bats, and a rascal rout of retainers and followers. Never did I see Parliament more fully thronged; for all men knew that now must come the decision of the Church's cause; that it should now be seen whether the sword or the Crosier were to have the preeminence, whether the prayers of departed Saints or the threats of ungodly men should take most effect. Then the King, arrayed in his royal robes GOD grant him long to wear them!-stood and made an oration against me. Thou knowest how we were once fast friends; how our thoughts and speech were in common; how our business and rest, our days and our nights, were shared together. Judge then, therefore, if we, who have never wronged him even in thought, who for him would give up every thing, save the testimony of a good conscience, who from him would endure any thing, save insult to the Church whereof we are, under GoD and His Vicar, the Head,-judge if we did not, like the prophet Jeremy, long for eyes like fountains of tears, that we might weep and be satisfied, that the old friend should become the young enemy, the ancient benefactor the new injurer! He accused us of contumacy, in that, when summoned, we denied to appear before him. We, as our duty was, defended ourselves therefrom; pleading with many tears,— for they be the arms of a Bishop,-that we were ready with joy to have come before our monarch, but for two weighty reasons, us then urging: on the one hand, that cur diocare, tro

regulated, could then not without much difficulty spare us; and on the other, that from what we knew of the machinations of our bitter enemieswhom God forgive !-we doubted our persons would at that season be scarce safe in the court, and did therefore humbly desire to wait till a fitter opportunity of presenting ourselves there might arise. The King made answer with exceeding angry and bitter words, calling us ungrateful to his love, and traitors to his favour; and did exhort the whole assembly to find us guilty of the matter wherein he accused

us."

"But surely," answered the Sub-prior, "there was too much love, not only for the Church, but for truth and honesty, in that great council, containing in itself the flower of English chivalry and learning, that hath vanquished ere now Paynim and Sarazins, both by lance and by book-yea, too much love, holy Father, for thyself - that they should do as the king bade them."

"Alas, my son!" returned Becket, "knowest thou not that which the wise man saith-Ira regis leonis rugitus-the king's wrath is as the roaring of the lion? Truly the love of honesty and uprightness profiteth those little who have the fear of man before their eyes. And love to ourselves had few in the council: the laymen hate us because we will not overlook their encroachments and robberies on holy Church; and the Bishops and Abbats, because with strong arm we curb in their excess of

riot. With one voice did they take counsel against us, finding us, in the matter nominated, guilty of contumacy towards the king; and so brake they off for that day. We, with a sad heart, betook ourselves to our lodgings in this house; and none, save our own vassals, followed us. Nay, in all this town, none are there of the better sort that bear true love to us but thyself, son Warel, and the Prior of this convent;-and little can he understand the mighty struggle which even now is going on for the very being of the Church. He scarce comprehendeth that we fear for her, and not for ourselves; and doth choose such consolations as pedagogues do for practice of rhetoric read unto their scholars. Seeing that on earth there was none who could give us guidance or comfort, we continued instant in prayer to God all that night; and did on the next day, being Friday, understand that our goods and chattels were, for that contumacy whereof we spoke afore, by the council declared to be forfeited unto the king. Then he, who thus robbed us of all, did, as of great grace and favour, content himself with but five hundred pounds; which sum, as being far beyond that which we could pay, the Bishops did band together and become sureties for. That done, incontinently he demanded of us another five hundred pounds, that, as he averred, he had lent to us when we were Chancellor. Such sum we had of him, but as a royal and free gift; yet, forasmuch as it was his pleasure now to deprive us of it, we did

willingly let it go: knowing that it becometh not GOD's servants to wrangle about worldly wealth. And we were glad, yea right joyful, that we might thus make known unto him, as before by word, so now by deed, that while we would die for the least penny of the Church's wealth, of our own we made little care. Notwithstanding we did incline to say, as said he of old, For it was not an enemy which "hath done me this dishonour, for then I could have "borne it; neither was it mine adversary that did 'magnify himself against me, for then peradventure "I could have hid myself from him but it was even thou, my companion, my guide, and my own "familiar friend!"

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"But," said Warel, as the Archbishop paused, "something I heard of embezzlement and extortion laid to your Paternity's charge; may I crave if that were true, or rather, as I hoped, a report as false as the accusation itself would have been ?"

"Thither am I coming, my son. It was on the day after, when it pleased the king to lay to our charge two hundred and fifty thousand marks; these, as he constantly affirmed, we received in our Chancellorship for vacant benefices. Then was it that we might well perceive the small love which the Bishops bare us. Some were there, who ceased not to urge us, as though we had been guilty, that we should resign our See, and betake ourselves to the king's mercy; others thought it unmeet to surrender after this fashion the privileges of the

Church; and yet did so speak of us, and deal by us, as if we were unmeet to company with them. When they could not agree touching their advice, we thought it good to send messengers to the king, craving him to delay the matter till yesterday; which with much difficulty he yielded unto. Yet it pleased GOD, that when we should have made our appearance before him, we were seized with so sudden and grievous a sickness, that our life was by the leech for some season despaired of: and as you may partly behold, unto our usual strength we have not yet attained. But to-day we determined to give our answer, even though we should perforce be carried on a couch into the great hall: and to-day accordingly will we go thither; though, GOD be thanked, in far other guise. And this morning, before thou camest, many Bishops visited us in our chamber, beseeching us to resign our See, and submit ourselves wholly unto the king: that thereby we might ourselves be set free from our present danger, and the kingdom, now as it were torn into two, might return to peace. To whom we made answer, that sooner would we be burnt alive than thus endanger the salvation of our souls, by deserting the cause of GOD."

"And what, holy Father, is the course which thou dost now intend to follow? For, as I well perceive, on this day hangeth the fortune of the Church. For, if your Fatherliness, which our Lady forefend! should be condemned, what security hath