ty, was
indefatigable, and met with proportionable success. The devoted
attachment to Rome continually increased in England and being favored
by the sentiments of the conquerors, as well as by the monastic
establishments formerly introduced by Edred and by Edgar, it soon
reached the same height at which it had, during some time, stood in
France and Italy.[*] It afterwards went much farther; being favored by
that very remote situation which had at first obstructed its progress;
and being less checked by knowledge and a liberal education, which were
still somewhat more common in the southern countries.

The prevalence of this superstitious spirit became dangerous to some
of William's successors, and incommodious to most of them; but the
arbitrary sway of this king over the English, and his extensive
authority over the foreigners, kept him from feeling any immediate
inconveniences from it. He retained the church in great subjection, as
well as his lay subjects; and would allow none, of whatever character,
to dispute his sovereign will and pleasure. He prohibited his subjects
from acknowledging any one for pope whom he himself had not previously
received; he required that all the ecclesiastical canons, voted in
any synod, should first be laid before him, and be ratified by his
authority; even bulls or letters from Rome could not legally be
produced, till they received the same sanction; and none of his
ministers or barons, whatever offences they were guilty of, could be
subjected to spiritual censures, till he himself had given his consent
to their excommunication.[**] These regulations were worthy of a
sovereign, and kept united the civil and ecclesiastical powers, which
the principles, introduced by this prince himself, had an immediate
tendency to separate.

But the English had the cruel mortification to find that their king's
authority, however acquired or however extended, was all employed in
their oppression; and that the scheme of their subjection, attended with
every circumstance of insult and indignity,[***] was deliberately formed
by the prince, and wantonly prosecuted by his followers.[****]

[* M. West, p. 228. Lanfranc wrote in defence of
the real presence against Berengarius; and in those ages of
stupidity and ignorance, he was greatly applauded for that
performance.]

[** Eadmer, p. 6]

[*** Order Vitalis, p. 523. H. Hunting, p. 370.]

[**** Ingulph. p. 71]

Willia