At this moment the university beadle entered with two of the commissary’s servants, bringing a message to the prior that he should repair at once to Lincoln, taking Dalaber with him.  “I was brought into the chapel,” the latter continues, “and there I found Dr. Cottisford, commissary; Dr. Higdon, Dean of Cardinal’s College; and Dr. London, Warden of New College; standing together at the altar.  They called for chairs and sate down, and then [ordered] me to come to them; they asked me what my name was, how long I had been at the university, what I studied,” with various other inquiries:  the clerk of the university, meanwhile, bringing pens, ink, and paper, and arranging a table with a few loose boards upon tressels.  A mass book, he says, was then placed before him, and he was commanded to lay his hand upon it, and swear that he would answer truly such questions as should be asked him.  At first he refused; but afterwards, being persuaded, “partly by fair words, and partly by great threats,” he promised to do as they would have him; but in his heart he “meant nothing so to do.”  “So I laid my hand on the book,” he goes on, “and one of them gave me my oath, and commanded me to kiss the book.  They made great courtesy between them who should examine me; at last, the rankest Pharisee of them all took upon him to do it.

“Then he asked me again, by my oath, where Master Garret was, and whither I had conveyed him.  I said I had not conveyed him, nor yet wist where he was, nor whither he was gone, except he were gone to Woodstock, as I had before said.  Surely, they said, I brought him some whither this morning, for they might well perceive by my foul shoes and dirty hosen that I had travelled with him the most part of the night.  I answered plainly, that I lay at Alban’s Hall with Sir Fitzjames, and that I had good witness thereof.  They asked me where I was at evensong.  I told them at Frideswide, and that I saw, first, Master Commissary, and then Master Doctor London, come thither to Master Dean.  Doctor London and the Dean threatened me that if I would not tell the truth I should surely be sent to the Tower of London, and there be racked, and put into Little-ease.[517]

“At last when they could get nothing out of me whereby to hurt or accuse any man, or to know anything of that which they sought, they all three together brought me up a long stairs, into a great chamber, over Master Commissary’s chamber, wherein stood a great pair of very high stocks.  Then Master Commissary asked me for my purse and girdle, and took away my money and my knives; and then they put my legs into the stocks, and so locked me fast in them, in which I sate, my feet being almost as high as my head; and so they departed, locking fast the door, and leaving me alone.