king hearing before of the Archbishoppes comming sent some of his Courte vnto him passiing alsoe himselfe out of the Citty towardes him and meeting together not the eyes but the countenance of the king as it may bee sayde was setled on him Wherupon a thing noted by many of the Archbishoppes trayne neither did the king nor any of his vouchsafe to visite the Archbishop that night in his lodging but rather early in the morning caused a Masse for the deade to bee celebrated in his Chappel fearing as it was reported least if the Archbishop were there present hee would otherwise offer him at Masse the kisse of peace which then to refuse were not the parte of a Christian but Christes enemy When the Masse was ended the king departed the Citty hastening to the Parlee c. The Parlee with the Earle beeing finished saint Thomas speaking with the king beesought him that before his returne into England his possessions might bee restored which the king denyed saying hee should first returne and afterwardes haue restitution of his possessions And thus much concerning this encounter at Towers Saint Thomas came afterwards to the king as Herbert continuinge this history sayth at the Balde Mountaine neere Bloys where hee could obtayne nothing of the king but only promises without any performance Wherupon saint Thomas returning to Senon and taking his leaue of the king of France trauelled to the hauen of Whitesand there to take shippe for England and there sayth Herbert the Archbishop before hee embarked himselfe sent ouer first my Lord the Popes before rehearsed letters of the generall suspension of the English Bishoppes together with the Excommunication of some certaine of which number beeing Roger of Yorke Gilbert of London and Ioceline of Salisbury comming thether for passage into England did euen in the porte receaue their letters of Suspension and accursing But allthough the Archbishoppe had warning as well by the Earle of Boleyne as also by those who arriued from England that nothing but chaynes prysons and treasons were prepared for him in England Hee neuertheles answered Neither yet if I should bee torne peece-meale in sunder would I desiste from my intended iourney no force no torture shall retayne mee dastard-like any longer it sufficeth that our Lordes flocke hath now seauen yeeres mourned for their Pastors absence And what hee professed in wordes the same did this Saint also confirme by letter wryting to his king these his last lynes worthie an Apostolike man who dreaded not to suffer death for his flocke beeing these wordes It is knowne to Christ the searcher of hartes the iudge of soules and reuenger of sinnes ChaÌ„ Vat. li. 5. Ep. â—4 The last letter of saint Thomas to the kinge of England with how great purity of mynde and sincerity of affection wee concluded our peace with your Maiestie beeleiuing you would haue proceeded plainly and iustly with vs for what else most excellent Lord could wee conceaue of your wordes which either in arguing or courtesy out of your fauorable goodnes you communicated with vs The letter moreouer you directed to my Lord and king your sonne for restoring to vs and ours all the possessions wee held before our departure from England what could it pretend but good will peece and security but loe that which God knoweth wee accompt more greeuous for the edangering of your renowne then the losse of our commoditie the want of performance beareth no coulor of simple meaning or faythfull dealing for the restitution you willed to bee made to vs and ours was put of for fifteene dayes in regarde of Raynulphe with whom beeing of counsell to my Lorde your sonne they thought conuenient in the meane time to conferre about the accomplishment of this your commandement What manner of persons these are and how and with what iustice this busines is caryed you at your pleasure may examine For vs wee are perswaded all this is donne to the dommage of the Church with the danger of your saluation and renowne vnles with diligence you reforme it For the sayde Raynulphe meane while maketh hauocke of the Churches gooddes and euen now carryeth openly away in greate abundance our house-hould prouision as wee heare by their reporte who if it pleaseth you will bee ready to iustify the same and lastly hath vaunted in the presence of many that wee shall not long inioy your gratious peace beecause wee shall not eate a whole loafe in England beefore as hee threateneth hee beereaueth vs of life You knowe most excellent Lord hee is accessary of an offence who when it is in his power to correct an others sinne neglecteth to amend it And what can that Raynulphe doe but by your leaue and armed with your authority And what answer hee will make to the letter of my Lord and king your sonne wryting to him on this occasioÌ„ your wisedome will heare and iudge therof as it liketh you And beecause it is now manifed by apparant proofes that the holy Church of Canterbury mother of the Britanns perisheth for the very hatred of our life to the eÌ„d she may not dye but be freed of daÌ„ger we will by Gods grace in her quarrell expose our life as well to the sayde Raynulphe as other his coÌ„federates the Churches persecutors beeing prepared not only to dye but also to suffer a thousand deathes and all tormentes whatsomeuer for Christes sake if hee of his grace wouchsafe to graunte vs the fortitude of patience I determined my Lord 〈◊〉 haue returned vnto you but that necessity draweth me a wretch to my wretched Church repayring to her with your fauor and licence and it may bee perishing least otherwise shee perisheth vnles your piety vouchsafeth to yeelde vs presently some other coÌ„forte but whether wee dye or liue wee are and shall euer bee in our Lord yours and whatsoeuer beecommeth of vs and ours God euer blesse you and your issue And thus the good Shepheard beeing now ready to offer his life for his sheepe deliuered himselfe most Christian-like as the follower of Christ out of the purity of his conscience and the sincerity of his fayth which had bin able to haue melted Pharaos most hardened harte But in regarde as it is allready sayde beefore euer hee sett foote in England hee sent ouer the Popes letters of Excommunication and Suspension against the Bishops let none impute it to any rashnes of his for disturbing the publick peace but that whatsomeuer hee did was by the kinges counsell and approbation as hee often professed openly when his aduersaryes in England did on that occasion rise against him whose wordes soe many times recyted by Herbert in Quadrilogus are these Concerning the Bishoppes whom yee alleage to bee suspended or excommunicated by mee or thorough my procurement bee yee in your discretion without all doubt certifyed that whatsoeuer was done was by the kinges consent and counsell For when on the feast of saint Mary Magdalene a peace beeing concluded beetweene vs hee receaued mee into
in the opinion of all innocent they ended their temporising letter Wherupon Adriam to please them sought to pacify the Emperour Pope Adrian labouring to appease the Emperour An. 4. Had. 4. The Pope indeuoreth to pacifie the Emperour sent Henry preist Cardinall of sainct Nereus and Achylleus and Hyacinth Deacon Cardinall of saint Mary in the Graecian schoole men practised in the world and affaires of the Courte with letters to the Emperour tending to that purpose who to shew their greater humility went out of their way to meete Reynold the Chancellor and Otto Count Palantine the Emperours Embassadours declaring to them the cause of their Legation beeing for a peaceable treaty to the honor of the Empyre they departed Their iourney thorowe the streyghtes of the montaynes beeing publickly knowne and also how the Emperour was offended with the Pope styrred vp diuers who were desyrous to enrich themselues with the spoyles of others and hoped vnder the coulor of this enmytie to patronise their rapine as a thing seruiceable to the State to make a prey of the Legates The Legagates robbed and imprisoned by the Emperialistes among whom the Counte Fredericke and Henry men in those partes violent and powerfull not only robbed and imprisoned the Legates but also Albert Bishop of Trent comming along with them for their safe conduct The Legates lay in bandes till leauing a pledge they were discharged and the diuine prouidence did set free the Archbishop But the noble Duke of Baioaria and Saxony for his reuerence to the Roman Church and the honor of the Empyre reuenges this vilany enforcing the Countes to deliuer the pledge and with constraint of deserued calamityes to yeeld and giue satisfaction The Legates comming with these difficultyes vnto the Emperour at Augusta presented with humility the Popes letters wherin hee interpreted the meaning of his wordes which were that hee conferred the Emperial crowne vpon him as a benefitte alleageing that conferring was imposing and a benefit a good Acte deriued of bonum soe as in crowneing him it was to bee reputed a good acte done vnto him Thus the Pope by writing and the Legates by word of mouth complying as farre as they could to please him A peace beetweene the Pope Emperour the Emperour seemed content and the seedes of peace were sowed which falling on stones brought out no fruite For Pope Adrian beesides the intollerable and sacriliâ—ious iniuryes offered to his Legates An. 5. Had. 4. was vrged with â—ncrochments and insultations of the purueyors for the â—mperours stables and oppressions by the Lieuetenants of â—he Emperiall Castles and lastly beecause the Bishoppes â—nd Abbottes as well as