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 Iniunctiōs 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.