The Bishop goes out.
Defiance of Hugh of Beaumont. perfectly well in the place and company in which they were now sitting. There was no need to rise; let the Bishop of Durham and his men go out, and the rest of the Court, clergy and laity alike, would judge what was right to be done.[1] The Bishop warned the Court to act according to the canons, and to let no one judge who might not canonically judge a bishop. Lanfranc calmly, but vaguely, assured him that justice would be done.[2] Hugh of Beaumont told him more plainly, "If I may not to-day judge you and your order, you and your order shall never afterwards judge me."[3] With one more protest, one more declaration that he would disown any judgement which was not strictly canonical,[4] Bishop William and his followers left the hall of meeting.
Debate in the Bishop's absence.
Constitution of the Court.
Our only narrative of these debates, the narrative of
Bishop William himself or of some one writing under
his inspiration, complains of the long delay before the
Bishop was allowed to come back, and gives a description,
one which reads like satire, of the assembly which
stayed to debate the preliminary point of law. There was
the King, with the bishops and earls, the sheriffs and the
lesser reeves, with the King's huntsmen and other officials.[5]
The great officers of state, Justiciar, Chancellor,
- ↑ Mon. Angl. u.s. "Ad hæc Lanfrancus archiepiscopus, 'Non est necesse,' inquit, 'nos surgere, sed episcopus et homines sui egrediantur, et nos remanentes, tam clerici quam laici, consideremus equaliter quid inde juste facere debeamus."
- ↑ Ib. "Vade, nos enim juste faciemus quidquid fecerimus."
- ↑ Ib. "Si ego hodie te et tuum ordinem judicare non potero, tu vel tuus ordo nunquam me amplius judicabitis."
- ↑ Ib. "Vide autem qui in domo ista remanent et me judicare disponunt ut et canonicos judices habeant et canonice me judicent; si enim aliter agerent, eorum judicia penitus recusarem."
- ↑ Ib. "Rege, cum suis episcopis et consulibus et vicecomitibus et præpositis et venatoribus aliisque quorumlibet officiorum, in judicio remanente.
