Chapter 3

The next daie the king required of him the repaiment of fiue hundred marks, which he had lent him when he was chancellor. [Sidenote: The archbish. condemned in fiue hundred marks.] Now although he affirmed that he receiued the same by waie of gift, and not by waie of lone; yet bicause he confessed receit, he was condemned in that debt, forsomuch as he could not prooue the title the gift.

[Sidenote: An assemblie of bishops.] On the morrow after, the archbishop with his felow bishops being set in councell, by commandement of the king (& the doores fast locked that they should not get out) this was proponed against the archbishop, that whereas he held certeine bishops sées as then vacant, with abbeies, and other reuenues of his souereigne lord the king in his hands, and had made none account to him for the same of long time; [Sidenote: The archbish. called to an account.] the king required now to be answered at his hands, and that with all spéed, for he would haue no delaie. The summe amounted to thirtie thousand markes.

When the archbishop had heard the variable sentences of the bishops in this case, he answered after this maner: "I would (said he) speake with two earles which are about the king," and named them. Who being called, and the doores set open, he said vnto them; "We haue not héere at this present to shew whereby the thing may be more manifest: therefore we aske respit for answer till to morrow." The councell therefore brake vp, and the multitude of people, which came with the archbishop thither, being afraid of the kings displeasure, fell from him. Wherefore he caused his seruants to fetch a great number of poore and impotent people to his lodging, saieng that by the seruice of such men of warre, a more spéedie victorie in short space might be gotten, than by them which in time of temptation shamefullie drew backe. Herevpon his house was filled full, and the tables set with such as his seruants had brought in, out of the lanes and streats abroad.

Upon the tuesdaie, the bishops all amazed and full of care, came vnto him; [Sidenote: The bishops persuade the archbishop to submit himself to the kings pleasure.] and bicause of the displeasure which the king had conceiued against him, counselled him to submit himselfe to the kings will, or else in fine, they told him plainelie, that he would be iudged a periured person; bicause he had sworne vnto the king as to his earthlie souereigne, touching all temporall honor in life, lim, and member; and namelie to obserue all his roiall lawes and customes, which of late he had established.

[Sidenote: The archbish. answer to his brethren.] Wherevnto he answered: "My brethren, ye see how the world roreth against me, and the enimie riseth vp, but I more lament that the sonnes of my mother fight against me. If I should hold my peace, yet would the world come to declare how ye leaue me alone in the battell, and haue iudged against me now these two daies past, I being your father, though neuer so much a sinner. But I command you by virtue of your obedience, and vpon perill of your order, that you be not present in any place of iudgement, where my person may fortune to be adiudged: [Sidenote: He appealeth to the church of Rome.] in testimonie whereof I appeale to our mother the church of Rome. Furthermore, if it chance that temporall men laie their hands vpon me, I charge you likewise by vertue of your obedience, that ye exercise the censures of the church in the behalfe of your father the archbishop as it becommeth you. This one thing know ye well, that the world roreth, the flesh trembleth and is weake, but I (by Gods grace) will not shrinke, nor leaue the flocke committed vnto me."

After this he entred into the church, and celebrated the masse of saint Stephan (otherwise than he was accustomed to doo) with his pall: [Sidenote: He goeth to the court.] which being ended, he put on his sacrificing vestures, with a cope vpon them all, and so went to the court. Furthermore, bicause he was afraid, he receiued the sacrament secretlie with him, and bearing the crosse in his right hand, and the reine of his bridell in his left, he came in that order to the court, where he alighted, and entred the place, still bearing the crosse himselfe, till he came to the kings chamber doore, the other bishops following him with great feare and trembling. Now being come thither, the bishop of Hereford would gladlie haue taken the crosse, and haue borne it before him, but he would not suffer him, saieng: "It is most reason that I should beare it my selfe, vnder the defense whereof I may remaine in safetie: and beholding this ensigne, I néed not doubt vnder that prince I serue."

