France, it would not long remain on my shoulders."

Having discharged two embassies on the continent much to the satisfaction of the king, who always treated him with more tenderness and good humour than any of his other favourites, on the disgrace of Wolsey, in 1529 he was entrusted with the great seal, as a reward for his eminent services.

It it generally believed that the king had previously sounded sir Thomas on the subject of his meditated divorce from queen Catharine; but that finding him averse to lend the sanction of his respectable name to such a proceeding, he thought to ensure his compliance by loading him with honours. In regard to mankind in general, Henry's judgment in this case was politically right; but sir Thomas More was not so flexible as to bend for interest, or sacrifice his conscience for gratitude.

He saw the danger and delicacy of his situation from the first; but having entered on this high office, he would not shrink from the duties annexed to it. The meanest claimant found ready access to the new chancellor no private affection could bias his judgment, or influence his decrees; no opportunity was given for intrigue or interested solicitation: and after he had presided in the court of chancery for two years, such was his application to business, that one day calling for the next cause, he was told there was not another then dependinga circumstance which he immediately ordered to be set down on record, and it will certainly be allowed to be unexampled.

Sir Thomas, though no friend to the papal usurpations in England, was far from wishing for a total rupture with the holy see: and foreseeing that the measures which Henry was pursuing must inevitably involve him with one or the other, he anxiously pressed to have his resignation of the seals accepted; which at last was

granted, though not without great reluctance on the part of Henry, and the warmest professions of a permanent regard. Thus, after he had filled this high office almost three years, with exemplary application, true magnanimity, and unsullied integrity, he resigned hisdignity, and retired to Chelsea: so little richer from the important stations he had held for nearly twenty years, that his whole annual income did not exceed a hundred pounds: and after the payment of his debts, it appears that he had not altogether above that sum in money, exclusive of his gold chain of office and a few rings. Such disinterestedness in a courtier is but seldom imitated, and deserves to be remembered.

The day after his resignation, he attended his wife and family to the church; and when service was finished, instead of going out first as had been usual, he went to the door of his lady's pew, (as it was usual for his servant to do before,) and with a low bow said, "Madam, my lord is gone." This was the first intimation. he gave her that he was no longer chancellor. She at first thought him in jest ; but when she found it otherwise, she broke out into reproaches and lamentations at his want of attention to his interest. Sir Thomas, however, turned the conversation to another subject, and seemed not to heed the storm.

His whole study now was, to lessen his establishment in proportion to his diminished resources, and to provide for his family and dependants in such a manner as might shew that he was more solicitous about them than himself. He gave himself up wholly to domestic privacy and retirement ; and having every thing to fear from the inconstant and cruel temper of the king, to whom he had been a devoted servant, but could not be a slave, he prepared his mind by study and reflection to meet with fortitude the worst that could befal him.

Though now reduced to a private station, and. even

to indigence, so high was his reputation, and such credit was attached to his legal opinions, that repeated attempts were made to obtain his approbation of the marriage with Anne Boleyn. When every contrivance, however, that policy could devise, or power command, proved ineffectual to warp his principles, and bring him over to measures which he condemned, the king, being highly exasperated, was determined to make him feel his utmost vengeance; and accordingly he was attainted, with several others, of misprison of treason, for encou raging Elizabeth Barton, commonly called the Maid of Kent, in her traitorous' designs: yet at last, it appeared upon record, that he had pronounced her the most false dissembling hypocrite he had ever known; and his name was obliged to be struck out of the bill. But malice entrenched behind power is not easily baffled: other imputations equally groundless, were brought against him in quick succession; from all of which his innocence protected him, and enabled him to stand the severest scrutiny.

At last, however, his enemies prevailed: for on his refusing to take the oath enjoined by the act of supremacy, he was committed to the Tower; where having lain fifteen months, he was brought to trial on a charge of high-treason in denying that the king was the supreme head of the church. The same equanimity and cheerfulness which he had evinced through life, attended him in this awful scene. The only evidence against him was Rich, the solicitor-general, whose credit he invalidated in the most striking manner; but as it was predetermined that he should either recant or be sacrificed, he resolutely maintained his principles, and the fatal sentence was passed upon him to suffer as a traitor.

In the interval between his condemnation and execu tion, (which latter the king softened to simple behead