Father Austin stood near the altar, his head bowed down with grief, yet commanding himself like a man. The bishop's chaplain and the two other visitors stood beside him, and the latter were passing their remarks freely enough upon all they saw, and even on the figures and faces of the sisters. Standing upon the chancel steps they could look directly into the choir, which no one in the body of the church could see at all. I must do our ladies the justice to say that they seemed, one and all, totally unconscious of the presence of these strange men. Even Sister Perpetua was awed into decent behavior. When all were in their places, the chaplain announced his errand. He had come, by the authority of the king and his minister, my Lord Cromwell, to demand the surrender of the charter of that house to his majesty, with all treasures of every sort, and all superstitious relics, whereof my lord was well informed we possessed a great number. All members of the family were to be at liberty to depart whither they would, being furnished, by the king's liberality, with a suit of secular clothing. As to the house and its contents, they were to be at the absolute disposition of the king, and no one was to presume, on pain of felony, to secrete, carry off, or make away with any article whatever, though by the king's special grace and favor toward the bishop, the sisters might take any books or other property of their own, not above the value of three marks. * The visitors had brought down articles of surrender for the prioress to sign, and two of the commissioners would remain to take an inventory of our goods, and see such as were of value packed for removal. * See many such surrenders in the Camden Miscellany and in Fuller's Church History. I do not suppose that any one now can estimate the shock of this declaration. I do think, if the earth had quaked and shaken down church and convent in one common ruin, it would not have amazed and horrified us as much. I am sure when the spire was struck by lightning—whereby two of our bells were melted—we were not nearly as astounded. * I, hidden away in the organ loft, could watch the faces of the sisters. One or two burst into tears, but the greater part were too much stunned to move. The prioress was very pale, but she spoke in her usual even, somewhat deep voice. * Fuller notes, as remarkable, the number of abbeys and priories which were, at one time or another, burned by lightning. He gives a list of thirteen thus destroyed. "These are heavy tidings you bring us, gentlemen. How have we been so unfortunate as to fall under his Grace's displeasure?"