"I will not have it so. But for him I had not got my crown again--none
shall lay a hand upon him to harm him. And as for thee, my good uncle,
my Lord Protector, this conduct of thine is not grateful toward this
poor lad, for I hear he hath made thee a duke"--the Protector
blushed--"yet he was not a king; wherefore, what is thy fine title worth
now? To-morrow you shall sue to me, _through him_, for its confirmation,
else no duke, but a simple earl, shalt thou remain."
Under this rebuke his Grace the Duke of Somerset retired a little from
the front for the moment. The king turned to Tom, and said kindly:--
"My poor boy, how was it that you could remember where I hid the Seal,
when I could not remember it myself?"
"Ah, my king, that was easy, since I used it divers days."
"Used it,--yet could not explain where it was?"
"I did not know it was _that_ they wanted. They did not describe it,
your Majesty."
"Then how used you it?"
The red blood began to steal up into Tom's cheeks, and he dropped his
eyes and was silent.
"Speak up, good lad, and fear nothing," said the king. "How used you the
Great Seal of England?"