the Layety had acknowledged â—is Royaltyes Wherefore Adrian condemning his ingratitude sharpely reprehended him New controuersies raysed beetweene the Pope and Emperour Fredericke in the meane time vpon the vacancy of the Bishoppricke of Rauenna hauing designed Guido sonne of Count Blanderaâ—â—us to enioy the place and sending two Bishoppes one after an other to the Pope for confirmation thereof receaued repulse beecause the noble yong man beeing Subdeacon of the Roman Church and a hopefull member thereof Adrian would not dimisse him thence The Emperour disappointed of his expectation and therupon incensed sought first by disgracing the Pope to reuenge himselfe wherefore hee caused his Notary in styling the Pope to vse the singular number and preferre the Emperiall name beefore his which Adrian not only blamed in him as insolency but also put him in minde that contrary to his fealty sworne to the Romane Church hee required homage and fealty of Bishoppes beeing princes of the same Church counselling him to desist from these vnlawfull vsurpations least otherwise God should depriue him of his lawefull dominions Fredericke obiecteth that Pope Siluester receaued from Constantine the Emperour his temporaliâ—â—es wherunto is answered how this present generation 〈◊〉 Emperours cannot deriue their authority as descending 〈◊〉 â—hem from their Ancestors but from the election of precâ—dent Popes and coronation receaued from them Heereâ—pon ensued deepe suspitions on all sides with vncerâ—â—â—ne rumors as if the Pope did secretly incite the Milaâ—â—yes and other Cittyes to shake of the Emperiall yoake 〈◊〉 Henry Cardinall of the tytle of sainte Nereus and Archylleus the late Legate and Eberard Bishop of Rabenberg a man of great vertue learning and wisedome and the Emperours entyrest counsellor indeauoured as by their mutuall letters appeareth to appease these turbulent windes which raysed the warres of dissention Afterwards there were meetinges beefore the Emperour of Legates and Princes for composing a peace which was neuer likely to proceede the demaundes on either side beeing soe repugnant and the Emperour breathing out his discontentment for the league contryued with the king of Cecyll Pope AdriaÌ„ dyeth But God ended these treatyes with the death of Adrian the fourth And now after these light skyrmishes instantly ensued the terrible battel of Scysme that shooke the whole state of Christendome Yet beefore I enter into soe tragicall a discourse I craue pardon to spend a few worde about the death and prayse of our Adrian who falling sicke of a Squinsey at * Anagni Anagni in the Kalendes of September departed this life Wherein I cannot chuse but wonder at Master Camden who preferring a tale of a fryuolous scysmaticall author beefore a knowne truth wryteth that hee dyed beeing choaked with a flye a falshood discouering it selfe for his author sayth that after hee had excommunicated the Emperour drinking at a fountaine a flye entred his mouth and cleaued soe to his throate as noe arte could remoue it till hee yeelded vp the ghoste But none can euer proue that Adrian excommunicated the Emperour wherefore wee may see that one fable draweth on another The commendable actes of Pope AdriaÌ„ Now passing from this to his renowned actes It is recorded for euer to the world and noe doubt registred among his blessed workes in heauen that hee greatly augmented the buildinges and repayred the ruines of the Roman Sea and with his owne expences inlarged the possessions and encreased the patrymony of sainct Peeter More-ouer that hee destroyed a denne of theeues erecting vpon his owne coste in the same places castle to defend the countrey from their inuasions And â—r which this realme should euer extoll him hee confirâ—ed to our kings the dominion of Ireland And all this â—ee did in a shorte raigne of fower yeeres eight monthes and fower and twenty dayes Lasty aboue all hee left to his successors one admirable example which is that hee neuer beestowed any thing vpon his family or freindes but made god and his Church the heire of all in so much as his mother suruyuing him was mayntayned by the charity of the Church of Canterbury as Iohn of Salisbury reporteth out of an Epistle written by Pope Alexander to saint Thomas After Pope Adrian was buryed in the Church of saint Peeter An. 1. Alex Alexander the third choseÌ„ Pope Alexander the
THE LIFE OR THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF S. THOMAS ARCHBISHOPE OF CANTERBVRY COLLONIAE M.DC.XXXIX TO THE MOST REVERENT FATHER IN GOD RICHARD SMYTH BISHOPE OF CHALCEDONE c. MOST Reuerent and my most honored good Lord I haue alwayes apprehended the life and Martirdome of that most excellent Prelate and vndaunted Champion S. Thomas Archbishope of Canterburie a most perfect Paterne of a good Pastor yea and of a good subiect too as one wisely discerning Gods part from Caesars and giuing to ether their owne without which there can be no Christian iustice Take his owne golden and last words for it written to King Henry his soueraigne Prepared I am not onely to die but also to suffer a thousand deathes and all torments whatsoeuer for Christ's sake Yet whether I die or liue Cod. Vat. l. 5. Epist 54. I am and shall euer be yours and what euer becomes of vs and ours God euer blesse you and your issue So that I haue iudged no tyme mispent in culling the peeces out of the most authenticall and best Authors which haue concurred to the making vp of this litle bulke or Epistolarie processe of his life and death which I hope will appeare most contentfull and satisfactorie to all and fittest to frame a right iudgment in any as not being crooked and fitted to selfe endes by artificall amplifications but furnished by knowne fact and made good by so many and so irâ—eprochable witnesses as it cannot indeed be suspected to be in any part disguised or forced by corruption or malice but to deliuer a naked truth Now amongst all those whom I duely reuerence and honor in earth I could find none to whose patronage this poore worke of myne might laye a more iust clayme then to your Lordship like as in my iudgment your Lordshipe can pretend no Patrone in Heauen to whom you may haue a more confident recourse or with whom you might haue more sympathie being considered such as he liued in this earthly habitation for Religiousnesse zeale contrie cause constancie None which comes more home to your vse in respect of your long delay in banishment and the opposition you haue found euen amongst some of your children and those domesticalls of faith In a word in reading it you will not fayle before your death to reade a great part of your owne renowned life May it I beseech almightie God be long contentfull prosperous in earth and followed out with an eternally blessed one in heauen These are and euer shall be the zealous wishes of all good men and in particular of Your Lords. most humble and deuoted seruant A. B. THE PREFACE TO THE Epistolarie and Ecclesiastical History of sainct Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury INTENDING to present vnto your viewe out of that reuerent an renowned author Cardinall Baronius the great controuersie beetweene the Church and kingdome of England wherein the cheife actors in this our disturbed nation were that mightie King Henry the second and our Metropolitane sainct Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and in forraine countryes that most holy wise Pope Alexander the 3. and Lewes the pious king of France with many Catholicke Princes and among the Scismatickes the potent Emperour Fredericke with his idoll Octauian seeking by all meanes to intrude themselues and put their sickles into this haruest where the Diuel the father of their execrable scysme like a deepe polititian taking aduantage of their hellish discord had in this vnfortunate Iland sowed the cockle of dissention I thought best in regard this canker soe spreade it selfe through the Christian world and this history was collected out of the Epistles written by the cheifest rulers in that age to lay open briefely the state of the westerne Church and kingdomes vnited therein whereby your mindes receauing light may better discouer thinges otherwise obscured First therefore to delineate the time I must somewhat touch the raigne of Pope Adrian Alexanders predecessour who being the only man of our English nation that euer steered saint Peeters ship and was not only for his singular vertues wisedome and learning preferred to the Apostolike Sea but also himselfe the Apostle who conuerted the Norwegyans to the Christian faith I thinke it no vnnecessary digression to treate of his origine progresse and most high preferment At Abbotts Langley in the County of Hertford neere kinges Langley Nicolas Breakespeare afterwards Pope AdriaÌ„ borne in England where Edmund of Langley receaued his first breath from whom all the kinges of England and Scotland haue these many yeeres descended was borne Nicolas Breakespeare who afterwarde exalted to the gouerment of the Church of Rome and called Adrian the fourth ruled in matters of faith and Religion the whole Christian world His father was Robert Breakespeare a yonger brother of the family of Breakespeare whose place concurring with the name is seated neere Vxbridge in Middelsex now in the possession of Ashby His father saith Iohn Stowe after the death of his wife and before the departure as I conceaue of his sonne out of the realme professed a Religious life in the Monastery of saint Abbans wherein Stowe ignorantly not maliciously ran into an errour