distorqueatur a recto. Ego ovis verula, qui si quietus essem,
verbi Dei lacte, et operinento lanae, aliquibus possem fortassis
non ingratus esse, sed si me cum hoc tauro coniungitis, videbitis
pro disparilitate trahentium, aratrum non recte procedere,"_ etc.

Which is in English thus--

"Of secular affairs I have no skill, because I will not know them;
for I even abhor the troubles that rise about them, as one that
desireth to have his mind at liberty. I apply my whole endeavour
to the rule of the Scriptures; you lead me to the contrary; and it
is to be feared lest the plough of holy church, which two strong
oxen of equal force, and both like earnest to contend unto that
which is good (that is, the king and the archbishop), ought to
draw, should thereby now swerve from the right furrow, by matching
of an old sheep with a wild, untamed bull. I am that old sheep,
who, if I might be quiet, could peradventure shew myself not
altogether ungrateful to some, by feeding them with the milk of
the Word of God, and covering them with wool: but if you match me
with this bull, you shall see that, through want of equality in
draught, the plough will not go to right," etc.

As followeth in the process of his letters. The said Thomas Becket was
so proud that he wrote to King Henry the Second, as to his lord, to
his king, and to his son, offering him his counsel, his reverence, and
due correction, etc. Others in like sort have protested that they owed
nothing to the kings of this land, but their council only, reserving
all obedience unto the see of Rome, whereby we may easily see the
pride and ambition of the clergy in the blind time of ignorance.

And as the old cock of Canterbury did crow in this behalf, so the
young cockerels of other sees did imitate his demeanour, as may be
seen by this one example also in King Stephen's time, worthy to be
remembered; unto whom the Bishop of London would not so much as swear
to be true subject: wherein also he was maintained by the pope....

Thus we see that kings were to rule no further than it pleased the
pope to like of; neither to challenge more obedience of their subjects
than stood also with their good will and pleasure. He wrote in like
sort unto Queen Maud about the same matter, making her "Samson's
calf"[2] (the better to bring his purpose to pass)....

[2] A fool or dupe.

Is it not strange that a peevish or