“Tush!” cried the commissary angrily; “right well do you know that you went with him, and kept company with him through the night.  Your shoes and your hosen show as much.  You have been companying with him for many a mile upon the way.  You have not been in bed all night.  We were in your room before daybreak, and you were not there.”

“I abode last night with Master Fitzjames, my former comrade, in our old lodging at St. Alban Hall,” answered Dalaber readily, “and that can be proven of many witnesses.  Neither did I go forth with Master Garret when he left.  I came to St. Frideswyde for evensong, and there I saw you, Mr. Commissary, and you, Dr. London, enter to speak with the dean.  And I did well guess that you had come to tell him of the escape of Master Garret, of which he had spoken with me a short while before.”

It was perhaps not a very politic speech on Dalaber’s part.  The three men turned angry and threatening glances upon him.

“You knew that that pestilent man was being sought for, and had escaped out of our hands, and you assisted him to further flight, and told nothing of what had chanced.  Do you know the penalty which is attached to such misdemeanors, Anthony Dalaber?”

He made no answer.  He knew himself to be in their power; but he resolved not to commit himself or to betray others by any rashness, whereunto by nature he was somewhat prone.

The three judges conferred together for a brief while, and then ordered that a Mass book should be brought, and bade Dalaber lay his hand upon it and swear to answer truthfully all questions put to him.

“That will I not do,” he answered, “for I will not speak of those matters which concern other men.  And as for myself, it is abundantly plain that you know already all that there is to be spoken of mine own affairs.”

A smile passed over Dr. Higdon’s face.  He was the least severe of the three men, and something in Dalaber’s bold bearing touched a sympathetic chord in his heart.

“Then, friend Anthony, why should you fear to be sworn?  I pray you, show not yourself disobedient and contumacious, lest you bring discredit and trouble upon yourself which otherwise you may escape.  It is not our wish to deal harshly with any man; but we would fain purge our godly colleges from the taint of deadly sin.  If you are not guilty of such sin in your own soul, have no fear.  It is a guilty conscience that makes men fear to lay hands upon the holy Book and take the name of the Most High upon their lips.”

This specious but rather vague reasoning had its effect upon Anthony; and even more did the kindliness with which the words were spoken prevail with him, so that he consented to swear to speak the truth, though in his heart he resolved that he would only answer for himself, and that nothing which might incriminate others should pass his lips.