Part 19 (1/2)

If left to hiht perhaps have allowed sir Thomas, whom he undoubtedly liked, to remain in peace, but his absence from her coronation rankled deep in Anne Boleyn's heart The late chancellor was a ht of Europe, and could count fa his friends If he could not be gained over, he land were upon him, and he had but to hold up his hand for many to follow So he was one of the first bidden to take the oath, swearing to put aside the claion, and to settle the crown on the children of the new queen

It was in April 1534 that More was su of Audley, who had succeeded him in the chancellorshi+p, the abbot of Westminster, Thomas Cromwell as secretary of state, and Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury At More's own request, the Act of Succession, as it was called, was given into his hand, and he read it through When he had finished, he infor to say as to the Act itself or to the people that took the oath, but that he himself must refuse

It was probably no more than they expected; but Audley replied that he was very sorry for it, as no ht see for hined, whose consciences were perhaps as tender as his own More glanced down the long roll unfolded before him, but only repeated his answer, nor could any persuasions induce hi, it seen and his successors, but what he would _not_ do was to swear that the king was the head of the church, and so this had been introduced--whether carelessly or wilfully we do not know--into the Act of Succession, hich they had nothing to do It was his refusal to take this part of the oath which caused the downfall of More

For four days sir Thomas remained a prisoner in the care of the abbot of Westminster; then he was sent to the Tower Sir Richard Southwell conveyed him there and placed him under the custody of the lieutenant of the Tower, sir Edham, an old friend of the More family As appears to have been the custooere taken from him and kept by the porter, and a ainst the wishes of his gaoler, ould fain have ht be; but at first it was needful to be very strict, lest inquiries should bematerials; he went to church in St Peter ad Vincula, where so many faarden, or took exercise in the narroalk outside his cell By-and-by, too, occasional visits froton, cahter-in-law Anne, and aret

With these indulgences he ht have been content, for all his life he had s, but the expenses of his captivity weighed on his soul The barest food for his a week (over 5 l now), and soh treason and the lands granted hi were taken from him, his as forced to sell her own clothes so that the ht be paid But this, we may hope, she kept from sir Thoh his spirit was as cheerful as ever He could even 'inwardly' laugh at da that she would die for want of air if she was left all night in a locked cell, when 'he knew full well that every night she shut her own chamber, both doors and s, and as the difference if the doors were locked or not?'

But he durst not laugh aloud nor say anything to her, for, indeed, he stood somewhat in awe of her

Most of the hours were passed during the first lish or Latin; but when pen and paper were taken from him, and he could only scribble a feords with the end of a charred stick, he had plenty of time to think over his life and to recall the years that had been so happy The harsh words that he had written about ion was different froht of the imprisonment to which he had sentenced ion to be right, and any that differed froh sir Thomas never would, and never did, send any man to the block for his faith, yet he would have considered that he had failed in his duty had he left them at liberty to teach their 'wicked opinions' So his s, but rather upon his co death, which he well foresaw, and upon the old days in Bishopsgate and Chelsea, when he would examine his children in the lessons they had learned, or set all the girls to write letters in Latin to his friend Erasht see which of the this year efforts were , ould have given hi he asked as the price of his conscience Even Margaret Roper joined with the rest, and begged him to consider whether it was not his duty to obey the Parliaht be oodwould move sir Thomas

[Illustration: 'What now, Mother Eve?' he answered]

'What now, Mother Eve?' he answered 'Sit notwith some serpent in your breast, or soain'

'I have sworn hed and replied:

'That was like Eve, too, for she offered Ada that his daughter's persuasions were useless, the king and council sent Cromwell to see if by fair words or threats he could induce More to declare that the king was head of the church But, try as hefro's true, faithful subject, and pray for his highness, and all his, and all the realm,' said sir Thomas 'I do nobody none harood, and if this be not enough to keep aalready, and have since I caht to die within one hour And therefore 's pleasure' Then Cro tofailed also, the whole council next came and put forth all their skill, with no better result; and it was then deter sir Thomas out of the Tower, and to try hie of treason Neither the prisoner nor the judges had any doubt as to what the verdict would be; but whatever his thoughts as to the future, Moreonce ht all around hiht of Westether, as he knew, to doom him would have been full of interest He was allowed a chair, for his legs were so swollen that he could hardly have stood; and then began the trial which a late lord chancellor has called 'the blackest criland' At the close, sentence was passed More had been proved guilty of treason, and was to be hanged, drawn, and quartered at Tyburn

The constable of the Tower, sir Williaston, sir Thomas's 'very dear friend,' conducted the condemned man back to prison, and so sorroas the constable's face that any ht that it was he as conde on the wharf, and as her father landed fro neither respect to herself, nor to the press of people that were about hiave her his blessing, and 'the beholding thereof was to many present so lamentable that itwas after all not inflicted on hi decreed that his faithful servant and merry companion should be executed on Tower Hill, like the rest of the men whose bodies lie in the church of St Peter ad Vincula within the Toalls The day before his beheading sir Tho her the hair shi+rt he had alorn under his clothes, and es and little reh, his wife is neversent sir Thomas Pope to tell More he was to die before the clock struck nine, and to say that 'he was not to uselest the e his murder

More answered that he had nevercould be offended, and begged that his daughter Margarethad given permission for his wife and children and any other of his friends to be there, and sir Thomas thanked him, and then put on a handsome dress of silk which had been provided on purpose by the Italian Bonvisi

But sir Tho the short walk between the Beauchamp Tower and the block, for he was beset first by a woman ished to knohere he had put some papers of hers when he was sent to prison, and then by a second, upbraiding hiainst her when he was chancellor

'I reainst you still,' said he; but at length the croas kept back, and a path was kept to the scaffold

Roper was there, watching, and he noticed that the ladder leading to the platform was very unsteady Sir Thomas noticed it too, and with his foot on the first step turned and said to the lieutenant of the Tower:

'I pray thee seedown let me shi+ft for myself'