The Failed Accord at the Conference of Montmirail 6th January 1169 [Epiphany]
By the Chateau de Montmirail in the Perche-Gouet
Extract from
http://txm.ish-lyon.cnrs.fr/bfm/pdf/becket.pdf
Stanzas 815 -843Lines 4071-4215
815
Un altre parlement out a Muntmirail pris ;
Si fu par l’apostolie e par ses briés asis.
Od les barons franceis i fu reis Loëwis ;
Od mult riche barnage i fu li reis Henris.
4075 Mult i out grant clergié e mult baruns de pris.
816
Car de part l’apostolie de Rume i sunt alé
Danz Bernarz de la Coldre, sainz hum de grant bunté,
Li priurs del Munt Deu, huem de grant honesté,
Arcevesque e evesque e priur e abé,
4080 Pur faire cele pes. E mult s’en sunt pené.
817
Saint Thomas demandeit les dreiz de saint’iglise,
[126] Possessiun e rente que li reis en out prise ;
E li reis, la custume qui el regne iert asise :
Ses custumes ne volt laissier en nule guise.
4085 Saint Thomas ne volt faire, ço dit, si grant mesprise.
818
Tant alerent entr’els clerc e lai tute jur,
Que li reis dit : ne quiert mes qu’il en ait honur ;
Face li ço que firent as suens si anceisur ;
Lui covient que ses genz aient de li poür,
4090 E pur ço volt mustrer e fierté e reidur.
819
Car felenesse gent a mult a guverner,
E pur ço li covient mult fier semblant mustrer.
Mais se li arcevesques li volt tut graanter
Ço que si anceisur voldrent as suens guarder,
4095 Lanfrancs e sainz Ansealmes, ne volt plus demander.
820
L’arcevesque respunt : ja Damnedeu ne place
Que il deie tenir chose dunt rien ne sace ;
La u il firent bien, dreiz est que il le face,
E la u il mesfirent n’en volt sivre lur trace ;
4100 Car n’a en cest siecle humme a la feiz ne mesface.
821
Sainz Pieres li apostles, que Deus tant honura
Que en ciel e en terre poesté li dona,
Jesu Crist sun seignur par treis feiz reneia.
E ço ne fereit il pur quanqu’en cest mund a,
4105 Ne ja contre raisun custume ne tendra.
822
Des custumes ne set, ço dit, nule numer
Que li suen anceisur durent as reis guarder.
Li reis dit qu’a dous cenz les li fera jurer
Chevaliers e proveires. Dunc respundi li ber
4110 Qu’il li purreit asez des jureürs trover,
823
Ne metra saint’iglise en lur serement mais.
« Seignur, fait dunc li reis, il n’a cure de pais.
[127] Veez cum jo li faz amur e grant relais ! »
Dunc unt tuit escrïé l’arcevesque a un fais ;
4115 E clerc e lai li crient que trop esteit engreis.
824
Quant l’arcevesque veit que tuit li curent sure,
Nul ne s’en volt a lui apuier a cel’ure,
Del quer parfunt suspire e des oilz del chief plure,
E prie Jesu Crist, qui saint’iglise aüre,
4120 Qu’il ne face tel plait dunt envers Deu encure.
825
Dunc dist li reis Henris qu’en cels treis se metreit
Des evesques de France que il en eslirreit,
E quanqu’il en fereient qu’il le graantereit.
Dunc li crïerent tuit que asez en faiseit.
4125 Saint Thomas dist qu’en France mult produmes aveit,
826
E ço que il ferunt volt il bien graanter :
Sauf sun ordre, voldra les custumes guarder.
Li reis jure cel mot en estuvra oster :
Par cel mot le voldreit, ço dist, ensoffimer.
4130 De tutes parz li dient qu’il laist cel mot ester.
827
Mais li sainz arcevesques idunc li graanta
Que, salve la fei Deu, les custumes tendra.
Li reis jure les oilz ja cil moz n’i sera ;
Car sofisme, ço dit, e grant engin i a.
4135 – Mais ja mais nul engin en la fei Deu n’avra.
828
Dunc dist li arcevesques que tut ço li fereit
Que nuls des arcevesques sun rei faire deveit.
Li reis jure les oilz ja cel mot n’i sereit :
Trecherie, ço dit, e engin i aveit.
4140 – Mais ne quiert nul engin qui fait que faire deit.
