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Tennyson, Alfred Lord, 1809-1892

"Becket and other plays"

They have made it up
again--for the moment.
HERBERT.
Thanks to the blessed Magdalen, whose day it is.
_Re-enter_ HENRY _and_ BECKET. (_During their conference
the_ BARONS _and_ BISHOPS _of_ FRANCE _and_ ENGLAND _come
in at back of stage_.)
BECKET.
Ay, King! for in thy kingdom, as thou knowest,
The spouse of the Great King, thy King, hath fallen--
The daughter of Zion lies beside the way--
The priests of Baal tread her underfoot--
The golden ornaments are stolen from her--
HENRY.
Have I not promised to restore her, Thomas,
And send thee back again to Canterbury?
BECKET.
Send back again those exiles of my kin
Who wander famine-wasted thro' the world.
HENRY.
Have I not promised, man, to send them back?
BECKET.
Yet one thing more. Thou hast broken thro' the pales
Of privilege, crowning thy young son by York,
London and Salisbury--not Canterbury.
HENRY.
York crown'd the Conqueror--not Canterbury.
BECKET.
There was no Canterbury in William's time.
HENRY.
But Hereford, you know, crown'd the first Henry.
BECKET.
But Anselm crown'd this Henry o'er again.


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