tical power, he had best himself become the aggressor, and exhibit, at once, his own determination to maintain it. He therefore summoned the earl of Clare to surrender the baronry of Tunbridge; which, ever since the conquest, had remained in the family of that nobleman; but which, as it had formerly belonged to the see of Canterbury, his predecessors, as the primate contended, were prohibited from alienating. William de Eynsford, a military tenant of the crown, was also patron of a living which belonged to a mauor held of the archbishop of Canterbury; and Becket, without regard to that chieftain's right, presented one Laurence to the living, who was violently expelled by Eynsford. Becket, upon this, excommunicated the latter, who complained to the king that he, who held in capite of the crown, should, contrary to the practice established by the Conqueror, and maintained ever since by his successors, be subjected to such a sentence without the previous consent of the sovereign; and Henry commanded Becket to absolve Eynsford. The haughty primate, however, answered, that it belonged not to the king to inform him whom he should absolve, and whom excommunicate but after all he was, in this case, obliged to comply with the king's orders. Henry perceiving now that the crown was in danger, through the superstition of the people, of falling totally under the power of the clergy, resolved to exert himself to the utmost against their scandalous usurpations. Among other modes of aggrandisement they had inculcated the necessity of penance as an atonement for sin; and having introduced the practice of paying them large sums, as an equivalent for penances, the crimes of the people had become a source of important revenue to the priests: the king computed, that, by this invention alone, they levied more money from his subjects than what flowed from all the funds and public taxes into the royal exchequer. To ease the people of so heavy and arbitrary an imposition, the king required, that a civil officer of his appointment should be present, in all ecclesiastical courts, and should for the future give his consent to every composition made for spiritual offences. About this time, also, Henry had an opportunity of proceeding against the clergy on another ground. A clergyman of Worcester having debauched a gentleman's daughter, murdered her father; and the king required that he should be delivered up to the magistrate. Becket pleaded the privileges of the church; confined the criminal in the bishop's prison, lest he should be seized by the king's officers; and maintained that no greater punishment could be inflicted on him than degradation. The king then demanded that, immediately after he was degraded, he should be tried by the civil power; but the primate asserted, that it was iniquitous to try a man twice upon the same accusation, and for the same crime. Upon this, Henry summoned an assembly of all the prelates in England; and put to them this decisive question:-Whether or not they were willing to submit to the ancient laws and customs of the kingdom? The bishops unanimously replied, that they were willing, saving their own order. The king was provoked at this equivocal answer. VOL. VIII.

He left the assembly with evident marks of displeasure; and required the primate instantly to surrender the castles of Eye and Berkham. The other prelates were terrified; but Becket continued inflexible; however, he was at last prevailed upon, by the interposition of Philip, the pope's legate and almoner, to retract the saving clause, and promise, without any reserve, to observe the ancient customs. But the king was not now to be satisfied with general promises. He was determined that the ancient laws and customs should be defined, as well as the privileges of the clergy. He therefore summoned a council of the clergy and nobility at Clarendon, to whom he submitted this important affair. Many excellent legal propositions were here drawn up, which were afterwards known by the title of the Constitutions of Clarendon. By these it was enacted, that clergymen accused of any crime should be tried in the civil courts; that laymen should not be tried in spiritual courts, except on the testimony of legal and reputable witnesses; that the king should ultimately judge of ecclesiastical and spiritual appeals; that the archbishops and bishops should be regarded as barons, and obliged to contribute to the public expenses like other persons of their rank; that the goods forfeited to the king should not be protected in churches or church-yards by the clergy; and that the sons of villeins should not take orders without the consent of their lord. These, with some others of less consequence, to the number of sixteen, were subscribed by all the bishops present, and even by Becket himself; though he at first showed considerable reluctance to sanctioning them. Nothing now remained but to obtain their ratification by the pope; but in this the king was disappointed. The pope, with the utmost indignation, rejected them; and, out of sixteen, admitted only six, which he thought were not important enough to deserve censure. Becket was also now mortified to the highest degree. He retracted his consent to the constitutions, redoubled his austerities, and even refused to execute any part of his sacerdotal. function till he had obtained absolution from his holiness. Henry, considering these humiliations as insults offered to himself, desired the pope to send him a legate. He did so; but annexed a clause to his commission, by which he was prohibited from acting against the archbishop of Canterbury. The king on this sent back the commission to the pope; and, being exasperated beyond all patience, commenced prosecutions against Becket. He first sued him for some lands belonging to his primacy; and Becket being detained by sickness from coming into court, his non-attendance was construed into disrespect. The primate afterwards defended his cause in person; but all his goods and chattels were confiscated, and the bishop of Winchester was obliged to pronounce the sentence. Another suit was commenced against him for £300, which he had levied on the honors of Eye and Berkham, and the primate agreed to give securities for the payment of the sum. The next day a third suit was commenced against him for 1000 merks, which the king had lent him; and, upon the back of these, a still greater demand

