Page:The Chronicle of Clemendy.pdf/125

 behalf, to be in danger of death; and was accordingly led back to his cell.

How like you the flavour of the old Records of St. Peter's, my merry masters? Do they not make your throats as dry and husky as mine is growing with all this talk? But I thought I would give you a taste of an old fashioned dish, though the sauces and condiments have somewhat of a fiery smack to which we are unaccustomed: and you must acknowledge that Giles the Scrivener knew how to maketake [sic] a confession and write it down ecclesiastically and minutely. But if you want to know what became of the accused person Benedictus de Rotherham aforesaid, I can tell you this much that he died soon after he had made confession of his detestable enormities, and indeed he had made the world too hot to hold him, for he was burnt to death. It is said that no sooner was he chained to the stake than the fagots burst into flame without any torch being set to them, which circumstance seems to prove that this alchemist was rather a bad fellow, who deserved everything he got. There is always one thing however which is pleasing in these affairs, namely that work was found for the parchment-scrapers, canonists, and ecclesiastical quill-drivers, who lead for the most part dull lives enough, and are glad to have a little variety. This mishap was also a warning to the girls at Caldicot, not to be too virtuous and severe, nor to bind the devil with iron chains; since this makes Satan angry and inclined to do mischief when he gets loose, which he is sure to do sooner