[Sidenote: He is reputed a traitour.] At length, when the king had exhibited great complaints vnto them all generallie against him, they cried that he was a traitor, sith he had receiued so manie benefits at the kings hands, and now refused to doo him all earthlie honor as he had sworne to doo. To be short, when the bishops came to sit vpon the matter in councell, they appealed to the sée of Rome against the archbishop, accusing him of periurie: and in the word of truth bound themselues by promise, to doo what they might to depose him, if they king would pardon them of that iudgement which now hanged ouer the archbishops head. Then comming to the archbishop they said: "Thou wast sometime our archbishop, and we were bound to obeie thée: but sith thou hast sworne fealtie to the king, that is, life member, and earthlie honor, & to obserue his lawes and customes, and now goest about to destroie the same, we say that thou art guiltie of periurie, [Sidenote: The bishops disallow their archbishop.] and we will not from hencefoorth obey a periured archbishop. Therefore we cite thée by appelation to appeare before the pope, there to answer thine accusors." Then they, appointed him a day, in which they ment to prosecute their appeale. "I heare you well" (said the archbishop).

The princes and péeres of the realme did also iudge him a periured person and a traitour. Among whome (manie then being present) the earle of Leicester accompanied with Reignald earle of Cornewall, came vnto him and said; "The king commanded thée to come and render an accompt of that which is obiected against thée, or else heare thy iudgement." "Judgement?" said the archbishop, [and wherewith rising vp said,] "Naie sonne earle, first heare thou: It is not vnknowne to thée how faithfull I haue béene to the king, in consideration whereof he aduanced me to the archbishops see against my will (as God can be my iudge:) for I knew mine owne infirmitie, and I was contented to take it vpon me rather for his pleasure, than for Gods cause, and therefore dooth God both withdraw himselfe and the king from me. In the time of mine election he made me frée, and discharged me of all courtlie bondage. Wherefore as touching those things from which I am frée and deliuered, I am not bound to answer, neither will I. So much as the soule is more worth than the bodie, so much the more art thou bound to obeie God and me, rather than any earthlie creature. Neither will law nor reason permit, that the sonnes should iudge or condemne the father: and therefore I refuse to stand to the iudgement either of the king, or of any other, and appeale to the pope, by whome (vnder God) I ought to be iudged, referring all that I haue vnto Gods protection and his, and vnder the defense of his authoritie I depart out of this place." Hauing thus spoken, went incontinent to take horsse.

Now as he passed on his waie, the kings seruants and others of the court did cast out manie reprochfull words against him, calling him traitor and false forsworne caitife. [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._ The stout courage of the archbishop.] At which words turning himselfe, and looking backe with a sterne countenance he said; "That if it were not for his order of priesthood, and that it were lawfull for him, he would surelie cléere himselfe of periurie and treason, in defending and mainteining his cause against them with weapon in hand."

When he was come to the vtter gate, he found the same fast locked, whereat they began all to be amazed: but one of his seruants espieng where a bunch of keies tied to a clubs and were hanging on a pin, he tooke them down, & tried which was the right key, by proof whereof he found it at the last, opened the gate, and let the archbishop out, the porters standing still as men amazed, and speaking not one word against it.

Now when he was got out, a great number of poore, weake and impotent people met him, saieng: "Blessed be God, which hath deliuered his seruant from the face of his enimie." Thus with a great rout or companie, and with the clergie, he was honorablie conueied to the abbie of S. Andrews: and looking behind and before him, as he passed thitherward, he said vnto those that went with him; "How glorious a procession dooth bring me from the face of the enimie? Suffer all the poore people to come into the place, that we may make merie togither in the Lord." Hauing thus spoken the people had entrance, so that all the hall, parlours, and chambers being furnished with tables and stooles, they were conuenientlie placed, and serued with vittels to the full.

[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._ The archbishop Becket fled awaie in the night.] The verie same night before the cockcrowing he issued foorth by a little posterne gate, and taking with him onelie two moonks of the Cisteaux order, the one named Robert Canne, and the other S. Cayman, with one of his owne seruants called Roger de Broc, he fled awaie disguised in a white vesture and a moonks coule, and changing his name, caused himselfe to be called Dereman, & iourneied still all the night, and by daie laie close in one fréends house or other; till at last he got to Sandwich, and there taking ship, he sailed ouer into Flanders, and so went to France, where at the citie of Sens he found pope Alexander, into whose bosome he emptied whole cart lodes of complaints and greeuances.

