churchman, as being better educated than the generality of laymen at that period.

When, therefore, Theobald, archbishop of Canterbury died, Becket was appointed his successor. But no sooner did Thomas à Becket become an archbishop, than his whole character appeared to change. Before this he had been fond of dress, pleasure, and the most unbounded extravagance; now he became grave and austere. "He wore sackcloth next his skin which he never changed, so that it swarmed with vermin; he lived upon roots, and his drink was water rendered nauseous by having fennel steeped in it. By way of further penance and mortification, he frequently inflicted stripes on his bare back. Daily on his bended knees he washed the feet of thirteen beggars, refreshed them with ample food, and gave each of them four pieces of silver." * Thus vainly did the members of the Roman Catholic church endeavour to win God's favour by tormenting the body, instead of watching over the heart. "Bodily exercise," says St. Paul, "profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." By bodily

"Lives of the Chancellors."

MURDER OF THOMAS A BECKET.

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exercise, is meant precisely that self-inflicted penance, and mistaken kind of mortification of the body, practised by Becket, and many other Romanists both at that time and now.

So far from striving to diminish the power of the clergy, he did everything in his power to increase it, so that Henry found he could not manage them at all. At one time he drove Becket out of the country, but was obliged to call him back to appease the people, who were quite devoted to him from the large sums of money he was accustomed to give them. The Pope also took up his cause, and by this time the papal authority was so supreme in England, that the king durst not resist him. After this Becket became more troublesome than ever, so that one day, in a great passion, Henry exclaimed, that surely he could have no friends left, or they would help to rid him of this insolent priest. Oh, how careful ought we to be against saying things in a passion!

These hasty word of the king were heard by four knights, who, in order to please him, agreed among themselves to murder Becket, and actually did so while he was reading the evening service in Canterbury Cathedral. How sad to think men should be found wicked enough to shed the blood of a fellow-creature even in the

house of God! But when men once sin against God, and break his commandments, they can never tell where they will stop; for Satan leads them on from bad to worse, till they are entirely his servants, and forget the blessed Lord who so suffered to redeem them.

When Henry heard of the death of the archbishop, he was so shocked at the consequence of his angry words, that he shut himself up in his room, and did not come out, or eat and drink, for three whole days. Let us hope he was praying for forgiveness of his sin, and strength to avoid so falling again.

One event of great importance in this reign was, the conquest of Ireland. This island was then governed by several kings, who often quarrelled with each other. Dermot, king of Leinster, having a dispute with the kings of Connaught and Meath, sought the aid of Henry against them. Accordingly, Richard Strongbow, earl of Pembroke, went over with an army to his aid, and afterwards marrying Eva, daughter of Dermot, succeeded him as king of Leinster. Henry eventually went himself to Ireland, where all the princes submitted peaceably to him, and Ireland has ever since been governed by the kings of England. In the latter part of his reign, Henry was made