W 1L L 1 AM RUFU S.

395

story be true, it is probable that he meant only c h ato amuse himself by turning both into ridicule: v.

But we must be cautious of admitting every thingrelated by the monkisti historians to the disadvantageof this prince : He had the misfortune to beengaged in quarrels with the ecclesiastics, parti-cularly with Anselm , commonly called St. Anselm,archbishop of Canterbury; and it is no wonderhis memory should be blackened by the historiansof that order.

After the death of Lanfranc , the king, for Q,«vreiseveral years, retained in his own hands the re- relmthevenues of Canterbury , as he did those of many primate,other vacant bishoprics : but falling into a danger-ous sickness, he was seized with remorse, andthe clergy represented to him , that he was indanger of eternal perdition , if before his death hedid not make atonement for those multipliedimpieties and sacrileges, of which he had beenguilty ”. He resolved therefore to supply instantlythe vacancy of Canterbury; and for that purposehe sent for Anselm, a Piedmontese by birth,abbot of Bee in Normandy , who was muchcelebrated for his learning and piety. T he abbotearnestly refused the dignity, fell on his knees,wept , and entreated the king to change hispurpose and when he found the prince obstinatein forcing the pastoral staff upon him , he kepthis fist so fast clenched , that it required the

17 Eadmer, p, 16. Chron. Sax. p. 198.

Ibid. p. 17. Diceto, p. 494.

I*.