come, and though he were brought in a horslitter. So þ^t day passed ouer. The morrow after, certaine that were about him, (fering no lesse, but that some danger would happen to hym) gaue hym councel in þ^e morning MarginaliaA masse of S. Steuen to saue him from his enemies.to haue a masse in the honour of the holy martir S. Steuen, to kepe hym from the hands of his enemies, þ^t day. Whan þ^e morrowe was come (being teusday) there came to him the bishops and prelates, councelyng and perswadyng hym couertly by insinuation (for apertly they durst not) that he woulde submitte hymselfe with all hys goodes (as also hys archbishoprike) to the wyl of the king: if peraduenture his indignatiō by that meanes might swage. Adding moreouer, that vnles he would so doo: periurye would be laid against hym: for that he beyng vnder the othe of fidelity to kepe the kyngs lawes and ordinances, now would not obserue them. To this, Becket the archbishop aunswereth agayne: MarginaliaBeckets aunswere to the byshops.brethren ye see and perceyue wel, how the worlde is set against me, and how the enemy riseth and seeketh my confusion. And although these thynges be dolorous and lamentable, yet the thing that greueth me most of all is this: the sonnes of myne owne mother be prickes and thornes against me. And albeit I do hold my peace, yet the posterity to come will know & report how cowardly you haue turned your backes, and haue left me your archbishop and Metropolitane alone in this conflicte. And how you haue sitten in iudgement against me (although vngiltye of crime) now two dayes together: and not that only in the ciuil & spiritual court, but also in the temporall court redy to do the same. But in generall this I charge and commaund (by the vertue of pure obedience, and in perill of your order) that ye be present personally in iudgement against me. And þ^t ye shal not fayle so to do, MarginaliaBecket appealeth to Rome.I here appeale to our mother (the refuge of all such as be oppressed) the church of Rome: & if any secular men shall lay handes vpon me (as it is rumord they wil) I straitly inioygne and charge you in the same vertue of obedience, that you exercise youre censure ecclesiasticall vpon them, as it becommeth you to do for a father & an archbishop. And this I do you to vnderstand: that though the world rage, and the enemy bee fierce, and the body trembleth (for the flesh is weake) yet God so fauouring me, I will neither cowardlye shrinke, nor vily forsake my flocke committed to my charge, &c.

But the bishop of London, contrary to thys cōmaūdement of the archbishop: MarginaliaLondō appealeth from the archbishop.did incontinent appeale from him. And thus the bishops departed from him to þ^e court saue only ij. (Hēry Winchester & Ioceline of Salisb) who returned w^t him secretly to his chamber & cōforted him. This done, the archbishop (which yesterday was so sore sicke þ^t he could not stirre out of hys bed) now addresseth him to his masse of S. Steuen w^t all solēnity, as though it had been an hie festiuall day, wyth hys Metropolitane pall, which was not vsed but vppon the holy day to bee worne, &c. MarginaliaA masse to charme awaye persecutoursThe office of his masse begā, Sederunt principes, & aduersum me loquebantur: that is, Princes sate & spake against me, &c. (the kinges seruauntes beyng also there & beholdyng þ^e matter). For this masse, Gilbert B. of Londō accused Becket afterward, both for þ^t it was done per artē magicā, & in cōtemptu Regis (as the words of Houeden purport) that is, both by art Magike, and in contempt of the kyng &c.

