24. To Pope Pascal

To his reverend lord and father, Pascal the great pontiff, Anselm, servant of the Church of Canterbury; with due willing submission and, if they are worth aught, the devotion of his prayers.

The reason why I have so long delayed to send any message to your highness after we, giving God thanks, had rejoiced at the certain news of your elevation, was that a certain messenger came from the king of the English to the venerable Archbishop of Lyons about our matters, not however announcing what was to be required; and hearing the answer of the archbishop he went back to the king, promising to return at once to Lyons. I waited for him that I might know what I could tell you as to the king's will, but he never came. I will therefore state my case briefly, for when I stayed in Rome I often told it to the Lord Pope Urban and to many others, as I doubt not your holiness knows. I saw in England many evils the correction of which belonged to me, and which I could neither remedy, nor without personal guilt allow to exist. Now the king-required me to give my consent under the cloak of justice to what he willed, which was against the law and will of God. For except by his own command he would not allow the holder of the apostolic see to be appealed to in England; nor that I should send him a letter or receive one sent by him, or obey his decrees. He has suffered no council to be summoned in his kingdom since he became king, now thirteen years ago. He gave the lands of the Church to his men; when I sought advice as to these and similar matters, every one in his kingdom, even my own suffragan bishops, refused to give any advice save according to the king's will. I, seeing these and many other things which are against God's will and law, begged him for leave to go to the apostolic see that I might thence receive advice as to my own soul and the duty incumbent on me. The king replied that I had offended against him by the mere asking for this leave, and required me either to give him satisfaction for this as for an offence and security against my ever asking again for such permission or ever appealing to the apostolic see, or forthwith to leave his realm. I preferred to depart rather than consent to that wickedness. I went, as you know, to Rome, and told the whole matter to the lord pope. Directly I left Eng land, the king, only allowing for the bare food and clothing of our monks, took possession of the whole archbishopric and converted it to his own use. Being warned and commanded by the lord pope to alter this, he held him in contempt, and still continues to go on in the same manner. This is now already the third year since I left England; the little I brought with me and much which I have borrowed and still owe, have I spent. Thus owing more than I possess, being detained at the house of our venerable father the Archbishop of Lyons, I am at present supported by his kind liberality and generous goodness. I say this not as desiring to return to England, but I fear lest your highness should be angry with me did I not make you acquainted with my position. Thus I pray and adjure you with all possible earnestness by no means to command me to return to England, except in such manner as I shall be allowed to prefer the law and will of God and the apostolic decrees, to the will of man: and except the king shall restore to me the Church lands, and whatever he has taken from the archbishopric because I appealed to the apostolic see; unless indeed a just compensation be made to the Church for all that. Other wise I should let it appear that I ought to put man before God, and that I am rightly despoiled for choosing to appeal to the apostolic see. It is plain enough what an injurious and detestable example this would be for my successors. Some of the less intelligent ask why I do not excommunicate the king; but the wiser and more clear-judging advise me not to do that, since it behoves me not to do both these, i.e., make the complaint, and impose the penalty. And then I am told by my friends who are under the same king, that if I were indeed to publish my excommunication, it would by them be despised and turned into ridicule. The authority of your wisdom needs no advice from me as to all To the Prior and Brethren of Canterbury Church. 161 this. I pray that Almighty God may make all your actions pleasing to Him, and His Church long to rejoice in the prosperity of your rule. Amen.