heretofore committed pardoned and forgotten for ever. Further, good and
holy laws were promised to the whole people, and the sacred upholding of
right and such solemn inquest into wrongdoing as may deter others."[3]

William did not die, and his repentance was short-lived; but the one act of
grace he did before leaving his sick bed was to fill up the empty throne at
Canterbury by the appointment of Anselm--Anselm's protests of unfitness
notwithstanding. Then, on the King's recovery, as though to make up for the
penitence displayed, all the royal promises of amendment were broken
without shame, and "all the evil which the King had wrought before he was
sick seemed good by the side of the wrong which he did when he was returned
to health." The prisoners who had been pardoned were sent back to prison,
the debts which had been cancelled were re-claimed, and all legal actions
which had been dropped were resumed. Anselm was now enthroned at
Canterbury, and his appointment could not be revoked; but the King was
quick to show his displeasure at the new Archbishop.

The first point raised by William was that those lands belonging to the See
of Canterbury, which had been made over to military vassals of the Crown
while the archbishopric was vacant, should remain with their holders.
Anselm said at once that this was impossible. He was responsible for the
administration of all the estates of Canterbury, and to allow these lands
to be alienated to the Crown was to rob the poor and needy who, it was
held, had a just claim on the property of the Church. Besides, Anselm saw
that the lands would never be restored once an Archbishop confirmed their
appropriation by the King's military tenants. There was no one in all
England save Anselm who dared withstand the Crown, and had he yielded on
this matter resistance to the tyranny of the Red King would only have been
harder on the next occasion.

Then came the question of a present of money to the King, the customary
offering. Anselm brought five hundred marks (L333), a very considerable sum
in those days, and William, persuaded by some of his courtiers that twice
the amount ought to have been given, curtly declined the present. Anselm,
who disliked the whole business of these gifts to the Crown, for he knew
that many a Churchman bought his office by promising a "free" gift after
institution, solemnly warned William that money given freely as his was
given was better than a forced tribute, a