The king, on finding the four knights had left the court, gave orders to have them stopped, but it was too late. They were then at Canterbury, and entering the hospitable doors of the palace had made direct for the archbishop’s private chamber. It was four o’clock. Dinner had been at three, and Thomas was sitting on his bed talking to John of Salisbury, Edward Grim, and a few other friends. When the knights entered, Thomas recognized Reginald, William, and Hugh, for they had served under him years before, and waited for them to speak. Reginald FitzUrse was the spokesman. He declared they had come from the king, that Thomas must take an oath of fealty to the newly-crowned prince, and must absolve the excommunicated bishops. Thomas answered that the bishops might have been absolved on their willingness to obey the judgments of the Church, and that the king had sanctioned what had been done at their reconciliation. Reginald denied there had been any reconciliation, and swore that Thomas was imputing treachery to the king in saying such a thing. The archbishop pointed out that the reconciliation had taken place in public, and that Reginald himself had been present. Reginald swore he had never been there, and had not heard of it. And at this the other knights broke in, swearing again and again, by God’s wounds, that they had borne with him far too long already. Then Thomas reminded them of the insults and losses he had endured, especially at the hands of the De Brocs, since his return. Hugh of Morville answered him that he had his remedy in the King’s Courts, and ought not to excommunicate men on his own authority. “I shall wait for no man’s leave to do justice on any that wrong the Church and will not give satisfaction,” Thomas replied. “What do you threaten us! Threats are too much!” cried Reginald FitzUrse. Then the knights bit their gloves and angrily defied the archbishop. Thomas told them that they could not intimidate him. “Once I went away like a timid priest; now I have returned, and I will never leave again. If I may do my office in peace, it is well: if I may not, God’s will be done.” Then he turned to remind them they had once sworn fealty to him when he was chancellor. “We are the king’s men,” they shouted out, “and owe fealty to no one against the king!” Bidding his servants keep the archbishop within the precincts on peril of their lives, the knights withdrew. “It is easy to keep me,” said Thomas, “for I shall not go away. I will not fly for the king or for any living man.” “Why did you not take counsel with us and give milder answer to your enemies?” said John of Salisbury. “You are ready to die, but we are not. Think of our peril!” “We must all die,” the archbishop answered, “and the fear of death must not turn us from doing justice.”