passed on.

'It must be bowed to,' Cranmer continued his speech. 'I do maintain
it. There is no way but to divorce the Queen.' Again Lascelles nodded;
it was Wriothesley this time who spoke.

'It is a lamentable thing!' and there was a heavy sincerity in his
utterance, his pose, with his foot weightily upon the ground, being
that of an honest man. 'But I do think you have the right of it. We,
and the new faith with us, are between Scylla and Charybdis. For
certain, our two paths do lie between divorcing the Queen and seeing
you, great lords, who so well defend us, cast down.'

Coming up behind him, Cromwell placed a hand upon his shoulder.

'Goodly knight,' he said, 'let us hear thy thoughts. His Grace's of
Canterbury we do know very well. He is for keeping a whole skin!'

Cranmer threw up his hands, and Lascelles looked at the ground.
Throckmorton's eyes were filled with admiration of this master of his
that he was betraying now. He muttered in his long, golden beard.

'Pity we must have thy head.'

Wriothesley cleared his throat, and having considered, spoke
earnestly.

'It is before all things expedient and necessary,' he said, 'that we
do keep you, my Lord Privy Seal, and you, my Lord of Canterbury, at
the head of the State.' That was above all necessary. For assuredly
this land, though these two had brought it to a great pitch of wealth,
clean living, true faith and prosperity, this land needed my Lord
Privy Seal before all men to shield it from the treason of the old
faith. There were many lands now, bringing wealth and commodity to
the republic, that should soon again revert towards and pay all their
fruits to Rome; there were many cleaned and whitened churches that
should again hear the old nasty songs and again be tricked with
gewgaws of the idolaters. Therefore, before all things, my Lord Privy
Seal must retain the love of the King's Highness---- Cromwell, who had
resumed his pacing, stayed for a moment to listen.

'Wherefore brought ye not news of why Cleves' envoy came to Paris
town?' he said pleasantly. 'All the door turneth upon that hinge.'

Wriothesley stuttered and reddened.

'What gold could purchase, I purchased of news,' he said. 'But this
envoy would not speak; his knaves took my gold and had no news. The
King of France's men----'

'Oh aye,' Cromwell continued; 'speak on about the other matter.'

Wriothesley turned his slow mind from his vexation in Paris, whence he
had come a spec