rome for their Palles where the question for Primacie was againe renued or as some affirme first moued before Pope Alexander The Pope vsed them both with honorable respect and especially Lanfrank to whom he gaue two Palles one of honour and the other of loue but their controuersie he referred to be determined in England About two yeeres after it was brought before the King and the Clergie at Windsore The Archbishop of Yorke alleadged that when the Britaine 's receiued the Christian faith in the time of Lucius their King Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome sent Faganus and Damianus vnto them who ordeined 28. Bishops and two Archbishops within the Realme one of London and the other of Yorke Vnder these the Church of Britaine was gouerned almost three hundred yeeres vntill they were subdued by the Saxons The Saxons remained Infidels vntill Gregorie Bishop of Rome sent Augustine vnto them By his preaching Ethelbert King of Kent was first conuerted to the Christian faith By reason whereof Augustine was made Archbishop of Douer by appointment of Pope Gregorie who sent vnto him certaine Palles with his letter from Rome By this letter it is euident that Gregorie intended to reduce the Church of the Saxons to the same order wherein it was among the Britaines namely to be vnder twelue Bishops and two Archbishops one of London and the other of Yorke Indeede he gaue to Augustine during his life authority and iurisdiction ouer all Bishops and Priests in England but after his decease he ioyneth these two Metropolitanes in equall degree to constitute Bishops to ouersee the Church to consult and dispose of such things as appertaine to the gouernement thereof as in former times among the Britaines Betweene these he put no distinction in honour but only as they were in prioritie of time and as he appointeth London to be consecrated by no Bishop but of his own Synod so he expresseth that the Bishop of Yorke should not bee subiect to the Bishop of London And albeit Augustine for the reason before mentioned translated the Sea from London to Douer yet if Gregorie had intended to giue the same authoritie to the successours of Augustine which hee gaue vnto him he would haue expressed it in his Epistle but in that he maketh no mention of his successours he concludeth or rather excludeth them by his silence The Archbishop of Canterbury alleaged that from the time of Augustine vntill the time of Bede which was about 140. yeeres the Bishops of Canterburie which in ancient time said he was called Douer had the Primacie ouer the whole land of Britaine and of Ireland that they did call the Bishops of Yorke to their Councels which diuers times they kept within the Prouince of Yorke that some Bishops of Yorke they did constitute some excommunicate and some remoue He alleaged also diuers priuiledges granted by Princes for the Primacie of that Sea diuers graunted from the Apostolike Sea to confirme this dignitie in the successours of Augustine that it is reason to receiue directions of well liuing from whence we first receiued directions of right beleeuing therfore as the Bishop of Canterbury was subiect to the Bishop of Rome because hee had his faith from thence for the very same cause the Bishop of Yorke should be in subiection to the Bishop of Canterbury that like as the Lord said that to all the Bishops of Rome which hee said to S. Peter so that which Gregorie said to Augustine hee said likewise to all his successours And whereas much is spoken of the Bishop of London what is that to the Archbishop of Canterbury For neither is it certaine that Augustine was euer resident at London neither that Gregorie appointed him so to be In the end it was decreed That Yorke for that time should be subiect to Canterburie that wheresoeuer within England the Archbishop of Canterburie should hold his Councell the Archbishop of Yorke should come vnto it with the Bishops of his Prouince and be obedient to his decrees that when the Archbishop of Canterburie should decease the Archbishop of Yorke should goe to Canterburie to consecrate him that should succeed that if the Archbishop of Yorke should decease his successour should goe to Canterbury or to such place as the Archbishop of Canterburie should appoint there to receiue his Consecration making first his oath of Canonicall obedience And thus was the contention for this first time taken vp but in succeeding times it was often renued and much busied the Clergie of the Realme In the ninth yeere of the
Vicar of Christ. The King alleaged that the custome of his Realme admitted no appeale from the king that supreame appeale was a most principall marke of Maiestie because no appeale can be made but to a superiour that therefore the Archbishop by appealing from him denied his Souereignty derogated from the dignitie of his Crowne and subiected both him and that to another Prince to whom as to a superiour he did appeale That herein hee was an enemie and a Traitour to him and to the State Anselme replyed that this question was determined by our Lord who taught vs what allegiance is due to the Pope where he saith Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church c. And againe To thee will I giue the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen c. And againe in generall Hee that heareth you heareth me and who despiseth you despiseth me And againe He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of my eye But for the allegiance due to the King he saith Giue to Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar and to God what pertaineth to God To this the king finally said That hauing made themselues Masters to interprete and giue sence to the Scriptures it was easie to maintaine by them whatsoeuer they desired or did it was easie for them to burst their ambition with their swelling greatnes But well he was assured that CHRIST intended not to dissolue orders for Ciuill gouernment to ruine kingdoms to embase authority and right of Kings by meanes of his Church this right of a King he had and this right he would maintaine In this contention few of the Bishops did openly take part with Anselme but some and especially the Bishop of Durhame did directly declare against him The residue when he asked their aduise would answere him That he was wise ynough and knew what was best for him to doe as for them they neither durst nor would stand against their Lord. By assistance of these the King purposed to depriue Anselme and to expell him out of the Realme But Anselme auowed That as he was ready to depart the Realme so would he take his authoritie with him though he tooke nothing else Now the King had sent two messengers to Pope Vrbane at Rome to entreat him to send the Pall to the King to be disposed by him as he should thinke fit These messengers were by this time returned and with them came Guibert the Popes Legate who brought the Pall. The Legate went first priuily to the King and promised that if Vrbane should be receiued for Pope in England the King should obtaine of him whatsoeuer he would The King required that Anselme might be remoued The Legate answered that it could not be that such a man without iust cause should be remoued Notwithstanding some other things being granted to the King Vrbane was declared to be lawfull Pope and the King was content to swallow downe that moâ—…sel which had bene so vnpleasant for him to champe on The Pall was caried to Anselme with great pompe in a vessell of siluer and he came foorth bare footed in his Priestly Vestments to meete and to receiue it The yeere next following the King inuaded Wales where he repressed the rebellious enemies and returned victorious Anselme prepared to goe vnto him to salute him to congratulate his good successe But the King preuented him by messengers who layde to his charge both the small number and euill appointment of the Souldiers which he sent to that seruice and therefore warned him to appeare at the Court to make his answere Happely also the King was incensed by matters more light but taken in the worst part as it commonly falleth out in suspitions and quarels At the day appointed Anselme appeared but auoyded his answere by appealing to the Pope for prosecution whereof hee made suit for the Kings licence to goe to Rome The King said as before That this appeale was against the custome of the Realme and against the dignitie of his Crowne to both which Anselme had sworne Anselme answered That he was sworne to neither of them but so farre as they were consonant to the Lawes of GOD and to the rules of equitie and right The King replied That no limitation being expressed it was not reasonable that vpon his owne conceit of pietie or equitie he should slip out of the band of his oath Thus was the contention on both sides obstinately maintained and for a long time Anselme was commanded to attend the Court. At the last hee was released but vnder expresse charge that he should not depart out of the Realme or if he did that it should neuer be lawfull for him to returne Anselme departed from the Court went streight to Douer with purpose to passe the Seas into France Here hee was either awaited or ouertaken by William Warlewast the Kings officer not to stay him from his passage but to rifle him of all that he had Others also were appointed to seise his goods in other places and to conuert the profits of his Archbishopricke to the vse of the King making a bare allowance to the Monks of meat drinke and cloathing So the Archbishop crossed the Seas into France rested a while at Lions and then trauailed ouer the Alpes to Rome where he was enterteined by Pope Vrbane with more then ordinarie ceremonies of honour And first the Pope wrote to the king of England on the behalfe of Anselme and reteined him in his Palace vntill he should receiue answere from the king When the messenger was returned with such answere as Anselme did not like he desired of the Pope to be discharged of his dignitie which he had found he said a wearisome stage whereon hee played a part much against his will But hereto the Pope would in no case agree charging him vpon vertue of his obedience That wheresoeuer he went he should beare both the name and honour of Archbishop of Canterburie As for these matters said he we shall sufficiently prouide for them at the next Councell where your selfe shal be present When the Councell was assembled Anselme fate on the outside of the Bishops but the Pope called him vp and placed him at his right foot with these words Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquam alterius orbis Papam Afterwards in all generall Councels the Archb. of Canterburie tooke the place In this Councell the points of difference betweene the Greeke and Latine Churches were strongly debated especially concerning the proceeding of the Holy Ghost and for leauened bread in the administration of the Eucharist wherein Anselme shewed such deepe learning weight of iudgement and edge of wit that he approched neerer admiration then applause These matters determined complaints were brought against the King of England and the Pope is said to haue bene ready to excommunicate him but Anselme kneeled before the Pope and obteined for the King a longer terme The Pope was then at great contention with Henry the fourth Emperour who