[Sidenote: Gilbert Follioth bishop of London was sent to the French king.] The king vpon knowledge that the archbishop was fled the realme, sent Gilbert Follioth bishop of London, and William earle of Arundell in spéedie ambassage to, the king of France, to signifie vnto him the whole matter and circumstance of the falling out betwixt him and the archbishop, requiring him not to receiue the archbishop into his realme, but this request was little regarded of the French king, as appeared: for the archbishops cause was fauoured of manie, and the blame imputed to king Henrie, so that the archbishop found great grace with the French king, and no small fauour at the hands of the pope.

Now when king Henrie heard that he was accused by the archbishop vnto the pope, [Sidenote: Additions to _Iohn Pike._ _Matth. Paris._ _Ger. Dor._] he appointed Roger archbishop of Yorke, the aforesaid Gilbert bishop of London, Hilarius bishop of Chichester, Roger bishop of Worcester, Bartholomew bishop of Excester, with diuerse bishops, deanes, archdeacons, & other learned men of good accompt to the number of 15. to passe in ambassage vnto the pope, that they might excuse his dooings, and burden the archbishop with the note of rebellion, whereof he had good proofe.

[Sidenote: Roger archbishop of Yorke with others are sent to the pope.] Being admitted to declare their message in the consistorie before the pope, they opened the whole circumstance of the matter, from the beginning to the end, declaring that betwixt Thomas the archbishop of Canturburie and the king there was a controuersie moued, and by both their consents a daie appointed for the hearing and determining thereof, as iustice should require. At the which daie (by the kings commandement) all the chéefest lords of the realme both spirituall and temporall were assembled, to the end that the more generall the méeting should be, the more manifest might the discouerie of the fraud and malice of the archbishop appéere.

"At the daie appointed (saie they) there came before the catholike prince his presence, the Nobles of his realme: and amongst other, the archbishop the disquieter both of the kingdome & church, who (as one not well assured of the qualitie of his owne deseruings) blessed himselfe with the signe of the crosse at his comming into the court, as though he should haue come before some tyrant or schismaticall person. Notwithstanding all which contemptuous and ambitious behauiour, the kings maiestie was nothing offended, but committed the iudgement of his cause to the faithfull order of the bishops, meaning so to deliuer himselfe of all suspicion of wrong dealing. Then it rested in the bishops hands to make an end of the controuersie, and to set a finall vnion and agréement betwixt them. But the archbishop would none of that, alleging how it should be a derogation to the sée apostolike and his metropoliticall dignitie, to stand before the king in iudgement, or anie other temporall magistrate. And albeit (saie they) some diminution or eclipse might haue chanced to the dignitie of the church by that iudgement, yet it had beene his part to haue dissembled the matter for the time, to the end that peace might haue béene restored to the church. He further obiected (ascribing to himselfe the name of father, which seemed to sauour somewhat of arrogancie) that the children ought not to come togither to iudge the fathers cause, but it had béene far more necessarie that the humblenesse of the sons should mitigate the pride and temper the ambition of the father."

To conclude the kings ambassadors made earnest suit, that two legats might be sent from the pope, to haue the hearing & discussing of all the matter betwixt the king and the archbishop without any other appealing. [Sidenote: The kings tale could not be heard.] But the kings tale could not be heard in that court, [Sidenote: The archbishop Becket.] the archbishop hauing alreadie persuaded the pope to the contrarie. For comming to the pope he vttered his complaint as followeth:

[Sidenote: _Matt. Paris._] "Most holie father, I doo here come for succour to your audience, lamenting that the state of the church, and the liberties thereof are brought to ruine by the couetous dealing of kings and princes. Wherefore when I thought to resist the disease approching, I was suddenlie called before the king, to render accompts as a laie man about certeine wards, for whom (while I was the kings chancellor) I had notwithstanding giuen accounts; and also, when I was made bishop, and entred into the dignitie of ruling the archbishops sée, I was released and discharged of all reckonings and bonds by the kings eldest sonne, and by the cheefe iusticer of the realme: so that now, where I looked to haue found aid, I was destitute thereof, to my great hinderance and vexation. Consider furthermore (I praie you) how my lords and brethren the bishops are readie at the pleasure of the Noble men of the court to giue sentence against me, so that all men being about to run vpon me, I was almost oppressed: and therfore am now come as it were to take breath in the audience of your clemencie, which dooth not forsake your children in their extreme necessitie, before whom I here stand, readie to declare and testifie that I am not to be iudged there, nor yet at all by them. For what other thing should that be, but to plucke awaie the right of the church? What else then to submit spirituall things to temporall? This example therefore once sproong vp, might giue an occasion to manie enormities to follow. The bishops doo say, 'Those things that are Cesars, ought to be restored to Cesar.' But admit that in manie things the king is to be obeied, is he therefore to be obeied in things wherein he is no king? For those belong not to Cesar, but to a tyrant. Wherein if for my sake they would not, yet ought the bishops for their owne sakes to haue resisted him. For what should be the cause of such deadlie and vnnaturall hatred, that to destroie me, they should destroie themselues? Therefore whilest for temporall things they neglect spirituall, they faile in both. Weigh then most holie father, my fleeing awaie, and my persecution, and how for your sake I haue beene prouoked with iniuries, vse your rigour, constraine them to amendement, through whose motion this hath chanced; let them not be borne out by the king, who is rather the obstinate minister, than the finder out of this practise."

The pope hauing heard his words, tooke deliberation in the matter, with the aduice of his cardinals, [Sidenote: The popes answer to the archbishop.] and therevpon answered the archbishop in effect as followeth: "That the lower power may not iudge the higher, and chéefelie him whome he is bound to obeie, all the lawes both of God and man doo witnesse, and the ordinances of the ancient fathers doo manifestlie declare: Herevpon we (to whome it apperteineth to reforme disorders) doo clearelie reuerse and make void the iudgement pronounced against you by the barons and bishops, whereby as well against the order of law, as against the customes of the church, your goods were adiudged forfeit, whereas the same goods were not yours, but the churches of Canturburie, ouer which you haue the onelie cure and charge. But if those that haue violentlie entred vpon the possessions and goods of your church, and haue thereby wronged either you or yours, will not vpon admonition giuen to them, make restitution with sufficient amends, then may you (if you shall thinke conuenient) exercise ecclesiasticall iustice vpon them, and we shall allow of that which you shall reasonablie doo in that behalfe. Howbeit as touching the king himselfe we will not giue you any speciall commandement, neither yet doo we take from you any right belonging to your bishoprike office, which you receiued at your consecration. But the king onelie we will spare, and exempt from your excommunications and censures." [Sidenote: The archbish. resigneth his pall.] After these and many by-matters were ouerpassed, the archbishop resigned his pall vnto the pope, but the pope gaue it him againe, and appointed him to remaine at Pountney an abbeie of moonks Cisteaux in the diocesse of Auxerre, till the variance were brought to some good end betwixt the king and him. This was doone in the yeare of our Lord 1164.

The king hauing knowledge by his ambassadors what answer the pope had made, became gréeuouslie offended in his mind, and therevpon confiscated all the goods that belonged to the archbishop and his complices, and seized their reuenues into his hands, [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._] appointing one Randall de Broc to haue the custodie of all that belonged to the see, which Broc was nothing fréendlie to the archbishop, being his knowne enimie of old, but fauoured the moonkes, and would not suffer that they should take wrong or displeasure at any hand.

[Sidenote: 1165.] [Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _Matt. Paris._] In the yeare 1165. queene Elianor was deliuered of a daughter which was named Joane. Also on the 26. daie of Januarie, there chanced a maruellous earthquake in Northfolke, in the Ile of Elie, and in Suffolke, so that men as they stood on the ground were ouerthrowne therewith, and buildings so shaken, that the belles in stéeples knolled: the like had also chanced in the Aduent season then last before passed.