829
Li reis dit qu’il ne quiert mes qu’il li face honur :
Face li ço que firent as reis si anceisur,
Que tuz li mieudres d’els fist a tut le peiur.
[128] Dunc respundirent tuit li sage e li meillur
4145 Que li reis dit asez : pais volt e offre amur.
830
Quant l’arcevesque vit tuit se tindrent al rei,
Li priurs del Munt Deu e Bernarz del Coldrei
E nis li reis de France, u il ot greignur fei,
De ses beals oilz plura e se tint tut en sei :
4150 « Seignurs, fait il a els, sa volenté otrei. »
831
Quant l’arcevesques out al rei tut otrïé
E se furent a ço d’ambes parz apuié,
Dunc ad li arcevesques sun capel jus sachié,
Li reis Henris, le suen ; dunc se sunt aprescié,
4155 Qu’en pais s’entrebaissassent e en veire amistié.
832
Fait dunc li arcevesques, qui Deus esteit mult pres :
« Sire, a l’onur de Deu e la vostre vus bes. »
Fait dunc Gefrei Ridel : « Ci ad soffisme adès.
– Veire, par les oilz Deu, fait il, n’a soing de pes. »
4160 Dunc turna sun cheval, si s’en poinst a eslès.
833
Quant le rei d’Engleterre en virent si partir,
Clerc e lai comencierent l’arcevesque a laidir,
E dient qu’il out tort, qu’il ne se volt tenir
En ço qu’ot graanté, e k’um nel puet grevir ;
4165 Ne virent unches pais pur si poi deguerpir.
834
Tuz perdi les Franceis saint Thomas a cel jur ;
Par France l’apeleient felun e traïtur.
A l’ostel s’en ala li huem Nostre Seignur.
Si clerc furent vers li e murne e en irur,
4170 E dient qu’il les a tuz morz senz nul retur.
835
« Grant tort avez, fait il ; jo vus tieng tuz pur orbs.
De grant hunte nus a Damnedeus wi estors :
Car li reis nus soleit demander granz estors,
Apeler traïturs e malveis de noz cors ;
4175 Relaissié nus en ad, e tut c’en a mis fors.
836
Or ne nus demande el mais qu’il en ait honur,
[129] Que tenum les custumes si cum nostre anceisur ;
E nus li graantames. Mes ja mais a nul jur
N’i avendra pur humme. Merci al creatur
4180 Que sumes eschapé de si grant desonur ! »
837
Dunc fist ses briefs escrire. L’apostolie a mandé
Tut ço qu’il out al rei pur la pes graanté,
E pur quei li reis l’a guerpi e refusé
E a Deu de sa pais par covenant osté.
4185 Or li prie e requiert mant l’en sa volenté.
838
A la Ferté Bernart jut li reis cele nuit.
Devant ses privez a Gefrei Ridel aduit.
« Cestui voil jo, fait il, que vus honurez tuit.
Mielz s’est ui esmerez de l’or set feiz recuit.
4190 Guari m’a par sun sens ; li fel ne m’a suduit. »
839
Quant il se fu culchiez e il s’out purpensé
De ço que l’arcevesque li aveit graanté,
E que pur un sul mot l’out ensi refusé,
Dit qu’il est enginniez e que mal a erré,
4195 Car l’arcevesques out faite sa volenté.
840
E jure les oilz Deu e volt bien afichier
Que ja mais a cel puint ne purra repairier.
Tuz ses servanz ad fait erramment esveillier,
E ad fait pur l’evesque de Peitiers enveier,
4200 Tost vienge a li parler. Il ne s’i volt targier.
841
A mienuit ala al rei Henri parler.
« Vus estuvra, fait il, a l’arcevesque aler.
Enginniez sui, quant pais ne li voil graanter,
Car il m’out otrïé quanque soi demander.
4205 Par les oilz Deu, ja mais n’i purrai recovrer !
842
Or alez après lui, pensez de l’espleitier.
Dites lui qu’or prendrai ço que il m’offri ier. »
Dunc munta li evesques, ne s’i volt plus targier,
E enveia avant sa venue nuncier.
4210 Quant saint Thomas l’oï, fist ses sumiers cargier.
843
El chemin s’esteit mis, ne l’a pas atendu.
