Chapter 7

Here when the matter came to be discussed touching the death of archbishop Thomas, bicause it could not be certeinelie tried out in whom the fault rested, much reasoning to and fro passed, about obiections and excuses laid (as in doubtfull cases it often happeneth) so that welneere the space of foure moneths was spent in debating of that matter. In which meane time, the king to auoid all contention and strife betwixt him and king Lewes, sent his son Henrie togither with his wife ouer into England there eftsoones to receiue the crowne, [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._ _R. Houed._] and with them came Rotrod the archbishop of Rouen, Giles bishop of Eureux, Roger bishop of Worcester, and diuerse others.

Herevpon the yoong king being arriued in England, called an assemblie of the lords spirituall and temporall at Winchester, [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] where both he and his said wife Margaret daughter to the French king was crowned with all solemnitie, by the hands of the said Rotrod archbishop of Rouen vpon the twentie one of August.

In the meane time (saith one writer) his father king Henrie might haue foreséene and found means to haue auoided the discord, which euen now began to spring vp betwixt him and his children, causing a sore and ciuill warre, if he had not beene a man that vtterlie did detest all superstitious admonitions. For being told (I wot not by whome) that if he did not repent, and take more regard to minister iustice, which is a vertue that conteineth in it selfe all other vertues; it would come to passe, that within short time he should fall into great and manifold calamities.

[Sidenote: A strange apparition.] "In his returne also out of Ireland (saith an other) vpon the sundaie next after the feast of Easter, commonlie called Lowsundie, as he should take his horsse at Cardiffe in Wales, there appeared vnto him a man of pale and wanne colour, barefooted, and in a white kirtell, who boldlie in the Dutch language spake vnto him, and admonished him of amendment of life, and to haue regard that the sabboth daie (commonlie called the sundaie) might be more duelie kept and obserued, so that no markets nor bodilie workes be holden, vsed, or doone vpon that day within the bounds of his dominions, except that which apperteineth to dressing of meats. And if thou doo (saith he) after this commandement, I assure thée that all things which thou dooest enterprise of good intent and purpose, shall sort to good effect and verie luckie end.

"But the king was not greatlie pleased with these words, and in French said to the knight that held his bridle; 'Aske of this churle, whether he had dreamed all this that he telleth or not.' When the knight had expounded it in English, the man answered, Whether I haue dreamed it in my sleepe or not, take thou héed to my words, & marke what day this is: for if thou amend not thy life, and doo as I haue aduertised thée, before a twelue moneth come to an end, thou shalt heare such tidings as will make thee sorowfull all the daies of thy life after." The man hauing thus spoken, vanished awaie suddenlie, and the king tooke his words but in sport: howbeit he woondered that he was so suddenlie gone, as he did likewise at his sudden appearing. Manie other warnings the king had (saith mine author) but he set little thereby.

The second warning he receiued of an Irishman, that told him of tokens verie priuie. The third time a knight of Lindsey, called Philip de Chesterby, passing the sea, came to the king into Normandie, and there declared vnto him seauen articles, which he should amend, which if he did, then he should reigne seauen yeares in great honor, and subdue Gods enimies. If he did not amend and redresse those points, then should he come to death with dishonour in the fourth yeare.

1 The first article or point was, that he should séeke to mainteine holie church.

2 The second, that he should cause rightfull lawes to be executed.

3 The third, that he should condemne no man without lawfull processe.

4 The fourth, that he should restore the lands, goods and heritages to those rightfull owners from whome he had taken them by any wrong or vnlawfull meanes.

5 The fift, that he should cause euerie man to haue right, without bribing and giuing of méed.

6 The sixt, that he should paie his debts as well due to any of his subiects, for any stuffe taken vp of them to his vse, as to his seruants and souldiers, who bicause they could not haue their wages truelie paid them, fell to robbing and spoiling of true labouring men.

7 The seauenth and last article was, that he should cause the Jewes to be auoided out of the land, by whom the people were sore impouerished with such vnmercifull vsurie as they exercised.

