And you fellows," he added to his escort, "range up and be ready, lest this said priest should prove contumacious." Now the Abbot stepped forward with some of his monks and, looking the horseman up and down, said-- "Who may it be that demands account so roughly of a consecrated Abbot ?" "A consecrated Abbot?
A consecrated peacock, a tumultuous, turbulent, traitorous priest, a Spanish rogue ruffler who, I am told, keeps about him a band of bloody mercenaries to break the King's peace and slay loyal English folk.

Well, consecrated Abbot, I'll tell you who I am.

I am Thomas Legh, his Grace's Visitor and Royal Commissioner to inspect the Houses called religious, and I am come hither upon complaint made by yonder Prioress of Blossholme Nunnery, as to your dealings with certain of his Highness's subjects whom, she says, you have accused of witchcraft for purposes of revenge and unlawful gain.

That is who I am, my fine fowl of an Abbot." Now when he heard this pompous speech the rage in Maldon's face was replaced by fear, for he knew of this Doctor Legh and his mission, and understood what Thomas Bolle had meant by his cry of, "In the King's name!".