WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. 337

pretences ; since the first had been a practice notunusual in England , and was never any wheresubjected to a higher penalty than a resignationof one of the fees; the second was a pure cere-monial; and as Benedict was the only pope whothen officiated, and his acts were never repealed,all the prelates of the church, especially thosewho lay at a distance , were excusable for makingtheir applications to him. Stigand’s ruin, however,■was resolved on , and was prosecuted with greatseverity. The legate degraded him from hisdignity : The king confiscated his estate , andcast him into prison , where he continued, inpoverty and want, during the remainder of hislife. Like rigor was exercised against the otherEnglish prelates: Agelric, bishop of Selesy , andAgelmare, of Elmham , were deposed by thelegate, and imprisoned by the king. Manyconsiderable abbots shared the fame fate : F.gelwin ,bishop of Durham, fled the kingdom : Wulstan,of Worcester, a man of an inoffensive character,was the only English prelate that escaped thisgeneral proscription <e , and remained in possessionof his dignity. Aldred , archbishop of York,

” Brompton relates, that Wulstan was also deprived bythe synod; but refusing to deliver his pastoral staff andring to any -but the person from whom he first received it,he went immediately to king Edward's tomb, and struckthe staff deeply into the stone , that none but himself wasable to pull it out: Upon which he was allowed to keephis bishopric. This instance may serve, instead of many,as a specimen of the monkish miracles. See also the Apnalsof Burton , p. 284.

Vol. I.

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