The masse beyng ended, the archbishop (puttyng of hys pall, his miter and other robes) procedeth to þ^e kings court: but yet not trustyng peraduenture so greatly to þ^e strength of his masse (to make the matter more sure) MarginaliaBecket caryeth with him the sacrament going to the king.he taketh also the sacrament priuely about hym, thinkyng thereby himselfe sufficiently defensed against all bugs. In goyng to the kynges chamber (there to attende the kynges commyng) as he was entring the doore, he taketh from Alexander his crosier, and the crosse wyth the crossestaffe, in the syght of all that stoode by, and carieth it in hymselfe (the other bishops followyng hym & say-ing) he dyd otherwise then became him. Amongst other, Robert bishop of Hereford offered himselfe to beare hys crosse, rather thē he should so do, for þ^t it was not comely: but the archbishop would not suffer him. Then sayd þ^e bishop of London to him: yf þ^e kyng shall see you come armed into hys chamber, perchaunce he wil drawe out hys sword against you, which is stronger then yours: & then, what shall this your armour profite you. MarginaliaHouedē referreth not thys saying to the byshop of Lōdon, but to the archb. of Yorke.The archbishop aunswereth agayn: if the kings sword do cut carnally, yet my sword cutteth spiritually, & striketh downe to hell. But you my Lord as you haue playd the foole in this matter, so you will not yet leaue of your follye for any thing I cā see: and so he came into the chamber. The kyng hearing of his comming and of the maner therof, taried not longe but came where Becket was set in a place by himselfe, wyth hys other bishops about hym. First, the cryer called the prelates and all the lordes of the tēporalty together. That being done, (and euery one placed in his seat, accordyng to his degree) the kyng beginneth with a great complaint against the archbishop, for hys maner of entryng into the court: not as (saith he) a subiect into a kyngs courte: but as a traytor, shewyng himselfe in such sort, as hath not ben seene before in any christē kings court, professyng christian faith. To this, all (there presēt) gaue witnes w^t the king: affirmyng him alwayes to be a vayne & a proude man, & that the shame of this fact did not onely redound against the prince him self, but also against his hole realme. Moreouer they said þ^t this had so hapned to þ^e kyng, for þ^t he had done so much for such a beast, auauncing him so highly in such place & roume next vnder himselfe. MarginaliaBecket called trayter of the king and of al his nobles.And so altogether wyth one cry called him on euerye side traitor, as one þ^t refused to geue terrene honoure to the kyng, in keeping (as he had sworne) his lawes & ordinances: at whose hands also he had receyued such honour & great prefermēts: and therfore was wel worthy (said they) to be hādled lyke a periured traytor & rebel. Wherupō, great doubt & feare was what should befal vpon hym. The archebishop of Yorke commyng downe to hys men said, he could not abyde to see what þ^e archbishop of Canterbury was like to suffer. Likewyse, the Tipstaues & other ministers of þ^e assemble commyng down with an outcry against him, crossed them to see hys hauty stubbernes, and the busines there was about hym. Certayne there were of hys disciples sytting at hys feete, comfortyng him softly, and bidding him to lay his curse vpō them. Other (contrary) bidding him not to curse, but to pray and to forgeue them: and if he lost hys lyfe in the quarel of the church and the liberty therof, he should be happy. MarginaliaA blind zeale for the proud libertyes of the church.Afterward, one of thē named Ioannes Stephani, desired to speake somthing in his eare, but could not be suffred by the kings marshal, who forbad that no man should haue any talke w^t him. Then he (because he could not otherwise speake to him) wrought by signes, making a crosse, and lookyng vp with his eies and waggyng his lips, meaning that he should praye, & manfullye to stand to þ^e crosse. In þ^e meane tyme cōmeth to him Bartholmew B. of Excetor: desiring him to haue regard and compassioon of himselfe, and also of them, or els they were all like to perish for the hatred of him: MarginaliaWhoso taketh Beckets part is counted a rebel.for there commeth out (sayth he) a precept from the kyng þ^t he shal be taken, and suffer for an open rebel, that hereafter taketh your part. It is said moreouer, that Iocelinus bishop of Salisbury, and William bishop of Norwiche, are to be had to the place of execution for their resisting & making intercession for the bishop of Canterbury. Whē he had thus sayd, the archbishop (looking vpon the sayde bishop of Excetor) auoyde hence from me (saith he) thou vnderstandest not, neyther doost sauour those thynges þ^t be of God.

The bishops and prelates then going asyde by them selues from the other nobles (the king so permitting thē to do) tooke councel together what was to be done. Here