Page:The Church of England, its catholicity and continuity.djvu/54

 the doctrine of the celibacy of the clergy, and transubstantiation. The Pope of Rome then, unlike the Bishops of our days or even Bishops of England at that time, maintained a Court not equalled in splendour and magnificence by any other Court of Europe. The Pope was a king. Yea, more powerful than a king. For the Pope made kings tremble before him, and humble themselves for his alliance and friendship. The papal power was also an aggressive power. It was as much its object to conquer countries as the object of any regal Court who made no pretentions to religion. That power tried to conquer England. It forced upon us its paid servants, and most unscrupulously did its utmost to carry the revenue of our richest Sees into its own coffers. It demanded money of us; and what was England to do? We were often terrified into payment, or else expect the Pope to send across a conquering army.

As Englishmen of note went to Rome, it was the object of the Pope to gain their favours by representing to them that it would be to their interest to serve his Church.

It was probably in the year 1027 that Canute went on a pilgrimage to Rome. His object in going there, he said, was "to pray for the forgiveness of his sins and for the welfare of his people." He wrote a letter home, saying to the Bishops of England, as Mr. Hore expresses it, "That he had obtained from the Pope an abatement of the expenses incurred by the Archbishop in obtaining the pall. He adjured the Bishops and Government of England to take care that all dues belonging to God, according to the old laws, be paid"; amongst which he mentioned Peter's pence. If they