brightnes soe in the resurrectioÌ„ the Saintes shall shine like starrs euery one in his proper order and they that haue instructed many to liue well shall bee as the bringhtnes of the Firmament for euer and euer among which ranck saint Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury may worthely bee placed Saint Thomas of Canterbury who as hee hath bin for Christ a Companion of their tribulation and patience soe is hee now in Christ a fellowe heire of their ioy and consolation whose meritts that they may the better appeare to the world I haue heere set downe the somme of his life and conuersation breifely and succinctly referring those that desire to reade his actes more largely discoursed to larger volumes of him and by him where hee shall bee satisfyed to the glory of Gods grace which breatheth where it will with how great expedition hee dispatched many great affaires it appeareth by his Epistles and by the writinges of other credible Authors also which being read with due attention may stirre vp vs and succeeding ages to vertue and piety Hee was borne in LoÌ„don of noe meane parentage Blessed Thomas was by birth à Londoner a noble issue descended from no meane parents from his tender yeeres hee was endowed with manifold graces of stature hee was tall of personage comely of witt quicke in discourse subtill and pleasant and in beauty of mynd hee was no lesse amiable In his yong yeeres such was the sharpnes of his witt that hee could vnfould strange and intricate questions and therewithall hee had soe happy a memory that what soeuer hee read or heard hee could easily make vse of it when occasioÌ„ was offered which many greater Clerkes could not attaine vnto all men did admire the alacritie of his spirit especially in a man employed in soe many businesses but thus did grace attend and nourish him that was reserued for soe emineÌ„t a place in the Church of God In his Sermons and ordinary discourses as hee vsed often times to say necessary matter was ministred vnto him his mother also as hee vsed to say taught him from his cradle to serue God His mothers Lesson and devoutly to call vpon the Blessed Virgin mother of God as the directer of hiâ—â—yes and patronesse of his life and next vnto Christ to put his cheife confidence in her His charitie and compassion Hee had compassion on those that begged from dore to dore and releiued them effectually so as hee might say with Iob mercy hath growne vp with mee from the beginning and pitty came with mee out of my mother's wombe Leauing the schooles of liberal sciences hee beecame a Courtier He became a Courtier in which profession hee gaue soe great hope of his forwardnes that both in the serious affaires of the Courte and in their disportes and recreation hee excelled far all his companions of his rancke and albeit hee did apply himselfe to the vaine delightes of youth as the frailty of that age did leade him yet was there euer in him a religious zeale and a magnificent mynd Hee was very religious albeeit hee was beyond measure desirous of popularity and as wee read of saint Brice of Tours although hee was proud and vaine and many times amourous in his wordes yet was hee nevertheles an admirable paterne to bee followed in the chastity of his body He was chast of body When hee perceaued that many thinges were attempted in the Courte to the dishonor of the Cleâ—gie and that his liuing there was repugnant to his intended purpose by the instinct and conduction of grace rather then by the motion and aduice of his freindes He was preferred to the seruice of Theobald Arch-Bishop of Can. hee preferred himselfe to the seruice of Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury of happie memory where through his industrie in shorte time hee was receaued into the number of his most familiar freindes which were very fewe how many great trauailes hee sustained there for the Church of God how often hee did visite the sepulchers of the Blessed Apostles He was employed in meighty affaires for the dispatch of necessary affaires with what prosperous successe hee spedd in his negotiations it is not easy to bee related especially by a pen that affecteth breuity purposing only compendiouslie to set downe the cause and manner of his Martyrdome He studyed the Ciuil and Canon lawe for the better preparing of him that was preordained of God to bee soe great a prelate for the decyding of weighty causes and instructing of the people hee gaue himselfe to the study of the Ciuil and Cannon lawe and for the encreasing of his experience in the Ecclesiasticall function