England under the Angevin Kings, Volume II

England under the Angevin Kings, Volume II

Produced by: MWS, Fay Dunn, State Library of Western Australia and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) Somewhat more than a year after the primates death, Thomas the chancellor returned to England. He came, as we have seen, at the kings bidding, ostensibly for the purpose of securing the recognition of little Henry as heir to the crown. But this was not the sole nor even the chief object of his mission. On the eve of his departureso the story was told by his friends in later daysThomas had gone to take leave of the king at Falaise. Henry drew him aside: You do not yet know to what you are going. I will have you to be archbishop of Canterbury. The chancellor took, or tried to take, the words for a jest. A saintly figure indeed, he exclaimed with a smiling glance at his own gay attire, you are choosing to sit in that holy seat and to head that venerable convent! No, no, he added with sudden earnestness, I warn you that if such a thing should be, our friendship would soon turn to bitter hate. I know your plans concerning the Church; you will assert claims which I as archbishop must needs oppose; and the breach once made, jealous hands would take care that it should never be healed again. The words were prophetic; they sum up the whole history of the pontificate of Thomas Becket. Henry, however, in his turn passed them over as a mere jest, and at once proclaimed his intention to the chancellors fellow-envoys, one of whom was the justiciar, Richard de Lucy. Richard, said the king, ii.2if I lay dead in my shroud, would you earnestly strive to secure my first-born on my throne? Indeed I would, my lord, with all my might. Then I charge you to strive no less earnestly to place my chancellor on the metropolitan chair of Canterbury.[1] ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 68347
Author: Norgate, Kate
Release Date: Jun 19, 2022
Format: eBook
Language: English
Publication Date: 1887
Publisher Country: United Kingdom