ANSELM had no fooner returned from banishment, than his refusal to do homage to the King excited a difpute, which Henry evaded at that critical juncture, by promifing to fend a meffenger, in order to compound the matter with Pascal the fecond, who then filled the Papal chair. The meffenger, as was probably foreseen, returned with an abfolute refufal of the King's demands; and that fortified by many reasons, which were well qualified to operate on the understandings of men in those ages. Pascal quoted the fcriptures to prove that Chrift was the door; and he thence inferred, that all ecclefiaftics must enter into the church through Chrift alone, not through the civil magistrate, or any profane laymen . "It is monftrous," added the pontiff," that a fon fhould pretend to beget his "father, or a man to create his God: Priefts are called gods "in fcripture, as being the vicars of God: And will you, by tr your abominable pretenfions to grant them their inveftiture, "affume the right of creating them ?” BUT however convincing these arguments, they could not perfuade Henry to refign fo important a prerogative; and perhaps, as he was poffeffed of great reflection and learning, he thought, that the abfurdity of a man's creating his God, even allowing priests to be gods, was not urged with the beft grace by the Roman pontiff. But as he defired ftill to avoid, at least to delay, the coming to any dangerous extremity with the church, he perfuaded Anfelm, that he would be able, by farther negociation, to attain fome compofition with Pascal; and › W. Malm. p. 225 e Eadmer, p. 60. This topic is farther enforced in p. 73, 74. See alfo W. Malm. p. 163. d Eadmer, p. 61. I much fufpect, that this text of fcripture is a forgery of his holinefs: For I have not been able to find it. Yet it paffed current in those ages, and was often quoted by the clergy as the foundation of their power. See Epift. St. Thom. p. 169. for ! for that purpose, he dispatched three bishops to Rome, while Anfelm sent two messengers of his own, to be more fully affured of the Pope's intentions. Pascal wrote back letters equally positive and arrogant both to the King and primate; urging to the former, that, by affuming the right of inveftitures, he committed a kind of spiritual adultery with the church, who was the spouse of Chrift, and who must not admit of fuch a commerce with any other person'; and infifting with the latter, that the pretenfions of Kings to confer benefices was the fource of all fimony; a topic which had but too much foundation in those ages. HENRY had now no other expedient than to fupprefs the letter addreffed to himself, and to perfuade the three bishops to prevaricate, and affert, upon their episcopal faith, that Pascal had affured them in private of his good intentions towards Henry, and of his refolution not to resent any future exertion of his prerogative in granting inveftitures; though he himself fcrupled to give this affurance under his hand, left other princes fhould copy the example and affume a like privilege". Anfelm's two meffengers, who were monks, affirmed to him, that it was impoffible this ftory could have any foundation; but their word was not deemed equivalent to that of three bishops; and the King, as if he had finally gained his caufe, proceeded to fill the fees of Hereford and Salisbury, and to invest the new bishops in the ufual manner. But Anfelm, who, as he had good reason, gave no credit to the affeveration of the King's meffengers, refufed not only to confecrate them, but even to communicate with them; and the bishops themselves, finding: • Eadmer, p. 62. W. Malm. p. 225. Eadmer, p. 64, 66. h Eadmer, p. 65. f Eadmer, p. 63. 1 Eadmer, p. 66. W. Malm. p. 225. Hoveden, p. 469. CHAP. VI. 1107. how: how odious they were become, returned to Henry the enfigns of their dignity. The quarrel 'every day encreased between the King and the primate: The former, notwithstanding the prudence and moderation of his temper, threw out menaces against all such as should pretend to oppose him in exerting the antient prerogatives of his crown: And Anfelm, sensible of his disagreeable and dangerous fituation, defired leave to make a journey to Rome, in order to lay the cafe before the fovereign pontiff'. Henry, well pleased to rid himself without violence of so inflexible an antagonist, readily granted him permiffion; and Anfelm fet out on his journey. He was attended to the sea-coast by infinite multitudes, not only monks and clergymen, but people of all ranks, who fcrupled not in this manner to declare for their primate against their