Thomas Becket: Playing a role
Murder and martyrdom
On 1 December 1170, Becket disembarked at Sandwich. On his journey to Canterbury, the way was lined with cheering crowds, welcoming him home. But almost immediately the arguing began again. Almost as soon as he returned to Canterbury, a deputation arrived asking him to withdraw his excommunication of Roger and the bishops. Becket agreed on the condition that they swore to obey the pope. They refused and, duly excommunicated by Becket, went to see Henry, who was visiting his French territory.
Back in Canterbury, Becket was insulted by Ranulph de Broc, whom he had excommunicated in 1167 and from whom he now demanded the restoration of Saltwood Castle, a manor previously belonging to the archbishop's see. After a week's stay there, Becket went to London, where the 'Young King' refused to see him. He arrived back in Canterbury on or near his 52nd birthday.
'Deliver me'
Meanwhile Roger and the bishops had laid their complaints before Henry at Bures, near Bayeux in Normandy. In reply, the king is said to have exclaimed:
By God's eyes, if all are excommunicated who were concerned in the coronation, I am excommunicated also! Is this varlet that I loaded with kindness, that came first to court to me on a lame mule, to insult me and my children, and to take my crown from me? What cowards have I about me that no one will deliver me from this low-born [or 'troublesome' or 'meddlesome'] priest!
It is said that four of his knights – Reginald Fitzurse, William de Tracy, Hugh de Morville, and Richard le Bret – took this as a rebuke to them for allowing Becket to continue to live. In any event, they immediately set off for England and made their way to the irate de Broc family at Saltwood.
Terrified monks
Becket had already received a letter warning him of danger when, on the afternoon of 29 December, the four knights came to see him at his episcopal palace. The account that follows is drawn from a number of different sources.
During their interview with Becket, the knights made several demands – in particular, that he give absolution to Roger and the bishops. He refused. The knights withdrew, 'uttering threats and oaths'.
A few minutes later, Becket heard people shouting, doors banging open and a clashing of arms. Urged on by his attendants, he began moving slowly through the cloisters to the cathedral. It was now twilight and vespers were being sung. At the door to the north transept, he was met by some terrified monks, whom he commanded to get back to the choir. They withdrew a little and he entered the church. When the knights were spotted behind him, the monks slammed the door and bolted it. In their confusion, they also shut out several other monks, who began beating loudly on the door.
'Thomas the traitor'
Becket turned and cried, 'Away, you cowards! A church is not a castle!' He reopened the door himself, then went towards the choir. All but one of the monks – Edward Grim – fled to the crypt and other hiding places.
The knights broke through the door, shouting, 'Where is Thomas the traitor?'
'Here I am,' he replied, 'no traitor, but archbishop and priest of God!'
The knights shouted at him to absolve the bishops. Becket answered firmly: 'I cannot do other than I have done.' He turned to one of the knights. 'Reginald, you have received many favours from me. Why do you come into my church armed?'
Fitzurse made a threatening gesture with his axe. 'I am ready to die,' said Becket, 'but God's curse on you if you harm my people.' There was some scuffling as they tried to force the archbishop outside. Fitzurse flung down his axe and drew his sword.
'You pander! You owe me fealty and submission!' exclaimed the archbishop.
The assassination
Fitzurse shouted back, 'I owe no fealty contrary to the king!' and knocked off Becket's cap. At this, the latter covered his face and cried out to God and the saints. De Tracy struck a blow. It first hit the arm of Edward Grim, who was nearby holding the archbishop's crozier, then grazed Becket's skull. He wiped away the blood running into his eyes and cried: 'Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit!'
Another blow from De Tracy beat him to his knees, and he pitched forward on to his face, murmuring, 'For the name of Jesus and in defence of the Church, I am willing to die.' With a vigorous thrust, Le Bret struck deep into his head, breaking his sword against the pavement, and Hugh de Morville added a blow, although the archbishop was now dying.
The murderers, brandishing their swords, now dashed through the cloisters, shouting: 'The king's men! The king's men!' The cathedral filled with people, initially unaware of the catastrophe, and a thunderstorm broke overhead. Becket's body lay in the middle of the transept, and for a time no one dared to approach it.
The king's penance
When the news of Becket's murder was brought to the king, he shut himself away and fasted for 40 days, for he knew that his chance remark had sent the knights to England bent on vengeance. Pope Alexander excommunicated the four knights and prohibited Henry from taking mass until he made reparation for his sins. This he did on 21 May 1172. At a ceremony of public penance at Avranches in Normandy, he swore, among other things, not to obstruct any appeals to Rome by the clergy and to abolish all customs prejudicial to the Church.
Agreeing to these concessions, Henry lost very little in practical terms. But by giving in to the Church, he created problems on fundamental issues that lasted right to the Reformation.
And his penance was not yet over. In February 1173, the pope promulgated a bull of canonisation, declaring Thomas Becket a saint only a little more than two years after his martyrdom. The following year, on 12 July, Henry fasted, donned sackcloth and ashes, walked barefoot through Canterbury to the cathedral while being scourged by 80 monks and spent the night at Becket's elaborately and expensively decorated tomb.
It was to this tomb that pilgrims would make their way throughout the Middle Ages, inspiring Geoffrey Chaucer to write The Canterbury Tales. Ironically, the tomb of Thomas Becket – that staunch defender of papal rights – was finally destroyed by Henry VIII, when he finally wrested ecclesiastical matters from the Church.
