“Such were the mercies of God vouchsafed to His unworthy servant, in answer to my constant prayers. Many gentlemen intrust themselves and their interests to our servants' good faith no less than to ours; so that there could be no greater let or hindrance to our good work, than any treachery on their part; indeed, the defection of such a one would be likely to cause the most frightful ruin among Catholics. For if one servant, and he [pg lxvii] neither a Catholic nor one of the household, like the traitor of whom I have spoken, made such havoc in his master's family, what mischief could a Priest's servant do to the many persons of high rank that had harboured him and his master! God has hitherto kept me free from the like betrayal.
“To return to my story. They could wrest nothing out of Little John and Fulwood; and none of my host's Catholic servants would make any avowal, or own that he knew me. Seeing that they could bring no witness against him, they gradually lost the hope they had of seizing his chattels and revenue.
“Sometimes they would bring me up for examination, when they had anything new against me. Once they called me to try on a suit of clothes, which had been found in my host's house, and which the traitor said were mine. I put them on, and they were just a fit, for the truth was that they had been made for me; however, I would not own them, nor admit them to be mine. Hereupon Young flew into a passion, called me a headstrong and unreasonable man. He was so barefaced as to add ‘How much more sensible is Southwell, who after long wilfulness is now ready to conform, and wishes to treat with some man of learning.’
“ ‘Nay,’ I answered, ‘I will never believe that Father Southwell wishes to treat with any one from any wavering in his faith, or to learn what to believe from a heretic; but he might perchance challenge any heretic to dispute with him that dared, as Father Campion did, and as many others would do if you would let them, and appoint proper umpires.’
“Then Young seized hold of the book, and kissing it, cried: ‘I swear upon this book that Southwell has offered to treat, with a view of embracing our religion.’
“ ‘I do not believe he ever did so,’ said I.
“ ‘What,’ said an officer of the Court, ‘do you not believe his oath?’
“ ‘No,’ was my reply, ‘I neither can nor will believe him; for I have a better opinion of Father Southwell's firmness than of his truthfulness; since perhaps he thinks that he is allowed to make this statement to beguile me.’
“ ‘No such thing,’ said Young; ‘but are you ready to conform [pg lxviii] if he has done so?’ (To conform, in their sense, means to embrace their deformed religion.)
“ ‘Certainly not,’ I answered; ‘for if I keep myself free from heresy and heretical meetings, it is not because he or any man on earth does the same; but because to act otherwise would be to deny Christ, by denying His faith, which may be done by deed as well as by word. This is what our Lord forbade under pain of a heavier punishment than man can inflict, when He said, “He that shall deny Me before men, him will I deny before My Father Who is in Heaven.” ’