THOMAS4 (saint). Thomas à Becket, c. 1118-1170, was born of Norman parentage. He was Henry II's chancellor until 1162, when the king made him archbishop of Canterbury. Thomas, in trying to prevent Henry's seizure of church property, entered a ten-year struggle with the king and endured six years of exile. He returned to England while Henry was in France, at Bar in Normandy, and he excommunicated members of the de Broc family to whom Henry had given church property. When the news reached the king, he was furious and railed that beggars who had eaten at his table had turned against him. Four of his knights, who had suffered from Becket's policies, rode off to England. They were Reginald Fitzurse, Hugh de Moreville, William de Tracy, and Richard le Breton. In England they were joined by the de Brocs and their men. On December 29, 1170, they burst into the cathedral and murdered Thomas before the high altar. Henry, in the grip of remorse, flagellated himself before Thomas's tomb every year as part of his penance, and the archbishop was canonized three years after his death.
The Pilgrims travel to St. Thomas's shrine at Canterbury, Gen Prol 826. The Oxford Alison swears by St. Thomas, MillT 3291, and the carpenter also, MillT 3425, 3461. "Thomas of Kent" and "By seint Thomas" appear as rhyming tags, MillT 3291, 3425, 3461. Oxford had a parish of St. Thomas, an annual gathering for mass on St. Thomas's Day, a St. Thomas Hall, and a fraternity of St. Thomas. Thus Oxford's people, scholars, and workers might have had special devotions to St. Thomas. The oaths on St. Thomas's name of Alys of Bath, WBP 666, and the Eagle, HF III.1131, occur as rhyming tags.
Thomas occurs twice medially, MillT 3296; HF III.1131; and three times in final rhyming position, Gen Prol 826, MillT 3425, 3461.