The Murder Of Archbishop A Becket.

for supremacy which ensued Henry had for awhile the better of Becket , and the latter had eventually to quit his country . He remained in exile for several years , returning in 1170 , a seeming reconciliation having been effected through the instrumentalit y of the Pope ancl the King of France . In these apparent amenities there was , however , no sincerity , for neither king nor cleric were in the least disposed to relinquish what they deemed their rihts .

g During the Archbishop of Canterbury ' s absence from England three prelates , their Graces of York , London , ancl Salisbury , had officiated at the coronation of the King ' s eldest son . This arrogation of one of tbe privileges attached to the primacy greatly incensed Becket . Immediatel y after his return to the archiepiscopal palace he published letters of excommunication against the offending bishops . Information of this daring act was conveyed to

King-Henry—then residing at the Castle of Bur , near Bayeux , in France—who flew into a terrible passion , and unthinkingly exclaimed , " Will no one rid me of this turbulent , upstart priest ? " Four of the King ' s courtiers , imagining him to be in earnest , immediately set out to execute his wish . Their names were Reginald Fitzurse , Hugh cle Morville , William de Tracy , and Richard le Breton . On the evening of December 28 th 1170 the quartette concocted a scheme in a

, , dark chamber of Saltwood Castle for the slaughter of Becket at his palace on the succeeding clay . By some means the Archbishop had heard of the danger that threatened him , and on their arrival at . his abode the four knights found the doors barred against them . After some delay , however , they succeeded in forcing an entrance , onl y to find that Becket had repaired to the cathedral by way of the cloisters to conduct evening A'espers . Thither they

immediately followed , ancl entered into an angry altercation with the primate , Fitzurse at length striking him on the head with his sword and knocking off his cap . Tracy next followed with a deadlier thrust , and several additional blows left Becket a bleeding corpse on the cathedral pavement . Smitten with terror at the enormity of their cruel and sacrilegious act , the four murderers fled northward to Knaresborough , ancl secluded themselves in the castle close b y the banks of the Nidcl . No punishment beyond excommunication ( a dire penalty in those clays , be it remarked ) seems to haA'e overtaken them .

The King , whose fit of fury had prompted the knights to assassinate the stauuch champion of the church , had , as everyone has heard , to undergo severe punishment in expiation of his crime . It was only with extreme difficult y that he obtained absolution , and his pilgrimage to , and penance at , the shrine of the sainted Thomas , was an abject acknowledgment of ecclesiastical supremacy . Henry ' s humiliation has been full y described in all our national

and local histories , but in none more graphicall y than our good friend Mr . John Brent ' s valuable book , entitled , " Canterbury in the Olden Time , " which also contains many other particulars anent Archbishop a Becket which we have not space to refer to . Here is Mr . Brent ' s picture of the regal penance -. — With bare , and after a time , bleeding feet , Henry , King of England , great grandson of the Conqueror , walked through the streets of the city to the cathedral . What a wondering crowd beheld his approach , and then following at his steps , in silence , doubtless , if not awe-stricken at the judgment of God , at the triumph of his Church !

Tarrying a few minutes at the spot where the murder had been done , yet looking strange and shadowy , with a hundred gloomy lights and tapers , here , we are told , he burst into tears , and flung himself upon the ground . A group of knights and ecclesiastics were around him . The Bishop of London stepped forth and repeated something like a confession for the King , that he had not commanded the murder , but he had caused it by his hasty speech ! The King now moved towards the tomb or shrine . He made offerings of silk , and , it is saidwed of goldTo the Chapter he promised lands

, ges . . Then came the strangest scene of all , the satisfaction to be given on his person in expiation of the crime . The king threw off his cloak , he knelt , and laid his head on the tomb of Becket , and bishop aud abbot , as many as were present , each struck him five times with a rod .