33 6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

c n a. r. Rome , but without much idea of its title to do mi- j

iv. niou or authority. As soon, therefore, as the ;

ic 7 o. Xorman prince seemed fully established on the 1

throne, the Pope dispatched Ermenfroy, bishop iof Sion, as his legate into England ; and this :prelate was the first that had ever appeared withthat character in any part of the Briiish islands. 1

The king, though he was probably led by j

principle to pay this submission to Rome, deter- ]mined, as is usual, to employ the incident as a ]means of serving his political purposes, and of 'degrading those Englissi prelates , who werebecome obnoxious to him. The legate submittedto become the instrument of his tyranny ; andthought, that the more violent the exertion ofpower , the more certainly did it confirm theauthority of that court, from which he derivedhis commission. He summoned , therefore , acouncil of the prelates and abbots at Winchester;and being assisted by two cardinals , Peter andJohn , he cited before him Stigand , archbishopof Canterbury , to answer for his conduct. Theprimate was accused of three crimes ; the holdingof the fee of Winchester together with that ofCanterbury; the officiating in the pall of Robert,his predecessor ; and the having received hisown pall from Benedict IX. who was afterwardsdeposed for simony . and for intrusion into thepapacy ”. These crimes of Stigand were mere

" Hoveden. p. 453. Diceto, p. 482. Knyehton, p.2345. Anglia Sacra. vol. I. p. 5 , 6. Ypod. Neust. p. 438.

pretences;