Henry II. that was the emperice's son was made king of England, and he ordained this Thomas his chancellor, and had great rule, and the land stood in prosperity. And S. Thomas stood so greatly in the king's favour that the king was content with all that he did; and when the king went into Normandy he betook the governance of his son and the realm into the rule of S. Thomas, which he wisely governed till his return again. And anon after died Theobald, the archbishop of Canterbury, and then the king gave his nomination to S. Thomas, and by the chapter was elected in the year of his age forty-four, and was full loth to take that great charge upon him. And so at last, his bulls had, he was sacred and stalled and became a holy man, suddenly changed into a new man, doing great penance, as in wearing hair with knots, and a breech of the same down to the knees. And on a Trinity Sunday received he his dignity, and there was at that time the king with many a great lord and sixteen bishops. And from thence was sent the abbot of Evesham to the pope with other clerks for the pall which he gave and brought to him, and he full meekly received it. And under his habit he ware the habit of a monk, and so was he under within forth a monk, and outward a clerk, and did great abstinence making his body lean and his soul fat. And he used to be well served at his table, and took but little refection thereof, and lived holily in giving good ensample.
After this, many times the king went over into Normandy, and in his absence always S. Thomas
