pose wrong had bene offred him of his Prince: was it not inough for hym to flye? What cause had he for his own priuate reuenge, to set potētates in publike discord? Now hauing no iust cause but rather offeryng iniurie in a false quarell, so to complaine of his prince: what is to be sayd of this, let euery man iudge, which seeth this letter.

MarginaliaA seditious complaint of Becket to the pope agaynst his kyng.A Mantissimo patri & D. Alexandro Dei gratia summo pont. Thomas Cant. ecclesiæ humilis minister debitam & deuotam obedientiam. In English thus.

To our most louyng father and Lord, Alexander by the grace of God byshop: Thomas the humble minister and seruaunt of the Church of Canterbury due and reuerend obedience. Long inough and to long most louyng father haue I forborne, stil looking after amendement of the kyng of England. But no fruite haue I reaped of this my long patience. Nay rather, whilest that vnwisly I do thus forbeare: I augment and procure the detriment and deminishyng of my autoritie as also of the Church of God. For oftentymes haue I by deuout and religious messengers inuited him to make condigne satisfactiō as also by my letters (the copies wherof I haue sent you) intimate and pronounced, Gods seuerity and vengeance agaynst him vnlesse he repent and amend. But he (that notwithstandyng) groweth frō euil to worse: oppressing and conculcatyng the Church and sanctuary of God: persecutyng both me and those which take part with me: In so much that with fearefull threatnyng wordes hys purpose is to terrifie such, as (for Gods cause and mine own) seeke any way to relieue and helpe me. He wrote also hys letters vnto the Abbot of the Cicisterciā order, that as he fauoured the Abbacie of that his order (whiche was in hys power sayd he) he would not accept me into the fellowshyp therof, nor do any thyng els for me. What should I vse many wordes? So much hath the rigour and seuerity as wel of the kyng as of his officers vnder our patience and sufferaunce shewed it selfe: that if a great nūber of men yea and that of the most religious sort should shew vnto you the matter as it is in deede (and that vpon their othe taken) I partly doubt whether your holines would geue credite vnto them or not. With heauynes of mynd therfore I consideryng these thynges, and beholdyng as well the peril of the king as of our selfe, haue publiquely condemned not onely those pernitious customes: but all those peruersities and wicked doynges wherby the Church of England is disturbed and brought to confusion: as also the writyng whereby they were confirmed: Excommunicatyng generally as well the obseruers and exactours therof, as also the inuentours and patrones of the same, with their fauorers, counsaylers, and coadiutors whatsoeuer, either of the clergy or laity: absoluyng also, our Byshops frō their othe wherby they were so straightly inioyned to the obseruation of the same. These are the articles which in that writyng I haue principally cōdemned. First that it is inhibited to appeale vnto the sea Apostolicall, for any cause but by the Kynges licence. That a byshop may not punish any man for periury or for breaking of his troth. That a byshop may not excommunicate any mā that holdeth of the kyng in capite or els to interdicte either their land or offices without the kinges licēce. That clerkes and religious men may be taken frō vs to secular iudgemēt. That the kyng or any other iudge may heare and decide the causes of the Church and tythes. That it shall not be lawfull for any archbyshop or byshop to go out of the realme, and to come at the Popes call without the kynges licence: and diuers others such as these. Namely also I haue excommunicated Iohn of Oxenford, which hath communicated with the schismaticke and excommunicate person (Reginald Coloniensis) the which also contrary to the cōmaundemēt of the Lord pope and ours, hath vsurped the Deanrie of the Church of Salisbury: and hath (to renewe his schisme) taken an oth in the Emperours court. Also I haue denoūced & excommunicate Richard of Worceter, because he is fallen into the same damnable heresie and communicated with that famous schismatike of Colen: deuising and forgyng all mischief possible, with the schismatikes and Flemynges to the destruction of the Churche of God and especially of the Church of Rome, by composition made betwene the kyng of England and them. Also Richard de Lucy, and Ioceline de Bailol, which haue furthered the fauourers of the kinges tyranny and workers of their heresies. Also Ranulphe de Broc, and Hugo de Sancto Claro, and Thomas the sonne of Bernard which haue vsurped the possessions and goodes of the Church of Canterbury without our licence and cōsent. We haue also excōmunicated all those which without our licence do stretch out their handes to the possessions and goods of the church of Caunterbury. The kyng himself we haue not yet excommunicated personally: still wayting for his amendement: whom (notwithstāding) we will not deferre to excommunicate: vnlesse he quickly amende and be warned by that he hath done. And therefore that the autoritie of the sea Apostolike & the libertie of the church of God (which in these partes are almost vtterly lost) may be by some meanes restored: it is meete and very necessary that what we herein haue done, the same be of your holynes ratified and by your letters confirmed. Thus I wishe your holynes long to prosper and florish.