for Pope Adrians mother as shall bee afterwards showed ouerliued him It appeareth in a Counsell celebrated in Normandie by Pope Alexanders Legates with the Archbishop of Roane and Bishops of the same Prouince anno Dom. 1172. how before that time men might enter into religion leauing their wiues in the world for there was made a Canon afterwards prohibiting it And so might Robert Breakespeare in this precedent age as it is affirmed bee a Monke in saint Abbans and his wife as it is certaine ledd a retyred life vnder the Archbishop in Canterbury The name of Breakespeare beeing truly English and about the time of the Conquest inuincibly proueth they were of the Saxon not of the Norman race Breakespeare it selfe was in the raigne of king Iames the inheritable mansion of a knight and how great in forepassed dayes God knoweth But as sainct Thomas sayth in his Epistle to Gylbert Bishop of London what hath a priest a religious man to doe with these worldly flourishes I will descend to his humiliation which was his ascent first to honor then to heauen All that followeth is collected out of Card. Baronius Leauing as Abraham his countrey and kindred hee trauelled in his youth to pourchase learning and comming to Arnulate professed religion in the Monastery of saint Rufus where hee was called first to bee Prior then Abbot of the house whereupon it fortuned that for serious occasions of the Church commended to his charge hee went to the Apostolike Sea and hauing fully finished all his busines and now intending to returne Pope Eugenius of blessed memory retayned him there and by consent of his brethren Pope Eugenius Adrian Bishoppe of Alba. did consecrate him Bishop of Alba. A while after seeing his vertues and wisedome hee designed him Legate a Latere of the Apostolike Sea into
of Denmarke admonished by Absolon departed the place and refusing to bee present at that sacriligious excommunication shewed thereby his approbation of Alexander and reprobation of Octauian And Bishop Absolon following after when Octauian requested him to stay sayd there was no reason but as hee came with the king soe hee should departe with him and soe they both left Octauian Thus the Emperour contrary to the Canons of the Church summoned kinges to establishe the Papacy Heere now dawneth the day of sainct Thomas of Canterburyes history which beeing most tempestuous closed neuertheles in a most glorious Euening for thus writeth Cardinall Baronius This selfe same yeere a great counsell was assembled at London in England of all the Bishoppes meeting together about the election of the Archbishop of Canterbury beeing the cheife Metropolitan of the Realme after the death of Archbishop Theobalde who departed this life on Easter Tewesday Saint Thomas chosen Archbishop of Canterbury when hee had administred that place twenty yeeres the king himselfe was also there present where by the general assent of all Thomas his Maiesties Chancellor was chosen to that dignity which beeing written at large among the actions of his life cronicled by Edward a man of that age you see heere breifely collected and printed The Authors and Epistles froÌ„ wheÌ„ce Cardinall Baronius collecteth the history of saint Thomas But other matters are likewise recorded by foure Authors beeing all Disciples of saint Thomas the first Hubert his Clearke the next William of Canterbury the third Iohn of Salusbury the last Allane Abbot of Deache all which beeing digested in three bookes remayning in the Vaticane library together with selected Epistles written by diuers Authors and all tending to this purpose among which many were sent by saint Thomas and Pope Alexander and beeing by the labour of Iohn of Salusbury deuided into fiue bookes excelling all treasures shall helpe to beautify this my history Saint Thomas laboreth to flye the Archbishopprick telling King Henry that in this place hee shall offend him in defending the Churches liberty The tome it selfe remayneth in the Vaticane library Hubert testifyeth that saint Thomas sought by all meanes to auoyd this Archiepiscopull dignity for these are his wordes Thomas laboured with the king that hee should forbeare to aduance him to the Archbishoppricke of Canterbury professing if hee were soe chosen hee should proue his aduersary and enemy in defending the Churches liberty Whereunto Salusbury addeth thus hauing long resisted vpon the instant vrging of Henry of Pisapreist Cardinall of saints Nereu and Achilleus beeing there Legate hee assented wherupon they presently sent Messingers to Pope Alexander resyding then at Mount Pessulan for obtayning his pall S. Thomas coÌ„secrated Archbishop of Canterbury which for reuerence of soe great a man was out of hand graunted and soe at the Popes hands they receaued it But in laying open the excessiue tribulations and extremityes falling out in the processe of his Bishoppricke which exceedingly afflicted not only Thomas himselfe with the Church of Canterbury and all England but also Pope Alexander with the Romane Church and the whole Catholike world wee are soe ouerwhelmed with abundance of Authors as wee can hardly without great labor ploung out of them For not only Edward and those foure Authors wryting to this purpose with others who registred the occurents of the time yield plentifully most copious matter to furnish Chronicles but also 455. Epistles sent vpon that occasion by diuers to sundry persons and especially by Pope Alexander and saint Thomas himselfe out of which wee frame this Epistolary history which excelleth others presente vs with such an ouerswelling sea of discourse as our style beeing euen drowned the very plenty maketh vs poore An. Dom. 1163. Pope Alexander intending to celebrate a Counsell at Towers hastened about the beginning of Lent to speake with the king of France at Paris where the vertuous king with his lords knightes mett him two leagues before his entrance of the Citty and as the king saw the Pope hee alyghting ran to his styrrup and humbly kissed his feete whom the Pope receaued also with a kisse soe both ryding forward together with the Cardinalls were with a most solemne procession of the Clergy and great exultation brought to the Cathedrall Church Alexander celebrateth the Counsell of Towers Heere remayned his holines till Easter was passed Afterwards hee trauailled to Charters and thence to Towers where on the 14. Kalends of Iune beeing within the Octaues of Penticoste in the Church of saint Martine hee celebrated his Counsell with 17. S. Thomas comming to the CouÌ„sell of Towers was honourably receaued by the Pope Cardinalles a hundred foure twenty Bishops besides a maruilous number of the Clergie and Layetie among whom was saint Thomas who was the last yeere instauled in the Archbishopprick of Canterbury whom the Pope soe honorably receaued as hee sent all the Cardinalles except two that euer attend him to meete this Metropolitane before his entrance into the Citty and gaue him as fully as hee requested confirmation of all his Churches priuiledges Heere Arnulphus Bishop of Lexouy by the Popes appointment made the Oration beeing most pious learned aÌ„d eloqueÌ„t wherin hee touched the Emperours authority giuen only to his Ancestors by the Romane Church and thence diriued to him CoÌ„rade thâ— the elected Archbishop of Mounts leauing his Cousen the Emperour came to the Pope at the Counsell of Towers CoÌ„rade aduanced by the Pope Alexanders vndoubted tittle to the Papacy manifested OctauiaÌ„ accursed and prayeth them charitably to relieue the Pope and Cardinalles beeing now banished out of all To this Counsell came Conrade the Elect of Mountes leauing his Cousen the Emperour and all his temporall honors to follow Pope Alexander by whom hee was made afterwards Cardinall Bishop of Sabine and Archbishop of Mounts wherewith the Emperour beeing offended intruded Christian his Chancellor into his place In this Counsell Alexanders vndoubted tytle to Papacy beeing most euidently declared Octauian with all his Complices was againe accursed There are also diuers Canons of the same Counsell extant Pope Alexander beeing offered by the kinges to make choyse of some Citty within their dominions to inhabit in went in October to Senon beeing a Metropolitane Citty where hee executed freely his supreme function and authority Heere William of Newborough wandreth in two errors the one that saint Thomas at the Counsell of Towers moued in conscience Alexander residing at Senon in France gouerneth the Catholike Church William of Newberies erroâ—s because hee receaued at the kinges hands a laycall inuesture beeing neyther Canonically nor sincerely done resigned therefore his Bishoppricke secretly into the Popes handes which his Holines restored to him againe with lawfull approbation curing the scruple of his afflicted conscience which as in the processe of this worke will appeare was afterwardes The other that the only cause of controuersy beetweene the king and the