The king (notwithstanding these and other like warnings) tooke no regard to the amendment of his sinfull life, wherevpon (as is thought) the troubles which ensued did light vpon him by Gods iust appointment.

¶ Howsoeuer this may séeme a fable, but no written veritie, & therefore esteemed as the chaffe of summer flowers; yet as in the tales of Aesop many good morals are comprised, so the scope whereto this apparition tendeth being necessarie, maketh the argument it selfe of the more authoritie. The end therefore being (as you sée) to reuoke the king from woorse to better, from the swines-stie of vice to the statelie throne of vertue, from the kennell of sinne to the riuers of sanctitie, prooueth that euen verie fictions of poets (though of light credit) haue their drift manie times to honest purpose, and therefore bring with them a competent weight of profit to the readers. So the scope of this tale being the same that Dauid pointeth at in the second psalme, when he saith, [Sidenote: _Ex G. Buch. paraph. in psal. 2._] (At vos in populos quibus est permissa potestas, Et ius ab alta sede plebi dicitis, Errorum tenebras depellite, discite verum, &c.) maketh the narration it selfe (though otherwise séeming méere fabulous) to be somewhat authenticall. But to returne to the course of our storie, and now to saie somewhat of this Henrie the seconds sonne the yoong king, by whom the troubles were moued, (note you this) that after he had receiued the crowne togither with his said wife, they both passed the seas incontinentlie backe againe into Normandie, [Sidenote: _R. Houed._ _Ger. Dor._ King Henrie purgeth him selfe of the archbishop Beckets death.] where on the seauen and twentith of September, at a generall assemblie holden within the citie of Auranches in the church of the apostle S. Andrew, king Henrie the father, before the cardinals the the popes legats, and a great number of bishops and other people, made his purgation, in receiuing an oth vpon the holie relikes of the saints, and vpon the sacred euangelists, that he neither willed, nor commanded the archbishop Thomas to be murthered, and that when he heard of it, he was sorie for it. But bicause he could not apprehend them that slue the archbishop, and for that he feared in his conscience least they had executed that vnlawfull act vpon a presumptuous boldnesse, bicause they had perceiued him to be offended with the archbishop, he sware to make satisfaction (for giuing such occasion) in this maner.

[Sidenote: O vile subiection vnbeséeming a king!] 1 In primis, that he would not depart from pope Alexander, nor from his catholike successours, so long as they should repute him for a catholike king.

2 Item, that he would neither impeach appeales, nor suffer them to be impeached, but that they might freelie be made within the realme vnto the pope, in causes ecclesiasticall; yet so, that if the king haue the parties suspected, they shall find him suerties that they shall not procure harme or hinderance whatsoeuer to him or to his realme.

3 Item, that within thrée yeares after the natiuitie of our lord next ensuing, he should take vpon him the crosse, and personallie passe to the holie land, except pope Alexander or his successours tooke other order with him.

4 Prouided, that if vpon any vrgent necessitie he chanced to go into Spaine to warre against the Saracens there, then so long space of time as he spent in that iournie, he might deferre his going into the east parts.

5 Item, he bound himselfe in the meane time by his oth, to emploie so much monie as the templers should thinke sufficient for the finding of two hundred knights or men of armes, for one yeares terme in the defense of the holie land.

6 Item, he remitted his wrath conceiued against those which were in exile for the archbishop Thomas his cause, so that they might returne againe into the realme.

7 Item, to restore all the lands and possessions which had béene taken awaie from the sée of Canturburie, as they were belonging thereto in the yere before the departure of the archbishop Thomas out of England.

8 Item, he sware to take awaie and abolish all those customes, which in his time had béene brought in against the church, as preiudiciall thereto.

All these articles faithfullie, and without male-ingene to performe and fulfill in euerie degrée, he receiued a solemne oth, and caused his sonne the yoong king being there present, to receiue the same for performance of all those articles, such as touched his owne person onelie excepted. And to the intent the same should remaine in the popes consistorie as matter of record, he put his seale vnto the writing wherein the same articles were ingrossed, togither with the seales of the aboue mentioned cardinals.

