Introduction
Henry II (r. 1154-1189) appointed his friend Thomas Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury, thinking he would always do as he was told. But Becket proved very independent-minded, and even had to flee to France to escape his King’s anger.
THOMAS Becket was in exile in France, at a monastery in Pontigny, when he remarked to the Abbot, “I dreamt, last night, that I was put to death.”
“Do you think you are going to be a martyr?” smiled the Abbot. “You eat and drink too much for that!”
King Henry II allowed Becket to return home in 1170, but found the Archbishop still refused to be his puppet. “As long as Thomas lives” said one Bishop to the King, “you will never be at peace.”
“What miserable drones and traitors have I nurtured and promoted in my household” Henry burst out, “who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born clerk!”* Four knights heard it, and thinking they had received their King’s orders, cut Becket down in his own Cathedral on December 29th that year.* But all the trouble he had given his King while he was alive was nothing compared to the trouble Becket gave him dead.
The more familiar line is “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?”, but the words quoted here were recorded by Edward Grim, who was present and tried to intervene.
The Feast of the Holy Innocents, which commemorates the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem by King Herod the Great in about 4 BC. In the Greek Church, the day also remembers everyone who has perished by thirst, hunger, cold or sword for the glory of Christ. See Matthew 2:13-18, and our story The Adoration of the Magi.
Précis
Thomas Becket had a premonition that he might lose his life in his defence of the English Church’s independence from the Crown. And after King Henry II had publicly voiced his frustration with the Archbishop, four knights thought he would be pleased if Becket were gone. However, making a martyr of Becket only made Henry’s position worse. (57 / 60 words)
Thomas Becket had a premonition that he might lose his life in his defence of the English Church’s independence from the Crown. And after King Henry II had publicly voiced his frustration with the Archbishop, four knights thought he would be pleased if Becket were gone. However, making a martyr of Becket only made Henry’s position worse.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, just, may, not, ought, since, until, who.
Word Games
Jigsaws Based on this passage
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