the wretchedness of this world, and the frailty of the flesh, and the subtle sleights of the wicked fiend; and gave him to be sure good counsel, saving somewhat too long, how he should beware in his living, and master all his body for saving of his soul. So she went on, and yet, ere her own tale came to an end, she began somewhat to find fault with him and said: 'In good faith, brother, I do somewhat marvel that you, who have been at learning so long, and are a doctor, and so deeply read in the law of God, do not now at our meeting-seeing we meet so seldom-to me that am your sister, and a simple unlearned soul, give, in your charity, some fruitful exhortation; for I doubt not but you can say some good thing yourself.' By my troth, good sister,' quoth her brother, 'I cannot for yourself; for your tongue hath never ceased since we met, but has said enough for us both.'"

Another anecdote of Sir Thomas on the subject of talkative dames, may have its place here.

"There was of late a kinswoman of yours," says one of the interlocutors in the Dialogue on Tribulation,' "but whom I will not name; guess her an you can. Her husband took much pleasure in the society of another honest man, and visited him often; so that, at his meal-time he was frequently from home. It happened on a time that his wife and he were dining together at that neighbour's, and then she made a merry quarrel with him, for making her husband such good cheer out of doors, that she could scarcely have him at home. Forsooth, mistress,' quoth he, for he was a dry merry man, 'in my company nothing keepeth him but one thing; serve you him with the same, and he will never be from you.' 'What gay thing may that be?' quoth our cousin. Forsooth mistress,' replied he, your husband loveth to talk with all his heart, and when he sitteth with me, I let him have all the words.' 'All the words!' quoth the dame; is that all! I am content that he shall have

K

all the words. He always has them at home, but then -I speak them all myself!'

1528. This year the country experienced a second visitation of the disease known by the name of the sweating sickness. It first made its appearance in the preceding reign (1485), and its ravages were very fatal; but experience had discovered means for counteracting its malignity. At court, the disease made its first appearance among the female attendants of Anne Boleyn. By the king's order she was immediately conveyed to her father's seat in Kent; but she carried the infection with her, and had a narrow escape. Considering the fate that shortly awaited this wretched woman, and the serious evils of which she was to be the unhappy cause, would it be a want of charity to regard her recovery, as a misfortune to the country and to herself? Several persons, and among them some of noble birth, died in the palace of the cardinal, whose apprehensions induced him to elope from his family, and conceal the place of his retreat, at least from all but the king. Henry, also, seeing the contagion spread among the gentlemen of his privy chamber, frequently changed his residence, locked himself up from all communication with strangers, and instead of attending to his "secret matter," joined the queen in her devotional exercises, confessing himself every day, and communicating every Sunday and festival.

The following memoranda from the State Papers of this year will not be uninteresting.

May 10. Hennage, one of the king's secretaries, in a letter to Wolsey: "Mistress Anne is very well amended, and commendeth her humbly to your grace, and thinketh long till she speak with you. And the king's highness this day hath sent you, by my servant, a buck which he killed yesterday at Eltham park." "This day

June 14. In a letter from the same.

as the king's highness came toward even-song, my Lord Marquis of Exeter had brought from Burling two great bucks, which he presented unto his highness, and he commanded me to take the best of them, and send to your grace; and this day, his highness, like a gracious prince, has received his Maker, at the Fryers, which was administered to his highness by my lord of Lincoln [Dr. Longland]. News there be none, but that his highness upon Tuesday next, according to his appointment, doth remove to Waltham. Thus our Lord preserve your grace. From Greenwich this Corpus-Christi day."

July 5. In a letter dated Hampton Court, Wolsey thus addresses the king: "Most lowly and humbly prostrate at your feet, I beseech your highness, in consideration of my very true and faithful service, exhibited as well to your highness, as to this your realm, to be a good and gracious lord to my soul; and that such things as I have devised for the same and to the increase of God's honour, learning, virtuous living, and for the common weal of this your realm, by your gracious favour and assistance, may be perfected, accomplished, and absolved, according to the purport of my testament and last will made in that behalf; wherein I have had such loving remembrance of your highness, and of the great benefits by the same exhibited unto me, that I trust your highness, and all the world, shall say, that ye have not bestowed your favours and goodness upon an ingrate. And one thing (if it shall fortune the same to be the last word that I shall speak or write to your highness), I dare boldly say and affirm, that your grace hath had of me, a most loving, true, and faithful servant: and that for favour under gift, or promise of gift, at any time, I never did, or consented to do, anything that might in the least point, redound unto your dishonour or disprofit. And herein spiritually rejoicing, conforming my mind to God's pleasure, whatsoever shall chance of me, I most

humbly, and with all my heart, service, and prayer, bid your grace farewell. From your manor of Hampton Court, the 5th day of July, by your grace's most humble chaplain,

T. CARlis EBOR.

July 9. In a letter from Hennage to Wolsey we have the king's reply:-" This morning, at seven of the clock, I delivered your grace's letters to the king's highness; wherewith I assure your grace, his highness was greatly comforted, and given unto your grace hearty thanks for the same. And glad he is to hear that your grace hath so good a heart, and that you have determined and made your will, and ordered yourself anenst God, as you have done, and as his highness had semblable [in like manner] done; which will he intendeth shortly to send unto your grace, wherein your grace shall perceive the trusty and hearty mind that he hath unto you, above all men living. He also desireth your grace that he may hear every second day from you, how you do; for I assure you, every morning as soon as he cometh from the queen, he asketh whether I have any thing from your grace."

August 5. Hennage to Wolsey!

"The king's highness commendeth him heartily to your grace, and sends you, by this bearer, the greatest red deer that was killed by his grace, or any of his hunters, all this year. Yesterday his highness took marvellous great pain in hunting of the red deer, from nine of the clock in the morning to seven of the clock at night, and for all his pains-taking, he, nor any of his servants, could kill but this one, notwithstanding they hunted in four several parts. From Easthampstead, this present Sunday."

From the abodes of profligacy and courtly intrigue, to the modest chamber of More's residence at Chelsea, the transition is grateful and refreshing. The pre

valent malady was, however, active within its walls, and had not spared to attack ONE for whose safety we feel a more than common solicitude. The life of Margaret Roper was, for a time, considered to be in danger. The aid of the most experienced physicians of the time had proved fruitless; she had fallen into a state of lethargy from which no efforts could arouse her. In this extremity, her father, as he that most loved her, sought a remedy of this her desperate case from God." He hastened to his private chapel," and there upon his knees and with many tears, besought Almighty God, to whom nothing was impossible, of his great goodness, if such were his blessed will, to grant his humble petition for the child he so fondly loved." The prayers of the pious father were not offered in vain. When More returned to his daughter's chamber, he found her thoroughly awakened from her lethargic state, and from that moment she began to amend. Sir Thomas was afterwards heard to say, "that, had it been the will of God at that time to have taken her to his mercy, he had made up his mind never to have meddled in any worldly matters after; such," continues Cresacre, whose account we have followed, was his fatherly love and vehement affection to this his jewel, who, of all the rest, the most nearly expressed her father's virtues; though," continues he, with a pride of heart pardonable in the member of such a family, "the meanest of all the rest might have been matched with any of their age, whether for learning, excellent qualities, or unaffected piety, they having been brought up even from their infancy with such pious care, always enjoying virtuous example, and learned and diligent instructors."

In the meantime the absence of Anne Boleyn from court, the religious impression which the salutary visitation of the sickness had produced upon Henry's mind, and the harmony in which he now lived with