55. To Henry, King of the English

To Henry, his beloved lord, by the grace of God king of the English, Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, presents his faithful service, and prayers.

Anselm to his Bishops. 201 Your highness by letter desired me to send you some confidential person to whom you might safely entrust whatever you might want to tell me. I therefore send a brother called Gislebert, a monk of Bec, a close friend of my own, whom you may trust as myself with any thing you may wish to tell me. He will also tell you how the Lords Baldwin and William had already started on their journey to Rome when I received your letter; and what we have heard about the apostolic bishop Paschal and about him who is said to have accepted his see by robbery. I only say this: that Paschal who fills the apostolic see was ecclesiastically elected in the sight of God, and has already been accepted and confirmed by the whole Church Catholic. But that usurper of whom report speaks hath neither been elected nor acknowledged unless by the children of the devil and enemies of the Church of God. Let us therefore wait until there come upon him, if it has not already come, what the Lord said: "Every plant, which my Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Nor should any Christian be troubled, if the Church of Christ does suffer persecution: He Himself underwent it, and foretold it for that same Church: saying "In the world ye shall have tribulation," adding for her comfort "but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." Almighty God make you so to reign in this life over the English as that in the next you may reign among angels.