The history and poetry of finger-rings — John Shaqi
The history and poetry of finger-ringsEdwards, Charles
History
The history and poetry of finger-rings
Edwards, Charles
Rings
The estates and honors which composed the ecclesiastical
temporalities were considered to partake of the nature of fiefs;
and, therefore, to require similar investiture from the chief lord.
Charlemagne is said to have introduced this practice and to have
invested a newly consecrated bishop by placing a ring and crosier in
his hands.
By a Concordat at Worms, Henry V. resigned for ever all pretence to
invest bishops by the ring and crosier.
§ 8. During the times of the early British kings, it was a rule for
the monarch to invest archbishops and bishops, by delivery of a ring
and the pastoral staff. Anselm was hurried into the presence of
William Rufus, in order to be made Archbishop of Canterbury.[134] He
hesitated, because he was subject to Normandy, and the way in which
the holy men around him acted, savors very much of a portion of the
hurly-burly of a popular democratic election. When no argument could
prevail, the bishops and others who were present clapped the pastoral
staff into his hands, forced the ring upon his finger, shouted for
his election and bore him by force into the church, where _Te Deum_
was sung. This right of investiture became a serious matter of
dispute in the time of Anselm.
Miracles have been attributed to Anselm. A Flemish nobleman was cured
of a leprosy by drinking the water in which Anselm had washed his
hands; and a ship, wherein he sailed, having a large hole in one of
her planks, nevertheless took in no water so long as the holy man was
on board.[135]
From the reign of Charlemagne, sovereign princes took upon them
to give the investiture of the greater benefices by the ring and
pastoral staff.[136] Gregory VII. was the first who endeavored to
take from them this right, towards the end of the eleventh century.
Arnulph, immediately on his consecration as Bishop of Rochester,
gave the attendant monks to understand how a dream about a ring had
foretold this dignity.[137] “Arnulph being received by the monks with
all marks of respect, said to us, on the very day of his election:
‘Brethren, I had assurance given me a few days ago that, unworthy
as I am, I should soon be raised to the dignity now conferred upon
me. For as I slept one night, Gundulphus’ (who had been Bishop of
Rochester) ‘appeared to me, offering me a ring of great weight; which
being too heavy for me, I refused to accept it; but he, chiding me
for my stupidity in rejecting his present, obliged me to receive it,
and then disappeared.’ This he related to us; and we were convinced
it was no fantastical illusion which the holy man had seen in his
sleep, since, being made Bishop of Rochester, he received that very
ring, which Bishop Gundulphus, when alive, had given to Ralph, then
an abbot, but afterwards bishop.”
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