David Reeves – Text and Music

In a thousand years, still will it be?

THE PLOT

1] Introduction & Recit – MY LORD, THE KING IN HIS WISDOM ORCHESTRA/HERBERT

HERBERT: My Lord, the King, in his wisdom, did summon his Archbishop
to a general council at Clarendon. Was I to know the plot in the
language through which our enemies seek to bring the church
into the king’s subservience?

2] CANTERBURY, HOLY SEE HERBERT/CHORISTER/CHOIR
“My Lord, I must see you”

HERBERT: Canterbury, Holy See,
in a thousand years still will it be?
And people watching as they perform treachery,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

CHORISTER: Canterbury, Holy See,
Shine a light on Thomas, our Lord.
Bring him home safely to his loving Canterbury,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

HERBERT: This man of God, exiled from his people
Give us a sign he will return.
God, bring him home to us,
bring him home, bring him home in peace and security.

Recit – MY LORD, I MUST SEE YOU (Thomas’s plea from exile)

BECKET: My Lord, I must see you!
My Lord, will you see me?
Because you are my friend
because you are my king
and because you are my spiritual son!

In that you were my friend
I wish that you are my friend
and will once more be my friend!

But, as my king I am bound in reverence
and as my spiritual son,
I am bound to correct and chastise you!

Further, if it be your pleasure,
permit us to return
in peace to our See
to perform our duties as is meet and right.
We wish to serve you faithfully,
our dearest Lord and King,
Saving God’s honour!
Saving God’s honour!

CHORISTER/HERBERT: Canterbury, Holy See,
Shine a light on Thomas, our Lord.
Bring him home safely to his loving Canterbury,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

HERBERT: Peace seemeth nigh,
may the people soon rejoice.

CHOIR: Canterbury, Holy See,
Shine a light on Thomas our Lord.

HERBERT: Give us a sign peace is here at last.
God bring him home to us, bring him home,
bring him home in peace and security. 

CHOIR: Bring him home safely to his loving Canterbury,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

3] THE PEOPLE’S LAMENT MATILDA/HERBERT/CHOIR
(The congregation in Canterbury)

PEOPLE:Misery, oh, misery,
Seven summers, seven winters,
terror and fear,
dark the seasons of hate!
Some of us, frail, misunderstood,
wretched and exiled,

MEN: the women,
WOMEN: the children,
ALL: the crippled, the maimed.

Misery, oh, misery,
Seven summers, seven winters,
terror and fear,
dark the seasons of hate!

The scourged, the starving,
the beaten, the murdered,
all of us, sinners,
all of us, simpletons,

All of us, poor,
all of us innocent,
Through Christ our Lord
who gives us our dignity.

HERBERT: Oh, Clarendon, Clarendon,
Constitutions of Clarendon,
your clauses so perilous, so
obnoxious the words
they submit in your name!

PEOPLE: God in Heaven, hear us,
hear our humble pleading.
Heavy the burden
for all that we see.

Taken out, the young boy and mutilated,
Taken, the young girl now bleeding in the wood.

We toil for little reward
We are cold, and damp, and hungry.

We try to be content,
for we know
we are blessed
through our Lord Archbishop.

MATILDA: Oh, Clarendon, Clarendon,
Constitutions of Clarendon,
your clauses so perilous, so
obnoxious the words
they submit in your name!

MATILDA/ Oh, Clarendon, Clarendon,
HERBERT/ Constitutions of Clarendon,
PEOPLE: your clauses so perilous, so
obnoxious the words
they submit in your name!

ALL: Lord Archbishop, save us,
save us from destruction.
Stay, Lord, the final solution.

MATILDA/ Glory to the father, Son, and Holy Spirit
HERBERT/ as in the beginning,
PEOPLE: is now and ever shall be.
World without end. Amen.

4] “SO PROUD YOU ARE” HENRY/BECKET
(The King’s Response)

HENRY: So proud you are!
Ungrateful priest!
Unmindful of the bounty
my royal grant to you!
Unmindful of this, fortunate friend.

I have always been willing,
and am still willing
to allow you to possess the Church,
govern in the same freedom as your holy predecessors.

BECKET: Saving God’s Honour!

5] Chorale CANTERBURY, HOLY SEE HERBERT/CHORISTER/CHOIR

CHORISTER Canterbury, Holy See,
& HERBERT: Shine a light on Thomas, our Lord.
Bring him home safely to his loving Canterbury,
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

6] Recit PEACE AT LAST HERBERT/CHOIR/HENRY
(The King & Becket appear to resolve their differences)

HERBERT: Peace seemeth nigh,
may the people soon rejoice.

CHOIR: Canterbury, Holy See,
Shine a light on Thomas our Lord.
Bring him home in peace and security.

