On being examined, Joos Damman pleaded guilty to the charge of having killed his friend Hilbert with a sword in single combat; and this he confessed willingly because, as he said, he was protected by the law of Flanders, which made a murderer safe from conviction after the space of ten years. Then the bailiff asked him if he was a sorcerer. "No," replied Damman. "Prove it," said the bailiff. "That I will do at the right time and in the proper place," said Joos Damman, "but not now." Then the bailiff began to question Katheline. She, however, paid no attention to his questions, but kept her eyes fixed on Hans, saying: "You are my green master. Beautiful you are as the Sun himself. Put out the fire, my pet!" Then Nele spoke on Katheline's behalf. "She can tell you naught, my Lord, that you do not know already. She is not a sorceress. She is only out of her mind." Then the bailiff said his say: "A sorcerer, I would remind you, is one who knowingly employs a devilish art, or devilish arts, for the attainment of a certain object. Well, these two persons, the man and the woman, I find to be sorcerers both in intention and in fact; the man because, as the evidence states, he gave to this woman the balm of the Witches' Sabbath, and made his visage like unto Lucifer so as to obtain money from her and the satisfaction of his wanton desires. And the woman also I find to be a sorceress because she submitted herself to the man, taking him for a devil and abandoning herself to his will. I ask, therefore, if the gentlemen of the tribunal are agreed that it is a case where the prisoners should both be sent to the torture?" The aldermen did not answer, but showed clearly enough that such was not their desire, so far at any rate as Katheline was concerned. Then the bailiff spake again: "Like you I am moved with pity and compassion for the woman, but mad as she undoubtedly is and obedient in all things to the devil, is it not probable that at the behest of her leman she might have committed the most horrible crimes and abominations, as do all those who resign themselves to the devil's will? No. Since Joos Damman has refused to acknowledge any crime save that of murder, and since Katheline has not told us anything at all, it is clear that by the laws of the Empire we are bound to proceed in the manner I have indicated." And the aldermen gave sentence to the effect that the two prisoners were to be committed to torture on the following Friday, which was the day but one following. And Nele cried out for mercy upon Katheline, and the people joined with her in supplication, but all in vain. And the prisoners were taken back into the gaol.