blood, and to promote the prosperity of their kingdoms.[244] These articles raised Henry to the summit of his wishes, and he took measures immediately for imparting to this interview extraordinary solemnity and brilliancy. This conference of the two kings made a great noise in Scotland, and preparations were also made there. Henry VIII. set out and went to York full of hope. Uncle and nephew were at last to see each other, and to talk together, and every one saw that this meeting would have weighty consequences. Never was Scotland nearer having a reform after the fashion of Henry VIII. [Sidenote: PROJECTED INTERVIEW AT YORK.] No one understood this better than Beatoun. What he feared more than all besides was that the power of the Romish hierarchy would be abolished, and the Gospel be put in its place. The cardinal, for the first time in his life, had been anticipated, surpassed in cleverness and in influence. He did not however lose courage, but with all the adherents of his party applied himself to the task with all his soul. They sowed hatred between the king and the nobles. They employed all imaginable means to dissuade the king from the fatal meeting. At first they sought to alarm him. ‘By going to York,’ said the cardinal to him, ‘you will expose yourself to the suspicions of the emperor, you will make an enemy of your old ally the King of France, and you will bring down on yourself the disgrace of the pope. In short’ (and it was this which most terrified James), ‘you will expose yourself to the greatest dangers. This treacherous king will keep you prisoner in England as James I. was kept in former days.’ James replied that he had given his word, and that the king was awaiting him, that to absent himself from the _rendezvous_ would lead to war with England, and that he had not the means of carrying it on. The cardinal was amazed at this independence of the king, for he was not accustomed to it. Discerning more and more clearly the greatness of the peril, his bishops and he agreed that there was but one means available for inducing James to renounce his purpose. As this prince was always in want of money, they sought to gain him by gifts of large sums.[245] This argument did not miss the mark. They then appealed to him anew and said--‘Sire, there is a good deal of money in Scotland, and it is easy to get possession of it. If war should break out, the clergy will give you thirty thousand crowns per annum, and you will be able to get a hundred thousand more by confiscating the property of heretics, if you will only authorize proceedings against them by a judge whom we will name to you and who is well qualified for the purpose. Will you spare this wicked people? Do they not read the Old and New Testaments? Are they not in rebellion against the authority of the pope and against the king’s majesty? Have they not, by new and detestable errors, troubled the churches, destroyed piety, and overthrown institutions established for many