By Matthew Surridge in 1155 Thomas Becket, the Thirty-Seven-Year-Old
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page one OLDAugust & September 2021 NEWS$ 4.00 ArchbishopBy Matthew Surridge Defies customs,”King meaning the royal right In 1155 Thomas Becket, the to try and punish criminal priests. thirty-seven-year-old archdeacon of Becket believed that the supposed Canterbury, was named chancellor customs had no historical basis, to the King of England by the newly and believed also that to surrender crowned Henry II. The appointment the church’s right to try churchmen was a considerable promotion, but would set a precedent of handing the Becket knew that there were poten- church’s authority over to the crown. tial political conflicts associated with Becket, along with the other the post. bishops, told the king that they would Becket was a clever, energetic, and support royal customs to the extent amiable young man who had been that they felt was lawful for church- born to a merchant family in London. men to do so—meaning that they In his twenties he had found his way held that canon law superseded the into the service of Theobald of Bec, king’s claims. Henry was not satis- the archbishop of Canterbury. It was fied, and told Becket he would accept Theobald who had named Becket only a simple and unconditional archdeacon, and urged Henry to “yes.” The king then left the meeting. select him as chancellor, the highest Thomas Becket depicted in stained glass at Canterbury Cathedral. The next morning, Becket was ecclesiastical member of the king’s summoned to meet Henry. Henry court—effectively the royal chap- bishop would be a challenge much relieved to find that despite Henry’s ordered Becket to give up control lain—even though Becket had not greater than any he had faced in his initial reaction, Becket’s decision did of certain estates that he had con- been formally ordained as a priest. role of chancellor. Becket, therefore, not immediately sour the friendship trolled as royal chancellor, and that Becket’s main responsibility as chan- attempted to decline the honor. between the two men. Henry had allowed him to continue cellor was to deal with the finan- But then a messenger from Pope Then in the summer of 1163, to oversee even after his resigna- cial and legal chores, including the Alexander III urged Becket to take Henry attempted to intervene in the tion. Henry then left the city, ending issuing of governmental payments the position. The pope was an ally of case of a canon who had committed the council. The brief meeting had and receipts. Henry, and seems to have believed a murder and had been punished by been a stinging public rebuke for As he learned the ways of the that Becket would be an effective an ecclesiastical court. Henry wanted the archbishop. Becket understood court, Becket soon became the agent of both king and church, to reopen the affair, and impose that Henry’s anger was personal; he king’s best friend. At the same time, helping to keep both institutions harsher penalties. Becket perceived felt that Becket had betrayed him. Theobald seems to have been satis- in harmony. In the face of this this as an attempt to strengthen royal Becket himself was hurt by Henry’s fied that Becket was a good influ- urging, Becket agreed to take the authority at the church’s expense. As public anger but also strongly ence on the king. Worldly-wise and a archbishopric. Becket had feared, Henry wanted to believed in the rightness of his own capable administrator, Becket deftly Many of the English bishops prosecute felonious churchmen in actions. balanced the interests of both Henry expressed reservations about the an effort to establish the primacy of and Theobald for several years. installation of Becket as archbishop, secular law over church law. Becket In 1161 Theobald died after a long arguing that the position was tradi- was determined to prevent this. period of infirmity. Henry told Becket tionally given to a monk. The bishops In October of 1163, Becket he intended to have him serve as felt that a man who had spent much attended a council in London held both chancellor and as the new arch- of his life at court was too secular by Henry with all his bishops and bishop. Becket realized that Henry in his orientation to be archbishop. several dozen barons. At the council, hoped to use their friendship to assert Henry’s insistence overcame their Henry argued that secular courts rights over church policies that Henry opposition. Becket was formally should have jurisdiction over eccle- regarded as traditional powers of the elected archbishop by a council of siastical criminals. Henry argued throne. Specifically, Henry resented English churchmen and barons late in that most ecclesiastical