Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

ST. ELPHEGE.
113
appearing amongst the.serried Danish ranks at a-
spot strewn with the corpses of the slain, he besought
them for mercy. " Spare them," he said,
" and let your anger vent itself on me." They fell at
once upon the gentle Archbishop, and struck him
blows which bathed him in his blood. Thus
lacerated, they dragged him to witness the ruin of
x "/ OO
his cathedral. Monks, clergy, and people had taken
shelter within its walls, to which the Danes set fire.
The fugitives were compelled to- come forth, and, as
they did so, were massacred before the Archbishop's
eyes. His life was prolonged in misery through the
avarice of the Danes. They had constituted him
their prisoner, and fixed his ransom at 3000 pounds
in silver. Elphege refused to raise the money. " An.
old man's life," he said, "was of little value." He
lingered therefore in prison till the following year
1012. On Easter Eve he received the intimation
that he must pay the money within eight days or die.
His persistent refusal shows that he considered it
a question of principle. Weak and wrorn with ill-
treatment, Elphege was carried into the banqueting-
room of the Danish chiefs. He wTas greeted with a,
fierce shout. " Gold, bishop," they said, " or this very
day you shall be made a spectacle to the world."1
There was a pause before Elphege replied : " I have
no other gold or silver to offer you than the knowledge
of the true God ". They rushed upon him, and
soon the body of the Archbishop was buried under a-
1 Flanagan, i. 222.
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