king was holding council with his barons at Chinon, a barefooted monk came to him with a third letter from the primate.[263] Once again Thomas expressed his longing for a personal meeting; once again he set forth the doctrine of the divine rights and duties of kings, and charged Henry, by the solemn memory of his coronation-vows, to restore to the English Church her privileges and her chief pastor. Only in the last sentence came a significant warning: “If not, then know of a surety that you shall feel the severity of Divine vengeance!”[264] And there was no doubt about its meaning; for the Empress Matilda had already transmitted to her son a threat sent to her by Thomas in plain words, that unless she could bring him to acknowledge his error, “shortly, yea, very shortly” the “sword of the Spirit” should be drawn against his dominions and even against himself.[265] [255] Alan Tewkesb. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. ii.), p. 345. Anon. I. (_ib._ vol. iv.), p. 64. _Thomas Saga_ (Magnusson), vol. i. p. 315. [256] Garnier (Hippeau), pp. 126, 127. E. Grim (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. ii.), pp. 412, 413. Herb. Bosh. (_ib._ vol. iii.), pp. 376–379. _Thomas Saga_ (as above), p. 317. [257] Will. Fitz-Steph. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. iii.), p. 77. Herb. Bosh. (_ibid._), p. 379. [258] Ep. lxxxv. (_ib._ vol. v.), pp. 163, 164. [259] Will. Fitz-Steph. as above. [260] Ep. xcv. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. v.), pp. 179, 180. [261] Ep. clii. (_ib._ pp. 266–268). [262] Ep. cliii. (_ib._ pp. 269–278), translated by Garnier (Hippeau), pp. 100–106. [263] Garnier (Hippeau), p. 106. E. Grim (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. ii.), p. 419. Cf. Herb. Bosh. (_ib._ vol. iii.), pp. 383–385. Eyton (_Itin. Hen. II._, p. 93) dates this council June 1, but this cannot be reconciled with Thomas’s subsequent proceedings. [264] Ep. cliv. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. v. pp. 278–282), translated by Garnier (Hippeau), pp. 109–111. [265] Ep. clxxxiv. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. v. p. 361).