LIEE AND TIMES OF THOMAS BECKET, 1683 
arrived with a message from the court. This was 
the first communication which the archbishop had 
received from Henry since he had used his name so 
freely to cover acts which, could Henry have antici- 
pated them, would have barred his return to Canter- 
bury for ever. The insincere professions of peace 
had covered an intention of provoking a rebellion. 
The truth was now plain. There was no room any 
More for excuse or palliation. What course had the 
king determined on?! 
The knights were introduced, They advanced. 
The archbishop neither spoke nor looked at them, 
but continued talking to a monk who was next him. 
He himself was sitting on a bed. The rest of the 
party present were on the floor. "The knights seated 
themselves in the same manner, and for a few 
moments there was silence, "Fhen Becket’s black 
restless eye glanced from one to the other. He 
slightly noticed Tracy; and Fitzurse said & few 
ünrecorded sentences to him, which ended with ‘ God 
helpyou!’ To Becket’s friends the words sounded 
like insolence. They may have meant no more than 
pity. 
} Ihave compiled the deserip- ry slightly, but not mo 
tion of this remarkable scene from ı Grim and Fitzstephen were both 
Che different bioeraphies, "They men,