In the following year Pope Urban died; and in the following year William Rufus himself was accidentally killed in the New Forest.  His death was not much lamented, he having proved hard, unscrupulous, cunning, and tyrannical.  At this period the kings of England reigned with almost despotic power, independent of barons and oppressive to the people.  William had but little regard for the interests of the kingdom.  He built neither churches nor convents, but Westminster Hall was the memorial of his iron reign.

Much was expected of Henry I., who immediately recalled Anselm from Lyons, where he was living in voluntary exile.  He returned to Canterbury, with the firm intention of reforming the morals of the clergy and resisting royal encroachments.  Henry was equally resolved on making bishops as well as nobles subservient to him.  Of course harmony and concord could not long exist between such men, with such opposite views.  Even at the first interview of the King with the Archbishop at Salisbury, he demanded a renewal of homage by a new act of investiture, which was virtually a continuance of the quarrel.  It was, however, mutually agreed that the matter should be referred to the new pope.  Anselm, on his part, knew that the appeal was hopeless; while the King wished to gain time.  It was not long before the answer of Pope Pascal came.  He was willing that Henry should have many favors, but not this.  Only the head of the Church could bestow the emblems of spiritual authority.  On receiving the papal reply the King summoned his nobles and bishops to his court, and required that Anselm should acknowledge the right of the King to invest prelates with the badges of spiritual authority.  The result was a second embassy to the Pope, of more distinguished persons,—­the Archbishop of York and two other prelates.  The Pope, of course, remained inflexible.  On the return of the envoys a great council was assembled in London, and Anselm again was required to submit to the King’s will.  It seems that the Pope, from motives of policy (for all the popes were reluctant to quarrel with princes), had given the envoys assurance that, so long as Henry was a good king, he should have nothing to fear from the clergy.

These oral declarations were contrary to the Pope’s written documents, and this contradiction required a new embassy to Rome; but in the mean time the King gave the See of Salisbury to his chancellor, and that of Hereford to the superintendent of his larder.  When the answer of the Pope was finally received, it was found that he indignantly disavowed the verbal message, and excommunicated the three prelates as liars.  But the King was not disconcerted.  He suddenly appeared at Canterbury, and told Anselm that further opposition would be followed by the royal enmity; yet, mollifying his wrath, requested Anselm himself to go to Rome and do what he could with the Pope.  Anselm assured him that he could do nothing to the prejudice of the Church.  He departed, however, the King obviously wishing him out of the way.