e power of the church, and by
the victory which he had already obtained over his sovereign, was not
content with this voluntary compensation, but resolved to make the
injury, which he pretended to have suffered, a handle for taking revenge
on all his enemies. On his arrival in England, he met the archbishop of
York and the bishops of London and Salisbury, who were on their journey
to the king in Normandy. He notified to the archbishop the sentence of
suspension, and to the two bishops that of excommunication, which, at
his solicitation, the pope had pronounced against them. Reginald de
Warrenne and Gervase de Cornhill, two of the king's ministers, who
were employed on their duty in Kent, asked him, on hearing of this bold
attempt whether he meant to bring fire and sword into the kingdom. But
the primate, heedless of the reproof, proceeded in the most ostentatious
manner to take possession of his diocese in Rochester and all the
towns through which he passed, he was received with the shouts and
acclamations of the populace. As he approached Southwark, the clergy,
the laity, men of all ranks and ages, came forth to meet him, and
celebrated with hymns of joy his triumphant entrance. And though he
was obliged, by order of the young prince, who resided at Woodstock,
to return to his diocese, he found that he was not mistaken, when he
reckoned upon the highest veneration of the public towards his person
and his dignity. He proceeded, therefore, with the more courage to
dart his spiritual thunders. He issued the sentence of excommunication
against Robert de Broc and Nigel de Sackville, with many others, who
either had assisted at the coronation of the prince, or been active
in the late persecution of the exiled clergy. This violent measure, by
which he, in effect, denounced war against the king himself, is commonly
ascribed to the vindictive disposition and imperious character of
Becket; but as this prelate was also a man of acknowledged abilities, we
are not in his passions alone to look for the cause of his conduct, when
he proceeded to these extremities against his enemies. His sagacity had
led him to discover all Henry's intentions; and he proposed, by this
bold and unexpected assault, to prevent the execution of them.

The king, from his experience of the dispositions of his people, was
become sensible that his enterprise had been too bold, in establishing
the constitutions of Clarendon, in defining all the branches of roy