“Art thou willing to be reformed?” they asked Elizabeth.
“Sirs,” she answered cautiously, “I am willing to be shown God’s true way, if so be I err from it.”
This was enough for the Commissioners. They wanted to get her free, and they therefore accepted from her words which would probably have been used in vain by the rest. Mr Ashby was charged to keep and “reconcile” her, which he promised to do, or to feed her on barley bread if she proved obstinate.
As Elizabeth turned to follow him she passed close by Robert Purcas, whom the gaoler was just about to take back to prison.
“‘Thou hast set them in slippery places,’” whispered Purcas as she passed him. “Keep thou true to Christ. O Elizabeth, mine own love, keep true!”
The tears rose to Elizabeth’s eyes. “Pray for me, Robin,” she said. And then each was led away.