Fond worshipping of men. 23 That no man should vpon some new rash deuotion giue reuerence or honour to any dead bodies, fountaines of water, or other things, without the bishops authoritie, which hath béene well knowne to haue chanced heretofore.
24 That there should be no more buieng and selling of men vsed in England, which was hitherto accustomed, as if they had béene kine or oxen.
25 That all such as committed the filthie sinne of Sodomitrie should be accursed by the decrée of this councell, till by penance & confession they should obteine absolution. Prouided that if he were a preest or any religious person, he should lose his benefice, and be made vncapeable of any other ecclesiasticall preferment: if he were a laie man, he should lose the prerogatiue of his estate. Prouided also that no religious man might be absolued of this crime, but at the bishops hands.
The cursse to be read euerie sundaie 26 That euerie sundaie this cursse should be read in euerie church.
The king also caused some necessarie ordinances to be deuised at this councell, to mooue men to the leading of a good and vpright life.
S. Bartholomewes by Smithfield founded. Smithfield sometimes a common laiestall & a place of execution. An. Reg. 3. About the third yeare of K. Henries reigne, the foundation of saint Bartholomews by Smithfield was begun by Raier one of the kings musicians (as some write) who also became the first prior thereof. In those daies Smithfield was a place where they laid all the ordure and filth of the citie. It was also the appointed place of execution, where felons and other malefactors of the lawes did suffer for their misdeeds.
In this third yeare of king Henries reigne the quéene was deliuered of a sonne called William.
When the earle of Shrewesburie was banished (as ye haue heard) the state of the realme seemed to be reduced into verie good order and quietnesse: so that king Henrie being aduanced with good successe in his affaires, Polydor. The king bestoweth bishopriks. Matth. Paris. was now in no feare of danger any maner of waie. Howbeit herein he somewhat displeased the cleargie: for leaning vnto his princelie authoritie, he tooke vpon him both to nominate bishops and to inuest them into the possession of their sées: amongst whom was one Remclid, Simon Dunel. bishop of Hereford by the kings ordinance. This Remclid or Remeline did afterwards resigne that bishoprike to the king, bicause he was pursuaded he had greatlie offended in receiuing the same at a temporall mans hands.
Trulie not onelie king Henrie here in England, but also other princes and high potentates of the temporaltie about the same season, challenged this right of inuesting bishops and other cleargie men, as a thing due vnto them and their predecessors, without all prescription of time, as they alledged, which caused no small debate betwixt them and the spiritualtie, as in that which is written thereof at large by others may more easilie appeere.
Anselme refuseth to consecrate the bishops inuested by the king. Howbeit Anselme the archbishop of Canturburie more earnest in this case than any other, would not admit nor consecrate such bishops as were nominated and inuested by the king, making no account of their inuestiture: and further he tooke vpon him to admonish the K. not to violate the sacred lawes, rites and ceremonies of christian religion so latelie decréed concerning those matters. But so far was the king from giuing any eare to his admonitions, that he stood the more stiffelie in his chalenge. And where Thomas the archbishop of Yorke was not long Gerard inuested archbishop of Yorke. before departed out of this transitorie life, he gaue that benefice then void to one Gerard, a man of great wit, but (as some writers report) more desirous of honor than was requisite for his calling, and willed him in despite of Anselme to consecrate those bishops whom he had of late inuested. This Gerard therefore obeieng his commandement, did W. Gifford bishop of Winchester. Matth. Paris. Wil. Thorne. Polydor. consecrate them all, William Gifford bishop of Winchester excepted; who refused to be consecrated at his hands, wherevpon he was depriued and banished the relme. The archbishop Anselme also was quite out of fauour, for that he ceased not to speake against the K. in reproouing him in this behalfe, till time that the king was contented to referre the Polydor. matter to pope Paschall, and to stand to his decree and determination: also, that such as he had placed in any bishoprike, should haue licence to go to Rome to plead their causes, whither he promised shortlie to 1103.
An. Reg. 4. send his ambassadours, and so he did: appointing for the purpose, Ambassadors sent to Rome. Herbert bishop of Norwich, and Robert bishop of Lichfield, being both of his priuie councell, and William Warlewast, of whom mention is made before, who went on their waie and came to Rome, according to their commission.