Page:The reign of William Rufus and the accession of Henry the First.djvu/598

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him credit, he seems, like other Romans, to have been open to the King's special means of influence, and a foreign writer who had good means of knowing seems to speak of his general conduct in England as having greatly tended to bring his office into discredit. His commission from Pope Urban was a large one. Among other things, he had to look to the better payment of the Romescot, which, it will be remembered, had not always flowed regularly into the papal coffers even in the days of the Conqueror, and which of course did not flow at all in the days when no Pope was acknowledged in England. He had also to enquire generally into the state of things in England, and to consult with Anselm as to the means of reform. It is plain however from most independent testimonies that the Archbishop and the Cardinal were by no means suited to work together. Two letters from Anselm to Walter throw a singular light on some points in the story which are not recorded in any narrative. The personal intercourse of the two prelates was interfered with by a cause which we should hardly have looked for, namely, the occupation of Anselm in the duties of a military command. But it is plain that Anselm did not look for much good from any special intercourse between himself and the Cardinal. He writes that private conferences between the two were of no use; they could do nothing without the King's consent and help. But*