1171. 7 4 at hann fyrirleit1 alla heimsins fegr, fóstrland ok 14 be found brighter, for he scorned all this world's glitter, even his native land and wealth, kinsmen and friends; taking, from love of God, upon himself and his kinsfolk the poverty of exile, together with great and manifold hardships. For six years he endured banishment in such firmness of mind, that he resembled the very apostles of God in his steadfastness. Now, if the very cause maketh a man good in the sight of God, the which no wise man misdoubteth, then no cause may be found more just than his was, for he struggled against the enemies of God, whose aim was to bring utterly to nought the rights of the church. But by what cause, and in what manner he lost his blessed life, is known unto all men, inasmuch as he was slain before the altar of God's mother in the cathedral church of all England by his own spiritual sons. And the praises which rightfully appertain to his death are the most rarely met with among the merits of martyrs, and only when the limb resembleth the head in many ways. Who among saints hath gone through a passion more closely resembling the very passion of God than this Thomas? Consider what now followeth hereafter, and thou wilt find, how truly it hath been so. Both saved themselves for a while from the power of the enemy, until the season came by which had been ordained before by God himself. Both foretold their passion before it came to pass; both went forward to meet their banesmen with a similar address, and both prayed for peace for those about them. Both bore in so lowly a 1171. 3 5 2 sjálfan píslarpálminn, at lambinu líktust báðir, því at 6 Consterna tion caused at the news skýrir þat of the bishop's death. KAP. LXXXII. má réttliga, at einskis manns 10 orðfæri 11 með fullu, hver uggr ok ótti, hörmung ok 15 bhach hræzla 12 kom yfir alt fólk 13 í Englandi bæði 14 lærða 15 ok leika ok almúg fyrir dráp ok dauða Thóme erkibyskups, því líkt sem fólkit væri 16 lagt at jörðu ok eingi lyfti upp sínu höfði, meðan nýjast var um sagða hörmung.17 Sem marka má af orðum eins 20 byskups, þann tíma sem einn af klerkum kom fyrir hann biðjandi fulltings á sínu máli, segir sig 18 mishaldinn við einn konungsmann bæði 19 með rán ok " annarri vanvirðu. Byskupinn svarar: "Hvat megum "vèr þèr gjöra? Hirðir várr ok höfuð, hinn hæsti 25 20 fashion the very palm of passion, that they resembled a lamb; for this glorious man, the archbishop, bore forth neither hand nor raiment in defence of himself; not a sigh nor a groan was heard to escape his breast, nay rather fell he so sweetly asleep as the perennial worship of his death sheweth. Both left things of value to their tormentors, and both were entombed in a new stone sepulchre by their loving friends. In this wise the servant followeth his master, the blessed Thomas our Saviour, he who for a long time offered himself a living sacrifice unto God with manifold works of mercy, weaning his body from sin and vice with hair. CHAP. LXXXII. may rightfully, that no man's manner of speech can fully explain, what terror and awe, what sorrow and fright fell upon all folk in England, learned and layfolk alike, as well as upon the commonalty, from the slaughter and death of archbishop Thomas; indeed it appeared as if the people were smitten down to earth, and no one durst lift up his head while the said affliction was at its freshest. This may be inferred from the words of a certain bishop, when once upon a time one of the clergy appeared before him praying him for aid in a certain case, which he said was one of unfair dealings by one of the king's men, who had both robbed him and brought other shame upon him. The bishop answered: "What may we afford to do for you? Our shepherd and head, the highest bishop in the whole land, 1171. 8 9 5 byskup í öllu1 landinu er drepinn ok deyddr2 í sínum "erkistóli ok móðurkviði alls Englands, er drottning má réttliga kallast annarra kirkna. Af hverjum "skulum vèr nú fullting fá, hvar er traust várt, stoð eðr styrkr? Byskuparnir eru drepnir í kirkjunum, heilagir staðir eru svívirðir ok saurgaðir, góðir menn "fóttroðnir, enn glæpamenn tignaðir." pvíligt var at heyra, ok þó meir í hvísli enn hámæli, því at sumir konungsmenn váro svá grjótligir í sínu brjósti, at þeira ofsi ok yfirgirnd gekk upp til afarkosta við 10 lærdóminn fyrir slík ódæmi, sem sýndist í þeim stað, sem konungsmaðr átti málum at skifta við einn klerk. Ok sem þá greindi mjög á, talaði hann svá: "Veizt þú eigi," sagði hann, "at oss, konungsmönnum 10 " er nú kent at raka krúnur klerkanna ?" Má af slíku 15 marka, hversu hátt illmennit geisaði því er samkvæmt 1 sitr milli höfuðs 12 ok herðar, þat er at skilja Heinrekr konungr gamli ok hans hirð. því at þar birtist meir hégómlig 13 dýrð ok hræsni 14 fyrir mönnum 15 enn kristiligr harmr þeirrar 16 grátligrar óhæfu,17 sem 20 ljóst má verða í því sem fylgir. því at þær 18 bækr,1o er The king framast fylgja Heinreki gamla, setja þat í fyrstu eftir archbishop's andlát erkibyskups, at ránfengi þat er honum fluttist af Kantúaría lèti 20 hann flest aftr færa.21 Enn þat segir 22 eingi 23 bók, at hann fènýtti 24 sèr 25 eigi nokkuð 25 af. Hèr 26 með fer þat, at svá sem hann hefir frètt restores the property. 11 |