ry, by making a submission and confession, such as his
enemies required; but nothing could mollify the unrelenting temper of
the king. He assembled a parliament, as the surest and most expeditious
instrument of his tyranny; and the house of peers, without examining the
prisoner, without trial or evidence, passed a bill of attainder against
him, and sent it down to the commons. Cranmer, though engaged for many
years in an opposite party to Norfolk, and though he had received
many and great injuries from him, would have no hand in so unjust a
prosecution; and he retired to his seat at Croydon.[*] The king was now
approaching fast towards his end; and fearing lest Norfolk should escape
him, he sent a message to the commons, by which he desired them to
hasten the bill, on pretence that Norfolk enjoyed the dignity of earl
marshal, and it was necessary to appoint another, who might officiate
at the ensuing ceremony of installing his son prince of Wales. The
obsequious commons obeyed his directions, though founded on so frivolous
a pretence; and the king having affixed the royal assent to the bill by
commissioners, issued orders for the execution of Norfolk on the morning
of the twenty-ninth of January. But news being carried to the Tower that
the king himself had expired that night, the lieutenant deferred obeying
the warrant; and it was not thought advisable by the council to begin a
new reign by the death of the greatest nobleman in the kingdom, who had
been condemned by a sentence so unjust and tyrannical.

The king's health had long been in a declining state; but for several
days all those near him plainly saw his end approaching. He was become
so froward, that no one durst inform him of his condition; and as some
persons during this reign had suffered as traitors for foretelling the
king's death,[**] every one was afraid lest, in the transports of his
fury, he might on this pretence punish capitally the author of such
friendly intelligence. At last, Sir Anthony Denny ventured to disclose
to him the fatal secret, and exhorted him to prepare for the fate which
was awaiting him. He expressed his resignation, and desired that Cranmer
might be sent for; but before the prelate arrived, he was speechless,
though he still seemed to retain his senses. Cranmer desired him to give
some sign of his dying in the faith of Christ. He squeezed the prelate's
hand, and immediately expired, after a reign of thirty-seven years and
nine month