The Danes Force Alphage to Witness the Burning of His Church

Fearless of his own fate, Alphage boldly stood before the savage band whose swords were still red with the blood of his countrymen, and refused to call upon either church or king for money to save his own life. Enraged and disappointed, the Danes dragged him about their camp, picking up beef bones, with which they bruised and gashed him at every step.

Alphage bore this dreadful treatment patiently, and even prayed for the conversion of his cruel tormentors. At last one of the Danish soldiers who had been helped, when wounded, by the good archbishop, could not bear to see him suffer; and knowing that in the end his death was certain, smote him on the head with his battle-axe and thus ended his pains.

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