fovereign, and who regarded his departure as the final abolition of religion and true piety in the kingdom". The King, however, confiscated all the revenues of his fee; and fent William de Warelwaft to negociate with Pascal, and to find fome means of accommodation in this delicate affair ". THE English minister told Pascal, that his master would rather lose his crown than part with the right of granting inveftitures. "And I,” replied Pascal, "would rather lofe my "head than allow him to retain it." Henry fecretly prohibited Anfelm to return, unless he refolved to conform himself to the laws and usages of the kingdom; and the primate took up his residence at Lyons, in expectation, that the King would at 226. * Hoveden, p. 470. Chron. St. Petri de Burgo, p. 59. Flor. Wigorn. p. 65 1. p. 40. Dunstaple, p. 18. Eadmer, p. 73. laft VI. 1107. laft be obliged to yield the point, which was the present object CHA P. of controverfy between them. Soon after, he was allowed to return to his monaftery at Bec in Normandy; and Henry, besides restoring to him the revenues of his fee, treated him with the greatest respect, and held several conferences with him, in order to soften his oppofition, and bend him to submission 1. The people of England, who thought all differences now accommodated, were inclined to blame their primate for abfenting himself so long from his charge; and he daily received letters from his partizans, representing the neceffity of his speedy return. The total extinction, they told him, of religion and Christianity was likely to enfue from the want of his fatherly care: The most shocking customs prevail in England: And the dread of his severity being now removed, fodomy and the practice of wearing long hair gain ground among all ranks of men, and these enormities openly appear every where, without sense of fhame or fear of punishment'. THE policy of the court of Rome has been commonly much admired; and men, judging by fuccefs, have bestowed the highest eulogies on that prudence, by which a power, from fuch flender beginnings, could advance, without force of arms, to establish an universal and almost abfolute monarchy in Europe. But the wisdom of fuch a long fucceffion of men, who filled the papal throne, and who were of fuch different ages, tempers, and interefts, is not intelligible, and could never have place in nature. The inftrument, indeed, with which they wrought, the ignorance and fuperftition of the people, is fo grofs an engine, of fuch univerfal prevalence, and fo little liable to accident or disorder, that it may be fuccefsful even in the most unskilful a Hoveden, p. 471. VOL. I. Eadmer, p. 81. A a a hands; 4 CHAP. 1107. hands; and scarce any indifcretion can frustrate its operations. While the court of Rome was openly abandoned to the most flagrant disorders, even while it was torn with schisms and factions, the power of the church made daily a fenfible progrefs in Europe; and, the temerity of Gregory and the caution of Pascal were equally fortunate in promoting it. The clergy, feeling the neceffity, which they lay under, of being protected against the violence of princes, or vigour of the laws, were well pleased to adhere to a foreign head, who, being removed from the fear of the civil authority, could freely employ the power of the whole church in defending her antient or ufurped properties and privileges, when invaded in any particular country: The monks, defirous of an independance on their diocefans, profeffed a still more devoted attachment to the triple crown.; and the ftupid people poffeffed no fcience nor reafon, which they could oppofe to the moft exorbitant pretenfions. Nonsense passed for demonftration: The most criminal means were fanctified by the piety of the end: Treaties were not fupposed to be binding where the interefts of God were concerned: The antient laws and cuftoms of ftates had no authority against a divine right: Impudent forgeries were received as authentic monuments of antiquity: And the champions of holy church, if fuccefsful, were celebrated as heroes; if unfortunate, were worshipped as martyrs; and all events thus turned out equally to the advantage of clerical ufurpations. Pafcal himself, the present Pope, was,. in the course of this very controversy con-cerning investitures, involved in circumftances, and neceffitated to follow a conduct, which would have drawn, difgrace and ruin on any temporal prince; that had been fo unfortunate as to fall into a like fituation. His perfon was féized by the Emperor Henry V. and he was obliged, by a formal treaty, to refign to |