Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

21*2 KING JOHN AND
in word and deed before God and before man, "emi-
nent both for bis learning and his life," and he besought
John " for God's honour and by the intercession
of St. Thomas, to spare the liberty of a church
which had endured so many troubles, and to accord
his favour to the new Primate "-
fr
The liberties of the Church were a dead letter to
King John, and although he had nothing personal
against Laiigton, he preferred an obstinate resistance
to even a show of submission. The acceptance or
rejection of Langton was a trial of strength between
King and Pontiff. If John persisted in his refusal
Innocent threatened the kingdom with an interdict,
and as long as it was restricted to a spiritual penalty f
John laughed it to scorn. Beady money, not the
higher blessings of the sacramental life, was what
he wanted, and if the interdict opened a source of
profit to his empty treasury, it was heartily welcome.
In obedience to the Pope's orders, the Bishops of
London, Ely, and Worcester2 besought the king
towards the close of 1207 to receive the new
Primate, and to allow the Canterbury monks, who
had been banished, to return. Their appeal was
met by a burst of Plantagenet fury. " Only dare
to publish an interdict," shouted John, "and I
will make over every bishop and priest to the Pope,
and take their goods and chattels for myself." 3
] Life of Stephen Langton, Lives of English Saints Series, p. 24.
- Hurter says, Winchester, Innocen:. J