altars) priuely while the king was at supper, prepareth his iourney secretely to escape away: MarginaliaBecket changeth his name, and is called Derman.and chaungyng hys garment and his name (being called Derman) first went to Lincolne, from thence to Sandich where he tooke ship, and sayled to Flaunders: and from thence iurneyed to Fraunce, as Houedenus saith. MarginaliaHistories differ some thing in the order of his flighte.Albeit Alanus differing somthing in the order of his flight, sayth: that he departed not that night, but at supper time cam to hym the bishop of London, and Chichester (declaring to him) that if he woulde surrender vp to þ^e king hys two maners of Otford and Wyngecham, there were hope to recouer the kinges fauour, and to haue all remitted. But when the archbishop woulde not agree thereunto (for as much as those manners were belonging to the churche of Canterburye) the kyng hearing thereof, great displeasure was taken: In so muche that the next day, Becket was fayne to send to the king two bishops and hys chaplen, for leaue to depart the realme. To the which message the king answered, that he woulde take a pause therof tyll the next day, and then he should haue an answer. But Becket not tarying his answer, þ^e same day conueyed himselfe away secretely (as is aforesayd) to Ludouicus the French king. But before he came to the king (Gilbert the bishop of Londō, and William the Earle of Arundel sent from the kyng of Englande to Fraunce) preuented him: requiring of the sayd French king (in the behalfe of the king of England) þ^t he woulde not receiue nor retaine in hys dominion the archbishop of Canterbury. Moreouer (that at his instance) he wolde be a meanes to the pope, not to shew anye familiaritye vnto hym. But the king of England in this point semed to haue more confidence in the French king, then knowledge of hys disposition. For, thinking þ^t the Frēch king woulde haue ben a good neighbour to him (in trustyng him to much) he was deceyued. Neither considered he w^t hymselfe inough the maner and nature of the French men, at that tyme agaynst the realme of England: who then were glad to seeke and take all maner of occasions to doo some act agaynst England.

MarginaliaThe French king sopporteth Becket against the king of England.And therfore Ludouicke the French kyng, vnderstādyng the matter: and thinkyng (percase) thereby to haue some vauntage agaynst the kyng, and realme of England, by the occasion hereof: contrary to the kynges letters & request, not onely herboureth and cherisheth this Dereman: but also (writyng to the pope by hys Almener and brother) entreateth hym (vpon all loues, as euer he would haue his fauour) to tender the cause of the archbishop Becket. MarginaliaAmbassadours sent to the pope.Thus the kynges ambassadours repulsed of the French kyng, returned: at what tyme he sent an other ambassage (vpon the lyke cause) to Alexander þ^e pope thē being at Sene in Fraūce. The Embassadours sent in this message were Roger archbyshop of Yorke, Gilbert bishop of Londō, Henry bishop of Winchester, Hilary bishop of Chichester, Bartlemew bishop of Exeter, with other doctors and clerkes: also William Earle of Arūdell, with certein mo Lordes and Barones. Who commyng to the popes court, were frendly accepted of certein of the cardinals: amongest the whiche cardinals, rose also dissention about the same cause: some iudgyng the byshop of Canterbury, in the defence of þ^e liberties of the church (as in a good cause) to be maintayned: Some thinking a gayne, that he (beyng a perturber of peace and vnitie) was rather to be bridled for his presumption, then to be fostered and incoraged therin. But the Pope, partly bearyng with his cause (whiche onely tended to his exaltation and magnificence) partly agayne incēsed with the letters of the French kyng: did holy incline to Becket as no maruell was. Wherfore (next day folowyng) the Pope sittyng in consistory with hys cardinals, þ^e Embassadours were called for, to the hearyng of Beckets matter: and first beginneth the byshop of London: next, þ^e archbishop of Yorke: then Exeter: & the other by-shops, euery one in their order to speake. Whose oratiōs beyng not well accepted of the Pope, and some of them also disdayned: the Earle of Arundle perceauyng that (and somewhat to qualifie and temper the matter to the popes eares) began after thys maner.

MarginaliaThe oratiō of the earle of Arundell to the popeAlthough to me it is vnknowen (sayth he) whiche am both vnlettered and ignoraunt, what is that these byshops here haue sayd, neither am I in that tōgue so able to expresse my minde as they haue done: yet beyng sent and charged therunto of my prince, neither cā nor ought I but to declare (as well as I may) what the cause is of our sēding hither. Not (truly) to cōtēd or striue w^t any person, nor to offer any iniury or harme vnto any man (especially in this place) and in the presence here of such a one, vnto whose beck and autority all the world doth stoupe and yelde. But for this intent is our legacy hyther directed: to present here before you and in the presence of the whole churche of Rome, the deuotion & loue of our kyng and maister, whiche euer he hath had and yet hath still toward you. And that the same might þ^e better appeare to your excellency: he hath assigned and appointed to the furniture of this legacy, not the least, but þ^e greatest: not the worst but þ^e best and chiefest of all his subiectes: both archbishops, byshops, earles, barons, with other potentates mo: of such worthynes & parētage, that if he could haue found greater in all his realme, he would haue sent them, both for the reuerence of your person, and of the holy churche of Rome. Ouer and besides this, I myght adde to more (whiche your sanctitude hath sufficiently tried and proued already) the true and harty fidelitie of this our kyng and soueraigne toward you. Who (in his first intrance to his kingdom) wholy submitted himself, with all that is his besides, to your will and pleasure.

And truly to testifie of his maiesty how he is disposed to the vnitie of þ^e catholike fayth: we beleue there is none more faithfull in Christ thē he, nor more deuout to God, nor yet more moderate in kepyng the vnitie of peace wherunto he is called. And as I may be bold this to protest of our kyng and maister: so neither do I deny the Archbishop of Canterburye, to be a man destitute or vnfurnished with giftes and ornamentes in his kind of callyng: but to be a mā both sage and discrete, in such thynges as to hym appertayneth: saue only that he seemeth to some more quicke and sharpe then nedeth. This blot alone if it wer not, & that þ^e breach betwen our king and hym had not so happened: both the regiments together, (of the temporalty and spritualty) myght quietly haue florished one with the other in much peace and concorde: both vnder a prince so worthy, and a pastor so vertuous. Wherfore (the case so standyng as it doth) our message hether, and out supplication to your vigilant prudence is, that (through your fauour & wisedome) the necke of this dissentiō may be brokē: and þ^e reformation of vnitye & loue (by some good meanes) may be sought.

This oration of his, although it was liked of them for the softnes and moderatiō therof: yet it could not so perswade the Romish bishop to cōdescende to their sute and request. Whiche sute was, to haue ij. legates or arbiters to be sent from his popish side into England, to examine and to take vp the controuersie betwene the kyng and þ^e archbishop. MarginaliaThe Pope tendereth Beckets cause against the king.But þ^e pope incensed (as is said before) would not graunt to their petition: for as much as it should be (sayth he) preiudiciall, and tending to the oppressiō of the archbishop to graunt vnto it, he beyng not present. And therfore, he willed them to tary his commyng vp, otherwise (he beyng absent) he would not (he sayd in any case) procede agaynst hym. But they (alledgyng agayne their tyme to be expired appoynted them of the kyng, hauing besides other lets and causes as they alledged) said þ^t they coulde not there wait for the cōming of Becket: but returned backe (their cause frustrated) without the popes blessyng to the kyng. Within foure dayes after,