He blesses Rufus. turned another way, though it grieves me as regards you, as regards myself I will, according to my power, bear it with a calm mind. And not even for this will I, by the Lord's help, withdraw myself from the love of your soul's health. Now therefore, not knowing when I may again see you, I commend you to God, and, as a ghostly father speaking to a beloved son, as an Archbishop of Canterbury speaking to a King of England, I would, before I go, give you my blessing, if you do not refuse it." For a moment Rufus was touched; his good angel perhaps spoke to him then for the last time. "I refuse not your blessing," was his answer. The man of God arose; the King bowed his head, and Anselm made the sign of the cross over it. He then went forth, leaving the King and all that were with him wondering at the ready cheerfulness with which he spoke and went.[1]
Anselm at Canterbury.
He takes the pilgrim's staff.
Rufus and Anselm never met again. From Winchester
the Archbishop went to his own home at Canterbury.[2]
The day after he came there, he gathered together his
monks, and addressed them in a farewell discourse.[3]
Then, in the sight of a crowd of monks, clerks, and lay-*folk,
he took the staff and scrip of a pilgrim before the
altar. He commended all present to Christ, and set
forth amidst their tears and wailings. The same day he
and his comrades reached Dover. There he found that the
passing current of better feeling which had touched the
King's heart as he bowed his head for Anselm's blessing
had been but for a moment. Rufus had gone back to
- ↑ Eadmer, Hist. Nov. 41. "Mox ille surgens, levata dextra signum sanctæ crucis super regem ad hoc caput humiliantem edidit, et abscessit, viri alacritatem rege cum suis admirante."
- ↑ "Ubi sedes pontificalis, ubi totius regni caput est atque primatus," Eadmer takes care to add.
- ↑ For the discourse we have to go to the Life, ii. 3. 30. It contains the remarkable passage which I referred to in N. C. vol. iv. p. 52.