HERBERT: Give us a sign, peace is here at last.
God bring him home to us, bring him home,
bring him home in peace and security.

CHOIR: Bring him home in safety to his loving Canterbury
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

HENRY: I will withdraw all the obnoxious clauses
in the Constitutions of Clarendon.

BECKET: And I agree to omit the ‘saving’ clause and return
immediately to England!

Further, if it be your pleasure,
could there be a token of
this peace that is between us?
Bestow on me the ‘Kiss of Peace’ for all to see?

HENRY: I hold no anger, bear no grudge,
but witness, all people, my oath sworn
never to grant you the Kiss of Peace!

EXILE – A RESOLUTION

7] THE KISS OF PEACE BECKET/CHOIR

BECKET: Touch my cheek, welcome to the Kiss of Peace.
Hold my hand,you and I in the Kiss of Peace.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Christ reigns. Christ rules.

CHOIR: Oh, Lamb of God,
that takest away the sin of the world,
have mercy upon us.

Oh, Lamb of God, 
that takest away the sin of the world,
have mercy upon us.
Oh, Lamb of God,
that takest away the sin of the world,
Grant us Thy peace.

BECKET/CHOIR: Touch my cheek, welcome to the Kiss of Peace.
Hold my hand, you and I in the Kiss of Peace.

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest!
Christ reigns! Christ rules!

8] PSALM TWENTY THREE MATILDA/BECKET

MATILDA: Good shepherd, lead us to the pasture
and righteous keep him in Your name.
Restore his soul anew
in the coming of the foe.

Yea, though he’ll walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
he will not fear any evil,
for Thou art with him to the end.

BECKET: Yea, though I’ll walk through the valley
of the shadow of death,
I will not fear not any evil,
for Thou art with me to the end.

BOTH: Good shepherd, lead me/him to the pasture
and righteous keep me/him in Your name.

BECKET: Restore my soul anew
MATILDA: In the coming of the foe.
BECKET: yeah, though I’ll walk through the valley
MATILDA: of the shadow of death
BOTH: I/He will fear not any evil
for Thou art with me/him to the end.
for Thou art with me/him to the end.

9] TRANSIENT SOUL HERBERT/MATILD/CHOIR

HERBERT: Transient soul, our Lord Archbishop
friend of heav’n and friend of all.
Safe in the arms of man’s protector,
safe from the lure of Satan’s call.
Spare him pain, merciful Father,
comfort him in his preparing.
Lighten the final burden.

MATILDA: Transient soul, our Lord Archbishop
friend of heav’n and friend of all.
Safe in the arms of man’s protector,
safe from the lure of Satan’s call.
Spare him pain, merciful Father,
Lighten the final burden.

CHOIR: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord
Lighten the final burden! Alleluia.

CHRISTMAS DAY 1170, CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL

(The Archbishop returns to England from Exile)

10] WELCOME! MATILDA/MARY/HERBERT/CHOIRS
(Welcome to Becket as he enters his Cathedral)

ALL: Welcome!

11] THE LORD’S PRAYER MATILDA/CHOIR

MATILDA: Our Father, which art in heav’n
Hallowed be Thy name. Thy Kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive
them that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

CHOIR JOINS: For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.

MATILDA: Amen.

12] Hymn “IN THE NAME OF THE CHURCH IN ENGLAND” HERBERT/MATILDA/CHOIR

HERBERT: Trumpets sound and the organs shout
Canterbury accomplished.
Christ’s pilgrim a second time
walks the Jerusalem mile.
Come scholars and clergy,
Come women and clerks,
Come sinners, the rich and poor,
Come all children of God
Welcome the one who must die
in the Name of the Church in England.

ALL: Trumpets sound and the organs shout
Canterbury accomplished.
Christ’s pilgrim a second time
walks the Jerusalem mile.
Come scholars and clergy,
Come women and clerks,
Come sinners, the rich and poor,
Come all children of God
Welcome the one who must die
in the Name of the Church in England.
in the Name of the Church in England.
Amen.

13] PEACE, PEACE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? BECKET/CHORISTERS/CHOIR

Solo & Chorus (Becket speaks to the children)

BECKET: Peace, peace, what does it mean?
What is peace when God’s not there?
Peace, peace, our Lord spoke of peace.
I’ll tell you what he said.
Peace, I give to you,
peace, I leave with you,
not as the world, the peace I give.
Peace eternal comes from God.
That is what he said.

CHORISTERS: Peace, peace, what does it mean?
What is peace when God’s not there?
Peace, peace, our Lord spoke of peace.
I’ll tell you what he said.

BECKET: Soon I shall leave my life
just another martyr.

CHORISTERS: Peace, I give to you,
peace, I leave with you,
not as the world, the peace I give.