punishments, the fact that churchmen charged with May, and established on June 3. He such as being forced into a monas- a crime could only be tried in an immediately resigned his position of tery, were too lenient, while the pun- ecclesiastical court, not a lay court. chancellor, believing he needed to do ishment of exile was something that Becket suspected that Henry would so in order to be fully free to act as only the king’s courts could rightfully try to assert the crown’s right to bring archbishop. decree. ecclesiastical criminals to trial; if so, The resignation surprised and Becket could not allow Henry’s Henry would expect Becket as arch- angered Henry, but Becket felt action to go unopposed, even at bishop to agree with him. Becket, strongly that the action was neces- the cost of angering the king. He though, believed that as archbishop it sary. As chancellor, he had led a launched a detailed rebuttal of the would be his responsibility to main- lifestyle that often involved lavish royal proposal. Henry interrupted tain the church’s powers to the best of feasting and other displays of wealth; him. He demanded to know whether Medieval sculpture shows his ability. He felt that attempting to as archbishop, he had to adopt a dif- Becket and his bishops would Archbishop Thomas Becket serve both king and church as arch- ferent way of living. Becket was observe what Henry called “royal returning to England from France. page two Not long after this confrontation, installing a new bishop. In theory, the with the sardonic question: “Do you Becket decided to leave the messengers from Pope Alexander king could then allow a bishop’s seat find my kingdom not big enough for country. He believed that by continu- III came to Becket. The pope, who to remain vacant in order to collect both of us?” ing to reject Henry’s claims from was at that time in Sens, France, the revenues from the land. The king seemed determined foreign soil, he would be more effec- had learned of the quarrel. The pope Upon seeing the Constitutions of to coerce Becket into signing the tive than if he continued in England urged moderation; he felt that the Clarendon, Becket realized that the Constitutions of Clarendon. In mid- under Henry’s power. He fled that king had been so intransigent only pope had been wrong in his assess- 1164 a baron brought a legal case night at midnight, in disguise. After to maintain his standing before the ment of the king’s character and against Becket over the control of some difficulties, he left England on barons at the council. Alexander aims. Henry’s victory in London land that was part of the archbish- November 2 and landed in Flanders believed that if Becket acceded to over the issue of trying criminal opric. When Becket was unable to later that day. Henry’s demands to recognize royal priests had simply emboldened him. appear at the court due to illness, a Becket was received with open customs, the king would not take Not only did Becket feel it wrong royal council found him guilty of arms at a French abbey. King Louis undue advantage in defining those to agree to the Constitutions, but he disobedience and of contempt of of France guaranteed him finan- customs. Becket reluctantly followed also realized that Henry would likely the summons. He was fined heavily, cial help and sanctuary. Meanwhile, the pope’s suggestions. He went to demand more powers in future. Since but Henry, not content with this, ambassadors from Henry and allies speak to Henry at Oxford, where Henry had made him agree to the demanded a payment of a past loan of Becket were both making their the king was staying. Becket told royal customs in the Constitutions and a complete accounting of rev- cases to the pope. Becket went Henry he would accept the customs before seeing them, though, he enues for all vacant sees and abbeys to Sens to speak to Alexander. Henry had insisted on. Becket was could not explicitly reject them. He Becket had controlled as chancellor. Ultimately, the pope confirmed annoyed to find this was not enough accepted his copy of the documents Becket could not possibly make these Becket in his position. for Henry. but did not sign them. payments; they would bankrupt him. For six years Becket remained The king organized a second A dejected Becket wrote to the While Becket was appearing in exile in France. He wrote letters council in January of 1164 at a pope begging forgiveness for what before the royal council in October, to Henry, and commanded the hunting lodge called Clarendon, near Becket saw as his sin of disloyalty. a group of bishops heard credible excommunication of the traitorous Salisbury. Henry forced Becket to Exactly what he had feared had come rumors that Henry intended to charge bishops.