At length he finished in these words:
"And now I have told you all the truth, and if ye will not believe
me, but prefer to think I betrayed those to death I loved so
dearly, I cannot help myself; but if there be a God, and a judgment
day--as ye all profess to believe--I appeal to that God and that
day, knowing that my innocence will then be made clear. That I
fought with them who slew the baron I freely admit, and hold myself
justified, as ye must, if ye believe my story; but I myself
protected the monks of your kindred, albeit they had taken the
places of better men than themselves, and not one was harmed; and
when we fled, we burnt castle, priory, and village, without
distinction, that they might not shelter an enemy. This, too, I
hold to be lawful in war.
"I know that Englishmen find scant justice at Norman hands, and
that ye will slay me as a rebel. Do so, and I will thank you; only
defile not the memory--slay not the reputation as well as the body.
If the house of Aescendune, which was planted in this land when ye
Normans were but pagan Danes, is to perish, let it at least go
unsullied to its grave. I have spoken."
There was strong sensation. His speech had produced some reaction
in his favour.
"It is, as we said before, a question of evidence," said the King.
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