1576 Edition | Book 4 | Page 221 
MarginaliaK. Henry permitted priestes to haue both churches and wiues.
Ex epist. Ansel. 77. & 377.AS concernyng Priestes, of whom the kyng commaunded that they should haue both their Churches and their women as they had in the tyme of his father and of Lancfrancus Archbyshop: both because the kyng hath reuested and reseazed of the whole Archbishopricke: and because so cursed a mariage was forbidden in a Councell in the tyme of his father and of the sayde Archbyshop: MarginaliaPope Paschall hath so decreed it at Rome.
Ergo priests must haue no wiues.Boldly I commaunde by the autoritie which I haue by my Archbishoprike, not onely within my Archbishoprike, but also throughout England: that all Priestes whiche keepe women shalbe depriued of their Churches, and Ecclesiasticall benefices.
Ex epist. 373.WIlliam our Archdeacon hath writen to me, that some priests that be vnder his custody (taking agayne theyr women, that were forbidden) haue fallen vnto the vncleannes from the which they were drawn by wholesom counsell and commundement: when the Archdeacon would amend this thyng, they vtterly despised with wicked pride his warnyng and woorthy commaundement to be receaued. MarginaliaPriestes excōmunicated for receauing agayne their wiues.Then he callyng together many religious men and obedient Priests, excommunicated worthely the proud and disobedient, that beastly despised the curse and were not afrayd to defile the holye ministerie, as muche as lay in them. &c.[Back to Top]
Vnto these letters aboue prefixed, I haue also adioyned an other of the sayd Anselmus, touchyng a great caseof conscience, of a Monkes whyppyng of hymselfe. Wherein may appeare both the blynd and lamentable superstition of those religious men, and the iudgement of this Anselmus in the same matter.
Ex epist. 255.
Whether is more merit for a mōke to cause hymselfe in the chapter to be whipped: or to suffer obediently the whippinges of his Abbot.I Heard it sayde of your Lorde Abbot that thou iudgest it to be of greater merite, when a Monke either beateth himselfe, or desireth hymself to be beaten of an other: then when he is beaten (not of hys own will) in the chapter, by the commaundement of the prelacy. But it is not so as you thinke. For that iudgement that any man commaundeth to himselfe is kingly. But that which he suffereth by obediēce in the chapter is monkish. The one is of hys owne will, the other is of obedience, and not of his owne wil. That which I call kingly, kinges and rich proud men commaunde to be done to themselues. But that which I call monkish, they take (not commaunding, but obeying) The kingly is so much easier, by how much it agreeth to the will of the sufferer. But the monkish is so much the greuouser, by how much it differreth from the will of the sufferer. In the kingly iudgement, the sufferer is iudged to be his owne: In the monkish he is proued not to be his owne. For although the kyng or rich man, when he is beaten, willingly sheweth himself hūbly to be a sinner: yet he would not submit himself, to this humblenes at any other cōmaundemāt, but would withstand the commaunder with all his strength. But when a Monke submitteth himselfe to the whippes humbly in the chapter at the will of the prelate: the truth iudgeth him to be of so much greater merite, by how much he humbleth himselfe more, and more truly then the other. For he humbleth himself to God onely, because hee knoweth his sinnes. But this man humbleth himselfe to man for obedience. But he is more lowly that humbleth himselfe both to God and man for Gods cause, thē he which humbleth hymselfe to God only, and not to gods commaundement. Therfore if he that humbleth himself shal be extolled, Ergo he that more humbleth himselfe shalbe more exalted. And where I sayd that when a monke is whipped, that it differeth from hys wil: you must not so vnderstād it, as though he would not paciently beare it with an obedient will: but because by a naturall appetite, he would not suffer the sorrow. But if ye say, I do not so much flie the open beating for the paynes (which I fele also secretly) as for the shame: know then, that he is stronger that reioyceth to beare this for obediēce sake. MarginaliaThe iudgement or conclusion of Anselme vpon the case.Therfore be thou sure, that one whippyng of a monke by obedience, is of more merite, then innumerable whippings taken by his owne mynde. But where as he is such, that alwayes he ought to haue his hart ready without murmuryng obediently to be whipped: MarginaliaFalse opinion of merite.we ought to iudge hym then to be of great merite, whether he be whipped priuily or openly. &c.[Back to Top]
MarginaliaAn. 1105And thus much concerning Anselmus archbyshop of Cant. whose stoute exāple gaue no litle courage to Thurstinus and Becket his successors: and to other that folowed after to doe the lyke agaynst their kynges and princes, as in proces hereafter by the grace of Christ shall appeare.
About this tyme. an. 1105. two famous Archbyshops of Mentz, being right vertuous and well disposed Prelates: were cruelly and tirannously delt withall, and intreated by the byshop of Rome. Their names were Harry and Christian. This Harry hauyng intelligence, that he was complayned of to the pope, sent a learned man (a speciall frend of his) to excuse him, named Arnolde: one for whome he had much done, and promoted to great lyuing and promotions. But this honest mā Arnold, in steede of an excuser became an accuser, MarginaliaIudges corrupted.brybing the two chiefest Cardinals with good gold: by which meanes he obtayned of the pope, those two Cardinals to be sēt as inquisitors and onely doers in that present case. The which (comming to Germany) somoned the sayd Henry, and deposed him of his Archbyshopricke (for all he could doe) either by lawe or iustice: substituting in his place the foresayd Arnold, vpon hope (truly) of the ecclesiasticall golde. Wherupon that vertuous and honorable Henry (as the story telleth) spake vnto those his peruers iudges on this wyse. If I should appeale vnto the Apostolik see for this your vniust proces had agaynst me: perhaps the pope would attempt nothing any more therin, then ye haue: neyther should I win any thyng by it, but onely toyle of body, losse of good, affliction of mind, care of hart, and missing of his fauour. Wherfore I do appeale to the Lord Iesu Christ, as to the most hyghest and iust iudge, & cite you before his iudgement, there to aunsweare me before the high iudge. For neither iustly nor godly (but by corrupcion as it pleaseth you) you haue iudged. Whereunto they scoffingly answered: Go you first, and we will folowe. Not long after (as the story is) the sayd Harry dyed: whereof two Cardinals hauing intelligence sayd one to the other iestingly: behold he is gone before, and we must follow according to our promise: and verely they sayd truer then they were aware of, for within a whyle they dyed in one day. For the one sit-MarginaliaA terrible example for corrupt iudges to beware.
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