The Archbishop's thegns.
Clauses in favour of the monks.
The city of Canterbury and abbey of Saint Alban's.
Anselm and Saint Alban's. view of the point last in dispute. The new archbishop was to have all these liberties over as many thegns as King Eadward the King's kinsman had granted to the see of Christ Church. This can hardly mean anything except the annulling of the grants which the King had made during the vacancy.[1] Anselm was to have all such temporal rights as had been lawfully held by Lanfranc, as had been before him unlawfully held by Stigand. The writ further contains provisions on behalf of the metropolitan monastery. The estates of the convent were distinct from those of the see; still, in such a time of unlaw, it is likely that some excuse had been found to do them some wrong also. To the monks of Christ Church therefore the King confirms all their rights and possessions, with all the tolls and dues from the haven of Sandwich; no man, French or English, should meddle with them or their servants.[2] Our Canterbury guide speaks also of a renewed grant, on more favourable terms than before, of the city of Canterbury and of the abbey of Saint Alban's.[3] These possessions were at least not granted by the writ which announces the grant of the archbishopric. Of one of them the local patriotism of Saint Alban's naturally knew nothing, though we hear of the friendship which Anselm showed to the house and
- ↑ We have the writ in the Fœdera, i. 5. It grants "omnes libertates in terra et mari super suos homines, infra burgos et extra, et super tot theines quot ecclesiæ Christi concessit Edwardus rex, cognatus meus." This mention of the thegns, and the King's request about the grants, and the words of Anselm to the Archbishop of Lyons, all hang together.
- ↑ Ib. "Nolo pati ut aliquis hominum se intromittat de omnibus rebus quæ ad eos pertinent, nisi ipsi et ministri eorum quibus ipsi committere voluerint, nec Francus nec Anglus."
- ↑ Eadmer, Hist. Nov. 18 (see above, p. 403). "At civitas Cantuaria quam Lanfrancus suo tempore in beneficio a rege tenebat, et abbatia sancti Albani quam non solum Lanfrancus sed et antecessores ejus habuisse noscuntur, in alodium ecclesiæ Christi Cantuariensis, pro redemptione animæ suæ, perpetuo jure, transirent."
