Here voices were heard talking, and Emlyn Stower, who was praying there, came out vowing that she had seen a ball of fire which rolled up and down the aisle, and in the centre of it a man's head, that seemed to try to talk to her, but could not.
Into this matter inquiry was held by the Abbot himself, who asked Emlyn if she knew the face that was in the ball of fire.

She answered that she thought so.

It seemed very like to one of his own guards, named Andrew Woods, or more commonly Drunken Andrew, a Scotchman whom Sir Christopher Harflete was said to have killed on the night of the great burning.

At least his Lordship would remember that this Andrew had a broken nose, and so had the head in the fire, but, as it appeared to have changed a great deal since death, she could not be quite certain.

All she was sure of was that it seemed to be trying to give her some message.
Now, recalling the trick that had been played with the said Andrew's body, the Abbot was silent.