metropoliticall dignitie, to stand before the king in iudgement, or anie
other temporall magistrate. And albeit (saie they) some diminution or
eclipse might haue chanced to the dignitie of the church by that
iudgement, yet it had beene his part to haue dissembled the matter for
the time, to the end that peace might haue béene restored to the church.
He further obiected (ascribing to himselfe the name of father, which
seemed to sauour somewhat of arrogancie) that the children ought not to
come togither to iudge the fathers cause, but it had béene far more
necessarie that the humblenesse of the sons should mitigate the pride
and temper the ambition of the father."

To conclude the kings ambassadors made earnest suit, that two legats
might be sent from the pope, to haue the hearing & discussing of all the
matter betwixt the king and the archbishop without any other appealing.
[Sidenote: The kings tale could not be heard.] But the kings tale could
not be heard in that court, [Sidenote: The archbishop Becket.] the
archbishop hauing alreadie persuaded the pope to the contrarie. For
comming to the pope he vttered his complaint as followeth:

[Sidenote: _Matt. Paris._] "Most holie father, I doo here come for
succour to your audience, lamenting that the state of the church, and
the liberties thereof are brought to ruine by the couetous dealing of
kings and princes. Wherefore when I thought to resist the disease
approching, I was suddenlie called before the king, to render accompts
as a laie man about certeine wards, for whom (while I was the kings
chancellor) I had notwithstanding giuen accounts; and also, when I was
made bishop, and entred into the dignitie of ruling the archbishops sée,
I was released and discharged of all reckonings and bonds by the kings
eldest sonne, and by the cheefe iusticer of the realme: so that now,
where I looked to haue found aid, I was destitute thereof, to my great