the saide Archbishop made him Arch-Deacon of the Church of Canterbury wherin hee was trained vp He was made Arch-Deacon of Cant. Afterward when Henry Duke of Normandie and Aquitaine the sonne of Galfride Earle of Angiou and Mawlde the Empresse succeded king Stephen in the crowne of England the said Arch-Bishop obtained of the king the Chancellorship of England for his Arch-Deacon He was made Lord Chauncellor of Eng. for hee suspected the kinges youth and feared the malice of certaine yong heades by whom hee seemed to bee directed least that by their counsaile hee should bee incited to take vpon him the gouerment of the realme by the lawe of conquest for it seemed vnto him that hee had coÌ„quered the Realme wheras in truth it was nott soe and therfore the Arch-Bishop procured such à Lord Chancellor by whose meanes and industry the new king might bee stayed from attempting any thing against the Church his malice tempered and the insolency of his officers repressed who vnder colour of authority and instice had conspired to make a prey of the Church and common-weal e. At his first entrance into that office hee sustained so great and manifold difficultyes of weighty affaires was enuironed with so many labours oppressed with so many afflictions set vpon with so many wiles and exposed to so many snares of the courte or to speake more properly of the courtiers that hee vsed often times with teares to protest vnto the Arch-Bisbop and others his freindes hee was euery day weary of his life and moreouer that next vnto his eternal saluation he desired nothing more theÌ„ without note of infamy to deliuer himselfe from the alurements of the Courte for albeeit the world seemed to applaude and flatter him with all her enticements yet was hee neuer vnmindfull of his place and the Church committed vnto him wherby hee was constrained continually to contend and striue His allegiance to the king and loue to the common weale for the honor and safetie of the king and secondly for the good of the Church and common wealth both against the king himselfe and his enemyes also and by diuers sleightes to defeate diuers wiles by them intended against him but his greatest greife was that hee was without intermissioÌ„ to fight against the beastes of
Saintes recounteth his charitable benignity Thus fare Peeter who although hee were the king's faithfull seruante yet seeking rather the honor of God then men omitted not as much as in him lay to defend vnder hand the cause of saint Thomas AN. DOM. 1165. Now followeth the yeere of our Lord 1165. with the xv Indiction according to times computation An Embassage to the Pope from mawde the Empresse in the beeginning whereof an Ambassag was sent from Mawde the Empresse mother of Henry king of England to Pope Alexander wherin shee beesought his Holines to ioyne in league the kinges of France and England which if hee could accomplish a peace was likely to ensue beetweene the king of England and saint Thomas When Iohn of Salisbury who was resident in Alexanders courte had notice heereof hee certifyd saint Thomas thereof by letter beeginning thus When as lately I sollicited my Lord the Pope incouraging him and carefully insinuating a way which meethought I vnderstood for reducing to him and you the tranquillity of peace hee answered that hee conceaued a hope of peace from wordes of the Empresse who vpon a vowe sent then the Abbot of saint Martyrs thither promising the king of England could easily bee perswaded to what soeuer my Lord desired if his Holines would as hath bin long wished confederate the two kinges wherein beecause my Lord the Pope is forward the king of France as surely it semeeth will easily inclyne vpon the Popes conference with the kinges and that his Holines had allready inuited the king of France to keepe the feast of the Purification with him Thus far concerning the conceaued hope of Peace and added moreouer That hee spoake with the king of France whom hee found very fearefull least vpon such occasion hee should bee withdrawne from the communion of the Church of Rome and leauing Pope Alexander cleaue to the scysmaticall faction These thinges thus signifyed Salisbury beeseecheth saint Thomas to employ himselfe rather in prayer then the study of learning from whose letters receaue these notes which in Quadrilogus are recyted out of Herebert concerning sainct Thomas while hee remayned as yet in the Monastery of Pontiniacke hee was so much affected to the reading of holy scriptures as daily after the Cānonicall houres the sacred bookes were scarce euer out of his handes