approved of. The Pontiff had thereby given a lesson to themselves, who were bound to receive what the Church of Rome received, to reject what she rejected. If they had sworn to observe what was unjust or unlawful, the oath was not binding.

The bishops having delivered their appeal, took their seats in the hall near the archbishop and awaited the announcement of the judgment. In a short time, the earl of Leicester came from the banqueting-room, where the king was; and, in the name of the peers, called on Becket to hear his sentence. The primate's demeanour was composed and majestic at this critical moment. He called upon all who were present, as a father addressing his children; and solemnly forbade them, in virtue of their obedience to him as their archbishop, and in the name of the faith which they professed, to pass any sentence of judgment upon his person. The earl nevertheless proceeded, though somewhat unwillingly, to discharge the office imposed upon him; and was on the point of declaring the archbishop guilty of perjury, when Becket, protesting that the lay peers were not competent to pass sentence upon him for a crime, cut short the proceeding by rising abruptly to depart. As he advanced to the door bearing his cross, his departure gave rise to much clamour and confusion, and he was assailed with reproaches and insults. Some of the knights called him a traitor, and this word for once roused the latent military spirit within him. He declared that, if it were not for his order, he would prove by arms the falsehood of the charge. After this no further obstacle was offered to his retreat; and he returned in safety to his lodgings amidst the acclamations of the multitude who sought his benediction.

The remainder of the day was spent in anxious consultation with the few friends who still adhered to him, in taking leave of others who were fearful of hazarding their own safety by giving umbrage to the king, and in pre

paration for flight. After dinner, he sent the bishop of Rochester, who was his chaplain, and the bishops of Hereford and Worcester, whom he had himself consecrated to the episcopal office, to petition the king for leave to depart out of the country. As Henry declined giving his answer till the next day, evil was augured from the delay, and it was determined that the archbishop should fly that night. To conceal his purpose, he gave directions that a bed should be prepared for him in the church; but in the dead of the night he made his escape from the town with two of his chaplains and a servant under cover of the darkness and amidst a storm of heavy rain; the secret of his flight being known only to a few confidential friends and dependants. The next day he arrived at Lincoln, and thence he travelled in disguise, chiefly by night, to the coast of Kent, from which he escaped to Gravelines in Flanders, on the fifteenth day after his departure from Northampton.1

1 Herbert de Boseham Fitz-Stephen; Grim; Roger de Pontigny.

CHAP. XVI.

THE ANGLO-NORMAN CHURCH, FROM THE COUNCIL OF NORTHAMPTON TO THE MURDER OF BECKET.

BECKET was received on the other side of the Channel, with every mark of respect for his person and compassion for his misfortunes. Both in Flanders and in France all were eager to show honour to the illustrious exile, and to furnish him with everything needful for his comfort and for the safe prosecution of his journey. After leaving Flanders, he proceeded to Soissons, where he was visited by Louis VII. king of France, who had already promised to the archbishop's messengers that he should find peace and protection if he took up his residence in his dominions. After a stay of a few days, he hastened on to Sens, the abode of Pope Alexander, by whom he was received with marked kindness and distinction.

Previously to his arrival, the Pope had given audience, with his cardinals in full consistory, to an embassy from the king of England, which had been despatched immediately after Becket's flight, for the purpose of accusing the primate. The ambassadors were the archbishop of York and the bishops of London, Chichester, Exeter, and Worcester, with the earl of Arundel and three other lay peers, who charged Becket with being a disturber of the peace of the kingdom and of the Church, who, after insulting the king and bringing the Church into contempt, had fled from the country and deserted his post as primate. They requested the Pontiff to send the archbishop back to England, and also a legate a latere, who might hear the king's complaint against

him there, where the truth of the facts could be most easily ascertained. Some of the cardinals, who had been gained over to the king's interest by money, were disposed to accede to this request. The Pope, however, though with some reluctance, refused to entertain it, except on the condition that the ambassadors should wait for the archbishop's arrival at Sens; since he could not allow anything to be done to his prejudice in his absence. This suggestion the ambassadors declined to adopt, as they had received orders from the king to return within a limited time; and finding that they could not persuade the Pope, either by arguments or promises, to listen to their petition, they departed hastily from the Papal court, to return to England.

Some days after Becket's arrival at Sens. Alexander gave him an audience in his chamber, at which none but the cardinals were present. On this occasion, the archbishop entered fully into the history of all that had passed between him and the king, and frankly confessed his fault in assenting to the Constitutions of Clarendon. He produced the Constitutions themselves, which neither the Pope nor the cardinals had seen before, although they had received information respecting their contents and purport. After they had gone through all the articles (some of which were read again and again with the utmost attention), the Pope expressed strongly his disapprobation of the conduct of Becket and the other bishops, who, by assenting to what were not to be called "customs," but "tyrannical usurpations," had renounced their pontifical power, and reduced the Church to slavery. He added, that among these "abominable" things that had been read, none were to be called good; though some might be tolerated, the greater part were to be reprobated as condemned by ancient councils, and opposed to the authority of Scripture. In conclusion, however, he informed Becket that, though the offence committed by himself and his brother bishops was exceedingly great, he was disposed to deal mercifully with

him, especially in consideration of the contrition which he had shown, the sufferings which he had undergone on account of his error, and the devotion and humility with which he had sought access to the Apostolic see, notwithstanding the perils attending the journey.1

It is said that Becket actually resigned the archbishopric into the hands of the Pope, on the ground of his election having been uncanonical; but that the Pope, after three days, reinvested him with the dignity.2 Such a resignation would probably have met the wishes of those cardinals who were inclined to favour the king; but the Pope doubtless saw the importance of retaining in his office, one who was so well able to bear the brunt of the contest between the civil and ecclesiastical powers.

After a stay of about three weeks at the Papal court, Becket chose for his abode the monastery of Pontigny in Burgundy, situated not very far from Sens and belonging to the order of Cistercian monks. In this retreat he gave himself up to a life of religious study, meditation, and prayer; but his tranquillity was soon disturbed by the arrival of news from England, of a painful and distressing kind.

Upon the failure of his embassy to the Papal court, the king had given orders that any person who brought to England letters of interdict from the Pope or the archbishop, or who appealed to either of them, should be arrested and kept prisoner during his pleasure. He confiscated the revenues of the Church of Canterbury, and all the property of the archbishop and of the clergymen who had followed him into exile, and forbade the offering up of prayers for him in the churches. Not content with this piece of barbarous severity, he proceeded to wreak his vengeance upon Becket's relations, friends, and dependants, and even upon the relatives of his companions in exile. These innocent persons were at once 2 Fitz Stephen; Grim.

1 De Boseham.