“What want you with me?” he asked, looking up, and almost expecting to see the person who had before warned him that Master Gresham was in danger.
“Thou art a young traitor, and must prepare to go with me to prison,” said the officer of justice. “I saw thee just now make signs of hatred towards the Queen. For this alone thou deservest to die; we can have no traitors in England.”
In vain Ernst pleaded that he had not done any wrong, and that though he had not shouted, neither had the great mass of people standing round. This seemed somewhat to stagger the officer. The man was about, indeed, to let Ernst go, when a priest, who had been standing near, stepped forward, and looking the boy earnestly in the face, exclaimed: “Oh! young traitor, I saw thee when I was performing mass at Saint Mary Overy, and the rebels under Wyatt attacked the church. Thou wert among those who stripped the altar, and endeavoured to carry off the silver candlesticks. Young heretic and traitor that thou art! Off to the Fleet with him! I wot that his father and friends are as bad as he is; and when they come to look for him they shall be secured likewise. I can swear to his countenance. See! he trembles and turns pale. He is guilty, there is no doubt of it.”
“Indeed I am not, master!” exclaimed Ernst. “At the time you speak of, I was on the north side of the river. Only once, when I entered London, did I ever cross London Bridge.”
“Thou wouldest swear to any falsehood, young traitor,” answered the priest. “Thy word is of no value.”
“But I can swear that he did not cross London Bridge on that day!” exclaimed Andrew A’Dale, who had been at some little distance from Ernst at the time, but, seeing him seized hold of by the guard, had hurried up, and heard the last remarks of the priest.
“Ah, ah!” exclaimed the priest, looking at Andrew, “why, of course thou wilt swear anything for thy companion, for thou wert there thyself. Thy nature is shown clearly enough, because thou didst not shout for the good Queen Mary and her loving spouse. Seize him also: carry them both away to the Fleet. They are a brace of traitors and heretics. Away with them! Away with them!”
On this both the lads were seized, and, in spite of all their expostulations and assertions of their innocence, were being dragged off by the officers of the so-called justice. At that instant, a richly-dressed gentleman on horseback, who had for some reason remained somewhat behind the royal party, was passing by in order to rejoin them. Observing the youth struggling in the hands of the guards, he turned his head aside. He gave a second glance at Ernst’s countenance, and after doing so stopped his horse, and made a sign to the guard to allow the boys to approach. “What, my lad,” he exclaimed, “have you been breaking the peace? Of what crime are you accused?”
Ernst looked up at the speaker, and recognised Sir John De Leigh.
“I am wrongfully accused of having been, with other boys, at the church of Saint Mary Overy when it was sacked; but to my knowledge I have never been near the place, and during the whole of that day was on the north side of the river.”