spake Winchester, inferring vpon the same. MarginaliaWinchester.This forme of counsell (sayth he) seemeth to be very pernitious to the Catholike Church, tending to our subuersion, and to the confusion of vs all. For if our Archbishop and primate of all England do leane to this example, that euery Byshop should geue ouer his autoritie and the charge of the flocke committed to him, at cōmaundement and threatning of the prince: to what state shall the Church be brought then, but that all should be confounded at his pleasure and arbitrement, and nothing to stand certeine by any order of law, and so as the priest is, so shall the people be?

MarginaliaChichester.Hilary the Byshop of Chichester replyeth agayne to this saying: If it were not that the instāce & the great perturbation of tyme did otherwyise require and force vs, MarginaliaModerate counsell.I would thinke this counsell here geuen were good to be folowed. But now seing the autoritie of our canon fayleth, and cā not serue vs, I iudge it not best to go so straightly to worke, but so to moderate our procedinges: that dispensatiō with sufferance may win that which seuere correction may destroy. Wherfore my counsel and reason is, to geue place to the kinges purpose for a tyme: least (by ouer hastie procedyng, we exceede so farre) that both it may redounde to our shame, and also cannot rid our selues out again when we would.

MarginaliaLincolne.Much to the same end spake Robert the bishop of Lincolne, after this maner: Seyng sayth he, it is manifest that the lyfe and bloud of this man is sought, one of these two must nedes be chosen: þ^t either he must part with his archbishoprike, or els with his lyfe. Now what profite he shall take in this matter of hys bishopricke, his lyfe beyng lost, I do not greatly see.

MarginaliaExceter.Next followed Barthlemew bishop of Exceter, with his aduise, who (inclining his counsaile to the state of tyme) confirmed their sayings before, affirmyng how the dayes were euill and perilous: And if they might so escape that violence of that ragyng tempest vnder the couer of bearyng and relentyng, it were not to be refused. But that he sayde could not be, except straight seueritie should geue place to tractability: and so the instance and condition of tyme then present required no lesse, especially seyng that persecution was not generall, but personall & particular: And thought it more holy and conuenient, one head to run in some part of daunger, then the whole church of England to be subiect & exposed to inconuenience ineuitable.

MarginaliaWorceter.The aunswer of Roger bishop of Worceter was deuided in a double suspense, neither affirmyng the one, nor denying þ^e other, whose saying was this: that he would geue no aunswer on neither part. For if I (sayth he) shall say that the pastoral function and cure of soules ought to be relinquished at the kynges will or threatnyng: thē my mouth shall speake agaynst my conscience to the condemnation of myne owne head. And if I shal geue agayne cōtrary coūsel, to resist the kyngs sentence: here be they that will heare it, and report it to hys grace, and so I shalbe in daunger to be thrust out of the sinagoge, and for my part, to be accompted amongest the publike rebels (with them to be condemned) wherfore neither do I say this, nor counsell that.

And this was the consultacion of the bishops in that place, assembled together by the kinges commaundement. MarginaliaBecket the archbyshop replyeth agaynst the byshops.Against these voyces and censures of the bishop, Becket the Archbishop replyeth agayne, expostulating and checkyng them with rebukefull wordes. I perceaue (saith he) and vnderstand ye go about to mayntayne and cherish but your owne cowardnes, vnder the coulorable shadow of sufferānce: and vnder pretence of dissemblyng softnes, to choke the liberty of Christes church. Who hath thus bewitched you, O vnsatiable bishops? What meane ye? Why do ye so vnder the impudent title of forbearyng: beare a double hart, and cloke your manifest iniquitie. What, cal ye this bearing with tyme: the detriment of the church of Christ? Let termes serue the matter, why peruert you the matter that is good with vocables & termes vntrue? For that ye say we must beare with the malice of tyme, I graunt wyth you: but yet we must not heape sinne to sinne. Is not God able to helpe the state and condition of hys church, but with the sinfull dissimulation of the teachers, of the church? Certes God is disposed to tempt you. And tell me (I pray you) whether should the gouernors of the church put themselues to dangers for the church in tyme of tranquillitie, or in tyme of distresse? Ye will be ashamed to deny the contrary but in distresse. MarginaliaA great distresse growen in the church, because that Byshops may not be aboue kynges and princes.And now then (the church lying in so great distresse and vexation) why should not the good pastour put hymselfe into peryl therfore? For neither do I think it a greater acte or merite for the auncient bishops of the olde tyme, to lay the foundation of the church than (with their bloud) then now for vs to shed our bloude for the liberties of thesame. And to tell you playne, I thinke it not safe for you to swarue frō an example, which you haue receiued of your holy elders. After these thinges were spoken, they sate all in silence a certayne space, beyng locked in together. At length (to find a shift to cause the dore to be opened) I will, sayth the Archbishop speake with two Erles which are about þ^e kyng, and named them whome they were. Which (beyng called) opened the dore, and came in with hast, thinkyng to heare some thyng which should appease the kynges mynd. To whom the Archbishop spake in this maner: As touching and concernyng the matters betwene the kyng & vs, we haue here conferred together: and for as much as we haue them not present with vs now, which know more in the matter thē we do (whose aduise we would be glad also to follow) therfore we craue so much respite as to the next day followyng, and then to geue vp our aunswere vnto the kyng. With this message: two Bishops were sente to the kyng, which was the bishop of London, and the byshop of Rochester.

