e away from that
breach alive! I would have died with Calais!"

"I am sorry you were not there, Madam," said he, "for the sake of
Calais. For your own sake, 'tis well."

"I am sorry all over," answered she. "The Queen taketh it most heavily
of all. She said to her ladies that when she should be dead, they
should find `Calais' graved upon her heart."

Hitherto the storm of persecution had not come inside the little walled
circle of friends dear to the hearts of the Averys. It had raged around
them, had broken fiercely upon men whom they reverenced and loved as
afar off. But now it was to come within. One whose eyes had looked
into theirs, whose lips had smiled on them, whose voice had bidden God
bless them,--ay, upon whose knee the children had sat, and chattered to
him in childish wise,--was summoned from the midst of them, to go up in
the chariot of fire into the presence of the Lord.

Austin and Mr Underhill came together, both very pensive, on the night
of the 6th of May.

"There is ill news with you, I fear," said John.

"There is ill news, and that right heavy," answered Mr Underhill.
"Roger Holland is taken."

"Where and how?" they asked.

"With six other, in a quiet close near Saint John's Wood, where they
were met to read God's Word and pray together, this last May Day; and
carried afore my Lord of London. He had better have tarried at his
father's in Lancashire, whence he was but newly come."

"And Bessy?" said Isoult, compassionately.

"Roger left her and the child in Lancashire," said he; "where, if she
will take mine avisement, she will remain."

Mr Holland was examined before Bishop Bonner, Lord Strange being
present, with others of his Lancashire kinsmen. Austin reported that
"he confessed Christ right nobly, and kept up the Bishop in a corner by
his wise and gentle learning--such as I had not thought had been in
him:" and at last, after much discussion, the Bishop lost his patience
(a commodity of which he never carried much to market), called Mr
Holland a blasphemous heretic, and sentenced him to be burned.

Mr Holland replied, as the gaoler was about to remove him,--"My Lord, I
beseech you, suffer me to speak two words."

"Nay!" cried he, "I will not hear thee: have him away!"

Lord Strange interfered, and begged that his cousin might be heard.

"Speak?" growled Bonner, "what hast thou to say?"

Mr Holland answered, "Even now I told you that your authority was from
God, and