[1] Uariance be|twixt the king and the arch|bishop An|selme.Here vpon fell a great controuersie betweene An|selme and the king, who pretended a reproch of cruell surcharging of his commons with subsidies, lones, and vnreasonable fines: but the cheefe cause was, for that he might not call his synods, nor correct the bishops, but all to be doone as the king would. The king also chalenged the inuestiture of prelates, and indéed sore tared both the spiritualtie and temporal|tie, spending the monie vpon the reparations and buildings of the Tower, & Westminster hall, as is before remembred. Besides this, his seruants spoi|led the English of their goods by indirect meanes: but especiallie one Rafe sometime chaplaine vnto William the Conquerour, & at this time the kings proctor and collector of his taskes and subsidies was so malicious & couetous, that in stéed of two taskes, he would leuie thrée, pilling the rich, and powling the poore, so that manie through his cruell dealing were oftentimes made to forfeit their lands for small of|fenses: and by his meanes also diuerse bishoprikes were bought and sold as other kinds of merchandi|zes, whereby he was in singular fauour with the king. The clergie also were vsed verie streightlie, and (as I suppose) not without good cause; for suerlie in those daies it was far out of order, not onelie in couetous practises, but in all kinds of worldlie pompe and vanitie: for they had vp bushed and brai|ded perukes, long side garments verie gorgeous, gilt girdels, gilt spurs, with manie other vnséemelie disorders in attire. To be short, the contention grew so hot betwixt the king and Anselme, who would also haue corrected such vices in the clergie (as some write) that in the end the archbishop was quite cast out of fauour. Matth. Paris. There are which alledge the verie first and originall occasion of their falling out to be, for that the archbishop denied to paie a thousand marks of siluer at his request:A thousand ma [...]kes de|manded of Anselme. in consideration of the kings great beneuolence shewed in preferring him to his sée, whereas the archbishop iudged the offense of simonie, to rest as well in giuing after his promo|tion receiued, as if he had bribed him aforehand, and therefore refused to make anie such paiment: but yet (as Eadmerus writeth) he offered him fiue hun|dred pounds of siluer, Eadmer [...]. which would not be receiued, for the king was informed by some of his councell, that the archbishop (in consideration of his bounti|ous liberalitie extended towards him) ought rather to giue him two thousand pounds, than fiue hundred, adding, that if he would but change his counte|nance, and giue him no freendlie lookes for a while, he should perceiue that Anselme would ad to the first offer, other fiue hundred pounds. But Anselme was so far from being brought to the kings lure with such fetches, that openlie to the kings face he told him, that better it should be for his maiestie to re|ceiue of him a small summe granted of him with a free and franke hart, so as he might helpe him eft|soones with more, than to take from him a great deale at once, without his good will, in such sort as if he were his bondman. For your grace (saith he) may haue me, and all that is mine to serue your turne with fréendlie beneuolence: but in the waie of serui|tude and bondage you shall neither haue me nor mine. With which words the king was in maruel|lous choler, and therewith said in anger:

Well then, get thee home, take that which is thine to thy selfe, that which I haue of mine owne I trust will suffice me.

The archbishop béeing on his knees, rose here|with and departed, reioising in his mind that the king had refused his offer, whereby he was deliuered out of suspicion to haue bribed the king, and giuen him that monie in waie of reward for his prefer|ment to the miter, as of malicious men would hap|pilie haue béene construed. Wherevpon béeing after laboured to double the summe, he vtterlie refused, and determining rather to forsake the realme than to commit such an offense, Matth. Paris. made suit to the king for licence to go to Rome to fetch his pall of the pope. The king hearing the pope named,The king could not a|bide to [...]eare the pope na|med. waxed maruel|lous angrie: for they of Rome began alreadie to de|mand donations and contributions, more impu|dentlie than they were hitherto accustomed. And as it chanced, there was a schisme at that time in the church, by reason the emperour Henrie had placed a pope of his owne aduancing (namely Wibteth arch|bishop of Rauenna) against pope Urban: for the em|perour mainteined that it belonged to his office on|lie to elect and assigne what pope it pleased him.