You men of Suffolk, know that you harbour a foul traitor in your bosoms, one who plots to deliver you to the French.
Lift no hand on his behalf, lest on you also should fall the vengeance of the King, who has issued his commands to all his officers and people, to seize Acour living or dead." Now a silence fell upon the place, for none liked this talk of the King's warrant, and in the midst of it Hugh asked: "Do you yield, Sir Edmund Acour, or must we and the burgesses of Dunwich who gather without seize you and your people ?" Acour turned and began to talk rapidly with the priest Nicholas, while the congregation stared at each other.

Then Sir John Clavering, who all this while had been listening like a man in a dream, suddenly stepped forward.
"Hugh de Cressi," he said, "tell me, does the King's writ run against John Clavering ?" "Nay," answered Hugh, "I told his Grace that you were an honest man deceived by a knave." "Then what do you, slayer of my son, in my house?
Know that I have just married my daughter to this knight whom you name traitor, and that I here defend him to the last who is now my kin.

Begone and seek elsewhere, or stay and die." "How have you married her ?" asked Hugh in a hollow voice.

"Not of her own will, surely?
Rise, Eve, and tell us the truth." Eve stirred.

Resting her hands upon the altar rails, slowly she raised herself to her feet and turned her white face toward him.
"Who spoke ?" she said.