BECKET: In the Name of the Saints and the Church on earth
deliver us from evil.

CHORISTERS: Peace eternal comes from God.
That is what he said.

ALL: For Thine is the Kingdom
The power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.

BECKET: Amen.

14] HOLY DAY CHORISTER/MATILDA/ CHOIRS
Duet & Choirs (Carol for Christmas Day 1170)

CHORISTER: Holy Day,
Saintété,
Child of light, born this day.
Jesu Christié, paix tranquillité.

Blessed are you.
Blessed am I.
Blessed the Church, Holy See,
Blessed by Canterbury.

CHORISTER/MATILDA/CHOIR: Holy Day,
Saintété,
Child of light, born this day.
Jesu Christié, paix tranquillité.

Blessed am I.
Blessed the Church, Holy See,
Blessed by Canterbury.
Holy Day!

15] Recit “ BUT WHO WILL MAKE SILENT THIS RECALCITRANT FROCK?” HENRY

HENRY: But who will make silent this recalcitrant frock?
This frock in contempt, this frock too proud,
this frock defiant of Clarendon’s call?

This frock who holds his assent
to the clauses of Clarendon.

Who will make silent this recalcitrant Archbishop?

THE ARCHBISHOP’S WARNING – FOUR KNIGHTS ACCUSE!

16] Solo “ALL OF US MUST DIE” BECKET/CHOIR
(Becket speaks to the congregation)

BECKET: All of us must die.
Fear is the enemy of holiness.
He will wear a crown
he that answers his master’s battle call.

And I’m ready to die. I accept the cost.
I am far more ready than those who wish to murder me.

(The congregation respond)

CHOIR: All of us must die. All of us must die.

BECKET: Fear is the enemy the enemy of holiness.

CHOIR: For all of us must die.

(A Prayer)

BECKET/CHOIR: God’s will be done.
Let not fear be the enemy.
Temptation shall keep us
warm and comfortable.

BECKET: And I’m ready to die.
I accept the cost.

CHOIR: Lord Archbishop, save us.
Save us from destruction.
Stay, Lord, the final solution.

Glory be to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
As in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.

17] Chorus COME DOWN TRAITOR! FOUR KNIGHTS/BECKET/CHOIR
(The Knights accuse and throw scorn at Becket)

KNIGHTS ALL: Rise, Becket, the traitor man!
Rise, Becket, the hair-shirt priest!

KNIGHT 1 & 2: Rise, walk on water, if you can.
Rise, traitor and try God’s will!

KNIGHT 3: Are you blessed by the blood of the Lamb?
Are you blessed with the peace passing all understanding?

KNIGHTS ALL: Rise, walk on water, if you can.
Rise, traitor and try God’s will!

KNIGHT 4: Where is Becket, the exile man.
Where is Becket, the wonder priest.

OTHER KNIGHTS: Becket! Becket!

KNIGHTS ALL: Turn the water into wine to
toast the death of Becket, a traitor to the king!

BECKET: You threaten in vain.
In number you come,
but you’ll never dislodge my duty to God!

Here I am, no traitor to my king.
Here I am, a Christian!

PEOPLE: Yes!

BECKET: Saved by the Father!
PEOPLE: Father! 
BECKET: Saved by the Son!
PEOPLE: Son!
BECKET/PEOPLE: Saved by the Holy Ghost, the Three in One!

BECKET: The Church shall stand!
The Church shall remain!
Whatever becomes the passing parade!

The blood of Christ for the blood of man.
What does it matter who I am?

KNIGHT 1: From whom were you given the throne of Canterbury?
KNIGHT 2: Absolve the bishops you have excommunicated!
KNIGHT 3: Understand what you are is from the king’s own making!

BECKET: My Redeemer has willed this priest now to die,
that his Church will not suffer today or tomorrow.
Take me, my body is yours,
I am here, I won’t leave,
but none of my people in God’s Name
will you touch, will you hurt, nor accuse or detain.

I forbid. I forbid.
By God’s authority, I forbid you to touch my people!

PEOPLE: Take me, my body is yours,
I am here, I won’t leave,
but none of my people in God’s Name
will you touch, will you hurt, nor accuse or detain.

BECKET: In the name of the Lord I submit to death.
PEOPLE: Mercy!

BECKET: In the name of the Lord, God’s will be done!
PEOPLE: Mercy!

BECKET: Cowards you are, but I hold no grudge.
PEOPLE: No grudge!

BECKET: Soon I will be with my Lord Jesus Christ.
PEOPLE: Jesus Christ!

BECKET: Saved by the Father.
PEOPLE: Father!

BECKET: Saved by the Son!
PEOPLE: Son!

BECKET/PEOPLE: Saved by the Holy Ghost, the Three in One!

BECKET: The Church shall stand!
The Church shall remain!
Whatever becomes the passing parade!

