III.] G-ROWING IMPORTANCE OF THE KINGS. 25 11. Archbishop Thomas of Canterbury, II 70. — Mean- while Henry, in striving to subject the clergy to the temporal law, had met with determined resistance from ArchbisJwp Thoiiias oi Canterbury, who found a kind and earnest friend in Levi'is, and spent the time of his exile in France. Indeed it was the zeal of Lewis in his cause that caused Alexande?- III., the reigning pope, to declare Thomas his legate ; and though Henry for a time had nearly talked Lewis over into forsaking his cause, when the two kings met in 1169, at Montmartre, no sooner was Henry gone than Lewis returned to his former support of Thomas, who remained in France till he went back to Canterbury just before his murder in 1172. 12. Rebellion of Henry's Sons, 1 173. — Indignation made Lewis think he need keep no further terms with Henry II., whose three sons he received, when, with their mother, they fled to his court, demanding their duchies of Normandy, Aquitaine, and Britanny. They were in truth nothing belter than headstrong lads, stirred up by their mother and by turbulent troubadour nobles of Aqui- taine, who hated the firm hand of the Angevin, and never failed to abuse the head of the family and show violent affection to the next heir, whom they excited to rebellion with their fiery verses. As the young Henry had been already crowned, Lewis declared that he acknowledged no other king of England, and attacked Venieiiil, the surrender of which had been promised for the third day, when Hauy II. advanced with a hired army of free lances. Lewis, with ill-faith unusual to him, set fire to the town before his retreat, but was pursued and defeated by Henry, and throughout the war was beaten at all points, until a conference was held at Gisors, in which the kings were reconciled, and Lewis gave up the cause of the sons. 13. Lewis Vn. at the Tomb of Thomas of Canter- bury, 1 179. — Young Philip Augustus, when hunting near Rheims, lost his way, and was neirly dead with cold and hunger, when he was found and brought home by a woodman. A dangerous illness followed, and in thank- fulness for his recovery, Lewis vowed a pilgrimage to the shrine of his old friend Thomas at Canterbury. Henry met him at Dover, and his stay was marked by stately services and kingly gifts. He was only five days in England, and had hardly returned before he was struck with paralysis, and after lingering a few months, died on the i8th of September, 1180. He was a good man,
