I had been ordered to cross to the city in all haste and bring the best physician; I was doing my best; naturally I was running with all my might; the night was dark, I ran against this common person here, who seized me by the throat and began to pummel me, although I told him my errand, and implored him, for the sake of the great earl my master's mortal peril-- The common person interrupted and said it was a lie; and was going to explain how I rushed upon him and attacked him without a word-- "Silence, sirrah!" from the court.

"Take him hence and give him a few stripes whereby to teach him how to treat the servant of a nobleman after a different fashion another time.

Go!" Then the court begged my pardon, and hoped I would not fail to tell his lordship it was in no wise the court's fault that this high-handed thing had happened.

I said I would make it all right, and so took my leave.

Took it just in time, too; he was starting to ask me why I didn't fetch out these facts the moment I was arrested.