hopes of becoming
a useful conquest to the English nation.

Besides that the easy and peaceable submission of the Irish left Henry
no further occupation in that island, he was recalled from it by another
incident, which was of the last importance to his interest and safety.
The two legates, Albert and Theodin, to whom was committed the trial
of his conduct in the murder of Archbishop Becket, were arrived in
Normandy; and being impatient of delay, sent him frequent letters, full
of menaces, if he protracted any longer making his appearance before
them. He hastened therefore to Normandy, and had a conference with them
at Savigny, where their demands were so exorbitant, that he broke off
the negotiation, threatened to return to Ireland, and bade them do
their worst against him. They perceived that the season was now past
for taking advantage of that tragical incident; which, had it been hotly
pursued by interdicts and excommunications, was capable of throwing
the whole kingdom into combustion. But the time which Henry had happily
gained, had contributed to appease the minds of men; the event could
not now have the same influence as when it was recent; and as the
clergy every day looked for an accommodation with the king, they had not
opposed the pretensions of his partisans, who had been very industrious
in representing to the people his entire innocence in the murder of the
primate, and his ignorance of the designs formed by the assassins. The
legates, therefore, found themselves obliged to lower their terms; and
Henry was so fortunate as to conclude an accommodation with them. He
declared upon oath, before the relics of the saints, that so far from
commanding or desiring the death of the arch bishop, he was extremely
grieved when he received intelligence of it; but as the passion which
he had expressed on account of that prelate's conduct, had probably been
the occasion of his murder, he stipulated the following conditions as an
atonement for the offence. He promised, that he should pardon all such
as had been banished for adhering to Becket, and should restore them to
their livings; that the see of Canterbury should be reinstated in all
its ancient possessions; that he should pay the templars a sum of money
sufficient for the subsistence of two hundred knights during a year in
the Holy Land; that he should himself take the cross at the Christmas
following, and, if the pope required it, serve three years against the
infi