Page:The reign of William Rufus and the accession of Henry the First.djvu/461

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bishops again took up their parable in a stronger tone. What madness had possessed him? He was harassing the King, almost killing him; his last moments were embittered by Anselm's obstinacy. They gave him to know that whatever disturbances, oppressions, and crimes, might hereafter disturb England would all lie at his door, if he did not stop them that day by taking on him the pastoral care. Still—so he himself witnessed afterwards—wishing rather, if it were God's will, to die than to take on him the archbishopric, he turned to two of his own monks who had come with him, Eustace and Baldwin of Tournay, and asked them to help him. Baldwin answered, "If it be the will of God that it shall be so, who are we that we should withstand the will of God?" His words were followed by a flood of tears, his tears by a gush of blood from his nostrils. Anselm, surely half-smiling, said, "Alas, how soon is your staff broken." The King then, seeing that nothing was gained, bade the bishops fall at Anselm's feet and implore him to take the see. A like scene had been gone through at Bec when it was first sought to raise Anselm to the abbacy. The bishops fell at his feet, and implored; Anselm fell at their feet, and implored back again. There was nothing to be done save the last shift of, so to speak, investing him with the bishopric by physical force. A cry was raised for a pastoral staff; the staff was brought, and was placed in the sick king's hand. The bishops seized the right arm of Anselm; some pushed; some pulled; he was forced close up to