of Warwicke the Hospitall of Kepar the Priorie of Osney neere Oxeford the Hospital of S. Crosse neere Winchester the Priorie of Norton in Cheshire with diuers others The King also founded and erected the Priorie of Dunstable the Abbey of Circester the Abbey of Reading the Abbey of Shirebourne Hee also changed the Abbey of Eley into a Bishops Sea he erected a Bishopricke at Caerlile placed Chanons there and endowed it with many honours These and many other Religious buildings either done or helped forward or permitted and allowed by the King much encreased the affection of the Clergie towards him Now to draw the loue of the common people he composed himselfe to a sober ciuilitie easie for accesse faire in speach in countenance and behauiour kind his Maiestie so tempered with mildnèsse and courtesie that his Subiects did more see the fruits then feele the weight of his high estate These were things of great moment with the vulgar sort who loue more where they are louingly intreated then where they are benefited or happely preserued He eased them of many publicke grieuances Hee restored them to the vse of fire and candle after eight of the clocke at night which his father had most straitly forbidden Punishments of losse of member vsed before he made pecuniarie Hee moderated the Law of his brother which inflicted death for killing any of the Kings Deere and ordeined that if any man killed a Deere in his owne wood the wood should be forfeited to the King He permitted to make enclosures for Parkes which taking beginning in his time did rise to that excessiue encrease that in a few succeeding ages more Parkes were in England then in all Europe beside He promised that the Lawes of K. Edward should againe be restored but to put off the present performance he gaue forth that first they should be reuiewed and corrected and made appliable to the present time And albeit in trueth they were neuer either reuiewed or corrected yet the onely hope thereof did worke in the people a fauourable inclination to his part Whilest the King did thus Immure himselfe in the state of England as well by ordering his affaires as by winning the hearts of the people vnto him Duke Robert was returning from Palestine by easie and pleasurable iourneys vsing neither the celeritie nor forecast which the necessitie of his occasions did require Hee visited many Princes by the way and consumed much time in entertainments and other complements of Court Hee tooke to wife as he came Sibell the daughter of Roger Duke of Apulia and Earle of Cicill vvho was a Norman and the great portion of money which he receiued for her dower he loosely lauished foorth amongst his followers of whom he receiued nothing againe but thankes when he scattered rather then gaue and pitie when he wanted At the last he arriued in Normandie and foorthwith was sollicited out of England by letters from many who either vpon conscience or discontentment fauoured his Title and especially from Radulph Bishop of Durham who had lately escaped out of prison a man odious ynough to vndoe a good cause that he would omit no time that hee would let fall no diligence to embarke himselfe in the enterprise for England that he had many friends there both powerfull and sure who would partake with him in his dangers although not in the honour atchieued by his dangers that therewith the peoples fauour towards the King did begin to ebbe and that it was good taking the first of the tide Hereupon he shuffled vp an Armie in haste neither for number nor furniture nor choise of men answerable to the enterprise in hand Then he crossed the Seas landed at Portesmouth and marched a small way into the Countrey vainely expecting the concourse and ayd which had bene assured him out of England But King Henry had made so good vse both of his warning and time to prouide against this tempest that hee did at once both cut from the Duke all meanes of ayd and was ready to encounter him in braue appointment Hereupon many who were vnable by Armes to relieue the Duke by aduise did to him the best offices they could For they laboured both the King and him to a reconcilement The King with respect of his new vnsettled estate the Duke with respect of his weakenesses and wants both with regard of naturall duetie and loue knit betweene them by band of blood So after some trauaile and debatement a peace was concluded vpon these Conditions That Henry should reteine the kingdome of England and pay to his brother Robert 3000. markes yeerely That if either of them should die without issue the suruiuour should succeed That no man should receiue preiudice for following the part of the one or of the other These conditions being solemnely sworne by the king and the Duke and twelue Noble men on either part the Duke returned into Normandie and about two yeeres after went againe into England to visit the King and to spend some time with him in feasting and disport At which time to requite the Kings kind vsage and entertainment but especially to gratifie Matild the Queene to whom he was godfather he released to the King the annuall payment of 3000. markes But as a wound is more painefull the day following then when it was first and freshly taken so this loose leuitie of the Duke which was an exceeding sad and sore blow to his estate was