my bare clothes upon my back, the which be but simple in comparison to those that ye have seen me have or this: howbeit, if they may do you any good or pleasure, I would not stick to divide them among you, yea, and the skin of my back, if it might countervail any thing in value among you. But, good gentlemen and yeomen, I most heartily require you to take with me some patience a little while, for I doubt not but that the king will shortly, I doubt not, restore me 10 again to my living, so that I shall be more able to divide some part thereof yearly among you. And if the king do not thus shortly restore me, then will I see you bestowed according to your own requests, and write for you, either to the king, or to any other noble person within this realm, to retain you into service. Therefore, in the mean time, mine advice is, that ye repair home to your wives, such as have any: and such among you as hath none, to take this time to visit 20 your parents and friends in the country. There is none of you all, but once in a year would require license to visit your wives and other of your friends. Therefore I desire you to take your pleasures for a month, and then ye may come again unto me, and I trust by that time the king's majesty will extend his clemency upon me."

Sir," quoth Master Cromwell, "there is divers of these your yeomen, that would be glad to see their friends, but they lack money: therefore here 30 is divers of your chaplains who have received at

your hands great benefices and high dignities; let them therefore now show themselves unto you as they are bound by all humanity to do. And for my part, although I have not received of your Grace's gift one penny towards the increase of my yearly living, yet will I depart with you this towards the dispatch of your servants," and therewith delivered him five pounds in gold. "And now let us see what your chaplains will do." 10" Go to, masters," quoth he to the chaplains: insomuch as some gave to him ten pounds, some ten marks, some a hundred shillings, and so some more and some less, as at that time their powers did extend; whereby my lord received among them as much money of their liberality as he gave to each of his yeomen a quarter's wages, and board wages for a month; and they departed down into the hall, where some determined to go to their friends, and some said that they would 20 not depart from my lord until they might see him in better estate. My lord returned into his chamber lamenting the departure from his servants, making his moan unto Master Cromwell, who comforted him the best he could, and desired my lord to give him leave to go to London, where he would either make or mar or he came again, which was always his common saying. Then after long communication with my lord in secret, he departed and took his horse, and rode to 30 London, at whose departing I was by, whom he bade farewell; and said, “Ye shall hear shortly of

me, and if I speed well, I will not fail to be here again within these two days." And so I took my leave of him, and he rode forth on his journey.

CHAPTER IV.

IN DISGRACE. THE WRIT OF PRÆMUNIRE.

THE case stood so, that there should begin, shortly after All-hallown-tide, the Parliament, and Master Cromwell, being within London, devised with himself to be one of the burgesses of the Parliament, and chanced to meet with one Sir Thomas Rush, knight, a special friend of his, 10 whose son was appointed to be one of the burgesses of that Parliament, of whom he obtained his room, and by that means put his foot into the Parliament House: then within two or three days after his entry into the Parliament, he came unto my lord, to Esher, with a much pleasanter countenance than he had at his departure. And when he was come to come to my lord, they talked together in secret manner; and that done, he rode out of hand again that night to London. 20 There could nothing be spoken against my lord in the Parliament House but he would answer it incontinent, or else take until the next day, against which time he would resort to my lord to

know what answer he should make in his behalf; insomuch that there was no matter alleged against my lord but that he was ever ready furnished with a sufficient answer; so that at length, for his honest behaviour in his master's cause, he grew into such estimation in every man's opinion, that he was esteemed to be the most faithfullest servant to his master of all other, wherein he was of all men greatly com10 mended.

Then was there brought in a Bill of Articles into the Parliament House to have my lord condemned of treason; against which bill Master Cromwell inveighed so discreetly, with such witty persuasions and deep reasons, that the same bill could take there no effect. Then were his enemies compelled to indict him in a praemunire, and all was done only to the intent to entitle the king to all his goods and possessions, the which he had 20 gathered together, and purchased for his colleges in Oxford and Ipswich, which was then abuilding in most sumptuous wise. Wherein when he was demanded by the judges, which were sent to him purposely to examine him what answer he would make to the same, he said: "Notwithstanding I have the king's license in my coffers, under his hand and broad seal, for exercising and using the authority thereof, in the largest wise, within his highness's dominions. Therefore, because I will 30 not stand in question or trial with the king in his own cause, I am content here of mine own frank

will and mind, in your presence, to confess the offence in the indictment, and put me wholly in the mercy and grace of the king. And although I might justly stand on the trial with him therein, yet I am content to submit myself to his clemency, and thus much ye may say to him in my behalf, that I am entirely in his obedience, and do intend, God willing, to obey and fulfil all his princely pleasure in every thing that he will command me to do; whose will and 10 pleasure I never yet disobeyed, but was always contented and glad to accomplish his commandment before God, whom I ought most rathest to have obeyed; the which negligence now greatly repenteth me. Notwithstanding, I most heartily require you, to have me most humbly to his royal majesty commended, for whom I do and will pray for the preservation of his royal person, long to reign in honour, prosperity, and quietness, and to have the victory over his mortal 20 and cankered enemies." And they took their leave of him and departed.

Shortly after, it chanced Master Shelley, the judge, to come thither, sent from the king; whereof relation was made to my lord. And my lord issued out of his chamber, and came to Master Shelley to know his message. Who declared unto him, after due salutation, "that the king's pleasure was to have his house at Westminster, (then called York Place, belonging to the 30 Bishoprick of York,) intending to make of that