¶ Howbeit some write that he renounced his estate, first before all the lords of the land, and after caused his sonne to be crowned: but in such vncerteine points set foorth by parciall writers, that is to be receiued as a truth, which is confirmed by the order and sequele of things after doone and put in practise. For true it is, that king Henrie the father (so long as his sonne liued) did shew himselfe sometime as fellow with his sonne in gouernement, and sometime as absolute king: and after his sons decease, he continued in the entier gouernment, so long as he liued. But to procéed.
The French king hearing that his sonne in law was thus crowned, and not his daughter the wife of Henrie the sonne, was highlie offended The French king offended. therewith, and threatned to make war against king Henrie the father, except his daughter Margaret might receiue the crowne also as quéene immediatlie.
The cause why she was not crowned, was by reason of hir yoong yeares, and for that she had not as yet accompanied with hir husband. But K. Henrie the father vnderstanding the French kings threats, sailed ouer into Normandie, where whilest they prepared for war on both sides, by An enteruiew of the kings. R. Houed. the earnest diligence of Theobald earle of Blois, both the kings came to an enteruiew at Uendosme, where at length they were accorded, vpon promise made by king Henrie, that he would cause his sonne to be crowned againe, and with him his wife the said Margaret the French kings daughter as quéene.
The French king contented therewith, departed homewards, and king Henrie returning came to Uernon, where he fell into so great a sicknesse, that anon it was noised ouer all the countrie. Insomuch that he was in such He made his testament. Rog. Houed. despaire of life, that he made his testament: wherein he assigned his sonne Richard the dutchie of Aquitaine, and all those lands which came by quéene Elianor the mother of the same Richard. And to his sonne Geffrey he bequeathed Britaine (with the daughter of earle Conan) which he had purchased to his vse of the French king. And to his sonne king Henrie he gaue the dutchie of Normandie, and all those lands which came by his father Geffrey earle of Aniou. And to his yoongest sonne John be bequeathed the earledome of Mortaine. And finally appointed where he would haue his bodie to be buried.
Polydor. King Henrie the sonne his misorder. In the meane time Henrie the sonne remaining at home in England, fell from all good order of measure kéeping, and gaue himselfe to all excessiue riot, spending and wasting his reuenues inordinatelie. Of which behauiour his father being aduertised, returned into England, where he taried not long, but passed ouer againe into Normandie, hauing An. Reg. 16.
1170. his said sonne in his companie, meaning thereby to remoue him from the companie of those that were verie like to corrupt this nature, and frame the same to all lewdnesse: for he knew that
—— commercia turpia sanctos
Corrumpunt mores: multi hoc periere veneno,
Labimur in vitium & facilè ad peiora mouemur.
In this meane while Thomas the archbishop of Canturburie remained in exile almost six yeares, and could not be restored, till partlie by swelling threats of the pope, and partlie at the earnest suit of Lewes the French king, Theobald earle of Blois, and others king Henrie began somewhat to shew himselfe conformable towards an agréement.
Ex Quadrilagio. The king and the arch. Becket met togither in the presence of the French king. Wherevpon the two kings met diuerse times, and the archbishop Thomas comming with the French king, at one time humbled himselfe so to the king of England, that knéeling downe at his féet, he said: "My souereigne liege lord, I commit the whole cause of the controuersie betwixt your grace and me, vnto your maiesties order, Gods honour onlie reserued."
The king offended with that ambiguous exception, said to the king of France: "Whatsoeuer displeaseth this man, is taken (as he interpreteth it) contrarie to Gods honour, and so by that shift will he chalenge to himselfe all that belongeth vnto me. But bicause you shall not thinke that I go about to resist Gods honour, or him, in any reasonable order, looke what the greatest and most holie of all his ancestors haue doone vnto the meanest of mine ancestours, let him doo the same vnto me, and I am contented therewith."
All the companie present cried, "that the king humbled himselfe enough." "My lord archbishop (said the French king) will you be greater than saints, and better than saint Peter? Wherof stand you in doubt? Behold, your peace is at hand." The archbishop made answer in commendation of The present state of the church in Becket daies. the present state of holie church, as thus: "My holie predecessours in their time, although they cut not all things away that extolled it selfe against God, yet did they cut off diuers: but if they had plucked vp all by the hard roots, which might offend, who should now haue raised the fire of temptation against vs? We are in much better case (thanks be to God) and as we haue laboured in their lot and number, so are we partakers of their labour and reward. What if any of them had béene defectiue or excessiue in any point, are we bound to follow the example of their defection or excesse? We blame Peter for his denieng of Christ, but we praise him in reproouing of Neros violence with danger of his life. The church hath risen and increased out of manie dangerous oppressions, our fathers haue suffered manie things, bicause they would not forsake the name of Christ; and ought I to suppresse his honour, to be reconciled vnto any mans fauour? God forbid, God forbid."