“And a pestilent knave,” concluded a fiery-faced man whom Anthony did not know.
But the Commissioners wanted more than that; it was true that Anthony was already convicted of high treason in having been ordained beyond the seas and in exercising his priestly functions in England; but the exacting of the penalty for religion alone was apt to raise popular resentment; and it was far preferable in the eyes of the authorities to entangle a priest in the political net before killing him. So they passed over for the present his priestly functions and first demanded a list of all the places where he had stayed in the north.
“You ask what is impossible,” said Anthony, with his eyes on the ground and his heart beating sharply, for he knew that now peril was near.
“Well,” said Wade, “let us put it another way. We know that you were at Speke Hall, Blainscow, and other places. I have a list here,” and he tapped the table, “but we want your name to it.”
“Let me see the paper,” said Anthony.
“Nay, nay, tell us first.”
“I cannot sign the paper except I see it,” said Anthony, smiling.
“Give it him,” said a voice from the end of the table.
“Here then,” said Wade unwillingly.
Anthony got up and took the paper from him, and saw one or two places named where he had not been, and saw that it had been drawn up at any rate partly on guesswork.