scarce sensible at his departure out of England but most grieuous to him after hee had remained in Normandie a while whereby many motions were occasioned as well in the one place as in the other The Duke complained that hee had bene circumuented by his brother the King that his courtesies were nothing else but allurements to mischiefe that his gifts were pleasant baites to couer and conuey most dangerous hookes that his faire speaches were sugred poysons that his kinde embracements were euen to tickle his friends to death Robert Belasme Earle of Shrewsbury a man of great estate but doubtfull whether of lesse wisedome or feare tooke part with the Duke and fortified the Towne and Castle of Shrewsbury the Castles of Bridgenorth Tichel and Arundel and certaine other pieces in Wales against King Henry And hauing drawen vnto him some persons of wretched state and worse minde whose fortunes could not bee empaired by any euent hee entred Stafford-shire and droue away light booties of cattell being prepared neither in forces nor in courage to stay the doing of greater mischiefe But neither was this sudden to the King neither was he euer vnprouided against sudden aduentures Wherefore encountring the danger before it grew to perfection and strength he first brought his power against the Castle of Bridgenorth which was forthwith rendred vnto him The residue followed the example which in enterprise of armes is of greatest moment and submitted themselues to the Kings discretion Onely the Castle of Arundel yeelded vpon condition that Robert Belasme their Lord
buildings specified before some for strength as diuers Castles in Normandie in Wales and some also in England and namely the Castle of Warwicke of Bristoll the Castle Colledge and Towne of Windsore on the hill about a mile distant from the old Towne of Windsore which afterward was much encreased by King Edward the third and after him by many Kings and Queenes succeeding Many Palaces also he built for ornament pleasure And to this end he maintained his Parke at Woodstocke wherein hee preserued with great pleasure diuers sorts of strange beasts which because he did with many demonstrations of pleasure both accept and esteeme were liberally sent vnto him from other Princes Hee first instituted the forme of the high Court of Parliament as now it is in vse For before his time onely certaine of the Nobilitie and Prelats of the Realme were called to consultation about the most important affaires of state he caused the commons also to be assembled by Knights and Burgesses of their owne appointment and made that Court to consist of three parts the Nobilitie the Clergie and the Common people representing the whole body of the Realme The first Councell of this sort was held at Salisbury vpon the 19. day of April in the 16. yeere of his reigne His seueritie in iustice the very heart string of a Common-wealth his heauie hand in bearing downe his enemies in disabling those from working him harme whom he knew would neuer loue him at the heart was traduced by some vnder termes of crueltie And yet was he alwayes more mindfull of benefits then of wrongs and in offences of highest nature euen for bearing Armes against him he punished oftentimes by imprisonment or exile and not by death When Matilde his daughter was giuen in mariage to Henry the fifth Emperour he tooke 3. shillings of euery hide of land throughout the Realme which being followed by succeeding Kings did grow to a custome of receiuing ayd whensoeuer they gaue their daughters in marriage For albeit the same be found in the great Custumier of Normandie yet was it neuer practised in England before This happened in the fifteenth yeere of his reigne and he neuer had the like contribution after but one for furnishing his warres in France So the people were not charged with many extraordinary taxations but their ordinary fines and payments were very great and yet not very grieuous vnto them For that they saw them expended not in wanton wast not in loose and immoderate liberalitie but either vpon necessitie or for the honour dignitie of the state wherein the preseruation or aduancement of the common good made particular burthens not almost sensible But both his actions and exactions were most displeasing to the Clergy the Clergy did often times not onely murmure but struggle and oppose against his actions as taking their liberties to be infringed and their state diminished by abasing their authority and abating both their riches and power When any Bishopricke or Abbey fell voyd hee did apply the reuenues thereof for supply of his necessities and wants and for that cause kept some of them many yeeres together vacant in his hands He would not permit appeales to Rome Canons were not of force within the Realme vnlesse they were confirmed by the King Legats from the Pope were not obeyed and no man would come to their conuocations In so much as one of the Popes Legates in France did excommunicate all the Priests of Normandy because they would not come to his Synode For this cause the King sent the Bishop of Exceter to Rome albeit he was both blind and in yeeres to treat with the Pope concerning that businesse Hee gaue inuestitures to Prelates by Crosse Ring and Staffe and is charged to haue receiued of some of them great summes of money for their places About this time the marriage of Priests was forbidden in England but the King for money permitted them to reteine their wiues and in the end set an imposition in that respect vpon euery Church throughout the