A bid by two of the Church of England's most senior clerics to avert a split over women bishops has narrowly failed.
A general synod vote went against compromise proposals, offering safeguards for objectors, put by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.
They were backed by a majority of the houses of bishops and laity, but not of the House of Clergy, meaning they fell.
The Archbishop of York earlier urged an end to the "spin and propaganda" against the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The two clerics are trying to stop a split over the women bishops issue which divides liberals and traditionalists.
Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams had earlier insisted that the concessions did not represent a "loyalty" test to himself and Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York.
Continue reading the main story We recognise their good intentions in trying to help us all to hold together but I do not believe that this is good news The Venerable Christine Allsopp Archdeacon of Northampton Send us your comments
"We should both be very disappointed if this was seen as some kind of covert loyalty test. Synod must scrutinise our suggestion in the way it would scrutinise any other," he said.
Before the vote Dr Sentamu told the general synod of the Church of England "enough is enough" over the "general disregard for truth" about Dr Williams.
Dr Sentamu said he was "deeply saddened" that there was not only a "general disregard for the truth, but a rapacious appetite for 'carelessness'."
He said this was "compounded by spin, propaganda and the resort to misleading opinions paraded as fact, regarding a remarkable, gifted and much-maligned Christian leader I call a dear friend and trusted colleague - one Rowan Williams".
Impassioned speeches
The two most senior figures in the Church were urging synod members to support a last-ditch compromise deal aimed at avoiding a split over the introduction of women bishops.
They proposed that a female bishop would have full authority in her diocese but "in practice refrain from exercising" certain functions in a parish which objected to her.
A "complementary bishop" would have independent powers, and the powers of the two bishops would be "co-ordinate".
Some 216 members voted in favour of the archbishops' proposals, and 191 against. But the result in the House of Clergy was 90 against and 85 in favour, with five abstentions.
Under the rules, the proposals were lost as they failed to achieve a majority in each of the houses.
Impassioned speeches were made both in favour and against the proposals.
Gay bishop pressure
The concession would have strengthened the legal position of male bishops ministering in dioceses where parishes objected to women bishops.
But pro-women's ordination campaigners had claimed they could lead to a "two-track episcopacy".
The Venerable Christine Allsopp, Archdeacon of Northampton, told the synod she was "dismayed" by the compromise being put.
"We recognise their good intentions in trying to help us all to hold together but I do not believe that this is good news, I do not believe that this will deliver and it is certainly not good news for women clergy," she said.
The general synod also voted against an amendment that proposed three new dioceses to cater for objectors to women bishops.
Also proposed in the rejected amendment was the idea that male bishops appointed to minister in these dioceses would declare that they would not participate in the consecration of a woman bishop or priest.
Dr Williams is also under pressure after the Crown Nominations Commission blocked the appointment of the openly gay Dean of St Albans, the Very Rev Jeffrey John, as the new Bishop of Southwark.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams in 2007  
The Church of England's ruling body, the General Synod, yesterday rejected a compromise deal on the divisive issue of women bishops. An amendment to satisfy traditionalists was jointly proposed by its two most senior clerics, the Archbishop of Canterbury, , and the Archbishop of York, . Despite getting a majority of support across the Synod as a whole, it was rejected after narrowly being defeated in the vote of the House of Clergy.

The amendment would have allowed male "complementary bishops" to cater to parishes, which objected to having a female bishop in their diocese. The bishops would supposedly have "co-ordinate" powers, but some campaigners supporting women bishops said the plans would result in an unfair "two-track" system.

"I do not believe this will deliver, and it is certainly not good news for women clergy," said Christine Allsopp, Archdeacon of , of the proposed amendment.

Many traditionalists have strongly opposed the ordination of female bishops, and threatened to leave the Church over the issue. The situation has been worsened by offers from Pope Benedict for disaffected Anglicans to join the Roman Catholic Church instead.

Earlier Dr Sentamu had claimed that Dr Williams was facing "spin and propaganda", and called for it to end. Dr Williams insisted that the vote should not be considered a test of the Synod's "loyalty" to the two Archbishops, but the rejection is widely seen as a blow to their authority.

The Synod is due to continue its debate on women bishops over the next few days.