§ 23. WILLIAM RUFUS AND ANSELM. 87
which afterwards gave occasion for much contention. The bishops' court henceforth used the canon law instead of the common English law used in the shire courts. Another important movement in William's reign, sanctioned by syn odal authority,1 was the removal of episcopal seats to larger towns, the Church conforming itself to the changes of geog raphy. Chichester took the place of Selsey, Salisbury of Sherborne, Chester of Lichfield, Lincoln of Dorchester, 1085, Bath of Wells, 1088, and Norwich of Thetford, 1094, which had taken the place of Elmham, 1078. Osmund, bishop of Salisbury, nephew of the Conqueror, prepared the liturgical service called the Sarum use, which was adopted in other dioceses than his own, and later became one of the chief sources of the Book of Common Prayer. £
§ 23. William Rufus and Anselm.
William II., commonly called William Rufus or the Red (for his red hair), the third son and first successor of the Conqueror, ruled from 1087 to 1100. He bought Normandy from his brother Robert to enable him to make a crusade. This is the only good thing he did, besides appointing Anselm primate of England. He inherited all the vices and none of the virtues of his father. He despised and hated the clergy. It was said of him that " he feared God but little, and man not at all." He was not a sceptic or infidel, as some represent him, but profane and blasphemous. He believed in God, like the demons, but did not tremble. He defied the Almighty. When he recovered from a severe sickness, he said : " God shall never see me a good man ; I have suffered too much at his hands." He doubted his justice, and mocked at the ordeals. He declared publicly that neither St. Peter nor any other saint had any influence with God, and that he would not ask them for aid. He used
1 The Synod of London, 1075. See Wilkins, I. 363 ; Gee and Hardy, 54.
88 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1085-1122.
to swear " by the holy face of Lucca." 1 He was not married, but indulged in gross and shameless debaucheries. The people said of him that he rose a worse man every morning, and lay down a worse man every evening.
He had promised Lanfranc at his coronation to exercise justice and mercy and to protect the freedom of the Church, but soon forgot his vow, and began systematically to plunder the Church and to oppress the clergy. He robbed the bish oprics and abbeys of their income by leaving them vacant or selling them to the highest bidders. Within four years he changed thirty cemeteries into royal parks to satisfy his passion for hunting, which at last cost him his life. He used to say : " The bread of Christ is rich ; the kings have given to the Church one-half of its income : why should I not try to win it back ? "
He kept the see of Canterbury vacant for nearly four years (1089-1093). At last he yielded, under the influence of a severe sickness, to the pressure of the better class of bishops and noblemen, and elected Anselm, who was then in Eng land, and well known as a profound theologian and saintly character. A greater contrast can scarcely be imagined. While William Rufus delighted in witnessing the tortures of innocent men and animals, Anselm was singularly tender hearted : he saved the life of a hare which was chased by the hunters and had sought protection under his horse ; he saw a worthy object for prayer in the sufferings of a bird tor tured by a thoughtless child.2 Yet, with all his gentleness, he could be firm and unyielding in the defence of truth and righteousness.
The primacy was forced upon Anselm in spite of his remonstrance. He foresaw a hard struggle. He compared
1 Per sanctum vultum de Lura. A figure of the crucified Saviour in wood which was said to have been carved by Nicodemus, and was preserved in the cathedral at Lucca.
2 These rare traits of character are mentioned by Eadiner in his Vita Anselmi. Freeman, V. 25.