onclusion of service, ere she
left her pew, the intelligence was broken to her in a jest that she had
lost her cherished dignity. "And whereas upon the holidays during his
High Chancellorship one of his gentlemen, when the service of the church
was done, ordinarily used to come to my lady his wife's pew-door, and
say unto her '_Madam, my lord is gone_,' he came into my lady his wife's
pew himself, and making a low courtesy, said unto her, 'Madam, my lord
is gone,' which she, imagining to be but one of his jests, as he used
many unto her, he sadly affirmed unto her that it was true. This was the
way he thought fittest to break the matter unto his wife, who was full
of sorrow to hear it."

Equally humorous and pathetic was that memorable interview between More
and his wife in the Tower, when she, regarding his position by the
lights with which nature had endowed her, counseled him to yield even at
that late moment to the king. "What the goodyear, Mr. More!" she cried,
bustling up to the tranquil and courageous man. "I marvel that you, who
have been hitherto always taken for a wise man, will now so play the
fool as to lie here in this close, filthy prison, and be content to be
shut up thus with mice and rats, when you might be abroad at your
liberty, with the favor and good-will both of the king and his council,
if you would but do as the bishops and best learned of his realm have
done; and, seeing you have at Chelsea a right fair house, your library,
your books, your gallery, and all other necessaries so handsome about
you, where you might, in company with me, your wife, your children, and
household, be merry, I muse what, in God's name, you mean, here thus
fondly to tarry." Having heard her out--preserving his good-humor, he
said to her, with a cheerful countenance, "I pray thee, good Mrs.
Alice, tell me one thing!" "What is it?" saith she, "Is not this house
as near heaven as my own?"

Sir Thomas More was looking towards heaven.

Mistress Alice had her eye upon the 'right fair house' at Chelsea.

CHAPTER VII.

GOOD QUEEN BESS.

Amongst the eminent men who are frequently mentioned as notorious
suitors for the personal affection of Queen Elizabeth, a conspicuous
place is awarded to Hatton, by the scandalous memoirs of his time and
the romantic traditions of later ages. Historians of the present
generation have accepted without suspicion the story that Hatton was
Elizabeth's amorous courtier, that the fancif