to bee called at Claringtone concerning the time of which conuocation thus much is rehearsed in the first booke of Epistles The detestable â—onueâ—â—ckle at Claringtonne after the eleuenth epistle In the yeere of our lords Incarnation 1164. the fifte yeere of Pope Alexander and the tenth of the m st famous king of England Henry the second concerning the day this is added in the end These thinges wâ—ere handled the fourth day before the Purification of S. Mary tâ—e perpetuall Virgin to wit the 30. day of Ianuarie For those whoe were present at this assemblie they are recounted to bee all the Bishoppes of Engâ—and together with the Earles Barons Magistrates and nobility For the matteâ—s then in action receiue them thus from the wordes of Vvilliam in Quadrilogus Tâ—e king â—â—erefore as iâ— sâ—emed feruently thirsting after an â—gâ—eement beetweene â—he kingdome and the preistâ—ood but lesse prouideÌ„t for the state of himselfe and his Archbishoppe 1 ParliameÌ„t summoned at Claringâ—onne a Parliament of the whole nation Whither when the Bishopes and peeres were come the King importunately required that thinges promised to him might bee performed But the Archbishop allthough hee promised to consent to the King beeing neuerthelesse suspitions of the promise which the King exacted and beecause Kinges very often exceeding all measure extend their power to thinges vnlawfull rather made choyce to hazard the kinges indignatioÌ„ then to offend the law of God and to breake the brazen serpent in peeces rather then wickednes should bud out among the people of God Now although hee feared banishment and imprisonnement yet preferring God beefore these hee absolutely withstood it The King threateneth he refuseth the King raueth the other in secret craueth Gods assistance In the meane while the Bishoppes of Salisbury and Norwich fearing a new punishment for an old grudge and dreading much by reason of this distempered tyme with weeping words beesought the Archbishop to haue compassion on his Cleargie to relent from the willfullnes of his minde least himselfe should incurre imprisonment his Cleargie banishment themselues the iudgment of an opprobrious death And withall two Earles the mightiest of the kingdome assayling him said that vnlesse hee would conforme himselfe to the kinges pleasure they themselues by his Maiesties commandment should bee constreyned to that violence which would brand the King and themselues which an eternall infamie This man therefore of inuincible constancy The frailty of S. Thomas and grownded in the worke of Christ moued neither with the sunshine of flattery nor the stormes of terrors is notwithstanding in the end pulled away from the bosome of truth and the brest of his mother vnto whose liberty hee had soe louingly cleaued and lest beeing a conquerour in these listes hee should bee puffed vp with pride of mynde fainting then when hee sbould cheifely haue fought is lefte for an hower to fall that after a faulting fall hee might rise againe that falling hee might acknowledge humane frailtie and r seing vnderstand the deuine mercy towards him In like sotte because no man should haue confidence in his owne strength Peeter the prince of the Apostles and holy Dauid fell and soe S. Thomas is lefte destirute to his temptation for a tyme that afterwards beeing mindefull of his frailty hee might arise with more courage to the combate Wherefore beeing the third tyme admonished by Richard a man of great accompt and Prior as then of the Temple of Ierusalem to haue a care of himselfe and compassion on the Clergie hee endured no longer their submissiue petitions their often kneeleinges for they seemed to crye out as if euen now they sawe the very swoardes threatening ouer his head and lamented the intended murder as a present death Whereupon moued rather with commiseration on the Clergie then on himselfe hee consented by perswasion of their counsail to submitt himselfe to the Kinges pleasure And therefor beefore all the rest the Archbishop bound himselfe first in that prescribeb forme that is to say hee would obserue the custome of the Crowne in good faith suppressing those wordes sauing the prerogatiue of his order Adding allso this caution with an oath that hee promised to performe this in the word of truth soe heapeing sin vpon sin And all the Bishops seuerally in semblable manner sware the same And incontinently an obligation beeing drawne in this forme The Recognition and â—ngrossement â—f the Royal â—ustomes by certaine Peeres of the realme who as their offices required were lerned in such proceedings there was made a Recognisance of the royall customes that as publickly soe they might expressely bee recited But when many were now rehearsed and more yet as it seemed to bee set downe the Archbishop interrupting said that hee neither was one of the auncientes of the kingdome whereby hee could knowe the old customes of the Crowne neither had hee continued long in his Archbishoppricke and therefor said hee was in these matters ignorant Moreouer because the day was soe far spent it was conuenient a busines of soe great importance should bee referred vnto the next morning His motion was liked and thereupon they retired themselues to their lodginges Returning on the morrowe to prosecute the busines beegunne the customes of the Crowne which were lefte the day before vnrecited were recounted expressed and reduced into a writing made after the manner of an obligation and styled with the name of the kings customes NotwithstaÌ„ding many of them as it is said were not the kinges but the vomite of emulation and poyson of enuy for hatred of the Archbishop and to bring the Church into bondage yea the king himselfe beeing absolutely ignorant of them because some men intended by this sinfull suttlety to sowe the cocke of dissention betweene him and the Archbishop Neither yet the king who was yet but a yong man nor the Archbishop who was lately elected could know the customes of the kingdome but by their relation And if any one is desirous to see what these kingly customes were hee shall finde them sett forth in the end of the history Wherevpon a litle after hee saith and wee heere will declare them Then hee thus proceedeth in his intended discourse The customes beeing therefore written and drawne into the forme of an obligation the king requireth of the Archbishop and Bishops that for the more surety and confirmation of them they would sett to their seales But the Archbishop allthough exceedingly moued with greife neuerthelesse dissembleth it beeing as then vnwilling to discontent the the king nether absolutely denying said it was awhile to bee delayed and albeeit they were ready to doe it Eccles 32. hee affirmed notwithstanding in reguard of the weightines of the busines it was conuenient to bee deferd a tyme. Since according to the wise man without counsell no matter of importance is to bee performed And afterwards some deliberation beeing had hee and the Bishops might more decently bee required to accomplish it Notwithstanding bee tooke
againe by wryting Appealed to the same Sea and assigne for the terme of our Appeale the day of our Lords Ascension humbly beeseeching with all the deuotion wee can deuise that taking more sound aduise you would spare both your and our trauell and expences and in that sorte to repose your cause as it may finde a speedy redresse And soe father wee wish you well to fare in our Lord. Hetherto the Bishop of London together with his Associates of the same Prouince vnto whom sainct Thomas thus replyed Thomas the humble seruante of the Church of Canterbury to Gilbert Bihoppe of London â—od Vat lib. Epist 108. as once now againe wisheth him soe to passe through temporall prosperity as hee looseth not eternall felicity The answer of S. Thomas 〈◊〉 Gilbert Bishop of â—ondon and â—â—e other â—â—â—hop It is a wonder yea an exceeding maruayle that a man of wisedome lerned in the holy Scriptures and at the least in habit bearing a showe of religion should soe manifestly I spare to say vnreuerently without all feare of God bee aduersary to the truth an oppugner of iustice and confounding all right with wrong indeauor the ouerthrowe of the state of the Church which the Allmighty himselfe hath builded For it is truth that sayth The gates of hell shall not preuaile against her Hee is not therefore a man of a sober mynde who intendeth her ruine but like one who binding a mighty montayne about with a rope attempteh to ouerthrowe it And haue wee passionately run into anger and hatred that prouoked to wrath wee are incyted to darte such wordes as these at our brother Associate and fellowe Bishoppe God forbid But thus much haue wee collected out of your letters which wee receaued by the handes of your Archdeacon Neither truly can wee gather grapes of thornes or figges of thistles That it may playnly appeare whether this bee soe or not let vs lay them open and bring to light their contentes The end compared with the beeging resembleth a Scorpion this maketh his entry with flattery that stinging vs terribly attempteth to shut vs vp in silence For what is it else first to acknowledg your bounden subiection to vs and promise obedience annexed to subiection then for auoyding your obedience to flye off to an Appeale What are there with mee is and is not saith the Apostle Neither ought the same to bee with the Apostles scholler The Disciples necessarily receaued from our Lord power to tread vpon Serpents and Scorpions and Ezechiel at this day dwelleth with Scorpions Ezechiel 2. And consider in what sense you say Wee flye to the remedy of an appeale You call your selfe the follower of Christ and yet in these wordes you are found otherwise for Christ hath recommended to vs obedience as the efficacious yea the most effectuall remedy of all our mischeifes and that not only by word but alsoe by most euident example beeing made obedient to his father euen to the very death and with what face can you then call that a remedy which is the impediment of obedience and is not to bee termed a remedy but more truly a detriment And vpon what confidence doe you presume heerin to haue probable hope to procure any patronage