CHAP XXVIII. His last interview with Henry. Dialogue between Anne re specting Wolsey. some degree, relieved from his embarrassment by the delicate attention of Sir Henry Norris, a young knight (afterwards executed as one of the lovers of Anne Boleyn), who begged him to accept of his chamber, -affecting to ascribe the premeditated affront put upon Wolsey to the limited arrangement of the King's present residence. The Chancellor was, however, admitted into the presence hall, and the sun of his fortune cast a parting ray upon him before it set for ever. "Having knelt before the King standing under the cloth of state, then he took my Lord up by both arms and caused him to stand up, and with as amiable a cheer as ever he did called him aside, and led him by the hand to a great window, where he talked with him, and caused him to be covered. Then to behold the countenance of those that had made their wagers to the contrary it would have made you smile; and thus were they all deceived." After some conversation the King said to him, "My Lord, go to your dinner, and all my Lords here will keep you company."* "The King dined that same day with Mrs. Anne BoHenry and leyn in her chamber, who kept there an estate more like a Queen than a simple maid." The alarmed courtiers now strove through her to break off all further intercourse between Henry and their victim. Prompted by them she said during dinner:-"Is it not a marvellous thing to consider what debt and danger the Cardinal hath brought you in with all your subjects?" "How so, sweetheart?" quoth the King. She mentioned the illegal taxation, which the King attempted to justify. "Nay, Sir," quoth she, "besides all that, what things hath he wrought within this realm to your great Islander and dishonour? There is never a nobleman within this realm that if he had done but half as much but he were well worthy to lose his head." " Why I then perceive," quoth the King, "ye are not the Cardinal's friend." "Forsooth, Sir," then quoth she, "I have no cause, nor any other * Cavendish, who was an eye-witness of this scene, adds, that in a long and earnest communication between them, he heard the King say, "How can that be? Is not this your own hand?" but that Wolsey satisfied the King. This is probably the foundation for the second scene of the third act of Shakspeare's Henry VIII., turning upon a paper disclosing secrets, which the Cardinal is supposed by mistake to have sent to the King. your that loveth your Grace, no more hath Grace if ye consider well his doings."* He had received the promise of another audience next day, but that same night a solemn engagement was extorted from the King by Anne that he never again would admit the Cardinal into his presence.† Wolsey had a lodging provided for him that night by his own servants at Euston. When he returned in the morning he found that the King had rode out with the Lady Anne to hunt in Hartwell Park, where she had made provision for the King's dinner, lest he should return before the Cardinal was gone. They never met more. CHAP. XXVIII, When the Chancellor found that he was finally cast off by his master, who was now under the entire management of other favourites, and that he must soon bid adieu to all his greatness, for a time he lost all fortitude; "he wept like a woman and wailed like a child." On his return to London, however, Wolsey his spirits rallied, and he resolved with decency to meet the returns to impending blow. London. Court of Chancery. On the first day of Michaelmas term, which then began in His last the middle of October, he headed the usual grand procession appearance to Westminster Hall, riding on his mule, attended by his crosses, his pillars, and his poll-axes, and an immense retinue to defend the Great Seal and the Cardinal's hat. It was remarked that in the procession and while sitting in the Court of Chancery his manner was dignified and collected, although he, and all who beheld him, knew that he had touched the highest point of all his greatness, and from the full meridian of his glory he hastened to his setting. This was his last appearance in public as Chancellor. That same evening he received a private intimation that the King had openly announced his immediate disgrace. The next day he remained at home, hourly expecting the messenger of fate, but it passed on without any occurrence to terminate his Cavendish relates this curious dialogue from the report made to him at the time by those who waited on the King at dinner. This fact is not mentioned by Cavendish, but is proved by a letter from the French ambassador, who was then at Grafton. "Mademoiselle de Boulen a faict promettre a son amy q'il ne l'escoutera jamais parler."