73. To Pope Paschal the Second

To his beloved and revered lord and master Paschal, the supreme Pope, Anselm, servant of the Church of Canterbury, sends his due obedience and his faithful prayers.

Since the consolidation and regulation of the Churches of God depends chiefly, after God, upon the authority of your paternity, I, when there is any cause for needing it, freely turn to you for help and advice. The Archbishop of York, Gerald by name, departed this life, another by name Thomas was elected in his stead. Concerning him the report goes that he is seeking the pall before being consecrated and making his acknow ledgment to me according to the ancient custom of his predecessors and mine. Therefore the point of my request in this matter is that until he shall have been consecrated and have professed to me the obedience due, as I said, he shall not receive the pall from your excellency. Which I say not concerning this because I envy him the pall, but because some claim, and even hold charges as though this had been granted by you, and they might feel assured that they can refuse me the due acknowledgment. But should this happen, know that the Church of England would be divided; and according to the Word of the Lord, "Every kingdom divided against itself shall be brought to desolation," it will be desolate, and the strictness of apostolic discipline will be not a little weakened therein. I also should on no account remain in England. For I neither ought to, nor can, suffer, as long as I live, that the primacy of our Church should be destroyed. Further, and with the same motive, I would suggest to your reverence, since the pall is requested by the Bishop of London, that he never had it; so that he can show no sort of argument in support of his claim. For some join together under this show of right, to humiliate (how, it matters not) the dignity of the primary see of Canterbury. I sent this year after Pentecost a letter to your holiness by Bernard, a servant of Master Peter, your chamberlain, saying that the King of England complains that you allow the King of Germany to give investitures of churches, without excommunication, and so threatens that he will most certainly resume his own investitures, since the other peacefully retains his. Let your prudence therefore decide without delay what you will do in this matter, lest what you are constructing so well should be irreparably destroyed. For our king is constantly asking what you will do as to the other king. Let us pray God to gladden us with your long-lasting prosperity.