L’evesque le siwi tut a col estendu ;
E quant il vint a lui, si li ad respundu
Que ja mais a cel point u il l’orent eü
4215 Ne vendreit pur nul humme, car contre raisun fu.
Translation
815
Another conference took place at Montmirail, it had been summoned to this place by the Pope, by one his letters. King Louis [VI] came there with the French barons; king Henry came there with many of [his] powerful barons. [And there were also] there many grand [members] of the clergy [together with] many other barons of worth. 4075
816
On behalf of the Pope of Rome [Alexander III] were sent there, the lord Bernard de la Coudre [the prior of Grandmont,] a holy man of great virtue, and the prior of Mont Dieu a man of great honesty, [and] archbishops and bishops, and priors and abbots, [all] for to broker this peace; and they [all] did their very best [to achieve] this [aim]. 4080.
817
St Thomas demanded the rights of Holy Church, [and all] the possessions [property] and rents that the king had seized from him; and the king [insisted] on the customs which belonged to the kingdom, [those of] his customs which he did not wish to let go of in any way. St Thomas did not to commit such a great wrongdoing. 4085
818
There were many comings and goings between the clerics and laity the whole day long, until king [Henry] declared that he would seek no more than a sign of respect:
That he [Thomas, the archbishop] must act towards him as his [Thomas'] predecessors had done towards his [king Henry's] ancestors, that his people [subjects] must fear him. And that by this he wanted to demonstrate that he had both strength and determination. 4090
819
Because he had many wicked people to govern. and for this reason he had to seem to look as if he was very cruel. But he would grant the archbishop everything, if he would [agree to] observe those [customs] which belonged to his ancestors [the same customs] which Lanfranc and St Anselm [had observed]. He did not wish to ask for more. 4095
820
The archbishop replied: <<It does not please Almighty God that I should hold to those things about; which I know nothing: where they have done good it is right that I should do as they did, but where they have done wrong, I have no wish to follow in their footsteps. Indeed, there is no one in this world who does not commit sin. 4100
821
St Peter the apostle, whom God greatly honoured, and Who gave him power both in Heaven and [here] upon Earth, denied his Lord, Jesus Christ, three times. And for this there was nothing in this world which would make him ever adhere to custom against reason [holy/Canon Law]. 4105
[Luke 22:54-62]
822
Then he said that he did not know or could not name a single custom which his predecessors had supposedly held on behalf of [their] kings. The king said that he had two hundred jurors [witnesses] [ready] who would swear to them, [both] knights and priests. Then our hero replied that he [the king] might be able to find enough jurors [witnesses] 4110
823
<<Never will I bind Holy Church upon their oath.>> [said St. Thomas]
<<My lords,>> the king then said, <<look he has never sought peace. See how I show him friendship and pardon him!>>
Then all [present] howled in unison at the archbishop: both clerics and laity shouted at him that he was too insolent. 4115
824
When the archbishop saw that all present. [and that] no one wanted to come to his assistance at that moment, from the very depths of his heart he sighed and the eyes in his head began to fill with tears; and he prayed to Jesus Christ, whom Holy Church venerates, that he would not take any such action which would render him guilty [of a sin] towards God. 4120
825
Then king Henry said that in this he would defer to three bishops of France that he [Becket] may choose and whatever [agreement] they came up with that he would accept it. Then they [all those around him] cried out that he [the king] was doing more than enough. St. Thomas said that France had many fine men [bishops] ... 4125
826
... and that he would well like to promise to keep the customs [but on the condition of] "saving his order". The king swore that these words must be excluded [from any agreement]. By these words, he said, he [Becket] would be [deliberately] trying to deceive him [the king] with sophistry. [Those present] from all sides said to him [Becket] that he should leave these words out. 4130
827
Rather the holy archbishop then consented that he would keep the agreement [the customs] "saving his faith in God" [the fealty/honour due to God]. The king then swore by the eyes of God that this phrase could not be used in this agreement. As there was sophistry [in them too], so he said, and great deceit therein. -- But never would there be any deceit in one's faith in God. [How could there be?] 4135
828
Then the archbishop said that he would do everything for him that an archbishop should do for his king. The king swore by the eyes of God saying that these words were treacherous and there was deceit in hiding in them - But there is no deceit if one does as one must do. [How could there be?] 4140
829
The king [king Henry] said that he sought no more than he [Becket] should do honour [show respect] to him, that which was done towards the kings of old by his [Becket's] predecessors: everything that the least of them [archbishops] had done towards the very worst [king]. Then all the wise people and the best men [present] said that the king had [openly] said enough, [that] he wanted peace and offered friendship. 4145
830
When archbishop [Becket] saw that everyone was siding with king [Henry], [that is] the prior of Mont-Dieu, and Bernard de Coudré, and even the king of France, in whom he had had greatest faith, his fine eyes filled with tears and when he had recovered himself he said to them, <<My Lords, I consent to his [king Henry's] will.>>
831
After the archbishop had conceded everything to the king, and [it was clear] both parties were in agreement with this, then the archbishop took off his cap, [and] king Henry his: then they drew close to one other, so that they could give each other the kiss of peace in true friendship. 4155
832
Then said the archbishop, who was very close to God, << Sire, to the honour of God and yours I give you [this] kiss [of peace].>>
Then Geoffrey Riddell immediately said: <<This is sophistry [there is deceit in this] !>>
<<Truly, by the eyes of God,>> said [the king], <<he cares not for peace.>>
He [the king] then turned his horse around, [and] using his spurs took off at a gallop.
