Kicking the Becket
On this day in 1170, initial reports indicated that Thomas Becket had been murdered in Canterbury Cathedral by four Norman barons acting on the orders of King Henry II. Henry refused to comment, pending the investigation which would begin as soon as a panel of six literates could be found in 12th century England. The panel, chaired by Eleanor of Aquitaine, ruled that Becket’s death was an accident.
Becket apparently had been shaving himself with four swords when his hand must have slipped…repeatedly.
“Mister Finch, Ah’m tellin’ ya: Bob Ewell fell awn his knife. Sixteen times.”
Maybe Thomas was blotto from imbibing too much sacramental wine? Those swords can be very slippery!