A.D. 1095.] ΙΠΕ VIRTUES OF ST. WULSTAN. 371 who rebelled against him, or threw them into prison, or reduced them to extreme servitude and wretchedness. At length king William, wishing to settle ecclesiastical matters, in the year of our Lord 1075 caused a synod to be assembled at Westminster. The president of the council was Lanfranc, archbishop of Canterbury, who, in conjunction with his suffragans, began to correct whatever was amiss, and to set forth for the monks and clergy a more correct mode of life. Before this archbishop St. Wulstan was accused as a simple and illiterate man, ignorant of the French language, and unable to assist in the king's councils; for which reasons, with the king's consent, and indeed, by his command, it was determined that Wulstan should be deposed. Wherefore Lanfranc, among other decrees of the council, commanded the man of God, Wulstan, to resign his staff and ring. But that servant of the Lord underwent no change either of look or of feeling, but stood up, and holding out his pastoral staff, " Truly, my lord archbishop," said he, " I know that I am not worthy of this high honour, nor sufficient for the discharge of its labours and duties. You claim from me the pastoral staff, which it was not you who gave me; yet, in deference to your judgment, I resign it, though not to you, but rather to St. Edward, by whose authority I received it." With these words he rose, and, followed by his attendants, approached the marble monument where the remains of the glorious king were entombed. " Blessed king Edward," said he, " thou knowest how reluctantly I undertook this burden, and absented myself when I was summoned; I acknowledge that I acted unwisely, but it was thou who didst- compel me. For though there was no fault in the election of the monks, in the petition of the people, or in the good will and favour of the bishops and prelates, yet thy authority and will preponderated over all these motives ; but now we have a new king, a new law, and a new archbishop promulgates new theories: they accuse thee of error in having made me a bishop, and me of presumption for having assented ; I therefore resign my pastoral staff, not to those who demand back what they did not give, but to thee who didst give it me I resign the charge of those whom thou didst entrust to my care." With these words he raised his arm slowly, and struck the Β Β 2