He asked eagerly about those who had been taken, and his eyes filled with tears when he heard that Clarke was one of the victims, and one who was likely to be treated with greater harshness than the rest.

“A saint of the Lord, if ever there was one!” cried Dalaber earnestly.  “Oh, if only they would let me share his confinement!  What would not I give to be with him, to tend and comfort him, and listen to his godly words!  I should fear nothing, were he beside me.  Surely the angels of the Lord will be about his bed through the hours of darkness, and will keep him from the malice of his enemies.”

“I trust that he will be liberated ere long,” answered Arthur gravely.  “But they will never make him speak a word that his heart goes not with.  And it is said that the bishop and the cardinal are much incensed against the canons of the college who have been found tampering, as they choose to call it, with the holy Catholic faith.”

“And Freda?  How is she, and what says she of all these matters?”

“She is in much trouble of spirit, but she bears it with courage, and I do all that I may to comfort her.

“I have won the right to think of her as a sister now,” added Arthur, with the colour rising in his face, “for Magdalen has promised to be my wife.  We are betrothed, and I ask your gratulations, Anthony.”

These were given with great fervour, and for a brief while the two young men forgot all else in eager lovers’ talk.  Anthony was assured that no danger threatened the house of Dr. Langton for his friendship with Clarke and others of those now in prison.  The anxiety of the authorities was simply with the students and those under their care in the university.  The private opinions of private persons in the place did not concern them in any grave fashion.

Already enlightened men were beginning to foresee a gradual change in ecclesiastical government in the land, though it might not be just yet.  Even the most zealous of the church party, when they were shrewd and far-sighted men, and not immediately concerned with the present struggle, saw signs of an inevitable increase in light and individual liberty of thought which would bring great changes with it.  To check heresy amongst the students was the duty of the authorities, in virtue of their office; but they gave themselves no concern outside the walls of their colleges.  Perhaps they knew that if they attempted to hunt out all heretics, or such as might be so called, from the city, they would denude it of half its population.

Indeed, having once laid hands on the offenders, and argued and talked with them, Dr. London himself, though regarded by the culprits as somewhat like a greedy lion roaring after his prey, and being, in truth, a man of whom not much good can be written, wrote to the cardinal and the Bishop of Lincoln, plainly intimating that he thought the matter might be safely hushed up, and that it would be a pity to proceed to any extremity.