A.D. 1103.] ANSELM RETIRES TO ROME. 453 Belesme from England. The same year, Anselm archbishop of Canterbury held a council at London in the church of St. Paul, about Michaelmas, the king and suffragan bishops being present. A t this synod he excommunicated priests who had concubines, unless they should immediately put them away ; but though some were pleased at this, others disapproved of it, fearing lest by attempting to follow a morality above their strength, they should fall into immorality. He then put forth in plain language what had been decreed in the general council at Rome concerning the investiture of churches ; namely, that no prelate of a church, bishop, abbat, or clerk, should receive investiture of any ecclesiastical dignity from the hand of a layman. Wherefore, also, the archbishop degraded certain abbats who had obtained their rank from lay hands, and by purchase. These were Richard of Ely, Aldwin of Ramsey, with the abbats of Bourg, Tavistock, Cernely, and Middleton, whose names we do not remember ; and, because he would not consecrate at the king's command certain bishops, who had received institution from the king, or even hold communication with them, the king in anger commanded Girard, archbishop of York to consecrate them; but William Gifford, elect of Winchester, who ought to have been consecrated by him, rejected the consecration of Girard, and by sentence of the king was expelled the kingdom. Reinelm, bishop of Hereford, who had received institution from the king, surrendered back to him his bishopric. How Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, went to Rome, taking with him the degraded abbats. A.D. 1103. Anselm, archbishop of Canterbury, after having received much tribulation and injuries from the king, proceeded to Rome, as had been agreed on with the king, taking with him the degraded abbats and William elect of Winchester. Pope Paschal received him kindly, and on an appointed day, William de Warewast, clerk and proctor for the king of England, brought forward his cause, and amongst other things, firmly asserted that he would never resign the investiture of churches, even if he were to lose his kingdom, and he confirmed this assertion with words, of threatening import. To this the pope replied : "If, as you say, your