833 [Both] Clerics and lay people, when they saw the king of England go off like that, started to rebuke the archbishop, and said to him that he had done wrong, that he [Becket] had not wanted to keep to that which he had acceded to, and for which he [the king] cannot bear any blame. Never ever had they seen a peace accord forsaken for so little. 4165 834 St Thomas lost [the good will] of the French that day; throughout France they called him a wicked person [felon] and traitor. Our man of God (God Our Lord) returned to his lodgings. His clerks (clerics) were both sad and angry with him; and they said to him that he had had them all sent to their death without recourse to an appeal. 4170 835 <<You are [all] completely wrong.>> he said, << I think you are all quite blind. The Lord Living God on high has stopped us [me] from committing a great shame, as the king used to demand from us [me] a great deal, calling us [me] a traitor and an evildoer to our [my] person. Now he has given up doing that to us [me], and he put all of that aside. 4175 836 >> Now he asks of us [me] for nothing more than he is shown honour, that we [I] [should] hold to those customs as did our [my] predescessor [archbishops]; and we [I] have acceded [this] to him. But never a day will come [when this will happen]. Thanks to God the Creator, we have escaped from such a great ignominy!>> 4180 837 He [Becket] then had a letter [from him] drawn up, which was sent to the Pope telling him everything he had done to [try to] secure peace with the king, and about how the king had abandoned it and refused him, and how he [the king] had excluded God from their peace agreement. Now he [Becket] begged and entreated him [the Pope] to tell him [Becket] what his [the Pope's] will was. 4185 838 The king lodged that night at La Ferté-Bernard [a fortress].. His privy advisors were led into his presence by Geoffrey Riddell. <<This is what I want>> he [the king] said, <<that you all should honour that man For he has shown himself today to be rather like pure gold which has been refined [by fire] seven times over.. He has healed me with his sense; the wicked can no longer deceive me. >> 4190 [https://is.gd/Bm03Eg] 839 When he was in bed and had thought deeply about what the archbishop had acceded to him, and that it was because of only one sole clause he had refused him, he said [to himself] that he had been influenced and gone badly astray as the archbishop had [actually] agreed to [everything] that he wanted. 4195 840 And he swore by the eyes of God and wanted fully to assert that never [again] would he be able to recover this position. He immediately had all his servants woken up and had the bishop of Poitiers [John Belmeis] sent for hastily to come and speak with him. 4200 841 At midnight he [the bishop of Poitiers] went to king Henry to talk [with him]. He [the king] said <<It will be necessary for you [the bishop] to go to the archbishop [Becket]. I deceived myself when I said I did not wish to grant him peace as he had conceded to me all that I could demand of him. By the eyes of God I will never retrieve this position [regain this advantage again]!>> 4205 842 >> Hurry to him now, think how to deal with him, tell him that I will agree to that which he offered me yesterday.>> Then the bishop mounted up [ on his horse]. He didn't want to delay there any longer. And he sent a messenger ahead [to Becket to say] that he was coming. When St Thomas heard this he had his pack-horse loaded up. 4210 843 He [Becket] set off along the road, not waiting for him [the bishop of Poitiers]. The bishop followed him at breakneck speed, and when he had caught him [Becket] up, [Becket] replied to him saying thus: that he would never agree to this point which he had heard from him that he would not come [back] for anyone as it was against [all] reason. 4215
References Michael Staunton (7 December 2001). The Lives of Thomas Becket. 37 Conference at Montmirail 6th Jan 1169: Manchester University Press. pp. 154–. ISBN 978-0-7190-5455-6.
