LANFRANC, Archbishop of Canterbury, was born in 1005 at Pavia, where he was instructed in grammar and logic. After the death of his father, who was a counsellor to the senate of that town, he spent some years in the study of rhetoric and civil law at Bologna, whence lie returned to his native city, and commenced as advocate in the courts of law. Thinking this to narrow a sphere, he removed into France, and opened a school at Avranches, which was soon crowded with students of high rank. In a journey to Rouen he had the misfortune to be robbed and left bound iu a wood, where he was found the next morning by some peasants, who carried him almost dead to the abbey of Bee. Here he was treated with so much tenderness, that when be recovered he became a monk in that abbey (1041). At the end of three years he was chosen prior of Bee. Here he entered into a long and violent controversy with Berenger, archdeacon of Augers and master of the academy of Tours, on the subject of the Eucharist, whieb, at that day made no little noise in the church. His fame ultimately procured him the favour of his sovereign, William duke of Normandy, who made him one of his counsellors, employed him in an important embassy to the pope, and appointed him, iu 1062, abbot of his newly-erected monastery of St. Stephen at Caen. Here lie established a new academy, which became no less famous than those which he had before set up at Avrauchos and Bee. When the see of
Canterbury became vacant by the deposition of Stigand, William, who had effected the conquest of England, procured his election to that see, August 15,1070, and with some difficulty prevailed upon him to accept the station. To the church of Canterbury he proved a great bene factor, by asserting its right to the primacy of England, by recovering many of its possessions, and by rebuilding the cathedral. During a large portion of the reign of William the Conqueror, Lanfrano enjoyed a high degree of favour; and his firmness and prudence secured the easy accession of William Rufus. During the short remainder of his life, Lenfrane had the chief direction of affairs, both in church and state. He died May 28, 1089, iu the eighty-fourth year of his age.
Several of our historians who were almost his contemporaries speak in very advantageous terms of the genius and erudition of Lanfrane ; and some of them, who wore personally acquainted with him, reyre sent him as the most learned man of his age. His writings consist of commentaries on St. Paul's Epistles, sermons, letters, and his treatise on the Eucharist against Berenger. This last production rendered him a prodigious favourite with the literary historians of the Church of Rome. His works were collected and edited by Lucas d'Achery, at Paris, folio, 1643.