Compare 1577 edition: 1 Whatsoeuer displea|seth this man, is taken (as he interpreteth it) contra|rie to Gods honour, and so by that shift will he cha|lenge to himselfe all that belongeth vnto me. But bi|cause you shall not thinke that I go about to resist Gods honour, or him, in any reasonable order, looke what the greatest and most holie of all his ancestors haue doone vnto the meanest of mine ancestours, let him doo the same vnto me, and I am contented therewith.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 All the companie present cried, that the king hum|bled himselfe enough. My lord archbishop (said the French king) will you be greater than saints, and better than saint Peter? Wherof stand you in doubt? Behold, your peace is at hand. The archbishop made answer in commendation of the present state of ho|lie church, as thus: My holie predecessours in their time,The present state of the church in Beckets daies. although they cut not all things away that ex|tolled it selfe against God, yet did they cut off diuers: but if they had plucked vp all by the hard roots, which might offend, who should now haue raised the fire of temptation against vs? We are in much better case (thanks be to God) and as we haue laboured in their lot and number, so are we partakers of their labour and reward. What if any of them had béene defectiue or excessi [...]e in any point, are we bound to [...]ollow the example of their defection or excesse? We blame Pe|ter for his denieng of Christ, but we praise him in re|proouing of Neros violence with danger of his life. The church hath risen and increased out of manie dangerous oppressions, our fathers haue suffered ma|nie things, bicause they would not forsake the name of Christ; and ought I to suppresse his honour, to be reconciled vnto any mans fauour? God forbid, God forbid.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 When the Noble men present heard this answer of a subiect against his souereigne,The archb. Becket bla|med of arro|gancie. they all held against him, imputing the fault to the archbishops arro|gancie, that the peace was not made betweene the king and him, insomuch that there was an erle which openlie said;
Sith he resisteth the will of both the realmes, he is not worthie to be succoured by either of them from hencefoorth: and therefore being cast out of England, let not France receiue him.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 The councell then being broken vp, the kings de|parted without bidding the archbishop farewell, and such as were mediatours for peace, in departing from this meeting, spake manie reprochfull words to him,Archb. Bec|ket wilfull in his owne opi|nion. alledging that he had béene euer stout and wise in his owne conceit, and a folower of his owne will and opinion: adding that it was a great hinderance to the church, that he was ordeined archbishop, and that by him the church was alreadie in part destroi|ed, and would shortlie be altogither brought to vt|ter ruine.