[337] Will. Fitz-Steph. and Garnier, as above. Ep. dccxxiii. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. vii.), pp. 403, 404. _Thomas Saga_ (as above), p. 491. [338] Ep. dccxxiii., dccxxiv. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. vii.), pp. 404–406, 411, 412. Will. Cant. (_ib._ vol. i.), pp. 102–105. Will. Fitz-Steph. (_ib._ vol. iii.), pp. 120, 121. Herb. Bosh. (_ibid._), p. 480. _Thomas Saga_ (Magnusson), vol. i. pp. 497–501. Garnier (Hippeau), p. 172, erroneously thinks the censures on the bishops were not issued till Christmas-day. The young king was preparing to hold his Christmas court at Winchester.[339] Thomas proposed to join it, but was stopped in London by a peremptory command to “go back and mind his own business at Canterbury.”[340] He obeyed under protest, and on Christmas-day again excommunicated the De Brocs and their fellow-robbers.[341] The elder king was keeping the feast at his hunting-seat of Bures near Bayeux.[342] There the three bishops threw themselves at his feet; Roger of York spoke in the name of all, and presented the Papal letters;[343] the courtiers burst into a confused storm of indignation, but not one had any counsel to offer. In his impatience and disappointment Henry uttered the fatal words which he was to rue all his life: “What a parcel of fools and dastards have I nourished in my house, that none of them can be found to avenge me of this one upstart clerk!”[344] [339] Garnier (Hippeau), p. 166. Will. Cant. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. i.), p. 106. Anon. II. (_ib._ vol. iv.), p. 126. R. Diceto (Stubbs), vol. i. p. 342, says the young king was at Woodstock when Thomas sought for an interview; he was, however, certainly at Winchester at Christmas. [340] “Fère vostre mestier à Cantorbire alez.” Garnier (Hippeau), p. 171. Cf. Ep. dccxxiv. (Robertson, _Becket_, vol. vii.), p. 412; Will. Cant. (_ib._ vol. i.) pp. 106–113; Will. Fitz-Steph. (_ib._ vol. iii.), pp. 121–123; Herb. Bosh. (_ibid._), pp. 482, 483; Rog. Howden (Stubbs), vol. ii. p. 13; _Thomas Saga_ (Magnusson), vol. i. pp. 505–507. [341] Will. Cant. (as above), p. 120. E. Grim (_ib._ vol. ii.), p. 428. Will. Fitz-Steph. (_ib._ vol. iii.), p. 130. Herb. Bosh. (_ibid._), pp. 484, 485. R. Diceto (as above), p. 342. _Thomas Saga_ (as above), pp. 511–513. [342] Herb. Bosh. (as above), p. 481. Garnier (Hippeau), p. 175. _Gesta Hen._ (Stubbs), vol. i. p. 11. Rob. Torigni, a. 1171. [343] Garnier (Hippeau), pp. 175–177. Will. Cant. (as above), pp. 122, 123. Cf. _Thomas Saga_ (as above), pp. 501–503. [344] Garnier (Hippeau), p. 175. Will. Cant. (as above), p. 121. E. Grim (_ib._ vol. ii.), p. 429. Herb. Bosh. (_ib._ vol. iii.), p. 487.