er rose more. A little before
he expired, he addressed himself in the following words to Sir William
Kingston, constable of the Tower, who had him in custody. "I pray you
have me heartily recommended unto his royal majesty, and beseech him
on my behalf to call to his remembrance all matters that have passed
between us from the beginning, especially with regard to his business
with the queen; and then will he know in his conscience whether I have
offended him.

"He is a prince of a most royal carriage, and hath a princely heart; and
rather than he will miss or want any part of his will, he will endanger
the one half of his kingdom.

"I do assure you, that I have often kneeled before him, sometimes three
hours together, to persuade him from his will and appetite; but could
not prevail: had I but served God as diligently as I have served the
king, he would not have given me over in my gray hairs. But this is the
just reward that I must receive for my indulgent pains and study, not
regarding my service to God, but only to my prince. Therefore, let me
advise you, if you be one of the privy council, as by your wisdom you
are fit, take care what you put into the king's head; for you can never
put it out again."[*]

* Cavendish.

[Illustration: 1-376-tower.jpg THE TOWER OF LONDON]

Thus died this famous cardinal, whose character seems to have contained
as singular a variety as the fortune to which he was exposed. The
obstinacy and violence of the king's temper may alleviate much of the
blame which some of his favorite's measures have undergone; and when
we consider, that the subsequent part of Henry's reign was much more
criminal than that which had been directed by Wolsey's counsels, we
shall be inclined to suspect those historians of partiality, who
have endeavored to load the memory of this minister with such violent
reproaches. If, in foreign politics, he sometimes employed his influence
over the king for his private purposes, rather than his master's
service, which, he boasted, he had solely at heart, we must remember,
that he had in view the papal throne; a dignity which, had he attained
it, would have enabled him to make Henry a suitable return for all his
favors. The cardinal of Amboise, whose memory is respected in France,
always made this apology for his own conduct, which was, in some
respect, similar to Wolsey's; and we have reason to think, that Henry
was well acquainted with the views by which his mini