Becket And Other Plays Part 35

FITZURSE.

The King condemns your excommunicating----

BECKET.

This is no secret, but a public matter.

In here again!

[JOHN OF SALISBURY _and_ MONKS _return_.

Now, sirs, the King's commands!

FITZURSE.

The King beyond the water, thro' our voices, Commands you to be dutiful and leal To your young King on this side of the water, Not scorn him for the foibles of his youth.

What! you would make his coronation void By cursing those who crown'd him. Out upon you!

BECKET.

Reginald, all men know I loved the Prince.

His father gave him to my care, and I Became his second father: he had his faults, For which I would have laid mine own life down To help him from them, since indeed I loved him, And love him next after my lord his father.

Rather than dim the splendour of his crown I fain would treble and quadruple it With revenues, realms, and golden provinces So that were done in equity.

FITZURSE.

You have broken Your bond of peace, your treaty with the King-- Wakening such brawls and loud disturbances In England, that he calls you oversea To answer for it in his Norman courts.

BECKET.

Prate not of bonds, for never, oh, never again Shall the waste voice of the bond-breaking sea Divide me from the mother church of England, My Canterbury. Loud disturbances!

Oh, ay--the bells rang out even to deafening, Organ and pipe, and dulcimer, chants and hymns In all the churches, trumpets in the halls, Sobs, laughter, cries: they spread their raiment down Before me--would have made my pathway flowers, Save that it was mid-winter in the street, But full mid-summer in those honest hearts.

FITZURSE.

The King commands you to absolve the bishops Whom you have excommunicated.

BECKET.

I?

Not I, the Pope. Ask _him_ for absolution.

FITZURSE.

But you advised the Pope.

BECKET.

And so I did.

They have but to submit.

THE FOUR KNIGHTS.

The King commands you.

We are all King's men.

BECKET.

King's men at least should know That their own King closed with me last July That I should pa.s.s the censures of the Church On those that crown'd young Henry in this realm, And trampled on the rights of Canterbury.

FITZURSE.

What! dare you charge the King with treachery?

_He_ sanction thee to excommunicate The prelates whom he chose to crown his son!

BECKET.

I spake no word of treachery, Reginald.

But for the truth of this I make appeal To all the archbishops, bishops, prelates, barons, Monks, knights, five hundred, that were there and heard.

Nay, you yourself were there: you heard yourself.

FITZURSE.

I was not there.

BECKET.

I saw you there.

FITZURSE.

I was not.

BECKET.

You were. I never forget anything.

FITZURSE.

He makes the King a traitor, me a liar.

How long shall we forbear him?

JOHN OF SALISBURY (_drawing_ BECKET _aside_).

O my good lord.

Speak with them privately on this hereafter.

You see they have been revelling, and I fear Are braced and brazen'd up with Christmas wines For any murderous brawl.

BECKET.

And yet they prate Of mine, my brawls, when those, that name themselves Of the King's part, have broken down our barns, Wasted our diocese, outraged our tenants, Lifted our produce, driven our clerics out-- Why they, your friends, those ruffians, the De Brocs, They stood on Dover beach to murder me, They slew my stags in mine own manor here, Mutilated, poor brute, my sumpter-mule, Plunder'd the vessel full of Gascon wine, The old King's present, carried off the casks, Kill'd half the crew, dungeon'd the other half In Pevensey Castle--

DE MORVILLE.

Why not rather then, If this be so, complain to your young King, Not punish of your own authority?

BECKET.

Mine enemies barr'd all access to the boy.

They knew he loved me.

Hugh, Hugh, how proudly you exalt your head!

Nay, when they seek to overturn our rights, I ask no leave of king, or mortal man, To set them straight again. Alone I do it.

Give to the King the things that are the King's, And those of G.o.d to G.o.d.

FITZURSE.

Threats! threats! ye hear him.

What! will he excommunicate all the world?

[_The_ KNIGHTS _come round_ BECKET.

DE TRACY.

He shall not.

DE BRITO.

Well, as yet--I should be grateful-- He hath not excommunicated _me_.