The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-02-08

the argument, partly feeling that his
doom called him thither, he rose and
moved; but seeing that his cross staff
was not as usual borne before him,
he stopped and called for it. Thrice
they were delayed, even in that short
passage; for thrice he broke loose
from them. At last they reached the
door of the lower north transept of
the cathedral, and here was presented
new scene.
The vespers had already begun
and the monks were singing their
service in the choir, when two boys
rushed up the nave, announcing,
more by their terrified gestures than
by their words, that the soldiers we're
bursting into the palace and into the
monastery. Instantly the service was
thrown into the utmost confusion;
part remained at--prayer, part fed
into the numerous hiding places
which the vast fabric affords, and
part went down the steps of the
choir into the transept to meet the
little band at the door. 'Come-in,
come-in" exclaimed one of them;
"come in, and let us die togetherl"
The archbishop continued to stand
outside, and said, $50 and finish the
service. So long as you keep in the
entrance 1 shall not come in"
Beckett, who had stepped some
PAGES into the cathedral, but was re-
sisting the solicitations of those i'm
mediately about him to move up into
the choir for safety, darted back, call
ing aloud as he went, "Away, you
towards! By virtue of your obedi-
ence l command you not to shut the
door; the church must not be turned
into CASTLE" 1t was, we must re-
member, about five o'clock In winter
evening. The transept in which the
knights found themselves is the same
as that which, though with considera-
BILE changes in it's arrangements, is
still known by its ancient name of
''The Martyrdom."
The well-known horror which in
that age was felt at an act of sacri-
lege. together with the sight of the
crowds who were rushing in from the
town through the nave, turned their
efforts for the next few moments to
carry him out of the church. Fitz-
urse threw down the axe and tried to
drag him out by the collar of his long
cloak, calling, "Come with us; you
are our prisoner!" 81 will not fly, you
detestable fellow!" was Becket's re-
ply, reused to his usual vehemence
and wrenching the cloak out of Fitz-
urse's grasp. Beckett set his back
against the pillar and resisted with all
his might; whilst Grim vehemently
demonstrating, threw his arms around
him to aid his efforts. In the scuffle
Beckett fastened upon Tracy, shook
him by his coat of mail, and exerting
his great strength, flung him down
on the pavement. 1t was hopeless to
carry on the attempt to remove him,
and, in the final struggle which now
began, Fitzurse, as before, took the
lead. But as he approached with his
drawn sword, the sight of him kim
died afresh the archbishop's anger,
now heated by the fray; the spirit of
the chancellor rose within him, and
with a coarse epithet, not calculated
to turn away his adversary's wrath,
he exclaimed, "You profigate wretch,
you are my man, you have done me
fealty, you ought not to touch me"
Fitzurse, glowing all over with rage,
retorted, II owe you no fealty nor
homage contrary to my fealty to the
king" and waving his sword over his
head, cried, "Strike! strikew (Ferez!
ferezD but merely dashed off his cap.
The archbishop covered his eyes
with his joined hands, bent his neck
and said, 81 commend my cause and
the cause of the Church to God, to
Saint Denys the martyr of France, to
Saint Alfege, and to the saints of the
Church" Meantime Tracy who
since his fall had removed his hau-
berk to move more easily, sprang
forward and struck more decided
blow. Grim, who up to this time had
his arm around Beckett, threw it up,
wrapped in cloak, to intercept the
blade, Beckett exclaiming, "Spare this
defensep The sword lighted on the
arm of the monk which fell wounded
or broken; and he fed disabled to
the nearest altar, probably that of
Saint Benedict.
The blood from the first blow was
trickling down Becket's face; he
wiped it with his arm, and seeing it
said, "Into thy hands, o Lord, l
commend my spiritp At the third