Then did Sir Thomas ask Master Silas Gough for the Book of Life, bidding him deliver it into the right hand of Billy, with an eye upon him that he touch it with both lips,—it being taught by the Jesuits, and caught too greedily out of their society and communion, that whoso toucheth it with one lip only, and thereafter sweareth falsely, cannot be called a perjurer, since perjury is breaking an oath. But breaking half an oath, as he doth who toucheth the Bible or crucifix with one lip only, is no more perjury than breaking an eggshell is breaking an egg, the shell being a part, and the egg being an integral.
William did take the Holy Book with all due reverence the instant it was offered to his hand. His stature seemed to rise therefrom as from a pulpit, and Sir Thomas was quite edified.
“Obedient and conducible youth!” said he. “See there, Master Silas! what hast thou now to say against him? Who sees farthest?”
“The man from the gallows is the most likely, bating his nightcap and blinker,” said Master Silas, peevishly. “He hath not outwitted me yet.”
“He seized upon the Anchor of Faith like a martyr,” said Sir Thomas, “and even now his face burns red as elder-wine before the gossips.”
“I await the further orders of your worship from the chair.”
And then did Sir Thomas say with great complacency and satisfaction in the ear of Master Silas,—
“What civility, and deference, and sedateness of mind, Silas!”
“Yea, swear; be of good courage. I protest to thee by my honour and knighthood, no ill shall come unto thee therefrom. Thou shalt not be circumvented in thy simpleness and inexperience.”
Willy, having taken the Book of Life, did kiss it piously, and did press it unto his breast, saying,
“Tenderest love is the growth of my heart, as the grass is of Alvescote mead.
“May I lose my life or my friends, or my memory, or my reason; may I be viler in my own eyes than those men are—”
Here he was interrupted, most lovingly, by Sir Thomas, who said unto him,—
“Nay, nay, nay! poor youth! do not tell me so! they are not such very bad men, since thou appealest unto Cæsar,—that is, unto the judgment-seat.”
Now his worship did mean the two witnesses, Joseph and Euseby; and, sooth to say there be many worse. But William had them not in his eye; his thoughts were elsewhere, as will be evident, for he went on thus:—