was made; namely, that Becket should give an account of the money he had received and expended during the time he was chancellor. This was computed at no less than 40,000 merks; and the primate, unable either to give an account, or to find securities, took the following extraordinary method of evading the difficulty:-He arrayed himself in his episcopal vestments; and, with the cross in his hand, went to the royal palace. Having entered an apartment near the council-room, he sat down holding up the cross as his banner and protection. The king, who sat in an inner apartment, ordered by proclamation all the prelates and nobility to attend him; to whom he loudly complained of Becket's insolence. The whole council joined in condemning his unaccountable pride; and determined to expostulate with him about his inconsistency concerning the constitutions of Clarendon. But all these messages, threats, and arguments, were to no purpose. Becket put himself, in the most solemn manner, under the protection of the supreme pontiff, and appealed to him against any penalty which his iniquitous judges in England might think proper to inflict. Then leaving the palace, he asked the king's immediate permission to quit Northampton; but being refused, he secretly withdrew, and at last found means to cross over to the continent.

Becket was received with the greatest marks of esteem, as well by the king of France, who hated Henry, as by the pope, whose cause he had so strenuously defended; nor is it to be forgotten that there was at this period a schism in the papacy itself; and Becket had decided for the strongest and ultimately successful side. Henry at the same time sent ambassadors to the pope, who were treated with coolness and contempt, while Becket was honored with the greatest marks of distinction. These favors bestowed upon an exile and perjured traitor (for such had been Becket's sentence of condemnation in England) irritated the king to such a degree, that he rashly resolved to throw off at once all dependence upon the papal see. He accordingly issued orders to his justiciaries, inhibiting, under severe penalties, all appeals to the pope or he archbishop; and forbidding any of them to receive mandates from them, or to apply to them for any ecclesiastical authority. He further declared it treasonable to bring over from either of them any interdict upon his kingdom. In secular clergymen he made this punishable by the loss of their livings, and castration; in regulars, by the amputation of their feet; and in laymen, by death. On the other hand the pope and the archbishop did not fail to issue their fulminations in such a manner as to shake the foundations of the king's authority. Becket excommunicated by name all the king's chief ministers, who had been concerned in sequestrating the revenues of his see, and all who obeyed or favored the constitutions of Clarendon. He even threatened to excommunicate the king himself, if he did not speedily repent; and had not the pope been threatened every day with the machinations of the antipope, whose pretensions he was afraid the king of England might support, that terrific sentence would certainly have been