https://goo.gl/ez3M19
Conference at Montmirail 6th Jan 1169 - Salvo Honore Dei
https://goo.gl/wZTzsR
Frank Barlow (16 August 1990). Thomas Becket. Conference at Montmirail: University of California Press. pp. 179–. ISBN 978-0-520-07175-9.
https://goo.gl/FN1LcX
Étienne Mignot (1756). Histoire du démêlé de Henri II, Roi d'Angleterre, avec Thomas Becket, Archevéque de Cantorbery: précédée d'un discours sur la jurisdiction des princes & des magistrats séculiers sur les personnes ecclésiastiques. Arkstée & Merkus. pp. 249–.
https://goo.gl/KavHs9
Eiríkr Magnússon (1875). Thómas Saga Erkibyskups: A Life of Archbishop Thomas Becket, in Icelandic, with English Translation, Notes and Glossary. Volume 1. Chapter LXV Of The Parting of the Kings [Conference of Montmirail]: Longman & Company. pp. 433–41.
https://goo.gl/x2LHSH
James J. Spigelman (2004). Becket & Henry: The Becket Lectures. James Spigelman. pp. 190–. ISBN 978-0-646-43477-3.W. L. Warren (28 November 1977). Henry II. University of California Press. pp. 108–. ISBN 978-0-520-03494-5.
https://goo.gl/7rVzVp
https://archive.org/stream/thomasbecketarch00huttuoft#page/206/mode/1up/search/montmirail
Hutton
Meeting at Montmirail
https://goo.gl/naXvdy
William Harris Rule (1854). The Third Crusade: Richard I., Coeur de Lion, King of England ; with the Affairs of Henry II. and Thomas Becket. The Conference of Montmirail: J. Mason. pp. 53–.
Richard Hurrell Froude (1839). Remains. Chapter XV: Conferences at Montmirail publisher not identified. pp. (360–) 365–96
John Allen Giles (1846). The Life and Letters of Thomas á Becket: Now First Gathered from the Contemporary Historians. Chapter XXXII and XXXIII: Whittaker. pp. 126–73.
Montmirail - Google Maps
Château de Montmirail (Sarthe) — Wikipédia francais
Adolphe Laurent Joanne (1867). Itinéraire général de la France: Bretagne. L. Hachette. pp. 298–.
George Payne Rainsford James (1842). A History of the Life of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, King of England. Baudry's European Library. pp. 140–.
Geoffrey Ridel (bishop of Ely) - Wikipedia
John of Canterbury - Wikipedia
Belmeis, John (DNB00) - Wikisource
Robert William Eyton. Court, Household and Itinerary of King Henry II., Instancing Also the Chief Agents and Adversaries of the King in His Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy.. BiblioBazaar. ISBN 978-1-241-55108-7Court, household, and itinerary of King Henry II.
archive.org/stream/mlangesdhistoi00pari#page/153/mode/1up/search/montmirail
General Correspondence
https://goo.gl/vRd6gD = MTB 451
https://goo.gl/BNRXLc = MTB 452 and MTB 453
https://goo.gl/H8zgUR = MTB 454
https://goo.gl/Uy4K5K = MTB 455
Letters by John of Salisbury
Peters, Mary Josephine, "Historical Background and Translation of Letters 245-291 of John of Salisbury" (1943).
Master's Theses. Paper 318.
http://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses/318
Letter 287 p.128
John of Salisbury to Bishop John Belmeis of Poitiers
Letter 288 p.131
John. to the Priors, Simon of Mont Dieu, and Engelbert of Val S. Pierre p 131
Letter 290 p.138
John to Bishop Bartholomew of Exeter
CTB 286: Giles JoS Letter 286; MTB .456;
https://goo.gl/7BWmBf = MTB 456 [286 above]
CTB 287: Giles JoS Letter 287; Materials Epistola 457
https://goo.gl/cN4uJ5 = MTB 457
CTB 288: Giles JoS Letter 285 ('284'); Materials Epistola 461
https://goo.gl/11Uf3h = MTB 461
CTB =
St Thomas Becket; ed & tr Anne Duggan (2000). The Correspondence of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1162-1170: Letters 176-329. Volume II. Clarendon Press.. ISBN 978-0-19-820893-8.
