An. Reg. 9.
1163. In like maner the kings of England and France receiued pope Alexander the third at Cocie vpon Loire with all honor and reuerence, insomuch that they attended vpon his stirrup on foot like pages or lackies, the one vpon his right side, and the other on his An enteruiew. N. Triuet. left.
¶ Note here the intollerable pride of this antichristian pope in assuming, and the basemindednesse of these two kings in ascribing vnto that man of sinne such dignitie as is vtterlie vnfit for his indignitie. But what will this monster of men, this Stupor mundi, this Diaboli primogenitus & hæres not arrogate for his owne aduancement; like yuie climing aloft, & choking the trée by whose helpe it créepeth vp from the root to the top. But the end of this seauen horned beast so extolling and lifting it selfe vp to heauen, is
—— Erebo miserè claudetur in imo
Atque illic miris cruciatibus afficietur.
Homage of the K. of Scots. In Januarie ensuing, the king returned into England, and the same yeare the king of Scots did homage vnto Henrie the yonger, and deliuered his yonger brother Dauid to the king his father, with diuerse other the sonnes of his lords and barons in pledge, for assurance of a perpetuall peace to be kept betweene them, with some such castels as he required.
A councell at Tours. In the meane time archbishop Thomas went to the councell holden by pope Alexander at Tours in the Octaues of Pentecost, where he resigned his bishoprike into the popes hands (as the fame went) being troubled in conscience for that he had receiued it by the kings preferment. The pope allowing his purpose, committed the same pastorlike dignitie to him againe by his ecclesiasticall power, whereby the archbishop was eased verie well of his greefe, and shortlie after his returne from his councell, seemed desirous to reduce & cause to be restored such rights as he pretended to belong vnto the church of Canturburie, whereby he ran into the displeasure of manie, and namelie of the mightiest.
Moreouer he required of the king the kéeping of Rochester castell, & the custodie of the tower of London. He alledged also that Saltwood & Hith The archbish. practiseth treason secretlie. Homage for the castell of Tunbridge. belonged peculiarlie to the seigniorie of his see. He called Roger earle of Clare vnto Westminster, to doo his homage, vnto him for the castell of Tunbridge: but the earle denied it through the setting on of the king, alledging all the fee thereof to apperteine rather to the king than to the archbishop. Thus was the archbishop troubled, and he grew dailie more and more out of the kings fauour. For yee must vnderstand, that this was not the first nor the second, but the eight time that the king had shewed tokens of his displeasure against him.
After this, vpon the first day of Julie, Rice prince of Southwales, with Matth. Paris. Matth. West. diuerse other lords and nobles of Wales, did homage both to the king and An. Reg. 10. to his sonne Henrie at Woodstocke. Hamline the kings bastard brother married the countesse of Warren, the widow of William earle of Mortaigne bastard sonne to king Stephan. This countesse was the sole daughter and Homage of the Welshmen. N. Triuet. 1164. heire of William the third earle of Warren, which went with Lewes king of France into the holie land, and there died. Soone after, the Welshmen rebelling with their prince Rice and his vncle Owen, did manie mischéefes on the marshes: and by the death of Walter Gifford earle of Buckingham (who deceased this yeare without heire) that earledome came to the kings hands.
On the 20. daie of September were three circles seene to compasse the Matth. Paris. sun, and so continued the space of thrée houres togither: which when they vanished awaie, two sunnes appeared and sprang foorth after a maruellous maner. Which strange sight the common people imagined to be a signe or token of the controuersie then kindling betwixt the king and the archbishop.
About this time the king called a parlement at Westminster, to treat of Discord still kindleth betwixt the king and the archb. matters concerning the commonwealth, wherein great discord arose betwixt the king & archbishop Becket, about certeine points touching the liberties of the church. For the king hauing an earnest zeale vnto iustice, and commanding the iudges to punish offenders without respect, vnderstood by their information, that manie things by them of the spiritualtie (against whome their authoritie might not be extended) were committed contrarie to common order: as theft, rapine, murther, and manslaughter; in so much that in his presence it was made notorious, that sith the beginning of his reigne, aboue an hundred manslaughters had béene committed within his realme of England by préests and men of Murthers committed by préests. religious orders. Herevpon being mooued in mind, he set forth lawes against the spiritualtie, wherein he shewed his zeale of iustice. For as the cause procéeded from the bishops of that age, so did the fault also, sith contrarie to their owne canons they permitted préests to liue ouer W. Paruus. licentiouslie without due correction, studieng onelie to mainteine the liberties and immunities of the church, and not to reforme the Matth. Paris. irregularitie of the regulars. Of this crew was one Philip de Broc, a canon of Bedford, who being arreigned before the kings iusticer for a murther, vttered disdainefull words against the same iusticer: which when he could not denie before the archbishop, he was depriued of his prebend, and banished the land for two yeares space.
These things troubled the king, who therefore hauing alreadie set downe such orders as should bridle the spiritualtie from their wicked dooings, thought that if he might get them confirmed in parlement by consent of the bishops and clergie, then the same should take place and be receiued The king meaneth to bridle the spiritualtie frō presumptuous dealing. The prelats against the king. Ger. Dor. for lawes. Wherefore he earnestlie required at this parlement that it might be enacted against all such of the spiritualtie, as should be taken and conuicted for any henious offense, they should loose the priuiledge of the church, and be deliuered vnto the ciuill magistrate, who should sée them suffer execution for their offences, in like maner as he might any of the kings subiects being laie men. For otherwise the king alledged, that they would boldlie presume to doo much more mischiefe, if after ecclesiasticall discipline, no secular correction should follow. And likelie it was that they would passe but little for their disgrading and losse of their order, who in contempt of their calling would not absteine from committing most mischieuous abhominations and hainous enormities.