Note 011
From Chapter 69 of the Decline & Fall

Hume's History of England, vol. i. p. 419. The same writer has given us, from Fitz-Stephen, a singular act of cruelty perpetrated on the clergy by Geoffrey, the father of Henry II.

"When he was master of Normandy, the chapter of Seez presumed, without his consent, to proceed to the election of a bishop: upon which he ordered all of them, with the bishop elect, to be castrated, and made all their testicles be brought him in a platter."

Of the pain and danger they might justly complain; yet since they had vowed chastity he deprived them of a superfluous treasure.

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