Western Church, in the person of its chief Pontiff.[1] Anselm and England were again in full fellowship with the lawful occupier of the apostolic throne. Nothing now was wanting. The Archbishop, clad in his pallium, sang the mass. But, as at his consecration, men found an evil omen in part of the words of the service. The gospel of the day told of the man who made a great supper and bade many, but whose unthankful guests began to make excuse.[2]
Death of Bishop Robert of Hereford. June 26, 1095.
The Legate stays in England.
The reception of the pallium by Anselm was the last
great ceremony done in the metropolitan church during
this his first primacy; it was one of the very few great
ceremonies done in the unaltered church of Lanfranc.
And, if we are to understand that all the suffragans of
Canterbury were present, one of them was soon taken
away. Not many days after Anselm first put on the pallium,
his late penitent, Bishop Robert of Hereford, left the
world, to join for ever, as the charity of Worcester believed,
the saintly friend whom he had twice wonderfully seen.[3]
Cardinal Walter meanwhile stayed in England during the
greater part of that year, and according to some accounts
for some months of the year which followed. Notwithstanding
the good life for which the Chronicler gives
- ↑ I hardly know what to make of the words of Hugh of Flavigny (Pertz, viii. 475); "Adeo auctoritas Romana apud Anglos avaritia et cupiditate legatorum viluerat, ut eodem Albanense præsente et consentiente nec contradicente, immo præcipiente, Cantuariensis archiepiscopus fidelitatem beato Petro et papæ juraverat salva fidelitate domini sui regis." One cannot conceive any time during the Cardinal's visit in which Anselm could be called on to make any such oath either to Pope or King except at the time of his receiving the pallium; there may be some confusion with the promise mentioned in p. 531.
- ↑ This coincidence is noticed by Eadmer, Hist. Nov. 34.
- ↑ Such is the pious belief of Florence; "Credi fas est, ipsum qui prius de hoc sæculo ad Deum migravit sollicitudinem egisse sui dilectissimi, quem in hoc sæculo reliquit, et ut quam citius simul ante Deum gauderent operam dedisse."