Realme It auailed not any man to say that he had no purpose to keepe a wife he must pay for a facultie to keepe a wife if he would For these causes they fastened the infamie of couetousnesse vpon him For these causes and especially for inuesting and receiuing homage of Prelats he had a stiffe strife with Anselme Archb. of Canterburie For the King said that it was against the custome of his ancesters it could not stand with the safety of his State that the Prelats who at that time held the principall places both of trust and command in his kingdome who in very deed ruled all the rest should not be appointed onely by himselfe should not sweare faith and allegiance vnto him should either bee aduanced or depend vpon any forren Prince On the other side Anselme refused not onely to confirme but to communicate or common friendly with those who had bene inuested by the King reproching them as abortiues and children of destruction traducing the King also as a defiler of Religion as a deformer of the beautie and dignitie of the Church Hereupon by appointment of the King they were confirmed consecrated by the Archb of Yorke Onely William Gifford to whom the K had giuen the Bishopricke of Winchester refused Consecration from the Archb. of Yorke for which cause the King depriued him of all his goods and banished him out of the Realme Then the King required Anselme to doe him homage and to be present with him at giuing Inuestitures as Lanfranck his predecesior had bene with King William his father Against these demaunds Anselme obiected the decrees of the Councell lately held at Rome whereby all Lay-persons were excommunicate who should conferre any Spiritual promotions and all those accursed who for Ecclesiasticall dignities should subiect themselues vnder the homage or seruice of any Lay-man Hereupon messengers were dispatched from both parties to the Pope who determined altogether in fauour of Anselme or rather in fauour of himselfe Notwithstanding the king desisted not to vrge Anselme to sweare homage vnto him Anselme required that the Popes letters should bee brought foorth and he would doe as by them hee should be directed The King answered that he had nothing to doe with the Popes letters that this was a Soueraigne right of his Crowne that if any man may pull these Royalties from his Crowne he may easily pull his Crowne from his head that therefore Anselme must doe him homage or else depart out of his kingdome Anselme answered that hee would not depart out of the Realme but goe home to his Church and there see who would offer him violence Then were messengers againe sent to the Bishop of Rome two Bishops from the King and two Monckes from Anselme The King wrote to the Pope first congratulating his aduancement to the Sea of Rome then desiring the continuance of that amitie which had bene betweene their predecessours Lastly he tendred all honour and obedience
which in former times the Kings of England did yeeld to the See of Rome desiring againe that he might not be abridged of such vsages as his father did enioy concluding that during his life hee would not suffer the dignities of his Crowne to be empaired and if he should so doe yet the Nobilitie and common people of the Realme would in no case permit it but would rather recede from obedience to his See The Pope wrote backe againe to Anselme that for one mans pleasure hee would not reuerse the decrees of former Popes and therefore gaue him both encouragement charge to continue constant and to see them obserued in euery point Hee directed also his letters to the King which the King did suppresse but his Embassadours declared by word that the Pope permitted Inuestitures to the King so as in other things hee would execute the Office of a good Prince Anselme called for the Popes letters The King answered that his Bishops were to be credited before the Monckes who were disabled either for voyce or testimonie in Secular affaires Anselme said that he was desirous to yeeld vnto the King but he durst not although it should cost him his head vnlesse he had a warrant from Rome and therefore he would send thither againe to haue a more full and ample answere The King and diuers of the Nobilitie perswaded him to goe in person to trauaile to the Pope and to trauaile with him for the quiet of the Church and of his countrey With much adoe he was entreated and so set forth on his iourney towards Rome and after followed the kings Embassadour Wiliam Warlewast new elect Bishop of Exceter When the Bishop came to the Popes presence he declared vnto him what great commodities did rise out of England to the See of Rome that the Inuesting of Prelats had bene an ancient right to the crowne of that Realme that as the King was by nature liberall so was he stout and resolute in courage that it should be a great dishonour to him who in power exceeded any of his ancesters if hee should not maintaine the dignities which they held that for this cause the Pope should doe well to preferre to his consideration what preiudice might follow to his Estate if hee should remit nothing of the seuerities of those Canons which had bene lately made The Pope gaue an attentiue eare and seemed to pause vpon that which had been sayd Which the Kings Ambassadour taking to be a degree of yeelding did more earnestly insist and said that the King his master would not for the Crowne of his Realme loose the authoritie of inuesting his Prelates Hereto the Pope with a starting voice and countenance answered Neither will I lose the disposing of spirituall