one whom in working for the Church, we finde to be both a constant and a valiaunt champion. Further, this I brotherly require you, to repaire vnto the Church of Canterbury: and reteinyng but a few Clerkes about you (such onely as serue your necessitie) make no excurses out (as litle as you can) in that coūtry: but in this especially I thought to premonish you (that in no case) neither for feare or any aduersitie, whatsoeuer may happen: ye be brought to renounce and geue vp the right and dignitie of your Church. Written at Sene the vij. before the Kalendes of Nouember.

As the Archbyshop was thus cited vp to Rome (sittyng with his crosse wayting in the court, neither geuyng place to the kynges request, nor abashed with the clamor of the whole court agaynst him callyng him traytor on euery side, neither followyng the aduertisement of his fellow Byshops) at length the kyng by certaine Earles and Barons sent commaundent to him, (Robert Earle of Lecester doyng the message) MarginaliaBecket caled to a full acoumpt.that he shoulde without delay come and render a full accompt of all thyngs that he had receiued, as the profites and reuenues of the Realme, in the tyme he was Chaūcelour: and especially for the. 30000. markes, for the which he was accōptable to the kyng. MarginaliaEx Rogerio Houedeno.To whom the archbyshop aunswereth agayne: the kyng knew, how oft he had made his reckenyng of those thynges which now were required of him. Farther and besides, Henry his sonne & heire of his realme, with all his barons, and also Richard Lucye chief Iustice of England, told him: that he was free & quyt to God and to holy Church, from all receites & computations, and from all secular exactions on the kyngs behalfe. And so he takyng thus his discharge at their handes, entred into his office, and therfore other accompt besides this he would make none. When this word was brought to the king, he required his Barons to do the law vpon him. MarginaliaBecket iudged to be layd in Prison.Who so doyng, iudged him to be apprehended, and layd in prison. This done, the king sōdeth to him Reignald Earle of Cornewall and Deuenshyre, and Robert Earle of Leycester, to declare to him what was his iudgement. To whom the Archbyshop aunswereth: heare (my sonne and good Earle) what I say vnto you: how much more precious the soule is more then the body, somuch more ought you to obey me in the Lord, rather then your terrene kyng. Neither doth any law or reason permit the children to iudge or condemne their father. MarginaliaEx quadripartita historia lib. 1. cap. 38.
Becket appealeth to the pope.Wherfore, to auoyde both the iudgement of the king, of you, and all other: I put my selfe onely to the arbitremēt of the Pope, vnder God alone to be iudged of him, and of no other. To whose presence here before you all, I do appeale: committyng the orderyng of the Church of Cāterbury (my dignitie, with all other thynges apperteyning to the same) vnder the protectiō of God and him. MarginaliaBecket thinketh not sufficient the protectiō of God without the pope.And as for you my brethren and fellow bishops (which rather obey man, thē God) you also I call and cite to the audience and iudgement of the Pope, and departe hence forth from you, as from the enemyes of the Catholike Church, and of the authoritie of Apostolike see.

While the Barons returned with this aunswere to the kyng: the Archbyshop passing through the throng, taketh to him his palfrey (holdyng his crosse in the one hand, & his bridle in the other) the courtiers folowyng after and crying: traytor, traytor, tary and heare thy iudgemēt. MarginaliaBecket flyeth out of the court.But he passed on till he came to the vttermost gate of the Court, whiche being fast locked there had bene stayd, had not one of his seruauntes, called Peter (surnamed Demunctorio) findyng there a bunche of keyes hangyng by: first proued one key, thē an other (till at last findyng the true key) had opened the gate, and let him out. The archbyshop went straight to the house of Chanons, where he dyd lye, callyng vnto hym the poore, where they could be found. When supper was done, makyng as though he would go to bed (which he caused to be made betwixt two altars) priuely while the king was at supper, prepareth his iourney secretly to escape away: MarginaliaBecket chaūgeth his name, and is called Derman.and chaungyng his garment and his name (beyng called Dermā) first went to Lincolne, frō thence to Sandwich where he tooke shyp, and sayled into Flaunders: and from thence iurneyed to Fraūce, as Houedenus sayth. MarginaliaHistories differ something in the order of his flight.Albeit Alanus differing somthyng in the order of his flight, sayth: that he departed not that night, but at supper tyme came to him the byshop of London, & Chichester (declaring to him) that if he would surrēder vp to the kyng his two maners of Otford and Wyngecham, there were hope to recouer the kings fauour, and to haue all remitted. But when the Archbyshop would not agree thereunto (for asmuch as those manners were belongyng to the Church of Caunterbury) the kyng hearing therof, great displeasure was taken: In so much that the next day, Becket was fayne to send to the kyng two byshops and his chaplen, for leaue to depart the realme. To the which message the king aunswered, that he would take a pause therof till the next day, & then he should haue an aunswere. But Becket not tarying his aunswere, the same day conueyed himselfe away secretly (as is aforesayd) to Ludouicus the French king. But before he came to the king Gilbert the byshop of London, and William the earle of Arundel (sent frō the king of England to Fraūce) preuented him: requiring of the said French king (in the behalfe of the king of England) that he woulde not receiue nor retaine in his dominiō the archbishop of Canterbury. Moreouer (that at his instāce) he would be a meanes to the pope, not to shew anye familiaritie vnto him. But the kyng of England in this point seemed to haue more confidēce in the French king, then knowledge of his disposition. For, thinking that the French king would haue bene a good neighbour to him (in trusting him to much) he was deceiued. Neither considered he with himselfe inough the maner and nature of the Frenchmen, at that tyme agaynst the realme of England: who then were glad to seeke and take all maner of occasions to do some act agaynst England.

