ontact, he lost sight of the greater ill to which it was
opposed; and in the recoil commenced the first steps of a career, which
brought his mother to the scaffold, which overspread all England with an
atmosphere of treason and suspicion, and which terminated at last after
years of exile, rebellion, and falsehood, in a brief victory of blood and
shame. So ever does wrong action beget its own retribution, punishing
itself by itself, and wrecking the instruments by which it works. The
letter which Pole wrote from Paris to Henry will not be uninteresting. It
revealed his distaste for his occupation, though prudence held him silent
as to his deeper feelings.

"Please it your Highness to be advertised, that the determination and
conclusion of the divines in this university was achieved and finished
according to your desired purpose, upon Saturday last past. The sealing of
the same has been put off unto this day, nor never could be obtained before
for any soliciting on our parts which were your agents here, which never
ceased to labour, all that lay in us, for the expedition of it, both with
the privy president and with all such as we thought might in any part aid
us therein. But what difficulties and stops hath been, to let the obtaining
of the seal of the university, notwithstanding the conclusion passed and
agreed unto by the more part of the faculty, by reason of such oppositions
as the adversary part hath made to embezzle the determination that it
should not take effect nor go forth in that same form as it was concluded,
it may please your Grace, to be advertised by this bearer, Master Fox; who,
with his prudence, diligence, and great exercise in the cause, hath most
holp to resist all these crafts, and to bring the matter to that point as
your most desired purpose hath been to have it. He hath indeed acted
according to that hope which I had of him at the beginning and first
breaking of the matter amongst the faculty here, when I, somewhat fearing
and foreseeing such contentions, altercations, and empeschements as by most
likelihood might ensue, did give your Grace advertisement, how necessary I
thought it was to have Master Fox's presence. And whereas I was informed by
Master Fox how it standeth with your Grace's pleasure, considering my
fervent desire thereon, that, your motion once achieved and brought to a
final conclusion in this university, I should repair to your presence, your
Grace could not grant me at this time