“A word before I go,” said Philip, approaching Osbert, and speaking in a tone so low and deep as to be inaudible by the attendants. “On peril of your life, I charge you to hold no further intercourse of any kind with Constance. Look upon her as dead—for dead she is to you. Return to your duty, and I will think no more of what has just occurred.” So saying, he quitted the room with his attendants, leaving Osbert overwhelmed by despair. While Philip returned in his barque to Whitehall Palace, a barge conveyed the two prisoners to Lambeth Palace. On arriving there, they were detained for a short time in the guard-room of the ancient gateway, and as soon as all had been made ready, they were lodged in the prison chambers assigned them in the Lollards’ Tower. End of the Second Book. [Illustration] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Illustration] BOOK III. LAMBETH PALACE. CHAPTER I. HOW CARDINAL POLE ARRIVED IN ENGLAND, AND HOW HE WAS WELCOMED BY THE KING AND QUEEN. The court returned to Whitehall in November, Parliament being about to meet in the middle of that month. One morning, as the royal pair were walking together in the west gallery overlooking the garden, the Lord Chancellor presented himself with a despatch in his hand. It was easy to perceive, from the joyous expression of his countenance, that he brought good tidings. “Welcome, my good lord,” said Mary. “I see you have satisfactory intelligence to communicate. Have you heard from Rome?” “I have just received this transcript of the decree which has been sent to Cardinal Pole by the Pope,” replied Gardiner, “in which his Holiness, after due deliberation, has agreed to extend the privileges of the Legate, so as to enable him to act on all occasions with the same plentitude of power as the Pope himself. In regard to church revenues and goods, his Holiness fully recognises the great difficulty of the question, feeling it to be the main obstacle to the nation’s recognition of the Papal supremacy, and he therefore invests his Eminence with the most ample power to agree and compound with the present owners; to assure to them their possessions, on whatever title they may hold them; and to exempt them from any duty of restitution.” “This is glad news indeed!” exclaimed the Queen. “Parliament meets in a few days. Your first business must be to repeal the attainder of the Cardinal, who will then be free to return to his own country, and aid us with his counsels. Hasten his arrival, I pray you, my lord, by all means in your power. I shall not feel perfectly happy till I behold him!”