spoke prophetically, since
by the present and similar services he made his way to the archbishopric of
Dublin and the bishopric of Oxford, and accepting the Erastian theory of a
Christian's duty, followed Edward VI. into heresy, and Mary into popery and
persecution. He regarded himself as an official of the state religion; and
his highest conception of evil in a Christian was disobedience to the
reigning authority. We may therefore conceive easily the burden of his
sermon in the royal chapel. "He most sharply reprehended Peto," calling him
foul names, "dog, slanderer, base beggarly friar, rebel, and traitor,"
saying "that no subject should speak so audaciously to his prince:" he
"commended" Henry's intended marriage, "thereby to establish his seed in
his seat for ever;" and having won, as he supposed, his facile victory, he
proceeded with his peroration, addressing his absent antagonist. "I speak
to thee, Peto," he exclaimed, "to thee, Peto, which makest thyself Micaiah,
that thou mayest speak evil of kings; but now art not to be found, being
fled for fear and shame, as unable to answer my argument." In the royal
chapel at Greenwich there was more reality than decorum. A voice out of the
rood-loft cut short the eloquent declamation. "Good sir," it said, "you
know Father Peto is gone to Canterbury to a provincial council, and not
fled for fear of you; for to-morrow he will return again. In the meantime I
am here as another Micaiah, and will lay down my life to prove those things
true which he hath taught. And to this combat I challenge thee; thee
Kirwan, I say, who art one of the four hundred into whom the spirit of
lying is entered, and thou seekest by adultery to establish the succession,
betraying thy king for thy own vain glory into endless perdition."

A scene of confusion followed, which was allayed at last by the king
himself, who rose from his seat and commanded silence. It was thought that
the limit of permissible licence had been transcended, and the following
day Peto and Elstowe, the other speaker, were summoned before the council
to receive a reprimand. Lord Essex told them they deserved to be sewn into
a sack and thrown into the Thames. "Threaten such things to rich and dainty
folk, which have their hope in this world," answered Elstowe, gallantly,
"we fear them not; with thanks to God we know the way to heaven to be as
ready by water as by land."[372] Men of such metal might be broken, but
they could not be