whereupon by reason of his loue to the Scriptures and labour employed therein hee did in shorte tyme soe profit as most often in the nice and obscurest sentences hee excelled his instructors themselues moreouer hee bestowed his life in studying the Ecclesiasticall Cannons which endeauours of his in these dangerous tymes were no whit pleasing to Iohn of Salisbury whom saint Thomas held in no smale estimation as well in reguard of his singuler honesty as also his learning who confident of his credit with this saint admonisheth him in the same letters of these thinges worthie remēbrance saying My counsel my desire my instant intreaty is that you wholly conuert your mynd vnto our Lord Cod Vat. lib. 1. Ep. 31. and the suffrages of prayers beecause as it is written in the Prouerbes the name of our Lord is the strongest tower whereunto if any man flye Prouerb 18. hee shall bee deliuered out of all extremities Put of in the meane time as much as you may all other businesses The ptofitable admonition of à friend to S. Thomas beecause allthough they seeme maruilous necessary yet what I perswade you is more highly to bee preferd in regarde it is farre more necessary The lawes and Cannons ef the Church doe profit but beelieue mee this other woorke is now of more importance those ornamentes are not sutable to this season for they are not soe much the procurers of deuotion as of curiosity Doe you not remember how in the distresse of the people as it is written the Preists and Ministers poured out their teares beetweene the porch and the Altar Ioel. 2◠Psal 76. ibidem saying Spare ô Lord spare thy people I was exercised sayd the Prophet and I sweeped my spirit in the day of tribulation seeking our Lord with my handes Which teach vs that spirituall excercise with cleansing and examination of the conscience turneth away the scourge and obtaineth the mercy of God Who riseth with compunction from perusing the lawes and Cannons Nay I say more these exercises in schooles doe sometimes puffe vp knowledge to swell in pride but seldome or neuer inflame vs with deuotion I had rather you would meditate on the Psalmes and spend your life in saint Gregorie's Moralles then beecome a Philosopher after the Scholastical fashyon it is farre better to confer with aspirituall father for amendment of manners by whose example you may bee incensed then to sifte and discusse pointes of controuersies appertayning to secular literature our Lord knoweth with what intent with what deuotion I suggest these thinges Accept them as you please but if you performe this God will euer assist you that you shall neuer haue cause to feare what soeuer man deuiseth against you our Lord seeth that in these instant streightes of afflictions wee are not to hope as I thinke in any mortal creature c. Thus Iohn aduised saint Thomas very conueniently In the meane time S. Thomas oppressed with extreme afflictiōs although absent yet with letters doth prosecute his busines writing as well to the king of England as also to the Bishoppes who ought to exhorte and admonish their Prince To the king hee directed these letters which Roger in his Cronicle deliuereth in these wordes To his Dread Soueraigne Lord Henry by the grace of God the famous king of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and Eearle of Anioue Thomas by the same grace the humble seruāt of the Chuch of Canterbury The letter of S. Tomas to the king of England sendeth greeting and all wishes of well-doinge To speake of God is the parte of a free and well quieted mynde which causeth mee soe to speake to my Lord And I would wee might treate peaceably I humbly beeseech you my Lord to endure with patience some litle admonition concurring with the grace of God which was neuer voyd for the saluation of your soule and deliuery of myne I am on all sides beeset with extremityes for tribulation and perplexities haue found mee in the midst of two most weyghty and fearefull matters plunged I say beetwene these two important thinges dreaded silence and Admonition Let mee cease to speake death is then threatened mee nor can I auoyd the hand of our Lord saying If thou shalt not showe the offendor his fault and hee thereby dyeth in his sinne Ezech. 3. I will require his blood at thy bandes On the other side let mee admonish I see not how to eschewe which God forbid my Soueraignes indignation fearing moreouer least that should beefall which the wise man foretould saying when hee who pleaseth not commeth or sendeth to make intercession or motion it is to bee