—Letters of Bishop of Bayonne, 375. CHAP. XXVIII. deliver up Great Seal without up suspence. The following day, however, came the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk from the King, "declaring to him how Refuses to the King's pleasure was that he should surrender and deliver the Great Seal into their hands." He demanded of them "what commission they had to give him any such commandment?" They answered, "they were the King's commisfrom King. sioners in that behalf, having orders by his mouth so to do." He denied that this was sufficient without further manifestation of the King's pleasure, and high words passed between them. proper warrant Deprived of his office Oct. 17. 1529. The Dukes were obliged to take their departure without and all his possessions, brought from Windsor letters from the King, under the Privy Seal, demanding the surrender of the Great Seal; whereupon, expressing great reverence for the King's authority so exercised, he delivered it up to them inclosed in a box, of which he gave them the key. They at the same time signified to him his Majesty's pleasure that he should surrender up York Place and all his possessions, and retire to his country-house at Esher.* accomplishing their object. But the next morning they * Cav. 247. CHAPTER XXIX. LIFE OF CARDINAL WOLSEY FROM HIS FALL TILL HIS DEATH. CHAP. XXIX. Oct. 1529. informa tions filed Wolsey. THE utter destruction of Wolsey had been determined upon immediately after his departure from Grafton; and, some days before the Great Seal was taken from him, Hales, the Attorney-General, had filed an information against him, Premunire charging him with having, as legate, transgressed the act of Richard II., commonly called "the statute of premunire,” in against receiving bulls from Rome, and acting upon them, without the King's consent, whereby he was out of the King's protection, his lands and goods were forfeited, and he might be imprisoned at the King's pleasure. Nothing could be more iniquitous than this proceeding, for Henry himself had joined in soliciting the legatine grant to him, and rejoiced in the greatness which the exercise of it conferred upon him. But Wolsey knew the stern and irritable temper of his prosecutor. To have maintained his innocence would have excluded all hope of forgiveness; and there was, moreover, "a night Crow," to use his own expression, "which possessed the royal ear, and misrepresented the most harmless of his actions." He therefore pleaded guilty to the informa- Pleads tion, and threw himself upon the royal clemency. He caused guilty. inventories to be made of his plate, furniture, and valuables, showing the immense riches which he had accumulated. These he formally made over to the King, with York Place, which thenceforth, under the name of Whitehall, became the chief town residence of the Kings of England, and so continued till it was burnt down, in the reign of William and Mary. Some time before he had voluntarily made a gift of Hampton Court to the King, in the vain hope of recovering his favour. When he entered his barge to proceed to Esher, he found Proceeds the river Thames covered with above a thousand boats, full to Esher. CHAP. At Putney, met by a messenger from the King. Lord Chancel of men and women of the city of London, who expected to witness the spectacle of his being carried to the Tower, and there landing at the Traitor's gate. It is confessed that he was now greatly hated by people of all degrees, and that there was a general disappointment when the head of his barge was turned towards Lambeth, and when he was seen rowed up the river to Putney. Here he landed and mounted his mule, when a horseman was seen descending the hill, who turned out to be Sir Harry Norris, with a message to him from the King, "willing him in any wise to be of good cheer, for he was as much in his Highness's favour as ever he had been, and so should continue to be." And, in token of the King's kindness, he delivered him a ring of gold with a rich stone, being the privy token between the King and him when any important secret communication took place between them. Wolsey was so transported with joy at this gleam of returning good fortune, that he instantly dismounted, knelt in the mud, and returned thanks to God his Maker, and to the King his sovereign Lord and Master, who had sent him such comfort. He added, "Gentle Norris, if I were lord of a realm, the one half thereof were an insufficient recompence for your pains and good comfortable news. But, good, good Master Norris, consider with me that I have nothing left me but my clothes on my back. Therefore I desire you to take this small reward at my hands." He then gave him a gold chain, with a cross of gold enclosing a piece of the veritable wood of the true cross, which he continually wore round his neck, next his skin. When Norris was gone a little way he called him back, lor's "fool." saying, "I am sorry that I have no condign token to send to the King; but if you would present the King with this poor fool, I trust his Highness would accept him well; for surely, for a nobleman's pleasure, he is worth a thousand pounds." This fool, whose name was "Patch," was so much attached to his master, that it required six tall yeomen to force him to accompany Norris to Windsor, although he knew that he was to be transferred from disgrace and want to royalty and |