Finding Becket beyond his reach, Henry next proceeded to banish the
Archbishop's kinsmen and friends, without regard to age or sex, to the
number of nearly four hundred. These miserable exiles, many of whom
were nearly destitute, were forced to leave the country in midwinter,
and excited the pity of all who saw them.

Becket indignantly retaliated. He hurled at the King's counselors the
awful sentence of excommunication or expulsion from the Church
(S194). It declared the King accursed of God and man, deprived of
help in this world, and shut out from hope in the world to come. In
this manner the quarrel went on with ever-increasing bitterness for
the space of six years.

168. Prince Henry crowned; Reconciliation (1170).

Henry, who had long wished to associate his son, Prince Henry, with
him in the government, had him crowned at Westminster by the
Archbishop of York, the bishops of London and Salisbury taking part.

By custom, if not indeed by law, Becket alone, as Archbishop of
Canterbury, had the right to perform this ceremony.

When Becket heard of the coronation, he declared it an outrage both
against Christianity and the Church. So great an outcry now arose
that Henry believed it expedient to recall the absent Archbishop,
especially as the King of France was urging the Pope to take up the
matter. Henry accordingly went over to the Continent, met Becket, and
persuaded him to return.

169. Reneral of the Quarrel; Murder of Becket (1170).