THE FIELD OF THE CLOTH OF GOLD.-1520.

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5. Upon the death of Louis XII., in 1515, Francis I. became King of France, and in 1517, Charles V. became King of Spain, and soon afterwards Emperor of Germany. Both these princes were young, possessed of great talents and boundless ambition. Each courted and cajoled Henry, whose blunt and open character was no match for either of them.

6. Francis hoped by a personal interview to secure the favor of Henry, and therefore invited that monarch to meet him near Calais. But Charles was beforehand with him. For, as soon as he heard of the proposed meeting, he started for England, and landed at Dover, with a small attendance, before Henry had received any intimation of his purpose.

7. In those days it showed great confidence in a monarch's honor, thus to place one's self in his power, and the compliment thus paid by Charles was not without its influence upon the vain Henry. By flattering the latter, and by bribing Wolsey with gifts and promises, Charles detached them from the interests of France. He then went on his way to his possessions in Holland, and Henry proceeded to Calais, to meet the French king. This meeting took place in June, 1520, in a plain near that city.

8. Two thousand and eight hundred tents, many of them of silk and cloth of gold, were not sufficient to contain the multitudes who flocked to this splendid festival; and many ladies and gentlemen

5. When did Louis XII. die? Who succeeded him? What of Francis I. and Charles V.? 6. What did Francis propose to Henry? What did Charles do? 7. What of Charles'

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THE REFORMATION.-1520.

of rank were glad to obtain a lodging in barns, and to sleep upon hay and straw. The French and English vied with one another in the splendor of their dresses, and this meeting is celebrated as the "Field of the Cloth of Gold."

9. It continued a fortnight, and was a succession of entertainments. At first the two monarchs met, attended by their trains, and passed the day together, according to the formal etiquette prescribed by Wolsey, who acted as master of ceremonies.

10. But such dull parade did not suit the frank and ardent spirit of Francis, and, after two or three of these interviews, he mounted his horse one morning early, and rode off to the quarters of Henry. The English, who were on guard, were astonished to see the King of France at that hour, and without attendants; but Francis desired to be conducted to Henry's apartment, and, undrawing his bed-curtains, awoke him out of his sleep.

11. Henry was as much amazed as his guards had been; and from that time the intercourse was conducted with more freedom, as it will appear from a little incident. One day, after the two kings had been looking at a wrestling-match, Henry, seizing Francis by the collar, said, “My brother, you and I must wrestle," and endeavored to throw him down; but Francis, being the more expert, nimbly twisted Henry round, and threw him to the ground.

12. Though Henry affected to consider this as a pleasant joke, yet he was greatly vexed, and never forgave it. The two kings separated on the 25th of June, and more ceremonious visits were then exchanged between the Emperor Charles and Henry. Amidst the tournaments and splendid entertainments to which these gave occasion, Charles never lost sight of his own interests, but sought to make sure the favor he had gained with Henry and his ambitious minister.

CHAPTER CXXVI.

Henry VIII. writes a Book against the Reformation.-About Anne Boleyn.-Thomas Cranmer rises into notice.-Disgrace and Death of Wolsey.

1. FROM time to time protests, of more or less significance, had been made in England and in various other parts of Europe against the claims of the see of Rome; but it was not until the age at which we have now arrived that any very extensive effects were produced.

2. Martin Luther, himself a monk, and professor of philosophy in the University of Wittenberg, in Saxony, declared, about the year 1517, that the pope had no power to forgive sin, and nailed a

visit to England? 8. What of the interview between Henry and Francis? 10, 11. What did Francis do to get rid of the formality? 12. What of the final interview between Henry and Charles?

CXXVI.-1. What of protests? 2, 3. What was the origin of the Reformation? 4. What

ANNE BOLEYN.-1521.

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paper containing a fierce denial of the papal claim against the door of the church in Wittenberg. The students espoused his cause with intense eagerness, and a widespread excitement followed.

3. At first, the pope, Leo X., did not wish to have "Friar Martin" molested, but soon after he called upon him to retract; and Luther was forced to defend himself, which he did ardently and effectively. He found ready converts to his opinions, and the Reformation, as it is called, made rapid progress throughout the states of Germany.

4. In 1521, Henry appeared in the field, as an author, against what he deemed the new heresies., He wrote a Latin book, which was presented with great ceremony to Leo, who rewarded the royal author with the title of "Defender of the Faith," and sent him a letter, praising his "wisdom, learning, zeal, charity, gravity, gentleness, and meekness,"-most of which epithets few people could less deserve.

