New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-21
rRoI,DEs METHOD IN HISTORY.


The most complete exemplncat'on. in bre', Of
Froude's method as a historian was hs essay on
Thomas Beckett, which is included In the series
entitled Short Studs on Great Subjects From
the point OF view of modern rat onahs, 10 whom
everything in the nature of religion wears gu s.
tlcnablc aspect, the character OF Heckat WAS on
I, b. condemned. The point is. what can be said
about him from the point of view OF the feudallsm
I'm which h. was born and nurtured? Suppos nS n
man 10 be satisfied with Vassaage. does the trans
FIR OF allegiance from one oVerlo'd i another
make corresponding change IN the resp1nsih Il
ties of the vassa? Put in IN sinp'e form there
was plany justfcat on Tor Beckets oppos on
as a clergyman and Prmite % wha, he had APP
proved as layman and Chancellor TIL, vital cues
tioa was involved in the demand Of II nry II that
tn bishops and clergy OF Eng and should J. OK u
him their superior. and no. 20 the PSpe' ana
that no appeals should be made to Rome without
his knowledge and consent. Froude b!am d II nry
for adding this demand t. the Constitutions of
Clarendon but 1t hal l-ng ben thr on, tang
upon which the King wrathiully insisted. Tae
Constitutions ad pied in lGi. ieir5 before.
the Bishop Of Chichester had been defeated be
fore the King in which he had much at
heart for reason than that he ncautously
ACKNOWLEDGED hav NJ asked TIE favor of the Holy
See When Henry urged Beckett to TAX. orders -
thai he might be made Aich -ishop OF Canterbury.
it is pla IN that he in fer his shire OF r spon-
sib lily for the result rendered prob .bl, by the
p-ep dices OF the period; Put Fr1ude conceded
the Eruption Of the Church Il he twelfth cen;
fury ON the other hand. he suppressed
almost everything that told agains. III. hlns, even
tn significant remark ab-u. t1e uncontrol able
fits Of anger to VIII ca ~ was subject. a1d e.
pc Ia y The more impo taLt ct cumstanc' III
open TO bribery as any bisnop could pos
s bly, be-. II n wcr- to deciic case. IL WIS the
proper thing says the Chronc,er of Baitl TO give
h m a pr s. nj. and Abbott Waiter de I.uci found
polite a1herenc. TO this ON q ve-y prof "a BE
investment. Froude's pr ssntation. then. OF The
a1air between Bscxet and Henry was wholly that
OF a partisan: The reader 6 Is the most forciole
argument that naser OF Eng ish e max =
ag-inst tn Archb.sn y. and must .ooN elsewhere
70. an CQIally efficient discussion OF the King :
shortcomings Having ob;a ned tina, he h the
cnan. e OF forming his op Mon. Tn justinc l.
ii FIR Froudes manner OF tea !. & III .se was
tina; The second Henry ha rec iveI scaat jus;lc .
the hands OF mos. historians. and that n n
receat years there had been efforts T. MIX. IN
twelfth century appear ! Ike n golde as IL
ecc.esasiicism in Eng and. There was goa rea-
why advocate shOuld be found lhe secu-
mr. cement in the Eng and Of Plantagenet times.
Though Froude coniessed.y selected his facts. he
made MS cnolce after the most labOrious study Of
original documents. His works bear evidence Of
this preliminary care. IL evidence were needed: but
he did leave his readers without a declaration
on this point wruns from him by hostile criticism.
When he took the pace made vacant BY the death