king's statutes. And the king commanded to seize all his lands and goods into his hands, and then his servants departed from him; and he went to the seaside for to have gone over sea, but the wind was against him, and so thrice he took his ship and might not pass. And then he knew that it was not our Lord's will that he should yet depart, and returned secretly to Canterbury, of whose coming his meiny made great joy. And on the morn came the king's officers for to seize all his goods; for the noise was that S. Thomas had fled the land; wherefore they had despoiled all his manors and seized them into the king's hand. And when they came they found him at Canterbury, whereof they were sore abashed, and returned to the king informing him that he was yet at Canterbury, and anon after S. Thomas came to the king to Woodstock for to pray him to be better disposed towards holy church And then said the king to him in scorn: 'May not we two dwell both in this land? Art thou so sturdy and hard of heart?' To whom S. Thomas answered: 'Sire, that was never my thought, but I would fain please you, and do all that you desire; so that ye hurt not the liberties of holy church; for them will I maintain while I live, ever to my power.' With which words the king was sore moved, and swore that he would have them kept, and especial if a clerk were a thief he should be judged and executed by the king's law, and by no spiritual law, and said he would never suffer a clerk to be his master in his own land, and charged S. Thomas to appear before him at Northampton, and to bring all the bishops of
