His objection admitted.
Anselm's consecration. the rights of Canterbury admits that the objection of Thomas was a good one.[1] The wording of the document was at once changed;[2] the rite went on, and Anselm was consecrated as Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of all Britain. If the more northern suffragans of York had any objections to make, they were just then less likely than ever to be at Canterbury to make them.
Question of acknowledging the Pope. The position of the newly-consecrated Primate within his own island was thus settled to the satisfaction of the man who thought that he had a special interest in the matter. It was perhaps more difficult to settle his relation to the ecclesiastical powers beyond his own island. Anselm had warned the King that, if he became archbishop, he must yield obedience to Urban. But, as the King had not acknowledged Urban, it would have been deemed unlawful to speak of Urban as Pope in any public act. The difficulty seems to have been got over by Anselm making a profession of obedience to the
- ↑ Eadmer, Hist. Nov. 21. "Quod auditum ratione submixum esse, quod dicebat intellectum est."
- ↑ Ib. "Tunc statim scriptura ipsa mutata est, et pro totius Britanniæ metropolitana, totius Britanniæ primas scriptum est, et omnis controversia conquievit. Itaque sacravit eum ut totius Britanniæ primatem." The Yorkist version, as given by T. Stubbs (X Scriptt. 1707), is of course quite different. Thomas is there attended by several members of his church, Hugh the Dean and others. This might almost imply the absence of his one suffragan. The words objected to are in this version "Primas totius Britanniæ." As soon as they are heard, Thomas and his companions go out and take off their robes. Anselm and Walkelin follow them; they fall at the feet of Thomas, and ask for his forgiveness ("pedibus archiepiscopi affusi humiliter deprecati sunt, ne moleste acciperet"). Thomas stands firm. "Cum duo tantum, inquit, sint metropolitæ in Britannia, alter super alterum esse non potest." He might have erred in his youth by admitting the claims of Canterbury; he would at least not err in the like sort again. He would consecrate no man as primate. Anselm and Walkelin submit; the word "primate" is struck out, and Anselm is consecrated as "metropolitan." It will be seen that in this version the place of the two titles, "primate" and "metropolitan," is simply turned round. We can have no doubt as to preferring the contemporary account; but it is well to see how matters looked at York several centuries later.
