At the feast of Christmasse next insuing, the king held his court at London with great solemnitie. The archbishop of Yorke prepared to haue set the crown on the king's head, and to haue soong masse afore him, bicause the archbishops see at Canturburie was void. But the bishop of London would not suffer it, claiming as high deane to the sée of Canturburie to execute that office, and so did, leading the king to the church after the maner. [Sidenote: Strife betwixt bishops.] Howbeit when they should come to sit downe at dinner, there kindled a strife betwixt the said two bishops about their places, bicause the bishop of London, for that he had beene ordeined long before the archbishop, and therefore not onelie as deane to the see of Canturburie, but also by reason of prioritie, pretended to haue the vpper seat. But the king perceiuing their maner, would not heare them, but commanded them out of his house, and get them to dinner at their innes. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 11.] About the same time the cause of the mariage of préests and their keeping of women came againe into question, so that by the kings commandement, [Sidenote: Préests prohibited to marrie or kéepe women.] they were more streightlie forbidden the companie of women than before in Anselmes time. For after his deceasse, diuerse of them (as it were promising to themselues a new libertie to doo that which in his life time they were constreined sore against their willes to forbeare) deceiued themselues by their hastie dealing. For the king being informed thereof, by the force of the ecclesiasticall lawes compelled them to stand to and obeie the decree of the councell holden at London by Anselme (as before ye haue heard) at least wise in the sight of men. But if so it be (saieth Eadmerus) that the préests attempt to doo worsse, as it were to the condemnation and reproofe of Anselmes dooings, let the charge light on their heads, sith euerie man shall beare his owne burthen: for I know (saith he) that if fornicatours and adulterers God will iudge, the abusers of their one cousins (I will not say their owne sisters and daughters) shall not suerlie escape his iudgement. [Sidenote: The riuer of Trent dried vp.] About the same time manie woonders were seene and heard of. The riuer of Trent néere to Notingham, for the space of a mile ceassed to run the woonted course during the time of foure & twentie houres, so that the chanell being dried vp, men might passe ouer to and fro drie shod. [Sidenote: Monsters.] Also a sow brought foorth a pig with a face like a man, & a chicken was hatched with foure feet. [Sidenote: A comet. _Wil. Thorne._ _Matth. West._] Moreouer a comet or blasing star appéered in a strange sort: for rising in the east, when it once came aloft in the firmament, it kept not the course forward, but seemed to go backeward, as if it had bin retrograde.