The king now determined to bring on the ruin of the cardinal with a motion almost as precipitate as he had formerly employed in his elevation.

The dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk were sent to require the great seal from him; and on his scrupling to deliver it[*] without a more express warrant, Henry wrote him a letter, upon which it was surrendered; and it was delivered by the king to Sir Thomas More, a man who, besides the ornaments of an elegant literature, possessed the highest virtue, integrity, and capacity.
Wolsey was ordered to depart from York Place, a palace which he had built in London, and which, though it really belonged to the see of York, was seized by Henry, and became afterwards the residence of the kings of England, by the title of Whitehall.

All his furniture and plate were also seized: their riches and splendor befitted rather a royal than a private fortune.

The walls of his palace were covered with cloth of gold or cloth of silver: he had a cupboard of plate of massy gold: there were found a thousand pieces of fine holland belonging to him.

The rest of his riches and furniture was in proportion; and his opulence was probably no small inducement to this violent persecution against him.
The cardinal was ordered to retire to Asher, a country seat which he possessed near Hampton Court.