pronounced. At first, Henry paid little regard to these measures; but afterwards, when he found that his authority over his subjects was endangered by them, and that his rivals on the continent were prepared to take advantage of their effects, he began to desire a reconciliation. This the pope and Becket also desired when they found their utmost efforts of such little present influence. At length, by the mediation of the pope's legate, the differences were adjusted, the king declared to be reconciled to the papal see, and Becket re-instated in that of Canterbury. On the recovery of his dignity, the primate behaved with his former arrogance. He returned in great state to England, and made a splendid progress through Kent. As he approached Southwark, the clergy, gentry, and all ranks of people came forth to meet him, and celebrate his triumph. Being thus confident, as he thought, of the support of the people, he resolved to make his enemies feel the effects of his vengeance. He suspended the archbishop of York, who had crowned Henry's eldest son in his absence, and excommunicated the bishops of London and Salisbury, with some of the principal nobility and prelates who had assisted at that ceremony. One man he excommunicated for having spoken againt him, and another, it is said, for having cut off the tail of one of his horses. The excommunicated prelates hastened with their complaints to the king, then in Normandy; and he, having (as we have seen, article BECKET), dropped some expressions intimating his impatience and surprise that no one would rid him of this turbulent priest,' his supposed will was quickly accomplished. Becket fell beneath the blows of four assassins, who came from Normandy to England on this bloody errand, and who dashed out his brains on the pavement of his own cathedral.

The story of this murder is told in Dr. Lingard's best manner:- The next day, about two in the afternoon, the knights abruptly entered the archbishop's apartment, and neglecting his salutation' seated themselves on the floor. It seems to have been their wish to begin by intimidation: but if they hoped to succeed, they knew little of the intrepid spirit of their opponent. Pretending to have received their commission from Henry, they ordered the primate to absolve the excommunicated prelates. He replied with firmness, and occasionally with warmth, that if he had published the papal letters, it was with the royal permission: that the case of the archbishop of York had been reserved to the pontiff: but that he was willing to absolve the others on condition that they previously took the accustomed oath of submitting to the determination of the church. It was singular that of the four knights, three had, in the days of his prosperity, spontaneously sworn fealty to him. Alluding to this circumstance, he said as they were quitting the room, knowing what has passed between us, I am surprised you should come to threaten me in my own house. — We will do more than threaten,' was their reply.

When they were gone his attendants loudly expressed their alarms: he alone remained cool and collected, and neither in his tone or gestare

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betrayed the slightest symptom of apprehension. In this moment of suspense the voices of the morks singing vespers in the choir struck their ears, and it occurred to some one that the church was a place of greater security than the palace. The archbishop, though he hesitated, was borne along by the pious importunity of his friends; but when he heard the gates close behind him, he instartly ordered them to be re-opened, saying, that the temple of God was not to be fortified like a castle. He had passed through the north transept, and was ascending the steps of the choir, when the knights with twelve companions, all in complete armour, burst into the church. As it was almost dark, he might, if he had pleased, have concealed himself among the crypts, or under the roof: but he turned to meet them, followed by Edward Grim, his crossbearer, the only one of his attendants who had net fled. To the vociferations of Hugh of Horsea, a military subdeacon, Where is the traitor? no answer was returned: but when Fitzurse asked, 'Where is the archbishop?' he replied: Here I am, the archbishop, but no traitor. Reginald, I have granted thee many favors. What is thy object now? If you seek my life, I command you, in the name of God not to touch one of my people.' When he was told that he must instantly absolve the bishops, he answered, Till they offer satisfaction, I will not.' Then die!' exclaimed the assassin, aiming a blow at his head. Grim interposed his arm, which was broken, but the force of the stroke bore away the primate's cap and wounded him on the crown. As he felt the blood trickling down his face, he joined his hands, and bowed his head, saying, In the name of Christ and for the defence of his church I am ready to die.' In this posture, turned towards his murderers, without a groan and without a motion, he awaited a second stroke, which threw him on his knees: the third laid him on the floor at the foot of St. Bennet's altar. The upper part of his scull was broken in pieces: and Hugh of Horsea planting his foot on the archbishop's neck, with the point of his sword drew out his brains, and strewed them over the pavement.'

The king was thrown into the utmost consternation on hearing of Becket's murder. He foresaw that the primate's death would accomplish what his most violent opposition during his life could never have done, and gave him self up to bitter regret; for three days he is said to have refused his usual food; till at last his courtiers were obliged to break in upon his solitude, and induce him to acquiesce in an event which could not possibly be recalled. The pope was with some difficulty made sensible of his innocence; but refused to be reconciled to him, except on condition that he should become more obedient to the holy see. The murderers, according to Hume, after performing the penance imposed on them by the Pope, continued to possess, without molestation, their honors and their fortunes, and even regained the good opinion and countenance of the public. There is no proof of this. On the contrary, they were ordered to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where most, if not all of them, died.