Shortlie after king Henrie the father suffered the yoong king his son to go into France, togither with his wife, to visit his father king Lewes, according as their deputies required, which iournie verelie bred the cause of the dissention that followed betwixt him and his father. King Lewes most louinglie receiued them (as reason was) and caused diuers kinds of triumphant plaies and pastimes to be shewed for the honour and delectation of his sonne in law and daughter.

Neuerthelesse, whilest this yoong prince soiourned in France, king Lewes not hartilie fauouring the king of England, [Sidenote: The French king séeketh to sow sedition betwixt the father and the sonne.] and therewithall perceiuing the rash and headstrong disposition of the yong king did first of all inuegle him to consider of his estate, and to remember that he was now a king equall vnto his father, and therefore aduised him so shortlie as he could, to get the entire gouernment out of his fathers hands: wherevnto he furthermore promised all the aid that laie in him to performe.

The yong king being readie inough not onelie to worke vnquietnesse, but also to follow his father in lawes counsell (as he that was apt of nature to aspire to the sole gouernement, and loth to haue any partener in authoritie (according to that of the tragedie-writer, [Sidenote: _Sen. in Agam._] Nec regna socium ferre nec tedæ sciunt) and namelie such one as might controll him) was the more encouraged thereto by a number of prodigall currie fauours, who by flatterie set him aloft, declaring vnto him that he was borne to rule, and not to obeie, and therefore it became not his highnesse to reigne by the appointment of an other, but rather to haue the gouernement fréelie in his owne hands, that he might not be counted prince by permission. Herevpon the youthfull courage of the yong king being tickled, began to wax of a contrarie mind to his father: who suspecting indéed that which chanced; to wit (least his sonnes yoong yeares not able yet to discerne good and wholesome counsell from euill, might easilie be infected with some sinister practise) thought it not good to suffer him to be long absent from him, and therefore sent for him: [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] who taking leaue of his father in law king Lewes in courteous maner, returned and came to his father king Henrie into Normandie, [Sidenote: An. Reg. 19. 1173.] who when the feast of Christmas drew néere, repaired towards Aniou, where in the towne of Chinon, he solemnized that feast, hauing left his sonne the yong king and his wife all that while in Normandie: but sending for him after the feast was ended, they went both into Auvergne, [Sidenote: Hubert earle of Morienne.] where being at mount Ferrat, Hubert earle of Morienne came vnto them, bringing with him his eldest daughter Alice, whom king Henrie the father bought of him for the summe of fiue thousand markes, [Sidenote: A marriage contracted.] that he might bestow hir in marriage vpon his yongest sonne John with the heritage of the countie of Morienne, if hir father died without other issue, or at the leastwise the said Hubert chanced to haue any sonne lawfullie begotten, that then he should leaue vnto them and to their heires the countie of Russellon, [Sidenote: _Comitatus bellensis._] the countie of Belle, as he then had and held the same, Pierre castell with the appurtenances, the vallie of Noualleise, also Chambrie with the appurtenances, Aiz, Aspermont, Rochet, mont Magor, and Chambres, with Burg, all which lieng on this side the mountaines with their appurtenances, the said Hubert granted to them immediatlie for euer. And beyond the mountaines he couenanted to giue vnto them Turine with the appurtenances, the colledge of Gauoreth with the appurtenances, and all the fées which the earles of Canaues held of him, togither with the fealties and seruices. And also, the fees, fealties, and seruices which belonged to him in the countie of Amund, and in the vallie called Vale Dosta; and in like maner, the towne of Castellone.

All the forenamed places the said earle gaue and granted to the said John, sonne to the king of England for euermore, with his daughter, so fréelie, wholie and quietlie (in men and cities, castels, fortresses, or other places of defense, in medowes, leassewes, milnes, woods, plaines, waters, vallies and mountaines, in customes and all other things) as euer he or his father had held or enioied the same. And furthermore, the said earle would, that immediatlie (when it pleased the king of England) his people should doo homage and fealtie to the king of Englands sonne, reseruing the fealtie due to him so long as he liued. [Sidenote: The countie of Granople.] Moreouer, the said earle Hubert granted to the said John and his wife all the right that he had in the countie of Granople, and whatsoeuer might be got and euicted in the same countie. It was also couenanted, if the elder daughter died, that then the said John should marrie the yoonger daughter, and enioy all the like portions and parts of inheritance as he should haue enioied with the first.