THE LIFE OR THE ECCLESIASTICALL HISTORIE OF S. THOMAS ARCHBISHOPE OF CANTERBVRY COLLONIAE M.DC.XXXIX TO THE MOST REVERENT FATHER IN GOD RICHARD SMYTH BISHOPE OF CHALCEDONE c. MOST Reuerent and my most honored good Lord I haue alwayes apprehended the life and Martirdome of that most excellent Prelate and vndaunted Champion S. Thomas Archbishope of Canterburie a most perfect Paterne of a good Pastor yea and of a good subiect too as one wisely discerning Gods part from Caesars and giuing to ether their owne without which there can be no Christian iustice Take his owne golden and last words for it written to King Henry his soueraigne Prepared I am not onely to die but also to suffer a thousand deathes and all torments whatsoeuer for Christ's sake Yet whether I die or liue Cod. Vat. l. 5. Epist 54. I am and shall euer be yours and what euer becomes of vs and ours God euer blesse you and your issue So that I haue iudged no tyme mispent in culling the peeces out of the most authenticall and best Authors which haue concurred to the making vp of this litle bulke or Epistolarie processe of his life and death which I hope will appeare most contentfull and satisfactorie to all and fittest to frame a right iudgment in any as not being crooked and fitted to selfe endes by artificall amplifications but furnished by knowne fact and made good by so many and so irâ—eprochable witnesses as it cannot indeed be suspected to be in any part disguised or forced by corruption or malice but to deliuer a naked truth Now amongst all those whom I duely reuerence and honor in earth I could find none to whose patronage this poore worke of myne might laye a more iust clayme then to your Lordship like as in my iudgment your Lordshipe can pretend no Patrone in Heauen to whom you may haue a more confident recourse or with whom you might haue more sympathie being considered such as he liued in this earthly habitation for Religiousnesse zeale contrie cause constancie None which comes more home to your vse in respect of your long delay in banishment and the opposition you haue found euen amongst some of your children and those domesticalls of faith In a word in reading it you will not fayle before your death to reade a great part of your owne renowned life May it I beseech almightie God be long contentfull prosperous in earth and followed out with an eternally blessed one in heauen These are and euer shall be the zealous wishes of all good men and in particular of Your Lords. most humble and deuoted seruant A. B. THE PREFACE TO THE Epistolarie and Ecclesiastical History of sainct Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury INTENDING to present vnto your viewe out of that reuerent an renowned author Cardinall Baronius the great controuersie beetweene the Church and kingdome of England wherein the cheife actors in this our disturbed nation were that mightie King Henry the second and our Metropolitane sainct Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and in forraine countryes that most holy wise Pope Alexander the 3. and Lewes the pious king of France with many Catholicke Princes and among the Scismatickes the potent Emperour Fredericke with his idoll Octauian seeking by all meanes to intrude themselues and put their sickles into this haruest where the Diuel the father of their execrable scysme like a deepe polititian taking aduantage of their hellish discord had in this vnfortunate Iland sowed the cockle of dissention I thought best in regard this canker soe spreade it selfe through the Christian world and this history was collected out of the Epistles written by the cheifest rulers in that age to lay open briefely the state of the westerne Church and kingdomes vnited therein whereby your mindes receauing light may better discouer thinges otherwise obscured First therefore to delineate the time I must somewhat touch the raigne of Pope Adrian Alexanders predecessour who being the only man of our English nation that euer steered saint Peeters ship and was not only for his singular vertues wisedome and learning preferred to the Apostolike Sea but also himselfe the Apostle who conuerted the Norwegyans to the Christian faith I thinke it no vnnecessary digression to treate of his origine progresse and most high preferment At Abbotts Langley in the County of Hertford neere kinges Langley Nicolas Breakespeare afterwards Pope AdriaÌ„ borne in England where Edmund of Langley receaued his first breath from whom all the kinges of England and Scotland haue these many yeeres descended was borne Nicolas Breakespeare who afterwarde exalted to the gouerment of the Church