“How now?” exclaimed the king, derisively. “Why do you hesitate? About your business quickly.”
“We would fain know your Majesty’s pleasure ere proceeding further,” said Wriothesley.
“My pleasure!” vociferated Henry. “False traitors and evil counsellors that ye are, my pleasure would be to clap ye both in the Tower, and but for her Majesty’s intercession ye should be sent thither under the conduct of the very guard ye have brought with you. Your machinations are discovered and defeated.”
“Beseech your Majesty to grant us a hearing?” said Gardiner.
“No, I will not hear you,” rejoined the king, fiercely. “Deliver up that warrant which was obtained on your false representation.”
“I deny that it was obtained by any such means, my liege,” replied Wriothesley. “Nevertheless, as is my duty, I obey your behests.”
And he delivered the warrant to Sir John Gage, by whom it was instantly torn in pieces.
“Begone!” exclaimed Henry, “or I will not answer how far my provocation may carry me. Begone! and take with you the conviction that your scheme has failed—and that all such schemes are certain of failure.”
And seeing that it was in vain to urge a word in their defence, the baffled enemies of the queen retired.
“Are ye content, Kate?” Henry inquired, as soon as they were gone. And receiving a grateful response, he added, “Fear not henceforward to dispute with us on points of doctrine. We shall be ever ready for such arguments, and you have our physician’s word, as you wot, that they do us good.”
“Pray Heaven your highness may not suffer from the effort you have made in coming to me!” said Catherine.
“Nay, by my life, I am the better for it,” Henry rejoined. “But I must quit you now, sweetheart. I have another matter to decide on—no less than the committal of his Grace of Norfolk and his son, the Earl of Surrey, to the Tower.”
“More work for me for your Majesty,” observed Sir John Gage, bluntly. “Yet I would this might be spared me.”
“How so, Sir John?” cried the king. “What liking have ye for these traitors?”
“I have yet to learn that they are traitors, my liege,” replied Gage, boldly. “As the Duke of Norfolk is first among your peers, so he has ever been foremost in zeal and devotion to your Majesty. Methinks his long services ought to weigh somewhat with you.”
“His Grace’s services have been well requited, Sir John,” interposed Seymour. “Know you not the grave charges against him?”
“I know well that you and your brother, the Earl of Hertford, are his enemies, and would rejoice in his downfall,” answered the Constable of the Tower.
“Peace, both of ye!” cried the king. “The charge against the Duke of Norfolk, which hath been proven to our satisfaction, is, that contrary to his oath and allegiance to us, he hath many times—mark that, Sir John—many times betrayed the secrets of our privy councils—the privy council, Sir John—to our great peril, and to the infinite detriment of our affairs.”
“His Grace may have spoken unguardedly—so might any of us—”
“Not you, Sir John,” interrupted the king, dryly. “You never speak unguardedly, I’ll answer for it.”
“I never speak untruthfully, my liege,” rejoined Gage. “And I dare affirm that although the Duke of Norfolk may have babbled of matters about which he had better have held his tongue, he has never been wanting in fidelity and loyalty to your Highness.”
“You know only part of the duke’s heinous offences, or you would not say so much in his defence, Sir John,” said Seymour. “Learn, then, that to the peril, slander, and disherison of his Majesty and his noble son, Prince Edward, heir-apparent to the throne, his aspiring Grace of Norfolk hath unjustly, and without authority, borne in the first quarter of his arms the arms of England, which are the proper arms of Prince Edward.”
“Is this some new discovery you have made, Sir Thomas?” inquired Gage. “Methinks you must have seen the duke’s blazon ever since you bore arms yourself.”
“The matter is not new, we grant,” said the king, sternly; “but we view it now with different eyes. We discern peril in this audacious act. We see in it pretended claims to be brought forth hereafter—disturbance to the realm—interruption to our son’s inheritance to the crown. We see this plainly, and will crush it.”