Day after day crowds of exiles besieged the door of his cell at
Pontigny. His heart was wrung with anguish; he implored the compassion
of his friends, and enjoyed at last the satisfaction of knowing that
the wants of these blameless victims had been amply relieved by the
benefactions of the King of France, the Queen of Sicily, and the Pope.
Still Henry's resentment was insatiable. Pontigny belonged to the
Cistercians; and he informed them that if they continued to afford an
asylum to the traitor, not one of their order should be permitted to
remain within his dominions. The Archbishop was compelled to quit his
retreat; but Louis immediately offered him the city of Sens for his
residence.

Here, as he had done at Pontigny, Becket led the solitary and
mortified life of a recluse. Withdrawing himself from company and
amusements, he divided the whole of his time between prayer and
reading. His choice of books was determined by a reference to the
circumstances in which he was placed; and in the canon law, the
histories of the martyrs, and the Holy Scriptures he sought for advice
and consolation. On a mind naturally firm and unbending, such studies
were likely to make a powerful impression; and his friends, dreading
the consequences, endeavored to divert his attention to other objects.
But their remonstrances were fruitless.

Gradually his opinions became tinged with enthusiasm: he identified
his cause with that of God and the Church; concession appeared to him
like apostasy, and his resolution was fixed to bear every privation,
and to sacrifice, if it was necessary, even his own life in so sacred
a contest. The violence of Henry nourished and strengthened these
sentiments; and at last, urged by the cries of the sufferers, the
Archbishop assumed a bolder tone, which terrified his enemies, and