of Rome and called Adrian the fourth ruled in matters of faith and Religion the whole Christian world His father was Robert Breakespeare a yonger brother of the family of Breakespeare whose place concurring with the name is seated neere Vxbridge in Middelsex now in the possession of Ashby His father saith Iohn Stowe after the death of his wife and before the departure as I conceaue of his sonne out of the realme professed a Religious life in the Monastery of saint Abbans wherein Stowe ignorantly not maliciously ran into an errour for Pope Adrians mother as shall bee afterwards showed ouerliued him It appeareth in a Counsell celebrated in Normandie by Pope Alexanders Legates with the Archbishop of Roane and Bishops of the same Prouince anno Dom. 1172. how before that time men might enter into religion leauing their wiues in the world for there was made a Canon afterwards prohibiting it And so might Robert Breakespeare in this precedent age as it is affirmed bee a Monke in saint Abbans and his wife as it is certaine ledd a retyred life vnder the Archbishop in Canterbury The name of Breakespeare beeing truly English and about the time of the Conquest inuincibly proueth they were of the Saxon not of the Norman race Breakespeare it selfe was in the raigne of king Iames the inheritable mansion of a knight and how great in forepassed dayes God knoweth But as sainct Thomas sayth in his Epistle to Gylbert Bishop of London what hath a priest a religious man to doe with these worldly flourishes I will descend to his humiliation which was his ascent first to honor then to heauen All that followeth is collected out of Card. Baronius Leauing as Abraham his countrey and kindred hee trauelled in his youth to pourchase learning and comming to Arnulate professed religion in the Monastery of saint Rufus where hee was called first to bee Prior then Abbot of the house whereupon it fortuned that for serious occasions of the Church commended to his charge hee went to the Apostolike Sea and hauing fully finished all his busines and now intending to returne Pope Eugenius of blessed memory retayned him there and by consent of his brethren Pope Eugenius Adrian Bishoppe of Alba. did consecrate him Bishop of Alba. A while after seeing his vertues and wisedome hee designed him Legate a Latere of the Apostolike Sea into
demanded Where is the Archbishoppe Wherfore the Confessor of Christ now instantly to bee crowned with Martyrdome knowing the first slanderous name to bee falsly imposed on him but the last agreeable to him in regarde of his function descending the steppes and meeting them sayde Loe heere I am And beehaued himselfe with soe great constancy as neither his mynde seemed any way to bee moued with feare or his body astonished with horror To whom one of these cruell knightes in the spiritt of fury sayd Thou shalt instantly dye for it is impossible thou shouldst longer liue Wherunto the Archbishop answered with no lesse constancy of wordes then mynde I am prepared to dye for the cause of God the defence of Iustice and the liberty of the Church But if yee seeke my life I forbid yee on the beehalfe of Allmighty God and vnder the paine of incurring his curse to hurte anyway any other bee hee Monke bee hee Clearke bee hee Layman bee hee more bee hee lesse but let them bee free from the paine as they are no parties to the cause These wordes in his suffering seeme like to those of Christ in his passion saying Yf yee seeke mee suffer these to departe Then layde the kinghtes instantly handes on him to drawe him out of the Church and soe to murder him but could not moue him Wherfore the Archbishoppe seeing these his executioners with swordes ready drawne as one praying bowed downe his heade vttering these his last wordes I commend to God our Blessed Lady with the Saintes Patrons of this Church and S. Denise my selfe and the cause of his Church And soe this Martyr with an inuincible mynde and admirable constancy did not in all his tortures speake one worde yeelde any noyse giue any sighe or heaue his hand against any blowe but helde his enclined heade thus exposed to the swordes vnmoueable till all was ended The knightes on the other syde fearing least the multitude of men and womē flocking all about would rescue him out of their handes beefore they accomplished their intent hastened their heynous sinne When one of them lefting vp his sworde to make a blowe at the Archbishoppes heade cutt of the arme of a Clearke called Edward Grimfere and wounded with all our lordes Anoynted The cruelty vsed in the slaughtering of saint