al
power, and in endeavoring to extort from the church of England, as well
as from the pope, an express avowal of these disputed prerogatives.
Conscious also of his own violence in attempting to break or subdue the
inflexible primate, he was not displeased to undo that measure which had
given his enemies such advantage against him, and he was contented that
the controversy should terminate in that ambiguous manner, which was
the utmost that princes, in those ages, could hope to attain in their
disputes with the see of Rome. Though he dropped for the present
the prosecution of Becket, he still reserved to himself the right of
maintaining, that the constitutions of Clarendon, the original ground
of the quarrel, were both the ancient customs and the present law of
the realm; and though he knew that the papal clergy asserted them to
be impious in themselves, as well as abrogated by the sentence of the
sovereign pontiff, he intended, in spite of their clamors, steadily to
put those laws in execution, and to trust to his own abilities, and to
the course of events, for success in that perilous enterprise. He hoped
that Becket's experience of a six years' exile would, after his pride
was fully gratified by his restoration, be sufficient tc teach him more
reserve in his opposition; or if any controversy arose, he expected
thenceforth to engage in a more favorable cause, and to maintain with
advantage, while the primate was now in his power, the ancient and
undoubted customs of the kingdom against the usurpations of the clergy.
But Becket, determined not to betray the ecclesiastical privileges by
his connivance, and apprehensive lest a prince of such profound policy,
if allowed to proceed in his own way, might probably in the end prevail,
resolved to take all the advantage which his present victory gave him,
and to disconcert the cautious measures of the king, by the vehemence
and rigor of his own conduct. Assured of support from Rome, he was
little intimidated by dangers which his courage taught him to despise,
and which, even if attended with the most fatal consequences, would
serve only to gratify his ambition and thirst of glory.

When the suspended and excommunicated prelates arrived at Baieux, where
the king then resided, and complained to him of the violent proceedings
of Becket, he instantly perceived the consequences; was sensible that
his whole plan of operations was overthrown; foresaw that the dangerous
contest betwee