Hereditaries to pester him with undesired services; so he restored
the pretty things to their several places, and soon was cracking
nuts, and feeling almost naturally happy for the first time since
God for his sins had made him a prince. When the nuts were all
gone, he stumbled upon some inviting books in a closet, among them
one about the etiquette of the English court. This was a prize.
He lay down upon a sumptuous divan, and proceeded to instruct
himself with honest zeal. Let us leave him there for the present.
Chapter VIII. The question of the Seal.
About five o’clock Henry VIII. awoke out of an unrefreshing nap,
and muttered to himself, “Troublous dreams, troublous dreams!
Mine end is now at hand: so say these warnings, and my failing
pulses do confirm it.” Presently a wicked light flamed up in his
eye, and he muttered, “Yet will not I die till HE go before.”
His attendants perceiving that he was awake, one of them asked his
pleasure concerning the Lord Chancellor, who was waiting without.
“Admit him, admit him!” exclaimed the King eagerly.
The Lord Chancellor entered, and knelt by the King’s couch,
saying–
“I have given order, and, according to the King’s command, the
peers of the realm, in their robes, do now stand at the bar of the
House, where, having confirmed the Duke of Norfolk’s doom, they
humbly wait his majesty’s further pleasure in the matter.”
The King’s face lit up with a fierce joy. Said he–
“Lift me up! In mine own person will I go before my Parliament,
and with mine own hand will I seal the warrant that rids me of–”
His voice failed; an ashen pallor swept the flush from his cheeks;
and the attendants eased him back upon his pillows, and hurriedly
assisted him with restoratives. Presently he said sorrowfully–
“Alack, how have I longed for this sweet hour! and lo, too late it
cometh, and I am robbed of this so coveted chance. But speed ye,
speed ye! let others do this happy office sith ’tis denied to me.
I put my Great Seal in commission: choose thou the lords that
shall compose it, and get ye to your work. Speed ye, man! Before
the sun shall rise and set again, bring me his head that I may see
it.”
“According to the King’s command, so shall it be. Will’t please
your majesty to order that the Seal be now restored to me, so that
I may forth upon the business?”
“The Seal? Who keepeth the Seal but thou?”
“Please your majesty, you did take it from me two days since,
saying it should no more do its office till your own royal hand
should use it upon the Duke of Norfolk’s warrant.”
“Why, so in sooth I did: I do remember . . . What did I with it?
. . . I am very feeble . . . So oft these days doth my memory play
the traitor with me . . . ‘Tis strange, strange–”
The King dropped into inarticulate mumblings, shaking his grey
head weakly from time to time, and gropingly trying to recollect
what he had done with the Seal. At last my Lord Hertford ventured
to kneel and offer information–
“Sire, if that I may be so bold, here be several that do remember
with me how that you gave the Great Seal into the hands of his
highness the Prince of Wales to keep against the day that–”
“True, most true!” interrupted the King. “Fetch it! Go: time
flieth!”
Lord Hertford flew to Tom, but returned to the King before very
long, troubled and empty-handed. He delivered himself to this
effect–
“It grieveth me, my lord the King, to bear so heavy and unwelcome
tidings; but it is the will of God that the prince’s affliction
abideth still, and he cannot recall to mind that he received the
Seal. So came I quickly to report, thinking it were waste of
precious time, and little worth withal, that any should attempt to
search the long array of chambers and saloons that belong unto his
royal high–”
A groan from the King interrupted the lord at this point. After a