promotions in England for the Kings head that beareth the Crowne before God said hee I aduow it His flattering followers applauded this speach as proceeding from a magnanimous courage or rather as some flash of diuine inspiration and the Kings Ambassador not a little abashed was content to descend to lower demands In the ende it was ordered that the King should be restored to certaine customes which had been vsed by his father but that all they who had bin inuested by the King should be excōmunicate that their satisfaction and absolution should be committed vnto Anselme Thus Anselme with full saile of victorie and ioy returned towards England but the Kings Ambassadour stayed behind to assay whether by any meanes hee could worke the Pope to a milder minde But when hee saw that he trauailed in vaine he followed Anselme and ouertooke him at Placentia and there deliuered vnto him certaine priuate instructions from the King that if he would come into England and behaue himselfe as his predecessours had done towards the Kings father hee should be welcome otherwise you are wise enough said hee you know what I meane and may easily coniecture what will ensue With these words he flang suddenly away by occasion whereof his speaches setled with a more strong impression and multiplied many doubtfull constructions So the Embassadour returned to the King but Anselme went to Lions and remained there a yeere and halfe In the meane time much posting was made betweene England Lions and Rome but nothing was concluded nothing could please For neither the Pope would yeeld to the King nor the King to Anselme At the last Anselme threatned to excommunicate the King whereof the King being aduertised by the Countesse Adela his sister hee desired her to come to him into Normandy and to bring Anselme with her Here the King restored Anselme to his former possessions but his returne into England was respited vntill the Pope had confirmed certaine things which Anselme did assure So the King tooke his passage into England and Anselme abode at the Abbey of Beck Then were dispatched for Rome William Warlewast mentioned before and Baldwine Abbot of Ramsey by whose meanes the controuersie was composed betweene the King and the Pope that the King should receiue homage of Bishops elect but should not inuest them by Staffe and Ring After this the king went into Normandie and there agreed to Anselme in these points following 1 That all his Churches which had been made tributary to King William the second should bee set free 2 That the King should require nothing of the sayd Churches whilest the Sea should remaine vacant 3 That such Priests as had giuen money to the King to reteine their wiues should surcease from their function the space of three yeeres and that the king should take no more after such maner 4 That all such goods fruits and possessions as the King had taken from the Sea of Canterbury should bee restored to him at his returne into England Thus Anselme returned into England and after a short time the king followed hauing taken his brother prisoner and subdued Normandie to his subiection Forthwith Anselme by permission of the K. assembled a great Councell of the Clergie at Westminster wherein hee so wrought with the King that at length albeit not without great difficultie it was newly decreed that no temporal man should giue inuestiture with Crosse or with Ring or with Pastoral staffe Also he directed 〈◊〉 to the Priests of his Prouince that they and their wiues should neuer meete within one house that they should not keepe any woman in their house but such as were next in kinred vnto them That hee who held his wife and presumed to say Masse within eight dayes after should solemnely be excommunicate That all Archdeacons and their Officials should bee sworne not to winke at the meetings of Priests and their wiues for any respect and if they would not take this oath then to lose their office that such Priests as would forsake their wiues should cease fourty dayes from ministration in their office and performe such penance as should be enioyned them by their Bishop The execution of these Canons importing both a great and sudden alteration
occasioned much disquiet and disorder in many parts of the Realme In the same Councel the censure of Excommunication was cast vpon those who did exercise the vile vice of Sodomitrie and it was further decreed that the same sentence should be published euery Sonday in al the parish Churches of England But afterward it was esteemed fit that this general excommunication should be repealed The pretence was for that the prohibiting yea the publike naming of that vice might enflame the hearts of vngracious persons with desire vnto it But wise men coniectured that after this seuere restreint of marriage in the Clergie it did grow so frequent and familiar among them that they would not giue way to so generall a punishment It is certaine that in this Kings dayes Io. Cremensis a Priest Cardinal by the Kings licence came into England and held a solemne Synode at London where hauing most sharpely enueighed against the marriage of Priests the night following hee was taken in adulterie and so with shame departed the Realme It is certaine also that Anselme the most earnest enforcer of single life died not a Virgine as by the lamentation which hee wrote for the losse thereof it may appeare Not long after Anselme died being of the age of 70. yeeres He had bestowed much money on Christs Church in Canterburie as well in buildings as in ornaments