his keepers kept him in close prison, aduertising the king of his
demeanour: wherevpon he commanded that the sight of his eies should be
put out, but so, as the balles of them should remaine unbroken, for the
auoiding of a noisome deformitie that otherwise would ensue, if the
glassie tunicles should take hurt.

In his returne out of the holie land, he maried one Sibell, the earle of
Conuersans sister in Puglia, hir father hight Roger or Geffrey (as some
bookes haue) [Sidenote: _Iohn Pike._] and was nephue to Robert Guyshard
duke of Puglia, and by hir had issue one sonne named William afterward
earle of Flanders, whereof (God willing) more shall be said hereafter.

Here must I leaue duke Robert, and speake somwhat of Anselme the
archbishop, who shortlie after his returne into England, receiued
letters from pope Paschall, wherein Anselme was authorised to dispose
and order things as should séeme to him most expedient. Now, whereas the
greater and better part of the English clergie consisted of préests
sonnes, he committed to his discretion the order to dispense with them;
namelie, that such as were of commendable life and sufficient learning,
might be admitted to the ministerie, as the necessitie of time and state
of the church should require. [Sidenote: Richard prior of Elie.] The
pope also by the same letters gaue Anselme authorise to absolue Richard
the prior of Elie, vpon his satisfaction pretermitted, and to restore
him to the gouernement of the priorie of Elie, if the king thought it
conuenient.

[Sidenote: 1107.] About the calends of August, in this yeare 1107, the
king held a councell of bishops, abbats, and other lords of his realme
in his pallace at London, where in the absence of Anselme, the matter
touching the inuestitures of churches, was argued vpon for the space of