Henry, with a view to divert his own mind, as well as that of the people, to a different object, now undertook an expedition into Ireland, and totally reduced that country. See IRELAND. Scarcely was he returned from this war, and the dangerous controversy in which he had engaged with the church of Rome, when he found himself involved in the most unnatural contest with his children, to whom he had always behaved most affectionately. He had ordered Henry his eldest son to be anointed king; and had destined him for his successor in England, Normandy, Anjou, Maine, and Touraine, Richard, his second son, was invested with the duchy of Guienne and county of Poictou: Geoffrey, his third son, inherited, in right of his wife, the duchy of Brittany; and the new conquest of Ireland was destined for John, his fourth son, for whom he had also negociated a marriage with Adelais, the only daughter of Humbert, count of Savoy and Maurienne; stipulating that he should receive as a dowry, very considerable demesnes in Piedmont, Savoy, Bresse, and Dauphiny. This extending greatness of Henry's family alarmed the king of France; and he therefore now excited prince Henry to demand of his father, the immediate resignation either of the crown of England, or the duchy of Normandy. When the king refused to comply with this extravagant demand, the prince made his escape to Paris, where he was protected by the French monarch. This was in 1173; and the same year, queen Eleanor, finding herself on disagreeable terms with the king, encouraged her two younger children, Geoffrey and Richard, to demand the territories designed them, and fly to the court of France. The queen herself designed to accompany them, and had disguised herself in male attire for that purpose, when she was seized and confined by Henry's order. The licentious barons in the mean time wished for a change of government; and hoped, under young and inexperie ced princes, to renew their former depredations. In the midst of this universal defection, however, the English monarch retained his usual intrepidity, and prepared with vigor for the possible contest. he could depend on the fidelity of very few of his nobility, he was obliged to enlist in his service a number of desperate mercenaries, called Brabençons, or Brabanciones, a race of Netherland soldiery, infamous for rapine; and 20,000 of these, with a few forces furnished by his faithful barons, composed the whole of his army. With these, however, he totally overthrew the schemes of his enemies or the continent; but, being desirous of putting an end to the war, he the same year, 1173, agreed to a conference with the king of France. At this interview, Henry offered his children the most advantageous terms. He insisted only on retaining the sovereign authority in all his dominions. To Henry he offered hali the revenues of the crown of England, with various strong places in that kingdom; or, if he chose rather to reside in Normandy, half the revenues of that duchy, with all those of Anjou. He made a like offer to Richard in Guienne; he promised to resign all Brittany to Geoffrey; and, if these concessions were not deemed sufficient, agreed to add to them whatever the pope's legates,

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who were present, should require of him. The conference, however, was broken off by the violence of the earl of Leicester; who not only reproached Henry in the most indecent manner, but even put his hand to his sword, as if threatening violence against him. In the mean time, most of the English nobility united in opposition against their sovereign; and an irruption made into the north of England at this time, by William king of Scotland, assisted their rebellious schemes. The earl of Leicester soon after invaded Suffolk at the head of a body of Flemings, but they were repulsed with great slaughter, and the earl himself was taken prisoner. The king of Scotland, who had been repulsed, now agreed to a cessation of arms, but broke the truce, and again invaded England with an army of 80,000 men. Henry in the mean time, to reconcile himself thoroughly to the church, performed penances at the tomb of Becket. As soon as he came within sight of the cathedral of Canterbury, he alighted from his horse, walked barefoot into the town, and prostrated himself before the shrine of the newly made saint. He remained a whole day in prayer and fasting, and watched the relics all night; made a grant of £50 a-year to the convent for a constant supply of tapers to illuminate the shrine; and assembled a chapter of the monks, before whom he disrobed himself, putting a scourge into each of their hands, and presenting his bare shoulders to their strokes. Next day he received absolution; and, departing for London, had the agreeable news brought to him of the defeat and captivity of William of Scotland. The victory proved decisive in Henry's favor. The English barons, who had revolted, or were preparing for a revolt, instantly, therefore, delivered up their castles to the victor, and the kingdom was in a few weeks restored to perfect tranquillity. Prince Henry, who was ready to embark with a considerable army to join the English rebels,abandoned all thoughts of the enterprise; and soon after a treaty was concluded with the king of France, in which Henry granted his children much less advantageous terms than had been rejected by them. The principal were, some pensions for their support, castles for their residence, and an indemnity to all their adherents. The greatest sufferer by this war was William, king of Scotland. He was compelled to sign a treaty, by which he obliged himself to do homage to Henry for his kingdom. It was also agreed that his barons and bishops should do homage to the English crown, and that the fortresses of Edinburgh, Stirling, Berwick, Roxburgh, and Jedburgh, should be delivered into the hands of the conqueror till these stipulations were performed. This treaty was executed most punctually on the 10th of August, 1175, in the cathedral of York.

