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Actes and Monumentes of the church

and tramping vpon him with their fete, that happy it was he escaped with lyfe. His Casule, Chimer, Ratchet, were al to be rent and torn of his backe. Here no reason, no debatynge would serue, no praying could be heard. Such clamour and tumulte was there in the house among them, much like to the tumulte, whiche Virgil describeth.

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Ac veluti in populo cum sæpe coerta est
Seditio, sauitq́; animis ignobile vulgus,
Iamq́; faces & saxa volant, furor arma ministrat.

Now as the first part of this description doth well agree, so some peraduenture wyll loke againe, that according to the latter parte also of the same, my Lorde Cardinall with a sagenes and grauitie, after the maner of thold Romaines, standing vp, should haue ceased and alayed the disturbaunce, according to þt which it followeth in the Poet.

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Tum pietate grauem meritis si forte virum quem
Conspexere, silent, arrectisq́; auribius aftant.
Ille regit mentes dictis, et pectora mulcet. &c.

But what did the noble Romane Cardinal? Like a pretye man of his handes, but a pretyer man of his fete, standyng vp in the midste, and seing ethe house in suche a broyle, committed himself to flight, and (as Houedenus wryteth) abscondit se a facie illorum. The next day after tharchbishop of Yorke bringeth to the Cardynall his ratchet, to beare witnes what iniurye and violence he had susteyned, appealyng and cityng vp the Archbishop of Canterbury, with certain of his men to the bishop of Rome. And thus the holy counsel the same day it was begon, brake vp and was dissolued MarginaliaThe great dominiō of kyng Henry the. 2.vnder þe reign of this king Henry the second, the dominion & crown of England extended so far as hath not bene sene in this realme before him, whome Histories record to possesse vnder his rule and iurisdiction both MarginaliaHomage of Scotlande in payne of interdictiōScotland (as to whom William king of Scots, with all the Lordes temporal and spiritual did homage, for them and for their successors, the seale wherof remayneth in the Kinges treasury) Ireland, England, Normandy, Aquitane, Gaunt, &c. vnto the mountaines of Pirom, whiche bee in the vttermoste partes of the great Ocean, in the brittish Sea: MarginaliaKing Henry the secōd protector of Fraunce.beyng also protectour of Fraunce, Philip the French king putting his bodye and Realme wholly to his gouernaunce, an. 1181. MarginaliaKing Henry chosen kyng of Ierusalem, refused it.Moreouer beyng offered also to be kyng of Hierusalem, by the Patriarche and maister of the Hospitall there, who then being distressed by the Souldane brought him the keys of their citye, desyring his ayde agaynst the infidels, which offer he than refused, alledgyng the greate charge whyche he hadde at home, and the rebellyon of his sonnes, whiche might happen in his absence.

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☞ And here the olde Histories finde a great fault with the kyng for his refusall, declaryngthat to be the greatest cause of Gods plagues whiche after ensued vpon him, by his chyldren, as the Patriarche in his oration, beyng offended with the king, prophecied should so happē to him for the same cause. MarginaliaAide not to be denied to our neyghbors, the cause being godly.Which story yf it be true, it may be a lesson to good Princes, not to denye their necessarye helpe to theyr dystressed neighbors, especially the cause perteining vnto God. MarginaliaEx polichronico. Ex Giraldo CambriensiThe wisedome, discretion, manhoode, and riches of this Prince was so spred and renowmed throughe al quarters, that messages came from Emanuell Emperor of Constantinople, Frederick Emperor of Rome, & William Archbishop of Treuer in Almayn, & Duke of Saxon, and from the Earle of Flaunders, & also from the French kyng, vpon determination of great questions and strifes, to aske counsell and determination therof of this king Hēry, as of one most wyse, and scholemaister of al wisedome and iustice, to haue solution of their questions & doutes. Marginaliakyng Henry chosē arbitrer by. ii kynges.Moreouer Alphōsus kyng of Castile, and Sauncius king of Nauerne being in stryfe for certain Castels, and other possessions, submitted them, of theyr free accorde, and by their othe to abide thaward of this king Henry, who made a warde, and pleased bothe. Wherby it is not to bee presupposed that thys kyng, to whom other Princes dyd so resort as to their arbitrer and deciser, did attende eyther to any slouth or vicious liuing. Wherfore this Princes actes may be a mirror to all Princes.

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Among many other thinges in thys kynge memorable,  

Commentary   *   Close
Other incidents of Henry II's reign

The Foxe Project was not able to complete the commentary on this section of text by the date by which this online edition was compiled (23 September 2008). This commentary will become available in due course from the 'Late Additions and Corrections' page of the edition.

this is one to be noted (followe it who can) that he reigning. 35. yeres, & hauynge so many warres with his enemies, yet he neuer put any tribute or taxe vpon his subiectes, nor yet vpō the spiritualty first fruites & appropriatiōs of benefices. Belike they wer not knowen, or els not vsed. MarginaliaThe treasure of king Henry the. ii.And yet his treasure after his death weyed by king Richard his sonne, amounted aboue. ix.C.M.li. besyde Iewels, precious stones, and houshold stuffe. Of þe whiche substance. xi.M.li. came to him by the deathe of MarginaliaA couetous archbishopRoger Archbishop of Yorke, who had procured a Bul of the Pope, that if any priest died with in his prouince without testamente, then he should haue all his goodes. And shortlye after the Archbishop died, and the kynge had all hys good, which extēded (as is sayde) to a. xi.M.li. besyde plate &c. an. 1181.

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But as there is no felicitye or wealth in this mortall worlde, so perfecte, which is not darkned with some cloude of coumbraunce and aduersitie: So it happened to this king, þt among his other princely successours, this incommoditye followed hym withall, that his sonnes rebelled and stoode in armour agaynst hym, takyng the parte of the Frenche kynge agaynste theyr Father. Fyrst Henrye his sonne, whome the Father ioyned with hym as kyng, at the coronatiō of whiche king, Hēry his father toke

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vpon