ome of his most trusty friends to take those men
into examination about whom the fair was almost overturned. So the men
were brought to examination; and they that sat upon them asked whence
they came, whither they went, and what they did there in such an unusual
garb. The men told them that they were pilgrims and strangers in the
world, and that they were going to their own country, which was the
heavenly Jerusalem; and that they had given no occasion to the men of
the town, nor yet to the merchandisers, thus to abuse them, and to let
them in their journey, except it was for that when one asked them what
they would buy, they said they would buy the truth. But they that were
appointed to examine them did not believe them to be any other than
bedlams and mad, or else such as came to put all things into a confusion
in the fair. Therefore they took them and beat them, and besmeared them
with dirt, and then put them into the cage, that they might be made a
spectacle to all the men of the fair. There, therefore, they lay for
some time, and were made the objects of any man's sport, or malice, or
revenge; the great one of the fair laughing still at all that befell
them. But the men being patient, and "not rendering railing for railing,
but contrariwise blessing," and giving good words for bad, and kindness
for injuries done, some men in the fair that were more observing and
less prejudiced than the rest, began to check and blame the baser
sort for their continual abuses done by them to the men. They,
therefore, in angry manner, let fly at them again, counting them as bad
as the men in the cage, and telling them that they seemed confederates
and should be made partakers of their misfortunes. The others replied,
that, for aught they could see, the men were quiet and sober, and
intended nobody any harm; and that there were many that traded in their
fair that were more worthy to be put into the cage, yea, and pillory
too, than were the men that they had abused. Thus, after divers words
had passed on both sides--the men behaving themselves all the while very
wisely and soberly before them--they fell to some blows among
themselves, and did harm one to another. Then were these two poor men
brought before their examiners again, and there charged as being guilty
of the late hubbub that had been in the fair. So they beat them
pitifully, and hanged irons upon them, and led them in chains up and
down the fair, for an example and terror to ot