They, however, followed the Chancellor down to Westminster Hall, wondering what was passing within the walls of the House of Parliament.
Miles was one of the secretaries chosen to attend the Chancellor, he having proved himself a rapid and correct writer, and Wolsey, who was a diligent and clever man of business himself, was not slow to appreciate the skill of the young scrivener, whom he had commanded to take down every word spoken in reply to the demand he would make in his speech to the House of Commons.
Wolsey made his demand, and Miles and his fellow secretaries sat, with pen in hand, waiting to record the reply. But he and his master waited in vain. No member in the House rose to speak, and this dead silence made Wolsey more angry than the most violent opposition would have done. In vain he called upon member after member to speak; each and all sat dumb.
At last he turned to Sir Thomas More, the writer of "Utopia," who had been chosen Speaker of their Parliament, and demanded some word from him. But More fell on his knees (as he would have done to the King in person), and declared that he could not reply until he had received the instructions of the House, which still sat mute.
Finding he could do nothing, the proud Chancellor was obliged to withdraw to his own private room, and when he had gone tongues were loosened, and an angry debate began over the unconstitutional attempt to influence their decision.
The secretaries had been left at their table, and it was with keen delight that Miles recorded the brave words spoken in defence of English liberty, of which the House of Commons, with its power to grant or refuse subsidies, was the bulwark.
Nice reading this would be for the Cardinal, he thought, and he hoped this might teach him a salutary lesson before it was too late; for, in spite of his pride, ambition, and self-seeking, Wolsey possessed many admirable qualities which Miles could appreciate, and which he wished others could know of too, but which the man's pride would not let him show to any but those who were brought into immediate contact with him.
The reports of some of the speeches having been taken to Wolsey, he returned to the House to answer the objections that had been raised, but this was an infringement of the Constitution, for he was not an elected member, and so he was again met with blank silence. And when at last the assembly broke up for that day, for the first time Wolsey must have felt that he was beaten by the common people whom he so heartily despised. For a fortnight this struggle went on, and then the Commons voted a sum of money that was about a fourth of what Wolsey had demanded. He had asked for a property tax of twenty per cent; the Commons authorised one of five per cent for two years, and beyond this they would not be moved either by King or Cardinal.
Miles was so rejoiced over this burst of sturdy independence, that he wrote home and told his father all he had seen and heard in this notable struggle for the rights of the people to the control of taxation.
This letter so pleased Sir Thomas that he wrote to his son once more, inviting him to pay them a visit whenever he could be spared from his duties.