; and, taking into consideration his associations and environment
during his stay in London, this view bears evident traces of independent
judgment. Sir John Cheke, the King's former preceptor, and afterwards
Professor of Greek at Cambridge, had received him with all the courtesy
due to a fellow-scholar, and probably introduced him at Court. Cheke was a
Chamberlain of the Exchequer, and just about this time was appointed Clerk
to the Privy Council, wherefore he must have been fully acquainted with
the aims and methods of the opposing factions about the Court. His
fellow-clerk, Cecil, was openly opposed to Northumberland's designs, and
prudently advanced a plea of ill health to excuse his absence from his
duties: but Cheke at this time was an avowed partisan of the Duke, and of
the policy which professed to secure the ascendency of the anti-Papal
party. Cardan, living in daily intercourse with Cheke, might reasonably
have taken up the point of view of his kind and genial friend; but no,--he
evidently rated Northumberland, from beginning to end, as a knave and a
traitor, and a murderer at least in will.

When he quitted England in the autumn of 1552 Cardan did not shake himself
entirely free from English associations. In an ill-starred moment he
determined to take back to Italy with him an English boy.[159] He was
windbound for several days at Dover, and the man with whom he lodged seems
to have offered to let him take his son, named William, aged twelve years,
back to Italy. Cardan was pleased with the boy's manner and appearance,
and at once consented; but the adventure proved a disastrous one. The boy
and his new protector could not exchange a word, and only managed to make
each other understand by signs, and that very imperfectly. The boy was
resolute to go on while Cardan wanted to be rid of him; but his conscience
would not allow him to send him home unless he should, of his own free
will, ask to be sent, and by way of giving William a distaste for the life
he had chosen, he records that he often beat him cruelly on the slightest
pretext. But the boy was not to be shaken off. He persisted in following
his venture to the end, and arrived in Cardan's train at Milan, where he
was allowed to go his own way. The only care for his training Cardan took
was to have him taught music. He chides the unhappy boy for his
indifference to learning and for his love of the company of other youths.
What with his literary work and the f