ch, "There have been many kings of England, some of
greater, some of less authority than myself: there have also been many
archbishops of Canterbury, holy and good men, and entitled to every kind
of respect: let Becket but act towards me with the same submission which
the greatest of his predecessors have paid to the least of mine, and
there shall be no controversy between us." Lewis was so struck with
this state of the case, and with an offer which Henry made to submit
his cause to the French clergy, that he could not forbear condemning the
primate, and withdrawing his friendship from him during some time; but
the bigotry of that prince, and their common animosity against Henry,
soon produced a renewal of their former good correspondence.

{1170.} All difficulties were at last adjusted between the parties; and
the king allowed Becket to return, on conditions which may be esteemed
both honorable and advantageous to that prelate. He was not required
to give up any rights of the church, or resign any of those pretensions
which had been the original ground of the controversy. It was agreed
that all these questions should be buried in oblivion; but that Becket
and his adherents should, without making further submission, be restored
to all their livings, and that even the possessors of such benefices
as depended on the see of Canterbury and had been filled during the
primate's absence, should be expelled, and Becket have liberty to supply
the vacancies.[*] In return for concessions which intrenched so deeply
on the honor and dignity of the crown, Henry reaped only the advantage
of seeing his ministers absolved from the sentence of excommunication
pronounced against them, and of preventing the interdict, which, if
these hard conditions had not been complied with, was ready to be laid
on all his dominions.[**] It was easy to see how much he dreaded that
event, when a prince of so high a spirit could submit to terms
so dishonorable, in order to prevent it. So anxious was Henry to
accommodate all differences, and to reconcile himself fully with Becket,
that he took the most extraordinary steps to flatter his vanity, and
even on one occasion humiliated himself so far as to hold the stirrup of
that haughty prelate while he mounted.[***]

[* Fitz-Steph. p. 68, 69. Hoveden, p. 520.]

[** Hist Quad. p. 104. Brompton, p, 1062. Gervase,
p. 1408, Epist. St. Thom. 704, 705, 706, 707, 792, 793, 794.
Benedict. Abbas p