in Wales, by David,
successor to Dubritius, and uncle to King Arthur, in the 519 of Grace, to
the end that he and his clerks might be further off from the cruelty of
the Saxons, where it remained till the time of the Bastard, and for a
season after, before it was annexed to the see of Canterbury.[104]

The Archbishop of Canterbury is commonly called the Primate of all
England; and in the coronations of the kings of this land, and all other
times wherein it shall please the prince to wear and put on his crown, his
office is to set it upon their heads. They bear also the name of their
high chaplains continually, although not a few of them have presumed (in
time past) to be their equals, and void of subjection unto them. That this
is true, it may easily appear by their own acts yet kept in record, beside
their epistles and answers written or in print, wherein they have sought
not only to match but also to mate them with great rigour and more than
open tyranny. Our adversaries will peradventure deny this absolutely, as
they do many other things apparent, though not without shameless
impudence, or at the leastwise defend it as just and not swerving from
common equity, because they imagine every archbishop to be the king's
equal in his own province. But how well their doing herein agreeth with
the saying of Peter and examples of the primitive church it may easily
appear. Some examples also of their demeanour--I mean in the time of
popery--I will not let to remember, lest they should say I speak of
malice, and without all ground of likelihood.

Of their practices with mean persons I speak not, neither will I begin at
Dunstan,[105] the author of all their pride and presumption here in
England.[106]

* * * * *

Wherefore I refer you to those reports of Anselm and Becket sufficiently
penned by other, the which Anselm also making a shew as if he had been
very unwilling to be placed in the see of Canterbury, gave this answer to
the letters of such his friends as did make request unto him to take the
charge upon him--

"_Secularia negotia nescio, quia scire nolo, eorum namque
occupationes horreo, liberum affectans animum. Voluntati sacrarum
intendo scripturarum, vos dissonantiam facitis, verendumque est ne
aratrum sanctae ecclesiae, quod in Anglia duo boves validi et pari
fortitudine, ad bonum certantes, id est, rex et archiepiscopus,
debeant trahere, nunc ove vetula