https://goo.gl/uSw2nx
MTB =
Robertson, J. (Ed.).. Materials for the History of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury Vol 6 Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139226257
Volume 6: Epistles, CCXXVII–DXXX
https://goo.gl/CCyqHQ
JoS Letters
John (of Salisbury, évêque de Chartres.) (1979). The Letters of John of Salisbury: The later letters (1163-1180). Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-822240-8.
https://goo.gl/TivzBD
Becket's Latin Hagiographers on the Conference at Montmirail
William of Canterbury Chapter 67
MTB i pp 73-5 https://goo.gl/h8nnDT
William FitzStephen Chapter 92
MTB iii pp 96-7 https://goo.gl/cjx9bD
Herbert of Boseham Book IV Chapter 26
MTB iii pp 418-29 https://goo.gl/yr4HMe
Anonymous II Chapter 29
MTB iv 113-4 https://goo.gl/bpxSAa
822
Then he said that he did not know or could not name a single custom which his predecessors had supposedly held on behalf of [their] kings. The king said that he had two hundred jurors [witnesses] [ready] who would swear to them, [both] knights and priests. Then our hero replied that he [the king] might be able to find enough jurors [witnesses] 4110
823
<<Never will I bind Holy Church upon their oath.>> [said St. Thomas]
<<My lords,>> the king then said, <<look he has never sought peace. See how I show him friendship and pardon him!>>
Then all [present] howled in unison at the archbishop: both clerics and laity shouted at him that he was too insolent. 4115
824
When the archbishop saw that all present. [and that] no one wanted to come to his assistance at that moment, from the very depths of his heart he sighed and the eyes in his head began to fill with tears; and he prayed to Jesus Christ, whom Holy Church venerates, that he would not take any such action which would render him guilty [of a sin] towards God. 4120
825
Then king Henry said that in this he would defer to three bishops of France that he [Becket] may choose and whatever [agreement] they came up with that he would accept it. Then they [all those around him] cried out that he [the king] was doing more than enough. St. Thomas said that France had many fine men [bishops] ... 4125
826
... and that he would well like to promise to keep the customs [but on the condition of] "saving his order". The king swore that these words must be excluded [from any agreement]. By these words, he said, he [Becket] would be [deliberately] trying to deceive him [the king] with sophistry. [Those present] from all sides said to him [Becket] that he should leave these words out. 4130
827
Rather the holy archbishop then consented that he would keep the agreement [the customs] "saving his faith in God" [the fealty/honour due to God]. The king then swore by the eyes of God that this phrase could not be used in this agreement. As there was sophistry [in them too], so he said, and great deceit therein. -- But never would there be any deceit in one's faith in God. [How could there be?] 4135
828
Then the archbishop said that he would do everything for him that an archbishop should do for his king. The king swore by the eyes of God saying that these words were treacherous and there was deceit in hiding in them - But there is no deceit if one does as one must do. [How could there be?] 4140
829
The king [king Henry] said that he sought no more than he [Becket] should do honour [show respect] to him, that which was done towards the kings of old by his [Becket's] predecessors: everything that the least of them [archbishops] had done towards the very worst [king]. Then all the wise people and the best men [present] said that the king had [openly] said enough, [that] he wanted peace and offered friendship. 4145
830
When archbishop [Becket] saw that everyone was siding with king [Henry], [that is] the prior of Mont-Dieu, and Bernard de Coudré, and even the king of France, in whom he had had greatest faith, his fine eyes filled with tears and when he had recovered himself he said to them, <<My Lords, I consent to his [king Henry's] will.>>
831
After the archbishop had conceded everything to the king, and [it was clear] both parties were in agreement with this, then the archbishop took off his cap, [and] king Henry his: then they drew close to one other, so that they could give each other the kiss of peace in true friendship. 4155
832
Then said the archbishop, who was very close to God, << Sire, to the honour of God and yours I give you [this] kiss [of peace].>>
Then Geoffrey Riddell immediately said: <<This is sophistry [there is deceit in this] !>>
<<Truly, by the eyes of God,>> said [the king], <<he cares not for peace.>>
He [the king] then turned his horse around, [and] using his spurs took off at a gallop.
