eartily rejoiced when they came to no
decision, and the Pope was appealed to. As to understanding all the
explanations that Ambrose brought from time to time, she called them
quirks and quiddities, and left them to her father and Tibble to discuss
in their chimney corners.

They had seen nothing of the jester for a good while, for he was with
Wolsey, who was attending the King on a progress through the midland
shires. When the Cardinal returned to open the law courts as Chancellor
at the beginning of the autumn term, still Randall kept away from home,
perhaps because he had forebodings that he could not bear to mention.

On the evening of that very day, London rang with the tidings that the
Great Seal had been taken from the Cardinal, and that he was under
orders to yield up his noble mansion of York House and to retire to
Esher; nay, it was reported that he was to be imprisoned in the Tower,
and the next day the Thames was crowded with more than a thousand boats
filled with people, expecting to see him landed at the Traitors' Gate,
and much disappointed when his barge turned towards Putney.

In the afternoon, Ambrose came to the Dragon court.

Even as Stephen figured now as a handsome prosperous young freeman of
the City, Ambrose looked well in the sober black apparel and neat ruff
of a lawyer's clerk--clerk indeed to the first lawyer in the kingdom,
for the news had spread before him that Sir Thomas More had become Lord
Chancellor.

"Thou art come to bear us word of thy promotion--for thy master's is
thine own," said the alderman heartily as he entered, shaking hands with
him. "Never was the Great Seal in better hands."

"'Tis true indeed, your worship," said Ambrose, "though it will lay a
heavy charge on him, and divert him from much that he loveth better
still. I came to ask of my sister Dennet a supper and a bed for the
night, as I have been on business for him, and can scarce get back to
Chelsea."

"And welcome," said Dennet. "Little Giles and Bess have been wearying
for their uncle."

"I must not toy with them yet," said Ambrose, "I have a message for my
aunt. Brother, wilt thou walk down to the Temple with me before
supper?"

"Yea, and how is it with Master Randall?" asked Dennet. "Be he gone
with my Lord Cardinal?"

"He is made over to the King," said Ambrose briefly. "'Tis that which I
must tell his wife."

"Have with thee, then," said Stephen, linking his arm into that of his
brother, f