that they could not arrest and imprison one of their
number except upon specific charges made against him. Whereupon the
Commons very promptly prepared a list of charges and sent them to the
Lords. On this accusation the Lords ordered Suffolk to be arrested,
and he was sent to the Tower.

[Sidenote: An impeachment.]

[Sidenote: Suffolk in the Tower.]

During the two months that succeeded his arrest his enemies were
busily engaged in preparing the bill of impeachment against him in
form, and collecting the evidence by which they were to sustain it,
while the queen was equally earnest and anxious in the work of
contriving means to save him. She visited him secretly, it is said, in
his prison, and conferred with him on the plan to be pursued. They
seem to have been both convinced that it was impossible for him to
remain in England and ride out the storm. The only course of safety
would be for him to leave the country for a while, provided the means
could be devised for getting him away. What the plan was which they
agreed upon for accomplishing this purpose will appear in the sequel.

[Sidenote: He is arraigned.]

[Sidenote: Suffolk's defense.]

[Sidenote: He appeals to the king.]

At length, on the thirteenth of March, he was summoned before the
House of Lords, and the bill of impeachment was brought forward. There
were a great many charges, beginning with that of having wickedly and
with corrupt motives surrendered, and so lost forever to the crown,
the provinces of Maine and Anjou, and going on to numerous accusations
of malfeasance in office, of encroachments on the prerogatives of the
king, and of acts in which the interest and honor of the country had
been sacrificed to his own personal ambition or private ends.
Suffolk defended himself in a general speech, without, however,
demanding, as he was entitled to do, a formal trial by his peers.
These proceedings occupied several days--as long as any lingering hope
remained in Suffolk's mind of his being able to stem the torrent. At
length, however, on the seventeenth of March, finding that the
pressure against him was continually increasing, and that there would
be no chance of an acquittal if he were to claim a trial, he appealed
to the king to decide his case, saying that, though he was entirely
innocent of the crimes charged against him, he would submit himself
entirely to his majesty's will.

[Sidenote: Sentence of banishment.]

In response to this appeal