The Danes, they knew, were pagans and bitterly hostile to Christianity, the monasteries and priests being special objects of their hostility.

The suggestion of one of the peasants, that the cross had no doubt been taken from the body of some man murdered by the Danes, revived the passion of the rest and nearly cost the prisoners their lives; but an older man who seemed to have a certain authority over the others said that the matter must be inquired into, especially as the man who had the cross, and who continued to address them in Italian, clearly spoke some language approaching their own.

He would have questioned him further, but the Genoese was now rapidly losing consciousness from the pain of his wounds and the loss of blood.
The three prisoners were therefore bound, and being placed on rough litters constructed of boughs, were carried off by the peasants.

The strength and excellence of Edmund's armour had enabled him to withstand the blows better than his companions, and he retained his consciousness of what was passing.

For three hours their journey continued.