After a time it was proclaimed
that none would be permitted to join in the revelries who were enemies
to the Gods who presided at them. This stroke was successful: the
majority openly embraced the creed of their conquerors, and showed the
usual spirit of perverts in exceeding the latter in their zeal to sweep
away all traces of the religion which they had abandoned. The minority
who held true to their faith drew together, a grim and resolute band,
prepared for a bold defence and, if Christ so willed it, for martyrdom.
It was not Judith's purpose, now that the disruption of the islanders
was effected, to leave time for the Christians to mature plans for
resistance. Garthmund, at her instigation, delivered simultaneous
attacks on Lihou and the Vale; he himself superintending the latter
operation in order that he might see that the sorceress's instructions,
that all in the nunnery were to be made prisoners uninjured, and brought
to her closely veiled, were implicitly obeyed. To the surprise of the
islanders, however, both assaults, though made with spirit and absolute
confidence of success, were completely repulsed; the same result
attended a renewed attack, made two days subsequently with fresh and
increased forces supported by native levies.
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