or protection to sheild you from your obedience beefore him who for the chasticing of all disobedience has receaued as well his office as a commandement It is ill to hope in him and withall greeuously to offend him The first and second repulse which you haue allready suffered may well hinder you from such presumption for first your selfe in person and then your letters composed for perswasion haue by experience proued how firmely hee stood how truly hee was the vicar of Peeter whom you could neuer moue by prayers giftes admonitions or promises But now the third tyme bee is to bee attempted that by the example of his Master hee may after a third temptation tryumph with victory Ioan. 21. And that nothing may bee left vnattempted to encrease our vexation you haue fixed the Terme of your Appeale allmost a whole yeere hence neither take you any compassion of our banishement or of the labor of the holy Church the spouse of Christ which with his blood hee purchassed and to omitte these yet truly not to bee omitted neither haue you a carefull eye ouer our Lord the king whom you pretend to fauor who as long as hee proceedeth in this sorte against vs and the Church of Christ cannot without perill of his soule either march to warre or liue at home in peace Let vs passe to the rest You recyte some troubles which arose in and by our departure let the authors and counsellors of this perturbation feare least themselues fall into perturbation You set vs forth with great prayses in regarde of the beeginning of our peregrination and doubtelesse it is not the parte of a wise man to neglect his fame but who is discreete ought in censuring himselfe to beeleiue none sooner then himselfe Wee are accused of iniuryes offered our Lord the kinge but beecause you name not any wee knowe not whereunto wee are bounde to answer and beeing superficiously accused wee doe but superficiously excuse our selues neuertheles meane whyle receaue this from vs wee are guilty of nothing neither yet are wee therefore iustifyed You maruayle at the threatening or coÌ„minatory sent out by vs against him what father who seeth his sonne runne astray can bee silent who doth not chastice with the rod to preuent the slaughter of the swoard The parent despayreth of the sonne whom with threatening or discipline hee correcteth not God forbid wee should thinke with you that our Soueraigne beeing impatient to endure correction should fall downe to the extirpation of Apostacy for the plantation of the heauenly father will not easily bee pluked vp by the rootes The shipp is tossed with a most terrible tempest wee are her Pilot and you perswade vs to sleepe You heape together and set before our eyes the benefittes beestowed on vs by our Lord the king Gilbert Becket Portgraue of the Citty of LoÌ„don in the raigne of K. Stephen was father to S. Thomas Godfrey de Maundâ—uil was Portgraue of LoÌ„don in the time of the Conqueror and Willam Rufus Hugh Bouch and Aubrey de Vere in the raigne of Henry the first Next Gilbert Becket as before Peter Fits walter Portgraue in the time of King Henry the 2 And the successiuly Iohn Fits nigel Ernulphus Buchel and Wiliian Fits-Isabell all which Iohn Stowe witnesseth Heerby you may see what worthie meÌ„ were then Portgraues of London and soe consequently of what accoÌ„pt Gilbert Becket the father of saint Thomas was Portgraue was then the highest Gouernor of the Citty and recounte how were raysed by him from a lowe degree to the heygth of Fortune we wee may truly answer heereunto a litle and yet neuerthlesse not froÌ„ how lowe a degree as you thinke If you consider but the tyme wherin wee were
and intimate this vnto him with more diligence and perswade my Lordes the Cardinalls to remember the iudgment of Allmighty God to which Tribunal the poore of Christ doe with their prayers dayly flye against all the Aduersaryes of the Churches liberty Thus sayeth Salisbury who somewhat too boldly carpeth the estimation of so◠noble a Pope whom in his epistles hee often commendeth excuseth defendeth But to the end reader you may vnderstand that it is dangerous to speake euill and rashly to iudge of the high Bishop heare I pray you the true defence of Pope Alexander without which it is vnworthy I should inserte all this in the Chronickles of the Church of Rome For I shall not discharge the parte I vndertake for bringing to light the truth of the history if I shall not vntwyning set it free out of the intangling errors and false assertions with which hee and his actes are wronged while thinges layd vniustly to his charge are accepted as certaine without a dilligent axamination of the truth which I will make appeare out of the epistles of diuers persons whereby these reportes blazed abroade by Iohn of Oxeforde will bee reiected as vntrue Marke therefore reader You haue seene for the space allmost of foure yeeres beeing fully three yeeres and a halfe the Controuersy of the Ecclesiasticall liberty beetweene the king and Saint Thomas and together with him the Church of Rome beeing tossed in delaye daylie declyning to the worse the king or Bishoppes neuer con descending to submitt themselues to the iudgment of the Archbishop of Canterbury from whom as you haue heard the king together with the Bishoppes appealed to the Roman Sea and by their deputyes prosecuted the same Appeale desiring by them that a Legate a Latere might bee sent into England In which petition of theyrs it is first a falshood that as it is affirmed the king requested onely a Legate for England which was the Cardinall of Papia For heare the same Salisbury Our king saith hee requireth that Williā of Papia and another Cardinall bee sent as Legates c. And the Pope fearing least one of them beeing the kings frind there might come any damage thereby to the contrary parte his Holines chose such an one to bee his associate as by his eminent vertue might withstand him if hee would attempt any thing against right and equity whom also hee knew to fauor the Bishop of Poytiers treating of both the Legates in his letter to saint Thomas wryteth to this William of Papia sayth hee as it is reported my Lord Oddo the Deacon Cardinal de Carcere Tulliano is associate and I wish it soe for a fauorable and well disposed starre may by coniunction if it cannot extinguish the malice of an euill affected starre yet at the least temper and extenuate the same Moreouer that his Holines designed the same legates not to decyde the controuersy as it was publickly reported according to Iohn of Salisburyes saying but to compose a peace the letters of the same Pope Alexander yet extant doe playnly witnes But to the end saint Thomas might rest secure of any feare from the sayde William the Legate Alexander aboue all other thinges made him promise not to attempt any matter against the Archbishop of Canterbury I will relate the very wordes of Pope Alexander in his epistle to Saint Thomas and truly sayth hee you may remayne absolutely confident in the Cardinalls neyther ought you any way to doubt of the mentioned William because wee haue streyghtly and precisely inioyned him to employ his whole power to worke your peace and hee made vs soe faithfull a promise thereof that wee haue no doubt of the contrary And more that hee might very much preuayle in procuring the peace the matter beeing throughly considered by reason of his intire familiarity with the king the same Salisbury conceaued in his mynde and expressed in wryting to the Legate in these wordes but in the meane tyme I hope this your familiarity with the king which to many is soe suspicious will bee profitable to the Church necessary to you gaynfull to him and to vs glorious Beesides this Alexander endeauouring to make a peace beetweene the Archbishop and the king commanded not as the kings messinger lying fouly sayd that this should bee accomplished with detriment to the Churches liberty but contrarywise would haue aboue all thinges a speciall prouision for the Ecclesiasticall lawes soe as in this pointe saint Thomas had no cause of doubt that the liberty of the Church should heerein sustaine any damage at all as in the same letters the sayd Bishop deliuered Againe that there was nothing granted by Alexander to the Bishoppes excommunicated by saint Thomas as Oxeford falsly affirmed but that at the houre of death they might bee absolued with a caution confirmed by oath as the letters which his Holines wrote by the same Legates to the Bishops of England doe manifest Neither yet was that true which with excessiue boasting Oxeforde did lying spread abroade among all men Cod. Vat. lib. 2. epist 3. how the king was exempted from the Archbishoppes authority but that his power ouer the king was only suspended while the Legates treated as the peace in like case and space as there is beetweene aduerse armys an abstinence of warre during a parlee And if peace tooke no place that Saint Thomas might then vse his authority against the king Alexander in his letters sent to S. Thomas thus playnly declareth But if perchance which God forbid the king shall determine with a hardened harte to persist in his obstinacy nor yet will as now yeeld any thing to the will of Allmighty God our admonition and his owne honor in his reconciliation to you and yours with the peace of the Church If afterwardes you thinke conuenient to execute the seuerity of a due reuenge vpon the kingdome and the persons of the same subiecte to your iurisdiction bee it either in regard of your Primacy or Legantyne power you shall reuenge the iniuryes offered to your selfe and your Church as you shall thinke fitting with reseruation of grauity and maturity of iudgment becomming your Pontificall dignity And to the pointe that Pope Alexander dealte bountifully with Iohn of Oxeforde the kinges messinger at his comming to Rome beestowing on him the Deanry of Salisbury which beeing extorted from his Bishop hee surrendred vp into te handes of his Holines and that done the wretched and alltogether vnwortthie mā receaued the same from the Pope againe For the Popes excuse heerein Iohn of Poytiers wryteth thus in his letters to saint Thomas Iohn of Oxeforde woon the more grace in the Popes sight in regard hee suggested to his Holines that a peace might bee concluded beetweene you and the king if there were but one to deale faithfully in the busines and promised to doe his owne vttermost endeauor for the performance thereof And addeth hee was absolued from his excommunication by the Pope in respect hee abiured the
