daūger of death by bliedyng, was coūsailed to make his prayer to this Thomas of Canterburye. MarginaliaA blasphemous vision.Whiche done (sayth the miracle) appeared one to him by night, in white apparel, bidding hym to watch and pray, & put his trust in God, and our Lady, and holy s. Thomas. In conclusion, the miracle thus fell out: the next day at the euenyng, the man rubbyng hys eye lyddes beganne to feele his eyes to be restored agayne: first in a litle, after in a greater measure: so that one was of a graye colour the other was of blacke. And here was one miracle runge. After this folowed an other miracle also vpon the same person. For, goyng but the space of iiij. miles, whē hys eyes were restored, he chaunced (in lyke maner) to rubbe the place, where his secret partes were cut of. MarginaliaA false and impudent miracle.And immediatly vpō þ^e same, his pendenda (to vse the words of my story) were to hym restored, Principio parua quidem valde sed in maius proficientia, whiche he permitted euery one to feele, that would and shamed not to denye. In somuch, that he commyng vp to S. Thomas: first at London was receiued with ioy of the byshop of Dirhā, when then sēding to the burgers of Bedford for the truth of the matter receaued agayne from them, letters testimonial: wherin the citizens there (sayth this fabulous festiuall) confirmed first to the bishop, then to the couent of Canterbury, the relation of this to be as hath been told. This one miracle (gentle reader) so shameles and impudent, I thought here to expresse, þ^t by this one, þ^u mightest iudge of all þ^e residue of his miracles: and by the residue therof might iudge moreouer of all the filthy wickednes of all thes lyeng monkes and cloysterers, which count it a light sport so impudently to deceaue the simple soules of Christes church with triflyng lyes and dreamyng fables. Wherfore (as I sayd) if the holy Sainctyng of Thomas Becket, standeth vpon no other thing but vpon his miracles: what credite is to be geuen therunto, and vpon what a weake ground his shryne so long hath stand, by this may easely be sene.

[Back to Top]

But what soeuer is to be thought of his miracles, or howsoeuer þ^e testimony of the schole of Paris, or of these aūciēt times went w^t him or agaynst him: certain it is, þ^t this antheme or collect lately collected & primered in his prayse, is blasphemous, & derogateth frō þ^e prayse of him, to whom all praise onely & honor is due, where it is said:

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe blasphemous antheme of T. Becket.
Tu per Thomæ sanguinē, quem pro se impendit, fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit.Tu per Thomæ sanguinem quem pro te impendit,
fac nos christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit.

That is.

For the bloud of Thomas, whiche he for thee dyd spend,
Graunt vs (Christ) to climbe, where Tho. did ascend.

Wherin is a double lye conteyned: First that he died for Christ. Secondly, that if he had so done: yet that hys bloud could purchase heauen. Which thyng, neither Paul nor any of the Apostles durst euer chalenge to thē selues. For if any mans bloud could bryng vs to heauē, then the bloud of Christ was shed in vayne.

[Back to Top]

And thus much touching the testimony or censure of certain aūcient tymes concerning the cause of Thomas Becket. In the explication of whose history I haue stode now the lōger (excedyng peraduēture in ouermuch prolixity) to the intent that his cause beyng fully opened to the world and duely weyed on euery part: mens mindes (therby long deceuyed by ignoraunce) myght come vnto the more perfect certainty of þ^e truth therof, and therby to iudge more surely what is to be receiued, & what to be refused.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe king sendeth to Rome.After the death of Thomas Becket,  

the king fearing the popes wrath and curse to be layd vpō him (wherunto Ludouike the French kyng also helped what he could to set the matter forward) sent to Rome the Archbishop of Rotomage with certaine other bishops and Archdeacōs vnto the pope with his excuse: which, the pope would in no wise heare. And after other messengers being sent, whom some of the cardinals receyued: it was shewed to them that on good Friday (beyng then nye at hand) theMarginaliaEx libro annotationū historicarū manuscripto I. Skenij.pope of custome was vsed to assoile or to curse: and that it was noised, how the kyng of England with his Bishops should be cursed and his land interdicted, and that they should be put in prison. After this, certaine of the Cardinals shewed the Pope: þ^t the messēgers had power to sweare to the pope, that the kyng should obey to hys punishement and penaunce. Which was taken both for the king, and the archbishop of Yorke. So that in þ^t same day the pope cursed the dede doers, with such as were of their consent, either that ayded, or harboured them. Cōcerning these dededoers, it is touched briefly before: MarginaliaThe penāce of the iiii. knightes.how they fled vnto Yorkeshire lyeng in Gnarsborough. Who after hauyng in penaunce to go in theyr linnen clothes barefote (in fastyng, and prayer) to Hierusalem: by reasō of this hard penaūce are said to dye in few yeares after.

[Back to Top]

The kyngs Ambassadours lyeng as is sayd in Rome: could find no grace nor fauor a lōg time at þ^e popes hāds. At lēgth with much a do it was agreed, that two Cardinals should be sent down to enquire out the matter concernyng them that were consentyng to Beckets death. The kyng perceyuing what was preparyng at Rome, neither beyng yet certain, wherto the intent of the Pope and commyng down of the cardinals would tend: in the meane tyme addressed himselfe with a great power to enter into Ireland, geuing in charge and commaundemēt (as Houedenus writeth) MarginaliaEx Houdeno.that no brynger of any brief or letter should come ouer to England or passe out of þ^e realme (of what degree or condition so euer he were) without speciall licence and assuraūce to bring nothyng that should be preiudiciall to the Realme.

[Back to Top]

This order being set and ordayned, the kyng w^t 400. great ships taketh his iorney to Irelād: MarginaliaIreland first subdued to England.where he subdued in short tyme the whole land vnto hym, which at that tyme was gouerned vnder diuers kings, to the number of v. Of whom foure submitted thēselues vnto the said king Henry (onely the fifthe, who was the kyng of Tonacta, denyed to be subdued, keepyng him in woods and Marishes

[Back to Top]

In the meane season while the kyng was thus occupied in Ireland, the 2. Cardinals that were sent from the pope (Theodinus and Albertus) were come to Normandy. Marginalia1172.Vnto whom, the king the next yere followyng resorted, about the moneth of October, an. 1172. But before (duryng the time of the kinges being in Ireland) the B. of London and Ioceline bishop of Salisbury, had sent to Rome, and procured their absolution from the pope. The kyng returning out of Ireland by Wales into Englād, and from thence to Normandy: there made his purgation before þ^e popes legates, as touching þ^e death of þ^e foresayd Becket: to þ^e which he sware he was neither aiding nor consentyng, but onely þ^t he spake rigorous words against him for that his knightes would not auenge hym against the sayd Thomas. For the which cause, this penaunce was inioyned him vnder his othe. MarginaliaThe kings penance for the death of Becket.First, that he should send so much to þ^e holy land, as would fynde two C. knightes or souldiors for the defence of that lande.

[Back to Top]

Also, that from Christenmasday next followyng, he should set forth his owne person to fyghte for the holye land the space of three yeares together: vnles he should be otherwise dispensed wythal by the Pope.

Item, that if he would make hys iorney into Spain, (as his present necessitie dyd require) there he to fyght against þ^e Sarasens: And as lōg time as he should there abyde, so long space mighe he take in prolongyng his iorney toward Ierusalem.

Item, that he should not hinder nor cause to be hindred by hym, any appellatiōs made to þ^e pope of Rome.

Item, that neither he nor his sonne, shoulde recede or disceuer from pope Alexāder, or from his catholike successors: so long as they should recount hym or his sonne for kings catholike.

Item, that the goods and possessions taken from the