Howbeit, after this, manie of the bishops séeing wherevnto this broile would grow, began to shrinke from the archbishop, and inclined to the king. But the archbishop stood stiflie in his opinion, and would not bend at all, till at length not onelie his suffragans the bishops, [Sidenote: _R. Houed._] but also the bishop of Liseux (who came ouer to doo some good in the matter) and the abbat of Elemosina (who was sent from the pope) persuaded him to agree to the kings will, in so much that being ouercome at last with the earnest suit of his freends, [Sidenote: _R. Houed._] he came first to Woodstocke, and there promised the king to obserue his lawes, Bona fide, Faithfullie, and without all collusion or deceit. [Sidenote: 1164.] [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._ A councell at Clarendon.] Shortlie after, in the feast of S. Hilarie, a councell was holden at Clarendon, whereto the archbishop, and in manner all the lords spirituall and temporall of the land made their repaire. Here the archbishop would haue willinglie started from his promise, if first the bishops, and after the earles of Leicester and Cornewall, [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._] Robert and Reignald (which Reignald was vncle to the king) and lastlie two knights templers, had not mooued him to yéeld to the kings will. But (amongst the rest) these two knights, namelie Richard de Hastings, and Hosteus de Boloigne were verie earnest with him, & at length preuailed, though not for conscience of dutie, wherewith he should haue beene touched; yet with feare of danger, which (by refusing to satisfie the kings will) he should haue brought not onelie vpon himselfe, but also vpon the other bishops there present. These knights séemed to lament his case, as if alreadie they had séene naked swords shaken about his eares. And indeed, certeine of the kings seruants that attended vpon his person after the manner of a gard, went to and fro, rushing vp and downe the chambers, shaking their bright battell axes readie appointed, and looking as if they would forthwith run vpon the bishops. Wherevpon the archbishop being touched with remorse, and séeming to striue against his determinat purpose, consented to obey the kings pleasure, and so promised in the word of a préest, [Sidenote: _Matt. Paris._ The archbishop Becket receiueth an oth.] swering furthermore, that he would obserue the kings lawes and customes, without expressing these words, Saluo ordine meo, Mine order saued, which he had vsed before. The like oth did all the bishops take. But the archbishop refused at that time to seale to the writing that conteined the articles of the oth which he should haue obserued, requiring as it were a time to consider of them, sith in so weightie a matter nothing ought to be doone without good and deliberate aduice, wherefore he tooke with him a copie thereof, and so did the archbishop of Yorke an other, and the third remained with the king.