hter--ay, and worse than sheep, for we
quarter not our mutton alive, whereas these poor younglings--babes of
thirteen, some of them--be indicted for high treason! Will the parents,
shut in from coming to them by my Lord of Norfolks men, ever forget
their agonies, I ask your Grace?"

Henry's face grew red with passion. "If Norfolk thinks to act the King,
and turn the city into a shambles,"--with a mighty oath--"he shall abye
it. Here, Lord Cardinal--more, let the free pardon be drawn up for the
two lads. And we will ourselves write to the Lord Mayor and to Norfolk
that though they may work their will on the movers of the riot--that
pestilent Lincoln and his sort--not a prentice lad shall be touched till
our pleasure be known. There now, child, thou hast won the lives of thy
lads, as thou callest them. Wilt thou rue the day, I marvel? Why
cannot some of their mothers pluck up spirit and beg them off as thou
hast done?"

"Yea," said Wolsey. "That were the right course. If the Queen were
moved to pray your Grace to pity the striplings, then could the
Spaniards make no plaint of too much clemency being shown."

They were all this time getting nearer the palace, and being now at a
door opening into the hall, Henry turned round. "There, pretty maid,
spread the tidings among thy gossips, that they have a tender-hearted
Queen, and a gracious King. The Lord Cardinal will presently give thee
the pardon for both thy lads, and by and by thou wilt know whether thou
thankest me for it!" Then putting his hand under her chin, he turned up
her face to him, kissed her on each cheek, and touched his feathered cap
to the others, saying, "See that my bidding be done," and disappeared.

"It must be prompt, if it be to save any marked for death this morn,"
More in a low voice observed to the Cardinal. "Lord Edmund Howard is
keen as a bloodhound on his vengeance."

Wolsey was far from being a cruel man, and besides, there was a natural
antagonism between him and the old nobility, and he liked and valued his
fool, to whom he turned, saying, "And what stake hast thou in this,
sirrah? Is't all pure charity?"

"I'm scarce such a fool as that, Cousin Red Hat," replied Randall,
rallying his powers. "I leave that to Mr More here, whom we all know
to be a good fool spoilt. But I'll make a clean breast of it. This
same Stephen is my sister's son, an orphan lad of good birth and
breeding--whom, my lord, I would die to save."

"Th