promises extenuated his credit in accomplishments and that hee was in his demandes conuinced of manifest iniquity hee receaued repulse yet what of himselfe hee was not able to procure hee assayed to extorte by the power of the king of Cycillie But neither hee allthough the Bishop of Syracusa and Robert Earle of Bassauile laboured heerin with their vttermost ability and the mediation of many intercessors was heard notwithstanding his royalty power or fauor which hee enioyed amply in the Church of Rome The kinges Embassadors were therfore dismissed and their demandes reiected this only beeing graunted that my Lord the Pope should send Nūtios anew for procuring of peace which were Gratian the Subdeacon and Master Viuian Archdeacon of the ancient Citty who was accustomed in the Courte to execute the office of an Aduocate Thus much was signifyed by secrett intelligence for without expressing any name the Inscription is thus A frind to his frind Saint Thomas vnderstanding thus much and also at what tyme hee should bee called to Rome by Pope Alexander was wonderfully troubled and wryting to Cardinall Humbald Bishop of Ostia after many complayntes speaketh thus of this matter In regarde wee will not transgresse the law of God with giuing place to the iniquity of Tyrantes hee endeauoreth without any necessity beesides all vtility and against authority to translate vs to an other Church and beecause wee refused to followe him when hee allured vs to accompany his sinne hee requireth wee should bee called vp vnto you that in our passage hee might make some bargaine whatsomeuer with the consortes of his iniquity for the effusion of blood for what other meaning can hee haue in soliciting those of Millane Cremona and Parma by corruption of bribes to our destruction Wherin haue wee offended those of Papia or other Cittys of Italy Wee neuer gaue them cause to procure our exile Wherin haue wee aggreeued the sages of Bononie who moued by prayers and promises would yeeld their consent to the cause of our ruine which only by relation they vnderstood Assuredly wee neuer banished Robert de bassauylle and yet hee was by sinister suggestions induced to bee a meane to you for our banishment neuertheles afterwardes peaceauing trechery and repenting this offence he entreated that his vniust petition might not bee admitted Richard the elect Bishop of Syracusa entised with a hopefull bayte of the Bishoppricke of Lincolne assisted our persecutors with money strengthened them with counsell and armed them with power Concerning the king of Cicillie himselfe in whose countrey you lately remayned they promised him in mariage the king of Englands daughter to make him their owne for the ouerthrowe of the Church and vs. Did not they by distributing their bread entertayne as their hirelinges the family of Lyons the nation of theeues and other the most powerfull Romanes not soe much to bowe as to breake the Church of Rome Nay they promise to purchase peace with the Emperor and Saxons and beesides with their bountifull guiftes of many to drawe all the Romanes to doe their fealty to my Lord the Pope if they will but satisfy the king of Englands desire in our ouerthrowe You see how secure a passage what abundant prouision the dilligence of man had heere prepared for vs. Vndoubtedly hee cared not greatly how our Creditors might bee satisfyed how sufficient necessaryes might bee ministred to our companions if any happily might bee found to trauaile along with vs how the charges of the iourney might bee supplyed with sufficient meanes for the banished multitude who now after fiue yeeres exile was to bee lefte poore afflicted and forsaken in the middest of soe great calamityes Truly with the same dilligence of these purueyers and harbingers because wee cannot bee perswaded to call the kinges name into question may the house hould stuffe and prouysion of our hostes bee poysoned and hardly can that man bee secure of his life whom the Commander of the family where hee lodgeth lyeth in wayte to kill And that wee may not heerin bee tedious in circumstances of wordes As long as this life lasteth we will neuer vpon any summons hazard our selues to so many and so great imminent dangers for if a man will vpon euery occasion runne desperately to death hee may with a knife or a halter more speedily finish his dayes Afterwards hee proceedeth to rehearse what in the end of the last yeere is declared concerning the endeauors of the king or England to depriue Saint Thomas of the king of Frances protection which wee may receaue from the reporte of his owne mouth for hee sayth The king of England sent lately his Embassadors the Bishop of Sagia and Archdeacon of Canterbury to the most Christian king soliciting him with entreaty to bannish vs out of his Dominion but the man replenished with God answered that hee receaued by inheritance this law from his ancestors and that it had bin euer the custome of the kingdome of France kindly to entertayne all such as were banished for iustice and afforded them due and cōuenient courtesyes and comfortes and affirmed hee would neuer vpon any occasions whatsomeuer leaue so laudable an inheritance being so acceptable to Allmighty God Adding moreouer that hee receaued vs from the handes of my Lord the Pope whom only in earth hee acknowledged his Superior and therfore hee would neuer for any Emperor king or wordly Potentate desist to fauor vs and our cause so long as necessity required in regard God was on our syde and wee sustayned iniuryes and losses in defence of his lawe With this answer hee dismissed these confounded Embassadors and beecame to vs for which God reward him more louing and liberall then before although hee hath bin euer both kind and bountifull Hee saith beesides hee will in this cause of ours make tryall of the sincerity and vigor of the Church of Rome together with the vertue of our Lord the Pope whose faith and constancy hee exceedingly commendeth beecause hee reioyceth that the king of England hath receaued at his handes a repulse in his vniust demaundes Thus saith Saint Thomas of the king of France wordes worthy to bee engrauen in greate letters of Gould But as the faith together with the constancy of Pope Alexander was hitherto well knowne to continue vnmoueable in the defence of iustice and truth soe did it heereafter perseuer euen to the very end vncorrupted which notwithstanding hee gouerned with sweetenes and temperance leauing nothing vnattempted before hee would denounce the king to bee excommunicate and subiect his realme to Interdiction which caused him to make especiall choyse of men who were most famous for eminence integrity and singular learning I meane the fore recyted Gratian nephew to Pope Eugenius that most renowned Bishop Two Nuntioes send by the Pope to the king of England Cod. Vaet lib. 3. epist 12. for soe much doth Iohn of Salisburyes epistle to the Bishop of Poytiers signify and Viuian a person of excellency as beeing a
demanded Where is the Archbishoppe Wherfore the Confessor of Christ now instantly to bee crowned with Martyrdome knowing the first slanderous name to bee falsly imposed on him but the last agreeable to him in regarde of his function descending the steppes and meeting them sayde Loe heere I am And beehaued himselfe with soe great constancy as neither his mynde seemed any way to bee moued with feare or his body astonished with horror To whom one of these cruell knightes in the spiritt of fury sayd Thou shalt instantly dye for it is impossible thou shouldst longer liue Wherunto the Archbishop answered with no lesse constancy of wordes then mynde I am prepared to dye for the cause of God the defence of Iustice and the liberty of the Church But if yee seeke my life I forbid yee on the beehalfe of Allmighty God and vnder the paine of incurring his curse to hurte anyway any other bee hee Monke bee hee Clearke bee hee Layman bee hee more bee hee lesse but let them bee free from the paine as they are no parties to the cause These wordes in his suffering seeme like to those of Christ in his passion saying Yf yee seeke mee suffer these to departe Then layde the kinghtes instantly handes on him to drawe him out of the Church and soe to murder him but could not moue him Wherfore the Archbishoppe seeing these his executioners with swordes ready drawne as one praying bowed downe his heade vttering these his last wordes I commend to God our Blessed Lady with the Saintes Patrons of this Church and S. Denise my selfe and the cause of his Church And soe this Martyr with an inuincible mynde and admirable constancy did not in all his tortures speake one worde yeelde