Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

ONSTITUTIOXS OF CLARENDON.
187
" saving their order," which of course annulled any
bad effects of consuetudines. Three bishops
f^^^^F
went
over formally to i the king's party-Hilary of Chi-
Chester, Koger of York, and Gilbert Foliot of
London.
The feelings and convictions of St. Thomas were
worked upon by undue persuasion. He was induced
to believe that the royal customs, as presented by
Henry, contained nothing prejudicial to the Church,
and gave his word to observe them " in good faith,'*
and "in the word of truth ". This concession has
often been construed into an acceptance of the constitutions
of Clarendon. No such acceptance was
ever given, either in word or in writing; and the
mistake of St. Thomas, however bitterly regretted
him, was the fault of a generous man, who allowed
himself to be surprised into it. Sordid natures
do not make these mistakes. His rejection of
Clarendon is the best proof of it. From first to
last the articles were an amplification of the Con-
queror's consuctudines, and little else. They were
sixteen in number. They adjudged criminal ecclesiastical
causes to secular tribunals, sent ecclesiastical
appeals to the king's court in last resort, discussed
the ordination of villeins, put the revenues of vacant
sees and benefices at the king's disposal, gave him
the right of election to churches,1 cut off England
from the rest of Christendom ; in short, intruded the
King of England into the Pope's place. " By the
1 Stubbs, Constitutional History, i. 464.