and bring Cardinal Walter as Legate.
He brings a pallium.
Secrecy of his errand.
His interview with the King. advanced before they were in England again, and a papal Legate with them. This was the Cardinal Walter, Bishop of Albano, whose good life is witnessed by our own Chronicler.[1] His Italian subtlety showed itself quite equal to the work of outwitting the King and his counsellors whenever he chose; but his Roman greediness could not always withstand their bribes. He came, bringing with him a pallium, but the whole affair was, by the King's orders, shrouded in the deepest mystery. Not a word was said about the pallium; indeed the Legate was not allowed to have any private discourse with any man. His two keepers, Gerard and William, watched him carefully; they passed in silence through Canterbury, and took care not to meet the Archbishop.[2] A few days before Whitsuntide, Cardinal Walter had an interview with the King. He spoke so that William understood him to be willing to abet all his purposes. Some special privilege was granted to William, which amounted at the least to this, that no legate should be sent into England but one of the King's own choosing.[3] Not a word did Cardinal Walter say onAlbanensis episcopus, quem primum illo miserat papa, ne legatus Romanus ad Angliam mitteretur nisi quem rex præciperet."]
- ↑ Chron. Petrib. 1095. "Eac on þis ylcan geare togeanes Eastron com þaes papan sande hider to lande, þaet wæs Waltear bisceop swiðe god lifes man, of Albin þære ceastre." The date is strange, as he did not and could not come till after Easter.
- ↑ Eadmer, Hist. Nov. 32. "Præfatus episcopus Angliam veniens, secum archiepiscopatus stolam papa mittente clanculo detulit. Et silenter Cantuaria civitate pertransita, Anselmoque devitato, ad regem properabat, nulli de pallio quod ferebat quicquam dicens, nullum in absentia ductorum suorum familiariter alloquens. Rex denique præceperat ita fieri, nolens mysterium consilii sui publicari."
- ↑ Ib. 33. "Sentiens rex episcopum ex parte Urbani cuncta suæ voluntati coniventia nunciare, et ea, si ipsum Urbanum pro papa in suo regno susciperet, velle apostolica authoritate sibi dum viveret in privilegium promulgare, adquievit placito." This is put somewhat more distinctly in the account by Hugh of Flavigny (Pertz, viii. 475, see Appendix AA); "Conventionem fecerat cum eo [Willelmo
