A.D. 1170.] DEATH OF TANCHE». 15 it, added to the pain of his wounds. In which matter, titoligli we may not he. excited to proceed against you as much as your fault deserves, yet we cannot pass it over altogether in silence, lest, perchance, which God forbid, the sentence of the divine severity go forth against both us and you, if we neglect to punish crimes which have been enacted openly in the sight of men. He it known to yon that by the authority which we hold from God, we have suspended yon from the episcopal office, until you shall appear before our apostolic see to make satisfaction, unless you shall make the same previously to the archbishop aforesaid, in such manner that he may think fit to relax this our sentence." liow the king's agents command 'd St. Thomas tt absolve the excommunicated bishops. When the venerable archbishop of Canterbury had returned to his church, amid the rejoicings and pions devotion of both clergy and people, the king's officials immediately approached him, with orders from their master, to absolve the suspended bishops and others whom he had excommunicated on the plea that whatever was done against them, redounded to the injury and subversion of the customs of the kingdom. The archbishop replied that, if the excommunicated bishops would swear, according to the form which the church prescribes, that they would abide by the pope's commands, he would, for the peace of the church, and out of regard for the king, consent to absolve them. When this was reported to the bishops, they replied that they could not take an oath of this kind without the king's consent. Shortly afterwards the archbishop went to visit the young king at Woodstock, but was met by messengers, who, in the king's name, commanded him to proceed no further, but to return to his church. lie. accordingly returned to Kent, and there made preparation to celebrate the season of Christmas, which was approaching.* • Matthew Tiiris inserts here the following :— " And when these tInvai* increased against him, he obeyed them; for his hour was not let come. Ilo therefore spent some days at his manor of liantes, sewn miles from the monastery of St. Alimi»,* and kept the festival there ; and ti»' man of Cod showed no sips of trouble. The nhbat of St. Alluna supplied him with abundance of provisions ; and the nrehhidiop,in returning him thanks, civilly said, ' I accept his presents, hut would rather have his presence.'