l in the persons so freely excommunicated to complain to the King.
It was equally natural in the King, who had hoped that this troublesome
opponent was at last quieted, to fall into a mighty rage when he heard of
these new affronts; and, on the Archbishop of York telling him that he
never could hope for rest while Thomas a Becket lived, to cry out hastily
before his court, 'Have I no one here who will deliver me from this man?'
There were four knights present, who, hearing the King's words, looked at
one another, and went out.

The names of these knights were REGINALD FITZURSE, WILLIAM TRACY, HUGH DE
MORVILLE, and RICHARD BRITO; three of whom had been in the train of
Thomas a Becket in the old days of his splendour. They rode away on
horseback, in a very secret manner, and on the third day after Christmas
Day arrived at Saltwood House, not far from Canterbury, which belonged to
the family of Ranulf de Broc. They quietly collected some followers
here, in case they should need any; and proceeding to Canterbury,
suddenly appeared (the four knights and twelve men) before the
Archbishop, in his own house, at two o'clock in the afternoon. They
neither bowed nor spoke, but sat down on the floor in silence, staring at
the Archbishop.

Thomas a Becket said, at length, 'What do you want?'

'We want,' said Reginald Fitzurse, 'the excommunication taken from the
Bishops, and you to answer for your offences to the King.' Thomas a
Becket defiantly replied, that the power of the clergy was above the
power of the King. That it was not for such men as they were, to
threaten him. That if he were threatened by all the swords in England,
he would never yield.

'Then we will do more than threaten!' said the knights. And they went
out with the twelve men, and put on their armour, and drew their shining
swords, and came back.

His servants, in the meantime, had shut up and barred the great gate of
the palace. At first, the knights tried to shatter it with their battle-
axes; but, being shown a window by which they could enter, they let the
gate alone, and climbed in that way. While they were battering at the
door, the attendants of Thomas a Becket had implored him to take refuge
in the Cathedral; in which, as a sanctuary or sacred place, they thought
the knights would dare to do no violent deed. He told them, again and
again, that he would not stir. Hearing the distant voices of the monks
singing the evening service, however, h