Reg. 4.] [Sidenote: Ambassadors sent to Rome.] appointing for the
purpose, Herbert bishop of Norwich, and Robert bishop of Lichfield,
being both of his priuie councell, and William Warlewast, of whom
mention is made before, who went on their waie and came to Rome,
according to their commission.

[Sidenote: Anselme goeth also to Rome.] After them also folowed Anselme
archbishop of Canturburie, Gerard archbishop of Yorke, & William the
elect of Winchester, whom the pope receiued with a courteous kind of
interteinement. But Anselme was highlie honored aboue all the residue,
whose diligence and zeale in defense of the ordinances of the sée of
Rome, he well inough vnderstood. The ambassadours in like maner
declaring the effect of their message, opened vnto the pope the ground
of the controuersie begun betweene the king and Anselme, & with good
arguments went about to prooue the kings cause to be lawfull. Vpon the
otherside, Anselme and his partakers with contrarie reasons sought to
confute the same. Wherevpon the pope declared, that sith by the lawes of
the church it was decréed, that the possession of any spirituall
benefice, obteined otherwise than by meanes of a spirituall person,
could not be good or allowable; from thencefoorth, neither the king nor
any other for him, should challenge any such right to apperteine vnto
them.

The kings ambassadours hearing this, were somwhat troubled in their
minds: [Sidenote: _Eadmerus._ The saieng of Wil. Warlewast to the pope.]
wherevpon Willam Warlewast burst out and said with great vehemencie euen
to the popes face: "Whatsoeuer is or may be spoken in this maner to or
fro, I would all that be present should well vnderstand, that the king,
my maister will not lose the inuestitures of churches for the losse of
his whole realme." [Sidenote: The popes answer to him.] Vnto which words