The blood of Christ for the blood of man.
What does it matter who I am?

18] Becket’s final prayer NOW TO ALMIGHTY GOD .. BECKET

BECKET: Now to Almighty God,
to Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
to Denys and St Elphege,
to Peter and Paul and all the Saints in Heaven,
I commend my soul and the cause of the Church
to God for evermore.
Amen. Amen.

MURDER – THE KING’S REMORSE & PENANCE

19] MURDER! ORGAN & ORCHESTRA

20] Aria CLARENDON SLEEPS HENRY

HENRY: Clarendon sleeps. Clarendon weeps no more.
Witness my pledge, this promise to God I keep.
Lonely this heart that gave opportunity.
Humble this king that cometh to Canterbury.

Here is my friend, unwittingly sent by me.
Time has stood still, awaiting my pilgrimage.
Well earned your rest. Suffer no more, dear friend.
Witness my pledge, this promise to God I keep.

21] Chorus CLARENDON STAINED CHOIR/HENRY

CHOIR: Clarendon stained.

HENRY: Clarendon stained.
Witness my pledge, this promise to God I keep.

22] Chorus SCOURGE! KNIGHTS/HENRY/CHOIR/HERBERT

KNIGHTS: (from afar) Come down Becket, the traitor man.
Come down Becket, the hair shirt priest.
Come down, walk on water if you can.
Come down traitor and try God’s will.

HENRY: Am I saved by the blood of the Lamb?
Am I blessed with the peace passing all understanding?

KNIGHTS: (from afar) Come down walk on water if you can.
Come down traitor and try God’s will.

HENRY: I acknowledge my part, unwitting my deed,
but complicity none and in penance I come.

Here I am, no traitor to my God.
CHOIR: Traitor!

HENRY: Here I stand, a humbled king.
CHOIR: Humbled!

HENRY: Saved by the Father.
CHOIR: Father!

HENRY: Saved by the Son.
CHOIR: Son!

HENRY/CHOIR: Saved by the Holy Ghost, the Three in One

HENRY: The Church shall stand!
The Church shall remain!
Whatever becomes the passing parade!

CHOIR: The blood of man for the blood of Christ

HENRY: What does it matter who I am?

HERBERT: My Redeemer has willed our Lord now to die,
That his Church will not suffer today or tomorrow.

HENRY: Take me, my body is yours,
I have come, I won’t leave.

CHOIR: Take me, my body is yours,
I have come, I won’t leave.

HENRY: In the name of the Lord, I submit to the lash.
CHOIR: Becket!

HENRY: I abide by the mandate of the Pope here on earth.
CHOIR: Becket!

HENRY: I abrogate the Constitutions of Clarendon.
CHOIR: Becket!

HENRY: Saved by the Father.
CHOIR: Father!

HENRY: Saved by the Son.
CHOIR: Son!

HENRY/CHOIR: Saved by the Holy Ghost, the Three in One!

CHOIR/HENRY: The Church shall stand!
The Church shall remain!
Whatever becomes the passing parade!

CHOIR: The blood of man for the blood of Christ

CHOIR/HENRY: What does it matter who I am? 

THE KING GRANTS THOMAS THE KISS OF PEACE

23] THOMAS, I GRANT YOU THE KISS OF PEACE HENRY/CHOIR

HENRY: Lord Archbishop, hear me,
Hear my humble pleading.
God be my witness, their purpose was their own.

Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
triumphant, God’s will prevailing!

Thomas, I grant you the Kiss of Peace.

CHOIR/HENRY: Glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
As in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen.

24] Solo & Chorus THE KISS OF PEACE – AMEN SOLOISTS/CHOIRS ALL

HERBERT/CHOIRS: Touch my cheek,
Welcome to the Kiss of Peace.
Hold my hand,
you and I in the Kiss of Peace.
Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

ALL: Hosanna in the highest!

CHOIR: Blessed is he that giveth the Kiss of Peace.
SOLOISTS: Blessed is he receiving the Kiss of Peace.

CHOIR: Blessed is he that giveth the Kiss of Peace.
SOLOISTS: Blessed is he receiving the Kiss of Peace.

HENRY: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
SOLOISTS/CHOIRS: The name of the Lord.

HENRY: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
SOLOISTS/CHOIRS: The name of the Lord.

SOLOISTS: Touch my cheek,
Welcome to the Kiss of Peace.

CHOIRS: Hold my hand, you and I,
in the Kiss of Peace.

ALL: Kiss of Peace. Kiss of Peace.
Welcome, the Kiss of Peace!
Amen.

The text has been created by David Reeves, being based on interpretations of original texts from Thomas Becket, William fitzWilliam (Becket’s clerk) and Herbert of Bosham as well as other historical and original material.