?5 6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

IV.

3076 .

Revolt ofprince Ro-bert.

altar*\ This point was a great object in thepolitics of the Roman pontiffs; and it coll theminfinitely more pains to establish it than thepropagation of any speculative absurdity ,which they had ever attempted to introduce.IV!any synods were summoned in different partsof Europe, before it was finally settled; and itwas there constantly remarked, that the youngerclergymen complied chearlully with the pope’sdecrees in this particular , and that the chiefreluctance appeared in those who were moreadvanced in years: An event so little consonantto men’s natural expectations, that it could notfail to be glossed on, even in that blind andsuperstitious age. William allowed the pope’slegate to assemble , in his absence, a synod atWinchester, in order to establish the celibacyof the clergy; but the church of England couldnot yet be carried the whole length expected.The synod was content with decreeing, that thebishops should not thenceforth ordain any priestsor deacons without exacting from them a pro-mise of celibacy ; but they enacted, that none ,except those who belonged to collegiate or ca-thedral churches, should be obliged to separatefrom their wives.

The king passed some years in Normandy; buthis long residence there was not entirely owing tohis declared preference of that dutchy: His presence

' Hoveden, p. 455. 457. filar. XCigorn. p. 638.Spell. Concil. sol. 13. A. D. 1076. .