5. But a change in the relations between the king and the pope was soon to take place, and we shall see the consequences. At the court of Henry was a beautiful young lady, named Anne Boleyn, who had been educated at the French court, and who had returned with her English beauty adorned by French grace and vivacity.

6. The king was captivated by her charms, and sought for some pretext upon which he could be separated from his wife, that he might marry Anne. This was soon found, and Wolsey was sent to the pope to sue for a divorce upon the ground of Catharine's previous marriage with Prince Arthur.

did Henry VIII. do? 5, 6. What led to a change in the relations between Henry and the

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THOMAS CRANMER.-1528.

7. The pope, unwilling to displease the emperor, who was the nephew of Catharine, declined giving a decided answer, and, after keeping Henry in suspense for a year, sent, in 1528, Cardinal Campeggio to England, to decide, in concert with Wolsey, the validity of the king's marriage with Catharine.

8. Campeggio tried to settle the difficulty by private negotiation. He first addressed himself to the king, and exhorted him to give up the thoughts of a divorce. Not succeeding in this, he sought to prevail on Catharine to retire to a nunnery; but with her he was also unsuccessful. After another year of delays, the two cardinals proceeded to a trial; but they seemed unwilling to come to a decision. The king's patience was nearly exhausted, and it now became apparent to the courtiers that Wolsey's favor was waning.

9. It chanced about this time that Gardiner and Fox, two of the king's servants, fell by accident in company with a young priest. named Thomas Cranmer. The conversation turned upon the subject of the king's divorce. Cranmer at first declined any opinion about it, but, being pressed, said he would spend no time in negotiating with the pope, but would propose to the most learned men in Europe this plain question, "Can a man marry his brother's widow?"

10. The two doctors were much struck with this hint, and mentioned it to the king, who exclaimed, in his blunt way, that Cranmer had got the right sow by the ear.' Cranmer was at once taken

into the service of the king, and engaged to write a book in favor of the divorce.

pope? 7, 8. How did the pope seek to avoid a quarrel? 9, 10. What brought Cranmer

HENRY MARRIES ANNE BOLEYN.-1533.

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11. From this time Wolsey's influence declined. Anne Boleyn, who suspected that he opposed her elevation to the throne, joined his enemies, of whom his pride and arrogance had created many. Such secrecy was used, that Wolsey's first knowledge of their proceedings was an indictment brought against him with the king's

consent.

12. All his property, even his clothes, and a tomb which he had prepared for himself at Windsor, was seized by the king, and he was himself banished from court. Henry's resentment, however, soon subsided, and he sent Wolsey a general pardon, restoring a portion of his revenues, but requiring hira to reside at York.

13. But adversity had not cured him of his love of magnificence, which again drew on him the king's displeasure. He was now arrested for high treason. His anxiety threw him into a violent fever; in which condition he set out on his journey to the Tower. On the third day he arrived at Leicester Abbey, and Wolsey said to the abbot, who came to the gate to receive him, “My father, I am come to lay my bones among you."

14. He was lifted from his mule, and carried to his bed, from which he never rose. He died November 29th, 1530. On his death-bed he uttered these affecting words: "Had I served my God as diligently as I have served my king, he would not have left me in my gray hairs."

CHAPTER CXXVII.

Henry VIII. marries Anne Boleyn, and is declared Head of the English Church.-The Monasteries dissolved.—Sir Thomas More.— Death of Anne Boleyn.—Marriage and Death of Jane Seymour.

1. FROM the time of Wolsey's disgrace, Henry was busily employed in collecting the opinions of learned men on the subject of the divorce. But delay after delay was made by the clergy, and two more years passed without the business being at all advanced.

2. In 1533, Cranmer was made Archbishop of Canterbury, and proceeded to try the question. A sort of court was assembled, and, after a fortnight spent in hearing arguments, sentence of divorce was pronounced, declaring that the marriage was not valid from the beginning, and that Mary, daughter of Catharine, was not an heir to the crown.

3. The poor queen retired to Ampthill, where she died in 1536, and the king was publicly married to Anne Boleyn. The news of the sentence excited violent commotion at Rome. The pope at first

into notice? 11, 12. What now befell Wolsey? 13, 14. Relate the particulars of his death.

CXXVII.—1, 2. When was the matter of the king's divorce settled? 3. What did