At that the old archbishop got up and insisted on the election then
and there; but Absalon would have none of it. The burden was too
heavy for his shoulders, he said. However, the clergy seized him,
"being," says Saxo, who without doubt was one of them, "the more
emboldened to do so as the archbishop himself laid hands upon him
first." Intoning the hymn sung at archiepiscopal consecrations, they
tried to lead him to the altar. He resisted with all his might and
knocked several of the brethren down. Vestments were torn and
scattered, and a mighty ruction arose, to which the laity, not to be
outdone, added by striking up a hymn of their own. Archbishop and
King tried vainly to make peace; the clamor and battle only rose the
higher. Despite his struggles, Absalon was dragged to the high seat,
but as they were about to force him into it, he asked leave to say a
single word, and instantly appealed his case to the Pope. So there
was an end; but when the aged Eskild, on the plea of weakness,
begged him to pronounce the benediction, he refused warily, because
so he would be exercising archiepiscopal functions and would be _de
facto_ incumbent of the office.[4]
[Footnote 4: That all this in no way affected the personal relations
of the two men Saxo assures us in one of the little human touches
with which his chronicle abounds.
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