of Henry. One party
of pleasure succeeded to another: tilts, tournaments, and carousals
were exhibited with all the magnificence of the age; and as the present
tranquillity of the public permitted the court to indulge itself in
every amusement, serious business was but little attended to. Or, if
the king intermitted the course of his festivity, he chiefly employed
himself in an application to music and literature, which were his
favorite pursuits, and which were well adapted to his genius.

* Herbert, Stowe, p. 486. Holingshed, p. 799.

** Lord Herbert.

He had made such proficiency in the former art, as even to compose
some pieces of church music, which were sung in his chapel.[*] He was
initiated in the elegant learning of the ancients. And though he was so
unfortunate as to be seduced into a study of the barren controversies of
the schools, which were then fashionable, and had chosen Thomas Aquinas
for his favorite author, he still discovered a capacity fitted for more
useful and entertaining knowledge.

The frank and careless humor of the king, as it led him to dissipate the
treasures amassed by his father, rendered him negligent in protecting
the instruments whom that prince had employed in his extortions. A
proclamation being issued to encourage complaints, the rage of the
people was let loose on all informers, who had so long exercised an
unbounded tyranny over the nation: [**] they were thrown into prison,
condemned to the pillory, and most of them lost their lives by the
violence of the populace. Empson and Dudley, who were most exposed to
public hatred, were immediately summoned before the council, in order to
answer for their conduct, which had rendered them so obnoxious.

* Lord Herbert.

** Herbert, Stowe, p. 486. Holingshed, p. 799. Polyd. Virg.
lib, xxvii.

Empson made a shrewd apology for himself, as well as for his associate.
He told the council, that so far from his being justly exposed to
censure for his past conduct, his enemies themselves grounded their
clamor on actions which seemed rather to merit reward and approbation:
that a strict execution of law was the crime of which he and Dudley were
accused; though that law had been established by general consent,
and though they had acted in obedience to the king, to whom the
administration of justice was intrusted by the constitution: that it
belonged not to them, who were instruments in the hands of supreme
power, to