Book of the church Author:Robert Southey Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER VIII. PROCEEDINGS UPON BECKET'S DEATH. —KING JOHN. — TRIUMPH OF PAPAL POWER. As soon as Henry was informed that the four barons had suddenly left t... more »he court, he apprehended some mischief, and immediate orders for stopping them were despatched to all the sea-ports of Normandy. This caution was too late, and when the news reached Henry, he was struck with remorse for the cause of the crime, and alarmed for the consequences. He put on sackcloth and ashes, and, for three days, was incapable either of consolation or counsel. At length, an embassy was sent to the pope, and messengers to Canterbury, commanding that the body should be honorably buried. This was acting as became him, and it were well if he had persevered in a dignified course. The king of France called on the pope to unsheathe the sword of St. Peter, and Urban regarded the murder as an event which might be made subservient to his views. Two of Becket's chaplains, sent bythe archbishop of Sens, appeared before him to plead against the reconciliation which Henry solicited. Holy Thursday was at hand, and it was expected that, on that day, the whole of Henry's dominions would be placed under an interdict. To prevent this stroke, the embassy from England assured the pope that the king would submit wholly to his mandates in this affair. Their object was answered by this expedient, and the pope contented himself, on the dreaded day, with excommunicating the murderers of Becket, in general, and all who advised, abetted, or consented to the crime. He wrote, also, a letter to Henry, exhorting him to humility. Money was said to have been largely distributed among the cardinals, and every thing was composed, till Urban should send legates into Normandy. The terms of accommodation saved appearances for both parties. ...« less