Nevertheless, the narrative must be considered to possess a high degree
of historical value, and is undeniably picturesque. We catch a glimpse
of the fugitive "knocking and rapping" at the grim twelfth-century
knocker "to have yt opened." We see him "letten in" by "certen men that
did lie alwaies in two chambers over the said north church door," and
running straightway to the Galilee bell and tolling it. ("In the weste
end in the north allie and over the Galleley dour there, in a belfray
called the Galleley Steple, did hing iiii goodly great bells.") The work
goes on to state that "when the Prior had intelligence thereof, then he
dyd send word and command them that they should keape themselves within
the sanctuary, that is to saie, within the Church and Churchyard." This
was until the official of the convent and witnesses had assembled for
the formal admission and registration of the fugitive, which took place
in the nave, in the Sacrist's exchequer, which was in the north aisle of
the choir or "in domo registrali." The official who presided over the
ceremony was commonly the Sacrist, but the duty was sometimes performed
by the Chancellor of the Cathedral, the Sub-prior, or a monk qualified
as a notary public. As for the witnesses, they might be monks, servants
of the convent, clerks, masons employed on the fabric, or they might be
friends of the fugitive who had attended him to Durham as a bodyguard.
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