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Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (3 of 12) - Henrie I. by Raphael Holinshed
page 46 of 79 (58%)
the archbishop of Canturburie) he séemed to be verie willing at the
first, but afterwards repented him of his speech passed in that behalfe.
Now when the councell was ended, and the king went ouer into Normandie,
he followed, trusting by some meanes to persuade the king, that he might
haue his furtherance to be consecrated, without recognizing any
obedience to the sée of Canturburie: but the king would not heare him,
whereby the matter rested long in sute, as heereafter shall appeare.

¶ Hereby it is plaine (as Polydor saith) how the bishops in those daies
were blinded with couetousnesse and ambition, not considering that it
was their duties to despise such worldlie pompe, as the people regard,
and that their calling required a studious endeuour for the health of
such soules as fell to their charge. Neither yet remembred they the
simplicitie of Christ, and his contempt of worldlie dignitie, when he
refused to satisfie the humor of the people, who verie desirouslie would
haue made him a king, but withdrew himselfe, and departed to a mountaine
himselfe alone. They were rather infected with the ambition of the
apostles, contending one with another for the primasie, forgetting the
vocation whereto Christ had separated them, not to rule as kings ouer
the gentiles; but to submit their necks to the yokes of obedience, as
they had Christ their maister an example and president.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: The first vse of parlements in England.] ¶ Here is to be
noted, that before this time, the kings of England vsed but seldome to
call togither the states of the realme after any certeine maner or
generall kind of processe, to haue their consents in matters to be
decreed. But as the lords of the priuie councell in our time doo sit
onlie when necessitie requireth, so did they whensoeuer it pleased the
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