any noyse giue any sighe or heaue his hand against any blowe but helde his enclined heade thus exposed to the swordes vnmoueable till all was ended The knightes on the other syde fearing least the multitude of men and womē flocking all about would rescue him out of their handes beefore they accomplished their intent hastened their heynous sinne When one of them lefting vp his sworde to make a blowe at the Archbishoppes heade cutt of the arme of a Clearke called Edward Grimfere and wounded with all our lordes Anoynted The cruelty vsed in the slaughtering of saint Thomas This Clearke stretched out his arme ouer his Fathers heade to receaue the blowe or rather to beate it away As yet stoode the iust suffering for iustice as an innocent Lamb without murmurre without clamor and offerring himselfe as a sacrifice to our Lord hee prayed to his Saintes for assistance And that none of this accursed crewe might in forbearing the Archbishoppe bee found guiltles of this foule cryme the second and third of them dashed cruelly their swordes on the heade of this constant Champion and breaking his braynes whurled headlong downe to the grownd this oblation of the holy Ghost And lastly the fourth outragious with more then deadly yea hellish cruelty when the Sainte was now prostrate yea yeelding vp the Ghost cutt of his shauen crowne broake in peeces the scull of his head and thrusting in the point of his swoard threwe out on the pauement of stone his braynes together with the blood Our Abel hauing therfore consummated the glory of his Martyrdome Tho time of the Martyrdome of S. Thomas in breife accomplished many tymes for the seauenth yeere of his exile now beeginning the a fore sayd Martyr Thomas for the law of God and the Churches liberty which in the English Church was allmost wholly perished cōbated euen to death and dreaded not the wordes of the wicked for beeing founded on a firme rocke which was Christ hee for the name of Christ in the Church of Christ on the fifte day of Christes Natiuity beeing the day after the feaste of the Innocents was himselfe an Innocēt slayne whose innocēt life and death for the meritt of the cause pretious in the sight of God haue bin manifested with many miracles which not only in the place of his rest but in diuers other nations ād kingdomes are alsoe with admiration showed The same day was the passion of saint Thomas reuealed by the holy Ghost to blessed Godric an Anchoryte at Fintz-hall a place distant from Canterbury aboue an hundred and three score myles Heereupon the Monkes of the Church of Canterbury shutt vp the dores of the Church which remayned in such sorte suspended from the celebration of Masse for allmost a whole yeere vntill they receaued the Churches reconciliation from Pope Alexander Concerning the Martyrs body the Monkes taking it away placed it the first night in the Quire The buryall of S. Thomas perforning ouer it the Exequies of the deade and it is credibly affirmed that the Obsequies beeing ended lying in the Quire on the Beare about the breake of day hee lifted vp his hand and gaue them his Benediction afterwards they buryed him in a vaulte Thus far Roger wryting of the Martyrdome and buryall of saint Thomas And this was the end of this most glorious Martyr who conquered with his blood and tryumphed in the torments of a violent death and now renowned with the Garland of a most famous Martyrdome is mounted vp to the Courte of heauen leauing to all posterites an example of singular constancy to fight euen to the last gaspe for maintayning the Churches liberty But instantly fell headelong on his enemyes now vanquished and ouerthrowne by their owne wicked victory horror and dreade as men afflicted on all sydes with remorse reuenging sinne But of this shall bee heereafter our later discourse as a tracte more miserable As touching the tyme of his noble Martyrdome allthough it appeareth out of soe many beefore recyted Epistles that the most holy man was this selfe same yeere on the sayd day slayne with the swordes of the impious yet neuertheles in some Authors his Martyrdome is founde to bee mentioned in the yeere following as in the Epitaph recited by Roger in the Chrinicles of England and by Robert de Monte beeing thus written A thousand hundred seauenty one it was When Prymate Thomas with the sworde was slayne The fiste of Christmas from the world did passe This worldes faire flower whose fruit with God doth reigne But where they affirme his passion to bee in the yeere a thousand one hundred seauenty one it proceedeth hence that they beegan their yeere from our Lordes Natiuity For they who reckon from the Kalends of Ianuary or the Incarnation of our Sauiour doe truly and boldly alleage this same to bee the yeere of his Martyrdome as the wryters of Quadrilogus in these wordes Thomas that notable Champion of God Archbishoppe of the Church of Canterbury Prymate of all England and Legate of the Apostolike Sea suffered death in the yeere after our Lordes incarnation one thousand one hundred and seauenty beeing aged fifty three on the fourth of the Kalends of Ianuary beeing then Tewseday about the eleuenth howre of the
together with the recyted Cardinalls seales to bee set to the wryting wherin the Articles aforesayde were contayned beeginning in this forme To Henry by the grace of God the renowned kinge of England Albert of the tytle of saint Laurence in Lucina and Theodine of the tytle of saint Vitalis Preistes Cardinalles and Legates of the Sea Apostolicke health in him who giueth health to kinges To the end that thinges donne may neuer bee after questioned These Actes published in wryting it is accustomed and the consideration of the publicke vtility requyreth that they should bee recorded wherupon wee thought it conuenient to drawe the Mandate into wryting which wee doe especially for your sake in regarde you feare malefactors who murdered Thomas of holy memory late Archbishoppe of Canterbury proceeded to the execution of that vnlawfull acte vpon occasion of your anger and distemperature In which action neuertheles you haue of your owne accord in our presence made your purgation that you neither commanded nor wished him to bee killed and when you heard the reporte therof you exceedingly sorrowed Wherfore from this instant feast of Pentecoste to the end of one whole yeere you shall giue soe much mony as by the iudgment of the Templar Knightes will maintayne 200. souldiers twelue monethes for defence of the holy land Touching your selfe you shall from Christmas next three yeeres are fully accomplished take the Crosse and in proper person vndertake your iourney thitherwarde by Gods conduction the next summer vnles you stay by appointment of our Lord the Pope or his Catholicke successor But if vpon vrgent necessity you make warre against the Saracens in Spayne for the tyme you vndergoe that voyage soe long you may deferre your iourney to Ierusalem You shall not hinder Appeales nor suffer them to bee hindred but that they may bee freely made in Ecclesiasticall causes vnto the Pope of Rome in good fayth without fraude or any ill intent that causes may bee handled by his Holines and obtayne their effectes yet soe neuertheles as if you shall haue suspicion of any they shall giue you security that they shall not endeauor to iniure your selfe or your kingdome You shall absolutely disanull the custumes brought in during your tyme the Churches of your land Concerning the possessions of the Church of Canterbury if any haue bin taken away you shall restore them to that fullnes wherin shee enioyed them a yeere beefore the Archbishop departed England Moreouer you shall restore to the Clergie and Layetie of both sexes peace and your gracious fauour with all the possessions which they lost for the Archbishoppes sake All this by the authority of our Lord the Pope wee inioyne you for remission of your sinnes and command you to obserue the same without fraude or deceypte This haue you sworne in a great Audience with reuerence to the diuine Maiesty Your sonne hath likewise sworne the same excepting only what in particular concerned your selfe and yee haue both sworne not to leaue Pope Alexander and his Catholike Successors so long as they shall vse yee as they haue vsed your Predecessors and other Catholicke kinges And that this may bee firmly recorded in the Roman Church yee haue commanded this same to bee confirmed with your seales Afterwards the same Roger addeth the Epistle of the Legates written at that tyme to the Bishop of Reuenna declaring matters then handled in these wordes To the Reuerent in Christ and our beeloued brother Gilbert by the grace of God Archbishop of Rauenna Albert by the diuine goodnes of the title of saint Laurence in Lucina and Theodine of the title of saint Vitall Preistes Cardinalles and Legates of the Apostolike Sea what God hath promised to such as loue him In regarde wee suppose you are desirous to heare of our state and the good successe of the busines commended to our charge wee thought conuenient to signify to your brotherhood by these letters how God hath at this tyme dealte with vs and wrought by the ministery of our vnworthines Bee yee therfore certifyed that after the renowned king of England knewe by certayne relation that wee were come within his Dominion setting asyde all obstacles of delay hee presently returned from Ireland into England lettinge passe the businesses which then imported him and from England arriued on the coaste of Normandy sending instantly sundry Messingers and honorable personages from vs to vnderstand at