(Death, Heaven, Purgatory, Hell)
Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
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Thomas Becket's Death, from History of the Archbishops of Canterbury
Gervase of Canterbury
Gervase (d.1205) was a monk of Canterbury who knew
Becket
But on the fifth
day of the nativity, which was the third day of the week, there arrived four
courtiers, who desired to speak with the archbishop, thinking by this to
discover the weak points [of the monastery]. These were Reginald Fitz-Urse, Hugh
de Morville, William de Traci, and Richard Brito. After a long discussion, they
began to employ threats; and at length rising up hastily, they went out into the
courtyard; and under the spreading branches of a mulberry-tree, they cast off
the garments with which they had covered their breastplates, and, accompanied by
those persons whom they bad summoned from the province, they returned into the
archbishop’s palace. Yet he, unmoved by the exhortations, the prayers, and the
tears of his followers, remained firm in his place, until the time had arrived
for the performance of the evening service in the church; towards which he
advanced with a slow and deliberate step, like one who of his own free-will
prepares himself for death. Having entered the church, he paused at the
threshold; and he asked his attendants of what they were afraid. When the clerks
began to fall into disorder, be said, “Depart, ye cowards! Let these blind
madmen go on in their career. We command you, in virtue of your obedience, not
to shut the door.”
While he was thus speaking, behold! the executioners having ransacked the
bishop’s palace, rushed together through the cloisters; three of whom carried
hatchets in their left bands, and one an axe or a two-edged glaive, while all of
them brandished drawn swords in their right hands. But after they had rushed
through the open door, they separated from each other, Fitz-Urse turning to the
left, while the three others took to the right. The archbishop had already
ascended a few steps, when Fitz-Urse, as he hurried onwards, asked one whom he
met, “Where is the archbishop?” Hearing this, he turned round on the step, and,
with a slight motion of the head, he was the first to answer, “Here am I,
Reginald. I have conferred many a benefit on you, Reginald; and do you now come
to me with arms in your hands?” “You shall soon find that out,” was the reply.
“Are not you that notorious traitor to the king?” And, laying hold on his pall,
he said, “Depart hence;” and he struck the pall with his sword. The archbishop
replied, “I am no traitor; nor will I depart, wretched man!” and he plucked the
fringe of his pall from out the knight’s hand. The other repeated the words,
“Flee hence!” The reply was, “ I will not flee; here your malice shall be
satisfied.” At these words the assassin stepped back, as if smitten by a blow.
In the meantime the other three assailants had arrived; and they exclaimed, “
Now you shall die!” “ If,” said the archbishop, “you seek my life, I forbid you,
under the threat of an anathema, from touching any one of my followers. As for
me, I willingly embrace death, provided only that the church obtain liberty and
peace at the price of my blood.” When he had said these words, he stretched
forth his head to the blows of the murderers. Fitz-Urse hastened forward, and
with his whole strength lie planted a blow upon the extended head; and he cried
out, as if in triumph over his conquered enemy, “Strike! strike!” Goaded on by
the author of confusion, these butchers, adding wound to wound, dashed out his
brains; and one of them, following up the martyr, (who at this time was either
in the act of falling, or had already fallen) struck the pavement with his sword
but the point of the weapon broke off short. They now returned through the
cloister, crying out, “Knights of the king, let us go; he is dead!” And then
they pillaged whatever they found in the archbishop’s residence. See here a
wonder. While he was yet alive, and could speak, and stand on his feet, men
called him a traitor to the king; but when he was laid low, with his brains
dashed out, he was called the holy Thomas, even before the breath had left his
body.
This blessed martyr suffered death in the ninth year of his patriarchate, on the fourth of the calends of January [29th Dec.], being the third day of the week, A.D. 1170, while the monks were singing their vespers. His dead body was removed and placed in the shrine before the altar of Christ. On the morrow it was carried by the monks and deposited in a tomb of marble within the crypt. Now, to speak the truth - that which I saw with my eyes, and handled with my hands - he wore hair-cloth next his skin, then stamin, over that a black cowl, then the white cowl in which he was consecrated; he also wore his tunic and dalmatic, his chasuble, pall, and miter; Lower down, he had drawers of sack-cloth, and over these others of linen; his socks were of wool, and he had on sandals. If any one (as he ought) desires to know more of this martyr, let him read those books or writers which I have mentioned above, namely, Herbert, John, William, Benedict, and Gervase: and let him not omit the letters of the same saint. Others there are who probably have written respecting him; but even if it be so, they cannot tell all that ought to be known about him.
After his martyrdom the church of Canterbury was vacant for two years and five months. That he is alive in Christ is proved by the miracles which are performed throughout the whole world.
Source: The Church Historians of England, volume V, part 1, pp. 329-336. Translated by Joseph Stevenson. London: Seeley's, 1853.