France: "Whatsoeuer displeaseth this man, is taken (as he interpreteth
it) contrarie to Gods honour, and so by that shift will he chalenge to
himselfe all that belongeth vnto me. But bicause you shall not thinke
that I go about to resist Gods honour, or him, in any reasonable order,
looke what the greatest and most holie of all his ancestors haue doone
vnto the meanest of mine ancestours, let him doo the same vnto me, and I
am contented therewith."

All the companie present cried, "that the king humbled himselfe enough."
"My lord archbishop (said the French king) will you be greater than
saints, and better than saint Peter? Wherof stand you in doubt? Behold,
your peace is at hand." [Sidenote: The present state of the church in
Becket daies.] The archbishop made answer in commendation of the present
state of holie church, as thus: "My holie predecessours in their time,
although they cut not all things away that extolled it selfe against
God, yet did they cut off diuers: but if they had plucked vp all by the
hard roots, which might offend, who should now haue raised the fire of
temptation against vs? We are in much better case (thanks be to God) and
as we haue laboured in their lot and number, so are we partakers of
their labour and reward. What if any of them had béene defectiue or
excessiue in any point, are we bound to follow the example of their
defection or excesse? We blame Peter for his denieng of Christ, but we
praise him in reproouing of Neros violence with danger of his life. The
church hath risen and increased out of manie dangerous oppressions, our
fathers haue suffered manie things, bicause they would not forsake the
name of Christ; and ought I to suppresse his honour, to be reconciled
vnto any mans fauour? God forbid, God forbid."

[Sidenote: The archb. Becket blamed of arrogancie.] When the Noble men
present heard this answer of a subiect against his souereigne, they all