and encrease of possessions Other workes of charge he left not many neither in very deed could he by reason of his often banishments and the seasures of the reuenues of his Church But this he did more then liberally supply by the eternall labours of his penne After his decease the Archbishopricke remained voyd fiue yeeres during which time the King applied the fruits to himselfe The like hee did to other vacant Churches and compounded also with Priests for reteining their wiues and made his profit by Ecclesiasticall persons and liuings more largely and freely then he had done before For which cause it is not vnlike that the imputation of couetousnesse was fixed vpon him At the last Radulph Bishop of Rochester was aduanced to the See of Canterburie and notwithstanding all former agreements and decrees the King inuested him with Ring and with Staffe But howsoeuer we may either excuse or extenuate the two vices of crueltie and couetousnesse wherewith he is charged his immoderate excesse in lust can no wayes be denied no wayes defended And when age had somewhat abated in him the heat of that humour yet was hee too much pleased with remembrance of his youthfull follies For this vice it is manifest as well by the sudden and vnfortunate losse of his children as for that he was the last King by descent from males of the Norman race that the hand of God pressed hard vpon him As Radulph succeeded Anselme in the See of Canterburie So after the death of Thomas Thurstine the Kings Chapplaine was elected Archb. of Yorke And because he refused to acknowledge obedience to the See of Canterbury hee could not haue his Consecration but was depriued of his dignitie by the King Hereupon he tooke his iourney to Rome complained to the Pope and from him returned with a letter to the King that the putting of a Bishop elect from his Church without iudgement was against diuine Iustice against the decrees of holy Fathers that the Pope intended no preiudice to either Church but to maintaine the constitution which S. Gregorie the Apostle of the English Nation had stablished betweene them that the Bishop elect should be receiued to his Church and if any question did rise between the two Churches it should be handled before the King Vpon occasion of this letter a solemne assembly was called at Salisburie where the variance betweene the two Prelats was much debated Radulph would not giue Imposition of hands to Thurstine vnlesse hee would professe obedience Thurstine said that he would gladly embrace his benediction but professe obedience to him he would not The King signified to Thurstine that without acknowledgement of subiection to the Archb. of Canterburie hee should not be Consecrated Archb. of Yorke Thurstine replied nothing but renounced his dignitie and promised to make no more claime vnto it Not long after Calixtus Bishop of Rome assembled a Councell at Rhemes and Thurstine desired licence of the King to goe to that Councell This hee obtained vnder faithfull promise that he should there attempt nothing to the preiudice of the Church of Canterburie In the meane time the King dealt secretly with the Pope that Thurstine should not bee consecrated by him This the Pope did faithfully assure and yet by meanes of some of his Cardinals whom Thurstine had wrought to bee suiters for him by reason also of his hate against Radulph for taking Inuestiture from the King The Pope was drawen to giue him consecration and there with the Pall. For this cause the King was displeased with Thurstine and forbad him to returne into the Realme After this the Pope came to Gisors to which place the King went vnto him and desired that he would not send any Legates into England except the King should so require The reason was for that certaine Legates had come into England lately before to wit one Guidâ—… and another named Anselme and another called Peter who had demeaned themselues not as Pillars of the Church but as Pillagers of all the Realme Also he required that hee might reteine all such customes as his auncestors had vsed in England and in Normandie The Pope vpon promise that the King should ayd him against his enemies yeelded to these demands and required againe of the King to permit Thurstine to returne with his fauour into England The King excused himselfe by his oath The Pope answered that he might and would dispence with him for his oath The King craued respite affirming that he would aduise with his Counsaile and then signifie to the Pope what he should resolue So in short time hee declared to the Pope that for loue to him Thurstine should bee receiued both into the Realme and to his Church vpon condition that he should professe subiection to the Sea of Canterburie as in former times his predecessors had done otherwise said hee so long as I shall bee King of England hee shall neuer sit Archbâ—…shop of Yorke The yeere following the Pope directed his letters to the King and likewise to Radulph And herewith he interdicted both the Church of Canterburie and the Church of Yorke with all the Parish Churches of both Prouinces from Diuine seruice from Buriall of the dead from all other offices of the Church except onely baptizing of children and absolution of those who shal lie at the point of death vnlesse within one moneth after the receit of the same letters Thurstine should be receiued to the Sea of Yorke without acknowledging subiection to the Sea of Canterburie It was further signified to the King that he should also be excommunicate vnlesse hee would consent to the same