Finallie, that these couenants, grants and agréements should be performed on the part and behalfe of the said earle Hubert, both he, the said earle, and the erle of Geneua, and in maner all the great lords and barons of those countries receiued an oth, and vndertooke to come and offer themselues as hostages to remaine with the king of England, in case the said earle Hubert failed in performance of any of the aforesaid articles, till he framed himselfe to satisfie the kings pleasure in such behalfe.

Furthermore, Peter the reuerend archbishop of Tarensasia, and Ardune the bishop of Geneua, and also William the bishop of Morienne, with the abbat of S. Michell promised vpon their oth to be readie at the appointment of the king of England, to put vnder the censures of the church the said earle and his lands, refusing to performe the foresaid couenants, and so to kéepe him and the said lands bound, till he had satisfied the king of England therein.

[Sidenote: The earles of Mandeuille and Arundell.] William earle of Mandeuill, and William earle of Arundell sware on the part of king Henrie, that he should performe the articles, couenants and agréements on his part, as first to make paiment immediatlie vnto the said Hubert of one thousand markes, and as soone as he should receiue his daughter, he should paie him an other thousand markes at the least, and the residue then remaining of the said sum of fiue thousand markes, should be paid when the mariage was consummate.

It was prouided also, that the said earle Hubert might marrie his yoonger daughter where he would, without any great diminishing of the earledome after the first marriage consummate with the lord John, the king of Englands sonne. And that if either the said lord John, or his affianced wife chanced to die before the consummation of the marriage, then should the monie which the earle had receiued, be repaid to the king, or bestowed as the king should appoint.

Shortlie after that the parties were agreed vpon the couenants afore cited, the marques of Montferrat & one Geffrey de Plozac with his sonne Miles and other Noble men came to the king as ambassadors from the earle of Morienne, and receiued an oth, that they should see and procure the said earle to performe the couenants and agreements concluded betwixt the king and him. When these things were thus ordered, as séemed good to both parties, for the establishment of the foresaid marriage, the king the father, and the king the sonne remoued to Limoges, [Sidenote: The earle of S. Giles.] whither the earle of S. Giles came, and was there accorded with king Henrie and his sonne Richard duke of Guien, concerning the controuersie that had béene moued for the countie of Tholouze, dooing his homage as well vnto the father as to the sonne for the same countie, [Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._] and further couenanted to serue them with an hundred knights or men of armes (as we may call them) for the terme of fourtie daies at all times, vpon lawfull summons. And if the king or his sonne duke Richard would haue his seruice longer time after the fourtie daies were expired, they should paie wages both to him and his men in reasonable maner. [Sidenote: Tribute for Tholouze.] Moreouer, the said earle condescended & agreed to give yearelie for Tholouze an hundred marks, or else 10. horsses with 10. marks a péece. Now also, whilest the king soiourned at Limoges, the earle of Morienne came thither to him, and required to vnderstand what parcels of land he would assigne vnto his sonne John. [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._] Wherevpon the king resolued to allot vnto him the chappell of Chinon, Lodun and Mirabell, whereby he offended his eldest sonne the yoong king (as after may appeare) who was glad to haue occasion (whome the poets faine to be bald behind and hairie before, as this monastich insinuateth, Fronte capillata est post est occasio calua) offered to broch his conceiued purpose of rebellion which of late he had imagined, and now began to put in practise, vsing the opportunitie of the time and the state or qualitie of the quarell then taken for his best aduantage, and meaning to make it an ingredience or entrance to the malicious conceit which he had kept secret in his hart.

