more among the people, by the grinding exaction to which he
constantly exposed them, and by the tyrannical acts of his two prime
favourites in all money-raising matters, EDMUND DUDLEY and RICHARD
EMPSON. But Death--the enemy who is not to be bought off or deceived,
and on whom no money, and no treachery has any effect--presented himself
at this juncture, and ended the King's reign. He died of the gout, on
the twenty-second of April, one thousand five hundred and nine, and in
the fifty-third year of his age, after reigning twenty-four years; he was
buried in the beautiful Chapel of Westminster Abbey, which he had himself
founded, and which still bears his name.

It was in this reign that the great CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, on behalf of
Spain, discovered what was then called The New World. Great wonder,
interest, and hope of wealth being awakened in England thereby, the King
and the merchants of London and Bristol fitted out an English expedition
for further discoveries in the New World, and entrusted it to SEBASTIAN
CABOT, of Bristol, the son of a Venetian pilot there. He was very
successful in his voyage, and gained high reputation, both for himself
and England.

CHAPTER XXVII--ENGLAND UNDER HENRY THE EIGHTH, CALLED BLUFF KING HAL AND
BURLY KING HARRY

PART THE FIRST

We now come to King Henry the Eighth, whom it has been too much the
fashion to call 'Bluff King Hal,' and 'Burly King Harry,' and other fine
names; but whom I shall take the liberty to call, plainly, one of the
most detestable villains that ever drew breath. You will be able to
judge, long before we come to the end of his life, whether he deserves
the character.

He was just eighteen years of age when he came to the throne. People
said he was handsome then; but I don't believe it. He was a big, burly,
noisy, small-eyed, large-faced, double-chinned, swinish-looking fellow in
later life (as we know from the likenesses of him, painted by the famous
HANS HOLBEIN), and it is not easy to believe that so bad a character can
ever have been veiled under a prepossessing appearance.

He was anxious to make himself popular; and the people, who had long
disliked the late King, were very willing to believe that he deserved to
be so. He was extremely fond of show and display, and so were they.
Therefore there was great rejoicing when he married the Princess
Catherine, and when they were both crowned. And the King fought at
tournaments and always ca