“Marry, ’tis the very man,” replied the porter.
Whereupon, he unlocked the door of the strong-room, and showed them Carver within it, seated on a bench, with his hands tied behind his back with cords. Rodomont would fain have carried him off at once, but this the porter would not permit, saying they must tarry till the bishop returned from Saint Paul’s.
Half an hour elapsed before Bonner made his appearance, and when he found Rodomont and his comrades there he was exceedingly wroth, and refused to give up the prisoner.
“The knave was taken at a conventicle in Foster-Lane,” he said, “where he was preaching heretical doctrines, praying against her Majesty, and giving the communion according to the prohibited book of service. I greatly marvel that the Cardinal should allow such a pestilent wretch to go forth to spread contagion abroad. Depart now, and tell his Eminence that I will bring back the man to him to-morrow[to-morrow]. He is safe here, as ye can bear witness.”
“Our orders are to bring him back wherever we may find him,” rejoined Rodomont, “and those we must obey.”
“What!” cried Bonner. “Will ye take him from me by force?”
“We trust your lordship will not drive us to that extremity,” replied Rodomont. “We claim this man as the Lord Cardinal’s prisoner, and we require your lordship to deliver him up to us. If you resist, the fault will rest with you.”
“E’en take him, then,” rejoined Bonner furiously. “But ye may rest assured I will not be robbed of my prey. He is a preacher of heresy and sedition, a blasphemer and traitor, and I will burn him in spite of the Cardinal. It shall go hard if I burn not Mistress Constance Tyrrell at the same time.”
Rodomont and his comrades stayed to hear no more, but carried off the prisoner, and placing him in the barge, conveyed him to Lambeth Palace. On arriving there they took him at once before the Cardinal, and Rodomont explained what had occurred.
“Your Eminence will perceive that I was forcibly detained,” said Carver. “Had it not been so, I should have returned at the appointed hour.”