“I have been all this day in Westminster Hall,” said he, “for I saw there Mr Bertie, of my Lady of Suffolk’s house, and he gat space for me so soon as he saw me; and we stood together all the day to listen. My Lord of Somerset pleaded his own cause like a gentleman and a Christian, as he is: verily, I never heard man speak better.”
“Well!” said Isoult, “then wherefore, thinkest, fared he ill?”
“Ah, dear heart!” replied he, “afore a jury of wolves, a lamb should be convicted of the death of a lion.”
“Who tried him?” asked Dr Thorpe.
“My Lord of Northumberland himself hath been on the Bench,” said John, “and it is of the act of compassing and procuring his death that my Lord of Somerset is held guilty.”
“Knave! scoundrel! murderer!” cried Dr Thorpe, in no softened tone. “Jack, if I were that man’s physician, I were sore tempted to give him a dose that should end his days and this realm’s troubles!”
“Good friend,” said John, smiling sadly, “methinks his days shall be over before the troubles of this realm.”
“But is there an other such troubler in it?” asked he.
“Methinks I could name two,” said John; “the Devil and Dr Stephen Gardiner.”
“Dr Gardiner is safe shut up,” he answered.