[Sidenote: The Welshmen make war on the English marshes. _Wil. Paruus._ _Polydor._ The king inuadeth Wales.] The Welshmen this yeare spoiled a great part of those countries that bordered vpon them: wherewith the king being sore mooued, leuied an armie with all spéed as well of Englishmen as strangers, and (without regard of difficulties and dangers) did go against the rebels, and finding them withdrawne into their starting holes (I meane the woods and strait passages) he compassed the same about in verie forceable maner. The Welshmen perceiuing themselues now to be brought into such ieopardie, as that they could not well deuise how to escape the same, consulted what was best to be doone. After consultation, casting awaie their weapons, they came foorth to the king, asking mercie; which somewhat hardlie they obteined. Few of them were executed in comparison of the numbers that offended: but yet the capteines and chéefe authors of this rebellion were so punished, that it was thought they would neuer haue presumed so rashlie to offend him in like sort againe. [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._ The seuere punishment vsed by king Henry against the Welshmen.] For (as some writers affirme) he did iustice on the sonnes of Rice or Rees, & also on the sonnes and daughters of other noble men that were his complices verie rigorouslie: causing the eies of the yoong striplings to be pecked out of their heads, and their noses to be cut off or slit: and the eares of the yoong gentlewomen to be stuffed.

But yet I find in other authors, that in this iournie king Henrie did not greatlie preuaile against his enimies, but rather lost manie of his men of warre, both horssemen and footmen: for by his seuere proceeding against them, he rather made them more eger to séeke reuenge, than quieted them in any tumult. [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._ _Ran. Cogge._ Cardigan castell woonne by the Welshmen.] They tooke the castell of Cardigan, and in besieging of Briges, the king was in no small danger of his life: for one of the enimies shooting directlie at him, [Sidenote: Hubert de S. Clere conestable of Colchester.] had persed him through the bodie if Hubert de Saint Clere conestable of Colchester, perceiuing the arrow coming had not thrust himselfe betwixt the king and the same arrow, and so preseruing his maister, receiued the stripe himselfe, whereof he died presentlie after, beséeching the king to be good lord to one onelie daughter which he had, [Sidenote: William de Langualée.] whome the king bestowed in mariage vpon William de Langualée, togither with hir fathers inheritance, which William begat of hir a sonne that bare both his name and surname. ¶ A president of gratitude & thankfulnes is here committed to memorie. And surelie the king could doo no lesse, than some way requite the venturous courage and hartie zeale of the gentleman, who with the losse of his owne life preserued the king, if not from death, yet from some dangerous wound that might haue put him to extreame anguish and paine. This may incite men to be mindfull of benefits receiued, a virtue no lesse rare than the contrarie is common, and as one saith, ---- inueniuntur Quidam sed rari, acceptorum qui meritorum Assiduè memores, &c.

[Sidenote: _W. Paruus._] But to conclude with this iourneie which king Henrie made at this time against the Welshmen, although by reason of the cumbersome difficulties of the places, he could not enter within the countrie so farre as he wished, yet he so impounded and constreined them to kéepe within the woods and mountains, that they durst not come abroad, insomuch that at the length they were glad to sue for peace.

[Sidenote: William king of Scots doth his homage to king Henrie.] William king of Scots, successor of Malcolme (who departed this life in the yeare last past) after he had receiued the crowne of Scotland, came about this present time into England, and finding king Henrie at London, did his homage to him as his predecessour Malcolme had doone before. He made suit also to haue Northumberland restored vnto him, which the king of Englands mother the empresse had in times past giuen vnto king Dauid. But king Henrie gaue diuerse reasons to excuse himselfe whie he might not deliuer that countrie to him at that present, namelie, without consent of a parlement: wherevpon king William perceiuing how the matter went, gaue ouer his suit for that present, meaning (when occasion serued) to attempt the getting thereof by force, sith that by praier and suit he sawe well inough he should not obteine it.