By this Epistle, he that listeth to vnderstand of the doynges and quarels of Becket, may partly iudge what is to be thought therof. MarginaliaBecket reprehēded for complayning of his kyng.Which his doynges, although in some part may be imputed either to ignorance of mynde, or blindnes of zeale, or humaine fragilitie: yet in this point (so vilely to complaine of hys naturall prince, for the zeale of the pope) he can by no wise be defended. But such was the blindnesse thē of the Prelates in those dayes who measured and estemed the dignitie & libertie of Christes Church by no other thyng, then onely by goodes and possessions flowyng and aboundyng in the clergy: and thought no greater point of religion to be in the Church then to maintaine the same. MarginaliaExcommunication abused in priuate reuēge about landes and possessions.For the which cause they did most abhominably abuse Christiā discipline and excommunication of the church at that tyme: as by this foresayd Epistle may appeare. And what meruaile if the actes and doynges of this archbyshop seme now to vs in these dayes both fonde and straunge: seyng the suffraganes of his owne Church and Cleargy writing to him: could not but reprehend him, as in this their Epistle translated out of latin into English may be sene.

QVæ vestro (pater) in longinquo discessu inopinata rei ipsius nouitate turbata sunt: vestra sperabamus humilitate. &c. In English this.

MarginaliaThe letters of the Byshops to Becket.Such trouble and perturbations as happened through the straungenes of your departure out of the Realme: we hoped by your humility and prudence should haue bene reduced agayne (Gods grace workyng with all) into a peaceable tranquilitie. And it was no litle ioy to vs, to heare so of you in those partes where you are conuersaunt, how hūbly you there behaued your selfe, nothyng vaūsing your selfe agaynst your prince and kyng: and to attempt no risinges or wrastlinges agaynst his kyngdome: but that you bare with much patience the burden of pouertie, and gaue your selfe to readyng and prayer, and to redeme the losse of your tyme spent, wyth fastyng, watchynges, and teares: & so beyng occupyed with spirituall studyes, to tend and rise vp to the persecution of vertue, &c. But now through the secret relation of certaine, we heare (that we are sory of) that you haue sent vnto him a threatnyng letter, wherin there is no saluatiō premised: In the which also, ye pretend no intreatyng nor prayers for the obtainyng of fauour, neither do vse any frendly maner in declaring what you write: but manasing with much austeritie, threaten to interdict him, and to cut hym from the societie of the church. Which thyng if you shall accomplish, with lyke seuerity as in wordes ye threaten to do, you shall not onely put vs out of all hope of any peace, but also put vs in feare of hatred and discord without measure, and without al redresse amongest vs. But wisdome will consider before, the end of thynges: labouryng and endeuoring to finish þ^t which shee wisely beginneth. Therfore your discretion shall do well diligētly to forecast and cōsider whereto ye tend, and what end may ensue therof, and where about ye go. Certes we (for our partes) hearyng that we do heare, are discouraged from that we hoped for, which before hauyng some good comfort of tranquility to come, are cast from hope to dispayre: so that while one is drawen thus agaynst an other, almost there is no hope nor place left to make entreaty or supplication. Wherfore, writyng to your fatherhode we exhort and counsell you by way of charitie, that you adde not trouble to trouble, & heape iniurie vpon iniury. But so to behaue your selfe, that all manasses set aside, ye rather geue your self to patience & humility, and to yeld your cause to the clemency of God, & to the mercy of your Prince: which in so doyng shall heape coales of charity vpon the heades of many. Thus charity shall be kindled, and that which manasinges can not do (by Gods