Thomas This Clearke stretched out his arme ouer his Fathers heade to receaue the blowe or rather to beate it away As yet stoode the iust suffering for iustice as an innocent Lamb without murmurre without clamor and offerring himselfe as a sacrifice to our Lord hee prayed to his Saintes for assistance And that none of this accursed crewe might in forbearing the Archbishoppe bee found guiltles of this foule cryme the second and third of them dashed cruelly their swordes on the heade of this constant Champion and breaking his braynes whurled headlong downe to the grownd this oblation of the holy Ghost And lastly the fourth outragious with more then deadly yea hellish cruelty when the Sainte was now prostrate yea yeelding vp the Ghost cutt of his shauen crowne broake in peeces the scull of his head and thrusting in the point of his swoard threwe out on the pauement of stone his braynes together with the blood Our Abel hauing therfore consummated the glory of his Martyrdome Tho time of the Martyrdome of S. Thomas in breife accomplished many tymes for the seauenth yeere of his exile now beeginning the a fore sayd Martyr Thomas for the law of God and the Churches liberty which in the English Church was allmost wholly perished cōbated euen to death and dreaded not the wordes of the wicked for beeing founded on a firme rocke which was Christ hee for the name of Christ in the Church of Christ on the fifte day of Christes Natiuity beeing the day after the feaste of the Innocents was himselfe an Innocēt slayne whose innocēt life and death for the meritt of the cause pretious in the sight of God haue bin manifested with many miracles which not only in the place of his rest but in diuers other nations ād kingdomes are alsoe with admiration showed The same day was the passion of saint Thomas reuealed by the holy Ghost to blessed Godric an Anchoryte at Fintz-hall a place distant from Canterbury aboue an hundred and three score myles Heereupon the Monkes of the Church of Canterbury shutt vp the dores of the Church which remayned in such sorte suspended from the celebration of Masse for allmost a whole yeere vntill they receaued the Churches reconciliation from Pope Alexander Concerning the Martyrs body the Monkes taking it away placed it the first night in the Quire The buryall of S. Thomas perforning ouer it the Exequies of the deade and it is credibly affirmed that the Obsequies beeing ended lying in the Quire on the Beare about the breake of day hee lifted vp his hand and gaue them his Benediction afterwards they buryed him in a vaulte Thus far Roger wryting of the Martyrdome and buryall of saint Thomas And this was the end of this most glorious Martyr who conquered with his blood and tryumphed in the torments of a violent death and now renowned with the Garland of a most famous Martyrdome is mounted vp to the Courte of heauen leauing to all posterites an example of singular constancy to fight euen to the last gaspe for maintayning the Churches liberty But instantly fell headelong on his enemyes now vanquished and ouerthrowne by their owne wicked victory horror and dreade as men afflicted on all sydes with remorse reuenging sinne But of this shall bee heereafter our later discourse as a tracte more miserable As touching the tyme of his noble Martyrdome allthough it appeareth out of soe many beefore recyted Epistles that the most holy man was this selfe same yeere on the sayd day slayne with the swordes of the impious yet neuertheles in some Authors his Martyrdome is founde to bee mentioned in the yeere following as in the Epitaph recited by Roger in the Chrinicles of England and by Robert de Monte beeing thus written A thousand hundred seauenty one it was When Prymate Thomas with the sworde was slayne The fiste of Christmas from the world did passe This worldes faire flower whose fruit with God doth reigne But where they affirme his passion to bee in the yeere a thousand one hundred seauenty one it proceedeth hence that they beegan their yeere from our Lordes Natiuity For they who reckon from the Kalends of Ianuary or the Incarnation of our Sauiour doe truly and boldly alleage this same to bee the yeere of his Martyrdome as the wryters of Quadrilogus in these wordes Thomas that notable Champion of God Archbishoppe of the Church of Canterbury Prymate of all England and Legate of the Apostolike Sea suffered death in the yeere after our Lordes incarnation one thousand one hundred and seauenty beeing aged fifty three on the fourth of the Kalends of Ianuary beeing then Tewseday about the eleuenth howre of the