e to
excommunicate the bishops when they were acting by his own order! It
is more than we can bear to listen to such monstrous accusations."

John of Salisbury tried to check the archbishop's imprudent tongue,
and whispered to him to speak to the knights in private; but when the
passion was on him, no mule was more ungovernable than Becket. Drawing
to a conclusion, Fitzurse said to him:--"Since you refuse to do any
one of those things which the King requires of you, his final commands
are that you and your clergy shall forthwith depart out of this realm
and out of his dominions, never more to return. You have broken the
peace, and the King cannot trust you again."

Becket answered wildly that he would not go--never again would he
leave England. Nothing but death should now part him from his church.
Stung by the reproach of ill-faith, he poured out the catalogue of his
own injuries. He had been promised restoration, and instead of
restoration he had been robbed and insulted. Ranulf de Broc had laid
an embargo on his wine. Robert de Broc had cut off his mule's tail;
and now the knights had come to menace him.

De Morville said that if he had suffered any wrong he had only to
appeal to the Council, and justice would be done.

Becket did not wish for the Council's justice. "I have complained
enough," he said; "so many wrongs are daily heaped upon me that I
could not find messengers to carry the tale of them. I am refused
access to the court. Neither one king nor the other will do me right.
I will endure it no more. I will use my own powers as archbishop, and
no child of man shall prevent me."

"You will lay the realm under interdict, then, and excommunicate the
whole of us?" said Fitzurse.

"So God help me," said one of the others, "he shall not do that. He
has excommunicated over-many already. We have borne too long with
him."

The knights sprang to their feet, twisting their gloves and swinging
their arms. The archbishop rose. In the general noise words could no
longer be accurately heard. At length the knights moved to leave the
room, and addressing the archbishop's attendants, said, "In the King's
name we command you to see that this man does not escape."

"Do you think I shall fly, then?" cried the archbishop. "Neither for
the King nor for any living man will I fly. You cannot be more ready
to kill me than I am to die.... Here you will find me," he shouted,
following them to the door as they went out, and cal