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The Life and Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury
The Life and Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury Author:John Morris Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV. The Chancellor's Policy. . 1155—1161. Military career of the Chancellor—Gilbert Foliot refuses the administration of London—second subsidies—the ... more »Chancellor interferes in behalf of the Archdeacon of London, of John of Salisbury, the Archdeacon of Rouen and the Bishop of Le Mans—difficulty of the position—Battle Abbey—judgments on the Chancellor's conduct. It would be neither easy nor justifiable to attempt to clear St. Thomas from all blame in the scenes we have just witnessed. The argument which would excuse him for his warlike occupations on the score of the manners of the age, is not, it is true, altogether without weight; let the reader estimate its value for himself. Still, though this may palliate, it cannot justify so signal an infringement of the Church's canons. Beyond question it is not edifying to read of the Archdeacon of Canterbury—the first unmitred dignitary in England, a churchman by all the ties of his plurality of benefices, and a deacon in orders —as "clad in breastplate and helmet," in successful tilt unhorsing the valiant Sir Engelramne, " with lance in rest and charger at gallop." However, the most important view of the matter, that which his own conscience took, is sufficiently satisfactory. In after-days, when everything wasweighed by him in the balance of the sanctuary, his lamentation was, De pastore avium factits sum Pastor ovium. The worldliness of his former life was his principal regret, without any special remorse in reference to deeds of arms, which in ! our times would be held to induce irregularity,/ and to render an application to the Pope neces-l sary for absolution. ' The vigour and energy of character, which led , him to promote the war by appearing in person / at the head of his troops, induced him to cooperate with the K...« less