[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _N. Triuet._] This yeere the moonks of Canturburie (by the kings assent) chose for their archbishop one Richard, who before was prior of Douer, this man was the 39. in number that had ruled the church of Canturburie, being of an euill life as he well shewed, in that he wasted the goods of the church inordinatlie. Roger the abbat of Bechellouin was first chosen, but he refused that dignitie rather for slothfulnes and idlenes (as some take it) than for modestie or wisedome: [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] so hard a thing it is to please the people, which measure all things to be honest or dishonest, as they eb or flow in profit and gaine.

The said Richard, after that he was elected, did homage vnto king Henrie, and sware fealtie vnto him (Saluo semper ordine suo, His order alwaies saued) without making mention of the customes of the kingdome. [Sidenote: A councell holden at Westminster.] This was doone at Westminster in the chappel of S. Katharine, the kings iusticer giuing his assent therevnto, where a councell was held the same time, and a letter of the popes read there before the bishops and barons of the realme, conteining amongst other things this that followeth.

A breefe extract or clause of a letter which the pope sent to the clergie of England, &c. for the making of a new holie daie.

We admonish you all, & by the authoritie which we reteine, doo streightlie charge you, that you celebrat the daie of the suffering of the blessed man Thomas the glorious martyr, sometime archbishop of Canturburie, euerie yere in most solemne sort, & that with deuout praiers ye endeuour your selues to purchase forgiuenes of sins: that he which for Christes sake suffered banishment in this life, and martyrdome in death by constancie of vertue, through continuall supplication of faithfull people, may make intercession for you vnto God.

The tenor of these letters were scarslie read, but euerie man with a lowd voice began to recite this psalme or hymne, Te Deum laudamus. Furthermore bicause his suffragans had not exhibited due reuerence to him their father, either in time of his banishment, or at his returne from the same, but rather persecuted him; that they might openlie confesse their errour and wickednesse to all men, they made this collect: [Sidenote: A collect deuised in honor of the archbishop Becket.] "Be fauourable good Lord to our supplication and praier, that we which acknowledge our selues guiltie of iniquitie, may be deliuered by the intercession of Thomas thy blessed martyr and bishop, Amen."

This praier was vsed by the couent of S. Albons on the daie of his martyrdome. Thus ---- cæca superstitionis Est facilísque via & cunctis iam cognita sæclis.

¶ Notwithstanding all which honor of the pope then exhibited to his saint, as his canonization, with other solemnities procured for the maintenance of his memoriall in all ages, succeeding; what remembrance is there now of Thomas Becket? Where be the shrines that were erected in this church and that chappell for perpetuities of his name and fame? Are they not all defaced? are they not all ruinated? are they not all conuerted to powder and dust? And although the pope ment by causing such ikons to be erected, to prefer Thomas as a perpetuall saint to all posterities, and thought as he that said of his poems, Exegi monumentum ære perennius, Regalíque situ pyramidum altius, Quod non imber edax non aquilo impotens Possit diruere aut innumerabilis Annorum series & fuga temporum,

Yet is he growne not into renowne, but infamie and shame in England, as our chronicles declare, which haue published that Romish rakehels ambitious and traitorous heart to all successions. Naie, whereas in times past he was reckoned in the popes rubricke for a saint and a martyr, now it is come to passe (by the meanes belike of other saints whose merits haue surpassed Beckets) that he is growne in obliuion euen at Rome, [Sidenote: M. Vaghan at Spitle the tuesdaie in Easter wéeke 1565.] and his name raced out of the pope's calendar (as a learned man preached in a solemne audience at a high festiuall time) by whome he was so magnified. In which kind of discontinuing his fauour to his sworne children, he sheweth himselfe verie ingratefull, and not worthie of the dutifulnesse wherewith (like buzzards as they be) they ouercharge their hellish (holie I would saie) father.

[Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._ The archbishops consecratiō disturbed by the yoong king.] This yeare the sister of the said archbishop Richard was made abbesse of Berking. But now touching the new elected archbishop Richard, we find that comming to Canturburie on the saturdaie after his election, in hope to be there consecrated, he was disappointed by letters that came from king Henrie the sonne, in forme as followeth.

A letter of yoong king Henrie touching the disappointment of archbishop Richards consecration.