833 [Both] Clerics and lay people, when they saw the king of England go off like that, started to rebuke the archbishop, and said to him that he had done wrong, that he [Becket] had not wanted to keep to that which he had acceded to, and for which he [the king] cannot bear any blame. Never ever had they seen a peace accord forsaken for so little. 4165 834 St Thomas lost [the good will] of the French that day; throughout France they called him a wicked person [felon] and traitor. Our man of God (God Our Lord) returned to his lodgings. His clerks (clerics) were both sad and angry with him; and they said to him that he had had them all sent to their death without recourse to an appeal. 4170 835 <<You are [all] completely wrong.>> he said, << I think you are all quite blind. The Lord Living God on high has stopped us [me] from committing a great shame, as the king used to demand from us [me] a great deal, calling us [me] a traitor and an evildoer to our [my] person. Now he has given up doing that to us [me], and he put all of that aside. 4175 836 >> Now he asks of us [me] for nothing more than he is shown honour, that we [I] [should] hold to those customs as did our [my] predescessor [archbishops]; and we [I] have acceded [this] to him. But never a day will come [when this will happen]. Thanks to God the Creator, we have escaped from such a great ignominy!>> 4180 837 He [Becket] then had a letter [from him] drawn up, which was sent to the Pope telling him everything he had done to [try to] secure peace with the king, and about how the king had abandoned it and refused him, and how he [the king] had excluded God from their peace agreement. Now he [Becket] begged and entreated him [the Pope] to tell him [Becket] what his [the Pope's] will was. 4185 838 The king lodged that night at La Ferté-Bernard [a fortress].. His privy advisors were led into his presence by Geoffrey Riddell. <<This is what I want>> he [the king] said, <<that you all should honour that man For he has shown himself today to be rather like pure gold which has been refined [by fire] seven times over.. He has healed me with his sense; the wicked can no longer deceive me. >> 4190 [https://is.gd/Bm03Eg] 839 When he was in bed and had thought deeply about what the archbishop had acceded to him, and that it was because of only one sole clause he had refused him, he said [to himself] that he had been influenced and gone badly astray as the archbishop had [actually] agreed to [everything] that he wanted. 4195 840 And he swore by the eyes of God and wanted fully to assert that never [again] would he be able to recover this position. He immediately had all his servants woken up and had the bishop of Poitiers [John Belmeis] sent for hastily to come and speak with him. 4200 841 At midnight he [the bishop of Poitiers] went to king Henry to talk [with him]. He [the king] said <<It will be necessary for you [the bishop] to go to the archbishop [Becket]. I deceived myself when I said I did not wish to grant him peace as he had conceded to me all that I could demand of him. By the eyes of God I will never retrieve this position [regain this advantage again]!>> 4205 842 >> Hurry to him now, think how to deal with him, tell him that I will agree to that which he offered me yesterday.>> Then the bishop mounted up [ on his horse]. He didn't want to delay there any longer. And he sent a messenger ahead [to Becket to say] that he was coming. When St Thomas heard this he had his pack-horse loaded up. 4210 843 He [Becket] set off along the road, not waiting for him [the bishop of Poitiers]. The bishop followed him at breakneck speed, and when he had caught him [Becket] up, [Becket] replied to him saying thus: that he would never agree to this point which he had heard from him that he would not come [back] for anyone as it was against [all] reason. 4215
References Michael Staunton (7 December 2001). The Lives of Thomas Becket. 37 Conference at Montmirail 6th Jan 1169: Manchester University Press. pp. 154–. ISBN 978-0-7190-5455-6.
https://goo.gl/ez3M19
Conference at Montmirail 6th Jan 1169 - Salvo Honore Dei
https://goo.gl/wZTzsR
Frank Barlow (16 August 1990). Thomas Becket. Conference at Montmirail: University of California Press. pp. 179–. ISBN 978-0-520-07175-9.
https://goo.gl/FN1LcX
Étienne Mignot (1756). Histoire du démêlé de Henri II, Roi d'Angleterre, avec Thomas Becket, Archevéque de Cantorbery: précédée d'un discours sur la jurisdiction des princes & des magistrats séculiers sur les personnes ecclésiastiques. Arkstée & Merkus. pp. 249–.
