Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/290

 254 ANSEL M. Henry I. having fucceeded to the throne of England, rd- ee the ^ ees * Canterbury, Winchefter, and SaHfbury^ Jib. Hi! which had been feized by his predeceflbr, and invited Anfelm epift.4t.andto return to his archbifhopric. Upon his arrival in England, colled, of fo e W2S rece i vec j w j tn extraordinary refpe6t by the king and Record',. in iii n r. 14. at the people; but when it was required that he mould be re-mvelt- endof his ed by the king, and do the cuftomary homage of his prede- Ecctef.Hift. Ce jf ors ^ j, e reefed to comply, alleging the canons of the late fynod at Rome about inveftitures [c]. The king was not a little difgulted at AnfelnVs non-compliance: it was agreed, however, that the difpute fliould reft till the Eafter following; and in the mean time fome perfons were to be fent to Rome, to try if they could perfuade the pope to difpenfe with the canons of the late fynod, in relation to inveftitures. About this time Anfelm fummoned a fynod at Lambeth, on occafion of the king's intended marriage with Maud, or Matilda, eldeft daughter of Malcolm king of Scotland j and here it was determined, that the king might lawfully marry that Eadmer, princefs, notwithftanding (he was generally reported to be a lib. iii. nulli nav; n g worn the veil, and having had her education in a P. 5? i i r religious home. The perfons deputed by the king and the archbifhop to Rome, when they returned, brought with them a letter to his majefty from the pope, wherein his holinefs abiolutely refufes to difpenfe with the canons concerning inveftitures* The kins, on his part, refolved not to give up what had hitherto been accounted part of his prerogative; and thus the mifunderftanding ftill continued between the king and Anfelm. The majority of the biftiops and nobility were on the king's fide, aad fome of them prelled his majefty to break. entirely with the fee of Rome. However it was not thought advifeable to proceed to an open rupture without making a further trial for an accommodation : the king accordingly fent deputies to his holinefs, to try to prevail with him to re- cede fiom his declaration; but he protefted that he wou'd fooner lofe his life, than cancel the decrees of the holy fa- thers; and he fignified his refolution by letters to the king and Anfelm. The next year a national fynod was held un- der Anfelm at St. Peter's, Weftminfter, at v/hich the king Ibid. p. 64. and moft of the nobility were prefent. The year following, [c] This fynod excommunicated all tenure of homage for any ecclefiaftical lay |>trfons who fiiould give inveftitures promotion, were put under the lame for abbey? or cathedrals; and all ecclr- cenfure. William of Malmefbury, ubi fiafiics, who fhould receive inveftitures fupra. from K.y hands, or come under the the