and the Archbishop aboue mentioned: there folowed yet moreouer another, whiche was this. Marginalia1170.Shortly after this communication recited betwene the kings and Becket: the kyng of England returnyng agayne from Normādy to England (which was the yeare of our Lord. 1170 and the 16. yeare of his raign) about midsomer, kept his court of Parliament at Westminster. In the whiche Parliamēt he (through the assent both of the clergy, and þ^e Lordes tēporall) caused his sonne Hēry to be crowned kyng. Which coronation, was done by the hands of Roger archbishop of Yorke with the assistaunce of other bishops ministring to the same: as Gilbert of London, Goceline of Salesbury, Hugo of Duresme and Gualter of Rochester. By reason wherof, Becket of Canterbury beyng there neither mentioned nor called for, tooke no litle displeasure: and so did Ludouike the French kyng, hearyng þ^t Margaret hys daughter was not also crowned with her husband. Wherupon, he gathering a great army forthwith marched into Normādy. But þ^e matter was soone cōposed by þ^e kyng of Englād: who sēdyng his sonne to him into Normandy, intreated their & cōcluded peace w^t him: promising þ^t his sōne should be crowned again & then his daughter to be crowned also. But þ^e archbishop not ceasing his displeasure & emulatiō, sent vnto þ^e pope cōplainyng of these foure bishops, especially of þ^e archbyshop of Yorke: who durst be so bold in his absēce & without his knowledge or his licence, to intermedle to crown þ^e kyng, beyng a matter proper & peculiar to hys iurisdiction. MarginaliaThe bishop of Londō excommunicate with foure other byshops suspended.At the instance of whō, the pope sent downe the sentence of excommunication agaynst the Bishop of London. The other thre Bishops with the Archbishop of Yorke he suspended, whose sentēce and letters therof, for auoydyng prolixitie, I here omit.

Besides these foresaid bishops excōmunicated, diuers other clerkes also of the court he cited to appeare before him by vertue of his large cōmission whych he gat from the Pope, to whom they were bound to obey, by reason of their benefices: And some he commaunded in vertue of obedience, to appeare in paine of forfeting their order and benefices. Of which, when neither sorte would appeare, he cursed them openly. And also some lay men of the court and the kinges familiars: some as intruders, and violent withholders of church goodes, he accursed: as Richard Lucye, and Iocelin Balliot, and Rafe Brocke, which tooke bels and goods that belonged to the church of Canterbury, and Hugh Sainctclere, and Thomas the sonne of Bernard, and all that should hereafter take any churche goods without his consent, so that almost all the court was accursed eyther by name, or as partakers.

This being done, the Archbishop of Yorke wyth the foresaid Bishops, resorted to the king wyth a greuous complaint: declaring how miserable their case stoode, & what they had susteyned, for fulfilling of his commaundement. The king hearing this, was highlye moued as no maruel was. MarginaliaThe cause of the kinges wrath against Becket.But what remedy? The time of þ^e ruine of the Pope was not yet come? and what Prince then might withstand the iniurious violence of that Romish Potestate?

In the meane season, the French king for hys part, his clergy, and courtiers, slackt no occasion to incite and sollicite Alexander the Pope agaynst the kyng of England, to excommunicate him also: seeking therby & thinking to haue some vantage against the realme. Neither was the king ignoraunt of this, which made hym more ready to apply to some agrement of reconciliation. At length commeth downe from the Pope twoo Legates (the archbishop of Rotomage, & the bishop of Nauern) whith direction and full commission, either to driue the king to be reconciled, or to be interdicted by the Popes censures out of the churche. The king vnderstandyng himselfe to be in greater straites then he coulde well a-uoyde: at length (through the mediation of the Frenche king, and of other prelates and great princes) was content to yelde to peace and reconciliation with the Archbishop: whom he receiued both to his fauour, and also permitted and graunted him free returne to hys church agayne. Concerning his possessions and landes of the church of Canterbury, although Becket made great labour therfore: yet the king (being then in Normandye) would not graunt him, before he should repayre to England, to see how he would there agree with his subiectes.

MarginaliaBecket returneth out of banishment.Thus, peace after a sorte concluded betwene the king and him, the archbishop after sixe yeares of his banishment, returned to England: where he was right ioyfully receiued of the church of Canterbury: albeit, of Henry the yonge king he was not so greatlye welcomed. In so muche that comming vp to London to the king, he was returned backe to Canterburye, and there byd to keepe his house. Roger Houeden maketh mencion in his Chronicle, that the archbishop (vpon Christenmas day) did excommunicate Robert de Brock, for cutting of the tayle of a certayne horse of his the daye before. MarginaliaEx Rogerio Houedeno.In the meane time, the foure bishops before mencioned, whom the archbishop had excommunicate, sent to him humbly desiring to be released of their censure. To whom, when the archbishop would not graunt clearlye and simplye, without cautels and exceptions: they went ouer to the king, declaring to him and complayning of their miserable state, and vncurteous handling of the archbishop. Whereupon the kyng conceyued great sorrowe in hys mynde, and displeasure toward the party. Insomuche, that he lamented oft and sundrye tymes to them about him, MarginaliaThe words of the king: which were the cause of Beckets death.that (among so many that he had done for) ther was none that would reuenge him of hys enemy: by the occasion of which woordes, certayne that were about the king (to the number of foure) hearing him thus to complayn and lament: addrest themselues in great heate of haste, to satisfy the agreued mynde and quarel of theyr prince. Who within foure dayes after the foresaid Christēmas day (sayling ouer to England, and hauing a forward and a prosperous wynde in their iourney, beyng in the deepe of winter) came to Canterbury, wher Becket was commaunded to keepe. MarginaliaIf the Papistes wyll nedes measure the successe of thinges by seasons and wether: thē must they by that reason condemne the cause of Becket, his aduersaryes hauing such forwardnes of wether, in doing their feate.After certayne aduisement and consultacion had amōg themselues: they preased at length into the palace where the archbishop was sitting with his company about him: first to assay hym with words, to see whether he would relent to the kings minde, and come to some conformitie. They brought to him (sayd they) commaundement from the king: which whether he had rather openlye there in presence, or secretely to be declared to hym, they bad him chuse. Then the company being byd ta auoyde, as he sat alone, they sayd: MarginaliaThe talke betwene the foure souldiers & T. Becketyou are commaunded from the king beyonde the sea, to repayre to the king here his sōne, and to do your duty to him: aunswering to him your fidelitle, for your baronage and other things, and to amend those things wherein you haue trespassed against him. Wherupon, the archbishop denying to sweare, and perceiuing their intent, called in his company again: and in multipiyng of wordes to and fro, at length they came to the Bishops which were excommunicate for the Coronation of the king: whom they commaūded in the kings name, he should absolue and set free agayne. The archbishop answered, that he neither suspended nor excommunicated them, but the Pope: wherefore, if that were the matter that greued them, they shoulde resorte to the Pope, he had nothing to do with the matter. Then sayd Reignalde, one of the foure: although you in your owne person did not excommunicate them, yet through your instigation it was done. To whom the archbishop sayd agayne: and if the Pope (said he) tēdring the iniuries done to me and to my church, wrought this reuenge for me: I confesse it offendeth me nothing. Thus then (said they)