A.D. 870.] BATTLE OF THETFOKD. who had been sent by the impious Hinguar, the most blessed king Edmund addressed him as follows :— " Stained as you are with the blood of my people, you deserve the punishment of death ; but following the example of my Christ, I do not shrink from willingly dying for his sake, if it shall so befall ; hasten, then, back to your master and bear him my reply. Though you may violently rob me of the wealth which divine Providence hath given me, you shall not make me subject to an infidel; for it is an honourable thing to defend our liberties and the purity of our faith ; and, if need be, we deem it not in vain even to die for them. Proceed, then, as your haughty cruelty has begun, and after slaying the servants, slay also the king, for the King of kings regards me, and will translate me to reign for ever in heaven." Battle between king Edmund and Hinguar. On the departure, therefore, of the fierce messenger, king Edmund commanded his companions to fly to arms, declaring it to be an honourable thing to fight lor one's faith and country, and exhorting them not to betray the same by their cowardice. Encouraged, therefore, by bishop Humbert and his nobles and companions in arms, the most blessed king Edmund advanced boldly against the enemy with all the forces he could raise, and falling in with them as they came to meet him not far from the town of Thetford, he fought a severe battle with them, in which both sides sustained excessive loss, inflicting mutual slaughter from morning until evening, so that the whole field was red with the blood of the slain, insomuch that the most pious king Edmund not only sorrowed for the slaughter of his companions fighting for their country and for the faith of Jesus, and who he knew had attained the crown of martyrdom, but also bitterly bewailed the fate of the infidel barbarians who were precipitated into the gulf of hell. After the pagans had retired from the place of slaughter, king Edmund, the most blessed confessor of Christ, led the residue of his forces to the royal vili of Haeilesdune, stedfastly purposing in his mind never again to fight with the barbarians, and declaring that it was necessary that he alone should die for the people, that the whole nation might not perish.