Tell me what thou knowest.'
'If the king's grace please, it did appear upon the trial, that
this man entered into a house in the hamlet of Islington where one lay
sick- three witnesses say it was at ten of the clock in the morning
and two say it was some minutes later- the sick man being alone at the
time, and sleeping- and presently the man came forth again, and went
his way. The sick man died within the hour, being torn with spasm
and retchings.'
'Did any see the poison given? Was poison found?'
'Marry, no, my liege.'
'Then how doth one know there was poison given at all?'
'Please your majesty, the doctors testified that none die with
such symptoms but by poison.'
Weighty evidence, this- in that simple age. Tom recognized its
formidable nature, and said:
'The doctor knoweth his trade- belike they were right. The
matter hath an ill look for this poor man.'
'Yet was not this all, your majesty; there is more and worse. Many
testified that a witch, since gone from the village, none know
whither, did foretell, and speak it privately in their ears, that
the sick man would die by poison- and more, that a stranger would give
it- a stranger with brown hair and clothed in a worn and common
garb; and surely this prisoner doth answer woundily to the bill.
Please, your majesty, to give the circumstance that solemn weight
which is its due, seeing it was foretold.'
This was an argument of tremendous force, in that superstitious
day.
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