MarginaliaThe French king sopporteth Becket against the king of England.And therfore Ludouicke the French kyng, vnderstandyng the matter: & thinking (percase) thereby to haue some vauntage agaynst the kyng, and realme of England, by the occasion hereof: contrary to the kynges letters and request: not onely herboureth and cherisheth this Derman: but also (writyng to the pope by his Almener and brother) entreateth him (vpon all loues, as euer he would haue his fauour) to tender the cause of the Archbyshop Becket. MarginaliaAmbassadours sent to the pope.Thus the kynges ambassadours repulsed of the French kyng, returned: at what tyme he sent an other ambassage (vpō the like cause) to Alexander the pope then beyng at Sene in Fraūce. The ambassadours sent in this message were Roger archbyshop of Yorke, Gilbert bishop of London, Henry byshop of Winchester, Hilary bishop of Chichester, Bartlemew byshop of Exeter, with other doctors and clerkes: also William Earle of Arundell, with certeine mo Lordes and Barons. Who commyng to the popes Court, were frendly accepted of certaine of the Cardinals: amōgest the which cardinals, rose also dissention about the same cause: some iudgyng the byshop of Canterbury, in the defence of the liberties of the Church (as in a good cause) to be maintained: Some thinking agayne, that he (beyng a perturber of peace and vnitie) was rather to be bridled for his presūption, then to be fostered and incoraged therin. But the Pope, partly bearyng with his cause (which onely tended to his exaltation and magnificence) partly agayne incensed with the letters of the French kyng: did wholy incline to Becket as no maruell was. Wherfore (þ^e next day folowyng) the pope sittyng in consistory with his Cardinals, the ambassadours were called for, to the hearing of Beckets matter: and first begynneth the Byshop of London: next, the Archbyshop of Yorke: then Exeter: and the other Byshops, euery one in their order to speake. Whose orations beyng not well accepted of the Pope, and some of them also disdayned: the Earle of Arundell perceauyng that (and somewhat to qualifie and temper the matter to the Popes eares) began after this maner.

MarginaliaThe oration of the earle of Arundell to the popeAlthough to me it is vnknowen (saith he) which am both vnlettered and ignoraunt, what is that these Byshops here haue sayd, neither am I in that tōūg so able to expresse my mynde as they haue done: yet beyng sent and charged thereunto of my Prince, neither can nor ought I but to declare (as well as I may) what the cause is of our sending hether. Not (truly) to contend or striue with 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 becke and autoritie all the world doth stoupe and yelde. But for this intent is our legacy hether directed: to present here before you and in the presence of the whole Churche of Rome, the deuotion and loue of our kyng and maister, which euer he hath had and yet hath still toward you. And that the same might the better appeare to your excellēcy: he hath assigned and appointed to the furniture of this legacy, not the least, but the greatest: not the worst but the best & chiefest of all his subiectes: both Archbyshops, Byshops, Earles, Barons, with other potentates mo: of such worthynes and parentage, 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 Church of Rome. Ouer and besides this, I might adde to more (which your sanctitude hath sufficiently tryed and proued already) the true and harty fidelitie of this our kyng and soueraigne toward you. Who (in his first intrance to his kyngdome) wholye submitted hymselfe, with all that is his besides, to your will and pleasure.