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The counsel for the defence rose and immediately went on the attack He cast doubts on Harald's ht permission to call witnesses Henry Knoas the first to take the stand He described a frolic in the barn with Harald's wife, Judith They allegedly ed the secrets of her unhappy h swooped like a hawk on its pray

'How old were you, Master Knowles?'

Henry looked perplexed

'When you endowed Mistress Gascoigne with your irrepressible charms … how old were you?'

Henry shuffled his feet

'You were six-years-old, Master Knowles Are you going to tax the credulity of the honourablethat a shrihter in court People settled down like spectators at ato see ould happen next

The counsel for the defence juh opened his document case and produced a slip of paper that was handed to a clerk who conveyed it to the presiding judge

'Here, ave the docuenuine

Harald had been prepared to argue the point but that had not been necessary He guessed that Hugh had prepared the ground beforehand and wondered if he'd bribed all the justices on the bench

Jane Etheridge was the next to appear The sh produced letters to prove she was in France when her alleged conversation with Judith took place Harald waited for further witnesses to come forward Alice's cousin, Catherine, would be difficult to refute But Catherine did not appear Nor did any of the other witnesses

The council for the defence pointed an accusing finger

'Sir Harald Gascoigne has with threats of violence prevented true testie peered at Harald 'Do you refute this accusation?'

'I do, my lord,' Harald replied truthfully 'I have never used violence nor threatened it against anyone'

'You are well known as a man who eschews such practices?'

'I believe that to be the case, er Knowles to argue the point Instead, he read fro it had been written by Harald's ht worried and offended by the conduct of your daughter Judith who, althoughunwholesome tendencies towards certain ed in his studies at Oxford I would caution and beseech you, Madaotiated between our two families'