Henry was thus freed from all his greater troubles at home and abroad for five years, during which several salutary laws were made. But, in 1180, the ambition of his children involved him in fresh calamities. Richard, who had been invested by his father with the sovereignty of Guienne, refused to do homage to his elder brother, and young Henry and Geoffrey, uniting their arms, invaded his dominions. While the king was en

deavouring to compose these differences, he found himself once more conspired against by all his children, The conspiracy, however, was defeated by the death of prince Henry in 1183. He had retired to Martel, a castle near Turenne, where he was seized with a fever; and, perceiving the approaches of death, was struck with remorse for his undutiful behaviour to his father. He sent a messenger to the king, who was not far distant, expressing contrition for his faults, and entreated the favor of a visit, that he might at least die with the satisfaction of having received forgiveness. But the king, who had so often experienced his son's ingratitude and violence, conjecturing that his sickness was feigned, dared not trust himself in the prince's hands. Soon after, however, receiving intelligence of his death, and proofs of his sincere repentance, he was affected with the deepest sorrow. This prince, who died in the twenty-eighth year of his age, left no posterity. His brother Richard succeeded to his dom nions, and soon discovered as turbulent a spirit. He refused to give up Guienne, which Henry had designed for his fourth son, John; and even made preparations for carrying on war against his father and brother Geoffrey. Henry sent for Eleanor, his queen, the heiress of Guienne, to whom Richard, either dreading an insurrection in her favor, or out of a sense of duty, willingly yielded up the territory, and retired peaceably to his father's court. This breach, however, was no sooner made up, than Geoffrey demanded Anjou to be added to his dominions in Brittany. This the king refused; upon which he fled to the court of France, and prepared to levy an army against his father, but was soon after killed in a tournament. His death gave few, except the king, any uneasiness; for he was universally hated, and is said to have been known among the people by the name of the Child of Perdition. The widow of Geoffrey, soon after his decease, was delivered of a son, named Arthur, who was invested in the duchy of Brittany, under the guardianship of Henry his grandfather, who, as duke of Normandy, was also superior lord of that territory. Philip II., king of France, as lord paramount, disputed for some time, his title to this wardship; but was obliged to yield to his claim, the Britons preferring the government of Henry. causes inflamed the dissension between the two monarchs, and Philip once more seduced Richard from his duty. He insisted that his marriage with Adelais, Philip's sister, should be immediately completed, and threatened to enforce his pretensions with a formidable army. This occasioned another conference at the usual place of meeting, between Gisors and Trie, under an elm, that is said to have shaded more than an acre. In the midst of this conference the archbishop of Tyre appeared before the assembly in a miserable habit, and begged assistance against the infidels, who, under Saladin, had almost totally expelled the Christians from Asia. His intelligence was so dismal, that the kings of France and England are said to have at once laid aside their animosity, and both of them immediately took the cross. But Richard, who had long wished to have all the glory of such an expedi tion to himself, could not bear to have even his

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