you substantially in ecclesiasticall dignity, and aduaunced in this honour wherin ye stand: trustyng thorough your helpe and counsel to reigne more safely and prosperously. Now, if he shall finde disquietnes, wherin he trusted to haue quietnes: what shall all men saye or thinke of you? What recompence or retribution shall this be thought to be for so many & great benefites takē? Therfore (if it shall please you) ye shall doe well to fauor and spare your fame and estimation: and to ouercome your Lord and soueraigne with humility and charity. Wherunto, if our aduertisemēt cā not moue you: yet the loue and fidelity you beare to the Bishop and holy churche of Rome, ought to incline you therunto and not to attempt and such thyng, wherby the troubles of the churche our mother maye encrease: or wherby hyr dolor maye be augmented in the losse of them, whose disobedience now she doth bewaile. For, what if it so happen through prouocation, that the King (whom all his subiectes and kingdomes obey) should relinquish the pope, whiche God forbid: and should denie all obedience to him, as he denyeth to the Kyng helpe or aide agaynst you: what inconuenience would growe therof? And thinke you, he hath not great instigations, supplications, gifts, and many faire promises so to do? Yet he (notwithstāding) abideth firme hetherto in the rocke, despising with a valiant minde all that the world can offer. This one thing feareth vs, least his minde (whom no worldly offers can assaile: no glory, riches, nor treasure can ouerturne) onely through indignation of vnkindnes, be subuerted. Whiche thyng, if it chaunce to happen through you, then maye you syt downe and sing the song of lamentation with Ieremy and wepe your belly ful.

Consider therfore, (if it shall please you) & foresee wel with your selfe, this purpose of yours (if it procede) how hurtful and perillous it wilbe: not onely to the pope, and to the holy churche of Rome, but also to your selfe most especially. But some peraduenture about you (of hauty and high minded stoutnes, more stoute percase thē wise) will not suffer you to take this way: but will gyue you contrary counsel to proue rather & declare what ye are able to do agaynst your Lord and prince, and to practise agaynst him and his, þ^e vttermost of your power and autority: whiche power & authority of yours (to hym that offendeth) is feareful: and to hym that will not amend, terrible. Such counsel as this, some peraduenture wil whisper in your eare. But to these agayne, this we say and aunswere for our kyng, whom notwithstanding to be without fault, we do not affirme: But yet alwaies that he is ready to amend and make satisfaction, that we speake confidently and protest in his behalf.

The King (appointed for the Lords annoynted) prouideth for þ^e peace of his subiectes all þ^t he is able: and therfore, to the intent he may conserue this peace in his churches and amongest hys subiectes committed to hym: he willeth and requireth suche ordinaunces dew to kynges, and exhibited to them before tyme, also to be exhibited to him. MarginaliaThe commendation of king Henry 2 for his meknes and moderation.Wherin, if there hath any contradictiō sprong betwixt him and vs, he (beyng therupon conuented and admonished from the pope by the reuerend Byshops of London and Herford) brast not out in any defiance: but mekely and humbly aunswered, that wherin so euer the churche or any ecclesiasticall person can shewe hym selfe greued, he would therin stand to the iudgemēt of the churche of his kyngdome. Whiche also, he is ready no lesse to perfourme in dede: thinkyng nothing more swete vnto hym then to be admonished of hys fault (if he haue offēded the Lord) and to reforme the same: and not onely to reforme and to amende his faulte, but also to satisfy it to the vttermost, if the law shall so require hym. Wherfore, seyng he is so willyng to recompense and satisfy the iudgement of the churche in all thynges appertainyng to the church: refusing no order that shall be ta-ken, but in all thynges submittyng his necke to the yoke of Christ: with what right, by what canon, or reason cā you interdict hym, or vse excōmunicatiō agaynst him? It is a thyng laudable & a vertue of great commendatiō in wise men: wisely to goe with iudgement and reason, and not to be caryed with puffes of hastye violence. Wherupon, this is the onely and common petition of vs all: that your fatherly care will diligently prouide for your flocke and shepe cōmitted to you: so that they miscary not, or run to any ruine thorough any inconsiderat or to much heady counsel in you: but rather through your softnes & sufferaunce, they may obtaine life, peace, and security. It doth moue vs al, that we heare of late to be done by you against the bishop of Salesbury, and the deane of the same church (prosperously) as some mē suppose: agaynst whom you haue giuen out the sentence of excommunication and condemnation, before any question of their crime was: folowyng therin (as it semeth) more the heate of hastines, thē the path of rightuousnes. This is a new order of iudgement (vnhard of yet to this day in our lawes and canons) first to condemne a man, and then to enquire after of the facte committed. Which order, least ye should hereafter attēpt to exercise in lyke maner agaynst our soueraigne and kyng: or agaynst vs and our churches and parishes committed to vs, to the detriment of the pope and the holy church of Rome, and to the no litle confusion of vs all: therfore we laye here agaynst you for our selues, the remedy of appellation. And as before, openly in the publike face of the churche with liuely voyce we appealed to þ^e pope for feare of certain perils that might haue happened: So now again in writyng we appeale to the same: assignyng the terme of our appellation, the day of the Lordes Ascention. Most humblely and reuerently besechyng your goodnes, that you (takyng a better way with you in this matter) will let your cause fall: sparyng herein both the labours and charges as well of your selfe, as ours also. And thus we wishe you right well to fare (reuerend) in the Lord.

FRaternitatis vestræ scriptum, quod tamen prudētiæ vestræ communi consilio non facile credimus emanasse nuper ex insperato suscepimus. &c.

Your brotherly letters sent (albeit not by the hole assent of your wisedomes writen, as I suppose) of late I receiued, vpon a sodaine: the contentes wherof seme to conteine more sharpenes then solace. And would to God they proceded more of sincere zeale, of godlynes, or affection of charity: then of disobedience or froward wilfulnes. For charity seketh not the thynges that be his own, but whiche appertaine to Iesus Christ. It had ben your dewty (if there be truth in the Gospell, as most vndoubtedly ther is) & if you would faythfully haue accōplished his busines, whose person you represent: rather to haue feared hym, whiche can cast both body and soule to hell: then him, whose power extendeth no further then to the body. Rather to haue obeyed God then mā: Rather your father, then your maister or Lord: after the example of hym who was to hys father obedient vnto the death. Whiche dyed for vs, leauyng vs example to folow hys steppes. MarginaliaScripture in wordes rightly alledged but falsely applied.Let vs dye therfore with him, and lay down our lyues for the deliuerance of his church out of the yoke of bondage, & tribulation of the oppressor: which church he hath founded, and whose liberty he hath procured, with his owne proper bloud: Least if we shall do otherwise it may happely fall vpon vs, which is writtē in the gospel: Who so loueth his own life more thē me, is not worthy of me. This ye ought to know, that if it be ryght which your captain cōmaundeth: your duety requireth to obey his wil: if not, ye ought then rather to obey God thē mē.MarginaliaI deny your Minor, M. Becket.

One thing I wil say (if I may be so bold to tel it vnto