. 70.]

[*** Epist. 45, lib. r]

But the king attained not even that temporary tranquillity which he had
hoped to reap from these expedients. During the heat of his quarrel with
Becket, while he was every day expecting an interdict to be laid on his
kingdom, and a sentence of excommunication to be fulminated against
his person, he had thought it prudent to have his son. Prince Henry,
associated with him in the royalty, and to make him be crowned king,
by the hands of Roger, archbishop of York. By this precaution, he both
insured the succession of that prince, which, considering the many
past irregularities in that point, could not but be esteemed somewhat
precarious; and he preserved at least his family on the throne, if the
sentence of excommunication should have the effect which he dreaded, and
should make his subjects renounce their allegiance to him. Though his
design was conducted with expedition and secrecy, Becket, before it was
carried into execution, had got intelligence of it, and being desirous
of obstructing all Henry's measures, as well as anxious to prevent this
affront to himself, who pretended to the sole right, as archbishop of
Canterbury, to officiate in the coronation, he had inhibited all the
prelates of England from assisting at this ceremony, had procured from
the pope a mandate to the same purpose, and had incited the king of
France to protest against the coronation of young Henry, unless the
princess, daughter of that monarch, should at the same time receive the
royal unction. There prevailed in that age an opinion which was akin
to its other superstitions, that the royal unction was essential to the
exercise of royal power: it was therefore natural, both for the king of
France, careful of his daughter's establishment and for Becket,
jealous of his own dignity, to demand, in the treaty with Henry, some
satisfaction in this essential point. Henry, after apologizing to Lewis
for the omission with regard to Margaret, and excusing it on account of
the secrecy and despatch requisite for conducting that measure, promised
that the ceremony should be renewed in the persons both of the prince
and princess; and he assured Becket, that besides receiving the
acknowledgments of Roger and the other bishops for the seeming
affront put on the see of Canterbury, the primate should, as a further
satisfaction, recover his rights by officiating in this coronation. But
the violent spirit of Becket, elated by th