which may constreine vs otherwise to doo." The king refrained and
dissembled his wrath, least he should prouoke them to further
displeasure by speaking against their reason.

[Sidenote: The bishops driuen to their shifts how to shape an answer.]
The bishops were sore abashed hereat, and driuen to a shrewd pinch. Now
when, not long after, the king required to know of euerie of them apart,
whether they vtterlie renounced all manner of subiection and obedience
vnto Anselme without any condition intermitted, or else that onelie
which he did pretend by authoritie of the pope: the bishops making
answer diuerslie herevnto, the king appointed those to sit downe by him
as faithfull subiects, who acknowledged that their renuntiation was
absolutelie made, without intermitting of any condition: as for the
other, who protested that they renounced their subiection and obedience
vnto him onelie in that which he presumed vpon in the behalfe of the
pope, he commanded them to go aside, and to remaine in a corner of the
house to heare the sentence of their condemnation pronounced.

[Sidenote: The meane to pacifie the king.] Wherefore being put in a
maruellous feare, they withdrew themselues aside, but yet straightwaies
they deuised a shift wherewith they had beene well acquainted before, as
followeth. They presented to the king a great masse of monie to appease
his wrath, and so thereby were restored to his fauour. [Sidenote: The
stiffenes of Anselme in withstanding the kings pleasure.] Anselme
notwithstanding was obstinate in his opinion, so that in the end, the
sentense touching this controuersie betwixt him and the king was
respited till the octaues of Pentecost next ensuing. [Sidenote: _Matth.
Paris._] All this was notified well inough to the pope, who vsed the
matter with such moderation, that by secret aduertisements giuen, he
tooke awaie from his brethren all rigorous waies of procéedings, saieng;