the displeasure that he bare pope Urban, he asked Anselme of which pope he would require his pall, sith he was so hastie to go to Rome for it.  Wherto Anselme answered, that he would require it of pope Urban.  Which words when the king had heard, he said, I haue not as yet admitted him pope:  adding further that it was against the custome vsed either in his or his fathers time, that anie man within the realme of England should name or obeie anie man for pope, without the kings licence and consent, saieng moreouer, that if the said Anselme would seeke to take that prerogatiue and dignitie from him, it should be all one, as if he should go about to take awaie from him his crowne, and all other roiall dignitie.  Wherevnto Anselme answered, that at Rochester (before he was consecrated bishop) he had declared his mind therein, and that beeing abbat of Bechellouin in Normandie, he had receiued Urban for pope; so that whatsoeuer chanced, he might reuolt from his obedience and subiection.

The king beeing the more kindled herewith, protested in plaine words, that Anselme could not keepe his faith and allegiance towards him, and his obedience also to the see of Rome, against his will and pleasure. [Sidenote:  A councell at Rockingham in Rutlandshire.] But (to conclude) this matter went so far in controuersie betwixt the king and the bishop, that a councell was called at Rockingham in Rutlandshire, and there in the church within the castell, the matter was earnestlie decided, and much adoo on euerie side, to haue constreined Anselme to renounce his opinion, but he would not.  Wherfore it was then deuised, that if he would not agree to the kings pleasure, they would by and by see if they might by any meanes depriue him:  but Anselme still held hard, and could not be feared by all these threats; and in like maner to iudge of an archbishops cause, the other bishops concluded that they had no authoritie.

Moreouer, while the matter was in consultation among the bishops, another of the kings councell that was a knight, came before Anselme in place where he sat almost alone, to looke for an answer by them from the king, which knight kneeling downe before the archbishop, spake these words vnto him:  “Reuerend father, your humble children beseech your Grace not to haue your heart troubled with these things which you heare; but call to remembrance that blessed man Job, vanquishing the diuell on the dunghill, and reuenging Adam whome he had ouercome in paradise.”  Which words the archbishop considering with a freendlie countenance, perceiued that the minds of the people remained on his side, whereof both he and such as were about him, were right ioyfull and greatlie comforted, [Sidenote:  * If they be Gods people.] hauing hope, (according to the scripture) that the * voice of the people was the voice of God.  When the king vnderstood all these things, he was maruelouslie disquieted in mind, and therefore perceiuing that the bishops and other of his councell had promised more than they could performe, he blamed them for it:  vnto whom the bishop of Durham that was the cheefe dooer in this matter, framed this answer:  “He spake so faintlie (quoth he) and so coldlie at the first, that he seemed not to haue any store of wit or wisdome.”