71. To Thomas, Archbishop of York

Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, to Thomas, Arch bishop-elect of York, greeting.

The canonical authority enjoins that no church of an episcopal see shall remain more than three months without a pastor. Since then it has pleased the king, by the advice of his barons and with my consent, that your person should be chosen to fill the archbishopric of York, the limit of delay thus wisely settled should not longer be extended by you. Wherefore I wonder that after your election you did not demand to be consecrated to that unto which you had been elected. So I give you notice that on the 24th of September you appear at our mother church of Canterbury, there to fulfil what you ought, and to receive consecration. If you do not come, it belongs to me to see to and to ful fil what appertains to the bishop's office in the arch bishopric of York. Besides, I hear that you before being consecrated, want to cause the bishop-elect of St Andrews in Scotland to be consecrated at York, which neither ought you to do nor I to grant; I entirely forbid it to be done either for him, or for any other person who ought to be promoted to the government of souls by the Archbishop of York, since it belongeth not to you to give or grant to any one a cure of souls which you have not yet yourself received. Farewell.