a faithful son, undergoing some penance and discipline at her
hands. He spent many long and painful hours writing out his
confession, seeking to make plain the condition of his mind, and
proving to his own satisfaction that he was no heretic. He only
claimed that men might have liberty to read for themselves in their
own tongue the words of the Lord and His apostles, and judge for
themselves, under reasonable direction, what these words meant. For
the rest, he had little quarrel with the church, save that he
thought the sale of indulgences and benefices should be stopped;
and in conclusion he begged that, if he had spoken amiss, he might
be corrected and reproved, but not given over as a reprobate or
heretic.

Perhaps, had the words of this confession been read a few days
earlier, Dalaber might have escaped with no more than a reprimand
and heavy penance. But unluckily for himself the bale of books last
brought by Garret, hidden near to his chamber, and traced therefore
direct to him, contained writings of a character more inflammatory
and controversial than anything which had gone before--books which
were thought full of deadly errors, and against which exception
could very well be taken on many grounds, both on account of their
violent tone and their many contradictions.

As a matter of fact, Dalaber had hardly read any of these treatises
himself. He had been otherwise occupied of late. But it was not
likely that the authorities would believe any such disclaimer, or
leave at large one who had meddled with what they regarded as so
deadly a traffic.

When Anthony's confession was brought to them, they were sitting in
conclave over these books, and with a list which had been found of
the names and number of works brought over and circulated by
Garret. The magnitude of the traffic excited in them the utmost
concern and dismay. If one half had been circulated in Oxford,
there was no knowing the extent of the mischief which might follow.
It was necessary that an example should be made. Already close
inquiry had elicited the names of some dozen students or masters
concerned. Dalaber and Clarke were accounted ringleaders, but
others came in for their share of blame.

By Monday night quite a dozen more arrests had been made, and
Anthony Dalaber was only taken from the commissary's chamber to be
thrown into prison in Oxford, with the grim threat of the Tower of
London sounding in his ears.

Chapter XIII: In Pris