[Sidenote: 1116. An. Reg. 17.] [Sidenote: Griffin ap Rice dooth much hurt on the marshes. _Polydor._] Not long after this, Griffin ap Rees tooke a great preie and bootie out of the countries subiect to the king within the limits of Wales, and burned the kings castels, bicause he would not restore such lands and possessions vnto him as apperteined to his father Rées or Rice. Howbeit, the king (notwithstanding this businesse) being not otherwise troubled with any other warres or weightie affaires, deferred his voiage into those quarters, and first called a councell of his lords both spirituall and temporall at Salisburie on the nintéenth daie of March, wherein manie things were ordeined for the wealth and quiet state of the land. And first he sware the Nobilitie of the realme, that they should be true to him and his sonne William after his deceasse. Secondlie, he appeased sundrie matters then in controuersie betwixt the Nobles and great Péers, causing the same to be brought to an end, and the parties made freends: the diuision betwixt the archbishops of Yorke and Canturburie (which had long depended in triall, and could not as yet haue end) excepted. [Sidenote: Thurstane refuseth to obey the kings pleasure. _Eadmerus._] For ambitious Thurstane would not stand to any decrée or order therin, except he might haue had his whole will, so that the king taking displeasure with him for his obstinate demeanor, commanded him either to be conformable to the decrée made in Lanfranks time, or else to renounce his miter, which to doo (rather than to acknowledge any subiection to 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.