Hitherto he had said nothing against the practice of lay investiture.

Two years after Gregory became pope he issued a decree against lay investiture.

To the reformers in the Church lay investiture appeared intolerable.

The argument of the Church against the practice of lay investiture was entirely sound.

The concordat drew a distinction between spiritual and lay investiture.

To forbid lay investiture was to deprive the lords of all control over Church dignitaries.

Intent on renewing the prohibition of lay investiture and afraid of Henry, Pascal determined to support himself upon France.

There was no suggestion of the right of election, no objection to lay investiture, no protest from any one.

A Council of French bishops was held at Troyes (1107), where the decrees against lay investiture were renewed.

The argument of the state in favour of lay investiture was as sound as the argument of the Church against it.

At the Lenten Synod of 1112 he confirmed all the decrees of his predecessor against lay investiture, thus annulling his own agreement with Henry.

It was, however, in truth impossible for England to keep itself free from the issue which had been raised by the war upon lay investiture.

There were two evils which Gregory was resolved to extirpate: lay investitures, and the incontinence of the clergy.

He therefore summoned a council at the Lateran (1075), which issued a decree against lay investitures.