London (to helpe the matter and to set quietnesse as I take it, addyng somethyng more to the message) said to the kyng: that the Archbishop craued a litle delay of tyme to prepare such writings and instruments, wherin he should set forth and declare his mynde, in accomplishyng þ^e kinges desire &c. Wherfore, two barons were sent to hym from the kyng, to graunt hym that respite or stay, so that he would ratifie that which the messengers had signified to the king. To the which the archbishop aunswereth, that he sent no such message, as was intimate in hys name: but only, that the next day he would come and geue aunswer to the kyng, in that which he had to say. And so the conuocation of þ^e bishops were dissolued, and dimissed home: so that the most part of them that came wyth the Archbishop and accompanied hym before, (for feare of the kyngs displeasure) seuered themselues from hym. MarginaliaBecket destitute and forsaken.The Archbishop thus forsaken and destitute (as his story sayth) sent about for the poore, the lame, and the halt, to come in and furnish his house: saying, that by them he might soner obtayne his victory, than by the other which had so slipt from hym.

On the next day followyng (because it was sonday) nothing was done. So the day after (which was the second fery) the Archbishop was cited to appeare. MarginaliaBecket taken with sicknesse when he should appeale.But the night before (beyng taken wyth a disease called passio iliaca, the collicke) all that day he kept hys bed, and was not able (as he sayd) to rise. Euery man supposing this to be but a fayned sickenes (as it semed no lesse) certayne of the chiefe nobles were sent to try the matter, and to cite hym to þ^e court: namely Rob. erle of Leiceter, and Reginald earle of Deuōshire. To whom the Archbishop aunswered, that as that day he was so diseased that he could not come, yea through he were brought in an hosslitter. So that day passed ouer. The morow after certayne þ^t were about hym, (fearyng no lesse, but þ^t some daunger would happen to hym) gaue hym coūcelle in þ^e mornyng MarginaliaA masse of S. Steuen to saue hym from hys enemyes.to haue a masse in þ^e honour of þ^e holy martyr S. Steuā, to kepe hym frō þ^e hands of hys enemies, that day. Whē the morrow was come (beyng teusday) there came to hym the bishops and prelates, councelyng and perswadyng hym couertly by insinuatiō (for apertly they durst not) that he would submit hymself wyth all hys goods (as also hys Archbishoprike) to the wyll of the kyng: if peraduenture hys indignation by that meanes might swage. Addyng moreouer, þ^t vnles he would so do: periury would be layd agaynst 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 answereth agayne: MarginaliaBeckets aus. were to the Byshops.brethren ye see and perceyue wel, how þ^e world is set agaynst me, and how the enemy riseth and seketh my confusion. And although these thinges be dolorous and lamentable, yet the thing that greueth me most of all is thys: the sonnes of myne owne mother be prickes and thornes agaynst me. And albeit I do hold my peace, yet the posteritie to come will know and report how cowardly you haue turned your backes, and haue left me your Archbishop & Metropolitane alone in this conflicte. And how you haue sitten in iudgement against me (although vngiltie of crime) now ij dayes together: and not that only in the ciuill and spirituall 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 agaynst me. And that 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: and if any secular men shall lay handes vpon me (as it is rumord they will) I straitly enioygne and charge you in the same vertue of obedience, that you exercise your censure ecclesiasticall vpon them, as it becommeth you to do for a father and