rancis of France, Henry of England, and the emperor Charles V. He had
remained in London during the fearful time of the sweating sickness, to
which people would fall victims while opening a window, playing with
their children, or even lying asleep. Death followed almost at once, and
'if the half in every town escaped it was thought great favour.' It
spared the house in Bishopsgate in which More had for some time been
living, and where he stayed till, four years later, he moved to a
country place at Chelsea.

Few men have held more dignities than sir Thomas More, or have earned
greater respect in the holding. Within eight years he was
Under-Treasurer, or, as we should say, Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Speaker of the House of Commons, and finally Lord Chancellor. Even dame
Alice must have been satisfied; but her content only lasted three years,
as by that time events had occurred which made it necessary either for
sir Thomas to resign the Great Seal always entrusted to the lord
chancellor, or else 'to tie his conscience to another man's back,' and
that back the king's.

* * * * *

In 1531 Henry had decided to divorce his wife, Katherine of Aragon, and
to marry in her stead the beautiful Anne Boleyn. His desire met with
violent opposition from almost all churchmen, and from many statesmen,
among whom was sir Thomas More. The pope, of course, entirely refused
his consent to any such violation of the law, and Henry, whom resistance
only made more obstinate, suddenly resolved to cut himself off
altogether from Rome, and declare that he, and not the pope, was the
head of the English church. This meant that he could do as he pleased
and make his own laws, and he lost no time in demanding the assent of
Parliament to his new claim, and afterwards that of the clergy. Once
these were obtained, there would be nothing to hinder him from divorcing
his first wife and marrying his second. In fact, he would be his own
pope.

* * * * *

For a year the battle raged fiercely, and More watched anxiously for the
issue. He withdrew himself as far as possible from the king, and kept as
much as might be to his own business. At length Henry was victorious.
The greater part of the clergy cast off their allegiance to the pope and
took the oath required by the king. Sir Thomas saw and understood, and
placed his resignation as lord chancellor in the hands of his sovereign.

The loss