what place wee thought most conueniently to meete him and treate of these affaires It pleased vs at length to meete at the Monastery of Sauyne that wee might there confer where wee should bee assisted by the prayers of the Religious Wee mett there together and there mett with vs many persons of eyther order of his kingdome and wee treated as dilligently as wee could of what appertayned to the good of him and the charge imposed on vs. But not aggreeing in all pointes hee departed from vs pretending to passe into England wee expected intending the next day to goe to the Citty of Abryncke On the morrowe came to vs the Bishoppe of Lizieux with two Archdeacons and condescending to our request wee passed on to the sayde Citty whether on the Sunday in which is fung vocem iucunditatis wee assembled with very many persons and they also with vs and with soe much humility hee accomplished what was promised as without all doubt wee may beeleeue it was his worke who looketh on the earth and maketh it tremble Truly to declare how much hee endeauored to humble himselfe to God and shewe his obedience to the Church it is not a matter in these few lynes to bee vttered his deedes doe sufficiently manifest it and heereafter will manifest it more fully as wee assuredly hope it will appeare First therfore not vpon any constrainte or request of ours but of his owne free will hee cleered his conscience by an oathe vpon the holy Euangelistes concerning the death of Thomas of blessed memory late Archbishoppe of Canterbury swearing that hee neither commanded nor wished that the Archbishop should bee killed and vpon the reporte therof hee was exceedingly greiued Yet beecause the murder was committed and hee feared hee gaue occasion therof for making satisfaction hee tooke this oathe First hee swore hee would neuer leaue our Lord Pope Alexander and his Catholicke successors so long as they vsed him like a Catholicke and Christian king and this alsoe hee caused his sonne and heire to sweare in the Charter of absolution for the death of blessed Thomas Hee swore likewise other thinges very necessary for the Clergie and Layety all which in order according as hee swore them wee dilligently recorded in the Charter of his absolution Other matters hee likewise promised of his owne accord not conuenient to bee deliuered in wryting But this wee haue written that you may see his obedience to Allmighty God and how hee is farre more incouraged then hitherto hee hath bin to the seruice of his Sauiour Knowe beesides that his sonne
concerning the vnlawfull customes hath made oathe ioyntly with him Moreouer what was there donne hee resolued to iterate againe as Cane more publickely in a greater assembly of people to the end there might neuer bee question made to the contrary Lastly bee released the Bishoppes of the promise they gaue for obseruing the customes and promised himselfe neuer heereafter to exacte them Thus far the Legates Epistle then proceedeth the Author On the morrowe the aforesayde Cardinalls celebrated there a great Counsell together with the Archbishop The Counsell in Normandy Bishoppes and Clergie of Normandy and there concluded and ioyned all firmly and inuiolably to obserue these decrees following The Decrees published at Abryncke by Theodine and Albert Cardinalles FIrst that no children shall bee admitted to the gouerment of those Churches and the administration of them whereunto appertaineth the Cure of soules Item the children of Preistes shall not bee placed in their fathers Churches Item Laie men shall haue no parte of the oblations of the Church Item Churches shall not bee committed to annuall Vicars Item Preistes of great Churches who haue liuinges sufficient therfore shall bee enforced to maintaine vnder them each one another preist Item no Preistes shall bee ordayned without a certaine title Item let no Church bee farmed at on annuall rent Item let nothing of the third parte of the tythes bee taken from him who serueth the Church Item let such as haue Tythes by inheritance bee lycenced to giue them at theyr pleasures to any beeing meete and able Clearkes vpon condiciō that after thē the Thythes ruturne to the Churches to which by law they beelong Let not any man enter into Religion whilst his wife remaineth in the world nor on the contrary syde vnles they both exceede the age of abilitie for vse of mariage Item in the Aduent of our Lord let all who can but especially Clearkes and souldiers fast and bee commanded to abstaine from flesh Item let not Clearkes bee appointed iudges especially to administer the iurisdiction of Secular powers and who presume to doe the contrary let them bee excluded from theyr Ecclesiasticall Benefyces Item concerning the new bookes of the Excommunicated and the goodes of the dying which preistes take with the blessinges of the espoused ād Baptisme and xvliii exacted for the Absolution of the Excommunicated nothing was perfected beecause the Bishoppes of Normādy would not receaue the Decree In the same Counsell the Archbishop of Thomas challenged the Archbishoppricke of Dole to beelong of right to his Archbishoppricke affirming no Archbishoppes seate ought to bee there but the Clearckes of Dole did constantly contradict it Hetherto concerninge matters handled there by the Legates who beefore they departed receaued these letters from Pope Alexander for reconciliation of the Church of Canterbury beeing polluted with soe enormyous a sacriledge Wee command yee that yee cause the Church of Chanterbury to bee reconciled The reconciliation of the Church of Cāterbury yet in that sorte as the sacrament of the former Dedication bee not againe reiterated but as it hath bin accustomed in the Church of saint Peeter let it only bee sprinckled with holy water Thus Pope Alexander to his Legates And the Legates againe to the Clergie of the Church of Canterbury wrote in these wordes Wee reioyce yea the whole congregation of the iust which heareth therof reioyced that God doth manifest the death of Thomas of holy memory sometimes your Archbishoppe to bee soe pretious in his sight and hath made famous with soe many miracles the venerable memoriall of him as the sweetenes of his oyntmentes hath now dispersed it selfe allmost ouer the whole body of his Church and his vertue is generally renowned from the Easte to the Weste soe as they who whilst hee liued inuyed his prosperous successes now hee beeing disburdened of this world and translated as wee beeleeue his fayth and preistly zeale deseruing the same to the society of the higher powers reuerence his vertue giuing due thankes to him whoe worketh only great miracles Beecause therfore it seemeth conuenient that the glorious miracles which multitudes of people reporte to bee done among yee may resound with thākes-giuings and voyces of prayse in your publicke Church which the diuine grace hath endowed with so bountifull a guyfte It ought no longer vpon occasion of this execrable acte forbeare to glorify the Creator Returning therfore to you mutuall salutations and willingly consenting to your deuoute petition wee command your Brother hoode that assembling together the Bisoppes and Abbotes of your Prouince whom yee shall deeme meete for this purpose yee doe according to the rule of the Ecclesiasticall solemnity accustomed among our Predecessors consecrate againe your Church And if any thing bee wanting in the solemnity it may bee supplyed with the illustrous glory of the diuine miracles As touching vs if there bee ought in our power which wee are able to doe for the good of your selues and your Church what by Gods grace wee may we will most readily performe Thus wrote the Legates of the Apostolike Sea who admonished therof by Pope Alexander made dilligent inquiry of the miracles of the most glorious Martyr Thomas and send a most exact relation of them all to his Holines which beeing throughly vnderstood hee without delay wholly bent himselfe to perfect the Martyrs solemne Canonization This hee wittnesseth in his letters afterwardes indighted and to bee recyted when wee speake of his Canonization So therfor by how many miracles by soe many diuine testimonyes it is knowne and made apparant by wittnesses that not only they who for defence of the Catholike fayth suffer death Euery Bishop may haue occasion of Martyrdome but such also as for conseruation of the lawes rightes and possessions of the Church offer themselues to the slaughter doe a worke most acceptable in the sight of God and deseruing crownes which occasion of induring Martyrdome is not to bee sought a far of from Infidells but is allwayes ready at hand to euery Bishop if hee laboreth in all respectes to performe the duty of his charge Now the Legates returning backe brought to the Citty the holy reliques of the late Martyr beeing the Braines of his head that were dispersed on the pauement of the Church and also his coate imbrewed in his blood which are to this day religiously kepte in the Church of saint Mary Maior Famous mē of the family of S. Thomas Thus hauing seene what appertayneth to the glory of the Martyr wee are not to let passe in silence his fellow souldiers who followed him banished in his seauen yeeres exile beeing all famous and renowned men much honored for their glorious confession whose excellent prayses are seuerally sett forth in the booke of the Vatican after Quadrilogus where amōge them is first and principally one by name and nation Lumbard of the country of Placentia an excellent scholler who was created Cardinall of the sacred Roman Church beeing called from exile and