[13] The phrase "districto Sacramento" is very difficult to construe. I have here taken it to imply a release of Stephen from his oath, but the meaning of the passage, which is obscure as it stands, may be merely that Henry became surety for Stephen's performance of the oath as in an agreement or treaty between two contracting parties (vide infra passim).
[14] Ante, p. 3.
[15] Gesta, 5, 6; Will. Malms., 703. Note that William Rufus, Henry I., and Stephen all of them visited and secured Winchester even before their coronation.
[16] Const. Hist., i. 319.
[17] "A cunctis fere in regem electus est, et sic a Willelmo Cantuarensi archiepiscopo coronatus."
[18] "The form of election was hastily gone through by the barons on the spot" (Const. Hist., i. 303).
[19] Select Charters, p. 108.
[20] Early Plantagenets, p. 14.
[21] "Consentientibus in ejus promotionem Willelmo Cantuarensi archiepiscopo et clericorum et laicorum universitate" (Sym. Dun., ii. 286, 287).
[22] "Sic profecto, sic congruit, ut ad eum in regno confirmandum omnes pariter convolent, parique consensu quid statuendum, quidve respuendum sit, ab omnibus provideatur" (pp. 6, 7). Eventually he represents the primate as acting "Cum episcopis frequentique, qui intererat, clericatu" (p. 8).