https://goo.gl/KavHs9
Eiríkr Magnússon (1875). Thómas Saga Erkibyskups: A Life of Archbishop Thomas Becket, in Icelandic, with English Translation, Notes and Glossary. Volume 1. Chapter LXV Of The Parting of the Kings [Conference of Montmirail]: Longman & Company. pp. 433–41.
https://goo.gl/x2LHSH
James J. Spigelman (2004). Becket & Henry: The Becket Lectures. James Spigelman. pp. 190–. ISBN 978-0-646-43477-3.W. L. Warren (28 November 1977). Henry II. University of California Press. pp. 108–. ISBN 978-0-520-03494-5.
https://goo.gl/7rVzVp
https://archive.org/stream/thomasbecketarch00huttuoft#page/206/mode/1up/search/montmirail
Hutton
Meeting at Montmirail
https://goo.gl/naXvdy
William Harris Rule (1854). The Third Crusade: Richard I., Coeur de Lion, King of England ; with the Affairs of Henry II. and Thomas Becket. The Conference of Montmirail: J. Mason. pp. 53–.
Richard Hurrell Froude (1839). Remains. Chapter XV: Conferences at Montmirail publisher not identified. pp. (360–) 365–96
John Allen Giles (1846). The Life and Letters of Thomas á Becket: Now First Gathered from the Contemporary Historians. Chapter XXXII and XXXIII: Whittaker. pp. 126–73.
Montmirail - Google Maps
Château de Montmirail (Sarthe) — Wikipédia francais
Adolphe Laurent Joanne (1867). Itinéraire général de la France: Bretagne. L. Hachette. pp. 298–.
George Payne Rainsford James (1842). A History of the Life of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, King of England. Baudry's European Library. pp. 140–.
Geoffrey Ridel (bishop of Ely) - Wikipedia
John of Canterbury - Wikipedia
Belmeis, John (DNB00) - Wikisource
Robert William Eyton. Court, Household and Itinerary of King Henry II., Instancing Also the Chief Agents and Adversaries of the King in His Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy.. BiblioBazaar. ISBN 978-1-241-55108-7Court, household, and itinerary of King Henry II.
archive.org/stream/mlangesdhistoi00pari#page/153/mode/1up/search/montmirail
General Correspondence
https://goo.gl/vRd6gD = MTB 451
https://goo.gl/BNRXLc = MTB 452 and MTB 453
https://goo.gl/H8zgUR = MTB 454
https://goo.gl/Uy4K5K = MTB 455
Letters by John of Salisbury
Peters, Mary Josephine, "Historical Background and Translation of Letters 245-291 of John of Salisbury" (1943).
Master's Theses. Paper 318.
http://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_theses/318
Letter 287 p.128
John of Salisbury to Bishop John Belmeis of Poitiers
Letter 288 p.131
John. to the Priors, Simon of Mont Dieu, and Engelbert of Val S. Pierre p 131
Letter 290 p.138
John to Bishop Bartholomew of Exeter
CTB 286: Giles JoS Letter 286; MTB .456;
https://goo.gl/7BWmBf = MTB 456 [286 above]
CTB 287: Giles JoS Letter 287; Materials Epistola 457
https://goo.gl/cN4uJ5 = MTB 457
CTB 288: Giles JoS Letter 285 ('284'); Materials Epistola 461
https://goo.gl/11Uf3h = MTB 461
CTB =
St Thomas Becket; ed & tr Anne Duggan (2000). The Correspondence of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1162-1170: Letters 176-329. Volume II. Clarendon Press.. ISBN 978-0-19-820893-8.
https://goo.gl/uSw2nx
MTB =
Robertson, J. (Ed.).. Materials for the History of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury Vol 6 Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139226257
Volume 6: Epistles, CCXXVII–DXXX
https://goo.gl/CCyqHQ
JoS Letters
John (of Salisbury, évêque de Chartres.) (1979). The Letters of John of Salisbury: The later letters (1163-1180). Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-822240-8.
https://goo.gl/TivzBD
Becket's Latin Hagiographers on the Conference at Montmirail
William of Canterbury Chapter 67
MTB i pp 73-5 https://goo.gl/h8nnDT
William FitzStephen Chapter 92
MTB iii pp 96-7 https://goo.gl/cjx9bD
Herbert of Boseham Book IV Chapter 26
MTB iii pp 418-29 https://goo.gl/yr4HMe
Anonymous II Chapter 29
MTB iv 113-4 https://goo.gl/bpxSAa