cum tauro indomito jugata,
distorqueatur a recto. Ego ovis vetula, qui si quietus essem, verbi
Dei lacte, et operimento lanae, aliquibus possem fortassis non
ingratus esse, sed si me cum hoc tauro coniungitis, videbitis pro
disparilitate trahentium, aratrum non recte procedere_," etc.

Which is in English thus--

"Of secular affairs I have no skill, because I will not know them;
for I even abhor the troubles that rise about them, as one that
desireth to have his mind at liberty. I apply my whole endeavour to
the rule of the Scriptures; you lead me to the contrary; and it is to
be feared lest the plough of holy church, which two strong oxen of
equal force, and both like earnest to contend unto that which is good
(that is, the king and the archbishop), ought to draw, should thereby
now swerve from the right furrow, by matching of an old sheep with a
wild, untamed bull. I am that old sheep, who, if I might be quiet,
could peradventure shew myself not altogether ungrateful to some, by
feeding them with the milk of the Word of God, and covering them
with wool: but if you match me with this bull, you shall see that,
through want of equality in draught, the plough will not go to
right," etc.

As followeth in the process of his letters. The said Thomas Becket was so
proud that he wrote to King Henry the Second, as to his lord, to his king,
and to his son, offering him his counsel, his reverence, and due
correction, etc. Others in like sort have protested that they owed nothing
to the kings of this land, but their council only, reserving all obedience
unto the see of Rome, whereby we may easily see the pride and ambition of
the clergy in the blind time of ignorance.[107]

And as the old cock of Canterbury did crow in this behalf, so the young
cockerels of other sees did imitate his demeanour, as may be seen by this
one example also in King Stephen's time, worthy to be remembered; unto
whom the Bishop of London would not so much as swear to be true subject:
wherein also he was maintained by the pope.[108]

* * * * *

Thus we see that kings were to rule no further than it pleased the pope to
like of; neither to challenge more obedience of their subjects than stood
also with their good will and pleasure. He wrote in like sort unto Queen
Maud about the same matter, making her "Samson's calf"[109] (the bet