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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
Perhaps few periods of English history are more remarkable than that which comprised the fortunes of Wolsey; a period which had to boast the most illustrious potentates who have ever filled the thrones of Europe. The age of Henry was also that of Leo, of Charles, and of Francis:—a period big with political events of singular interest:—the captivity of the French monarch and of the Roman Pontiff,—the sacking of Rome,—the divorce of Queen Katherine,—and the train of circumstances which led the way
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DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE PLATES.
DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THE PLATES.
Fac simile of the Original Autograph M.S. of Cavendish’s Life of Wolsey. N o . 1. N o . 2. N o . 3. Engraved by J. Swaine....
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WHO WROTE CAVENDISH’S LIFE OF WOLSEY?
WHO WROTE CAVENDISH’S LIFE OF WOLSEY?
FIRST PRINTED IN MDCCCXIV. When a writer undertakes to give cuique suum in a question of literary property, if he would avoid the ridicule which they deservedly incur who raise a controversy only that they may have the honour of settling it, he must show that there are more claimants than one on the property he means to assign. This then will be our first object. Let the reader turn to the ‘Biographia Britannica,’ and look out the article ‘Sir William Cavendish.’ He will find in either of the ed
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The Life of Thomas Wolsey,
The Life of Thomas Wolsey,
sometime Archbishop of Yorke and Cardinal, intituled Sanctæ Ceciliæ trans Tiberim, Presbiter Cardinalis, and L. Chancellor of England. Written by George Cavendish, sometime his Gentleman Usher. CARDINAL WOLSEY. ENGRAVED BY E. SCRIVEN. AFTER THE ORIGINAL PICTURE. London, Published Jan y . 1, 1825, by Harding, Triphook & Lepard. ] THE LIFE OF CARDINAL WOLSEY....
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THE PROLOGUE.
THE PROLOGUE.
[Meseems it were no wisdom to credit every light tale, blasted abroad by the blasphemous mouth of the rude commonalty. For we daily hear how, with their blasphemous trump, they spread abroad innumerable lies, without either shame or honesty, which primâ facie showeth forth a visage of truth, as though it were a perfect verity and matter indeed, whereas there is nothing more untrue. And amongst the wise sort so it is esteemed, with whom those babblings be of small force and effect. Forsooth I hav
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ADDITIONAL NOTES TO THE LIFE OF WOLSEY.
ADDITIONAL NOTES TO THE LIFE OF WOLSEY.
Page 95 . The Letter of Anstis, referred to in the note , is addressed to Fiddes, and is printed in his Collections. It relates to a rude representation of the House of Lords in the reign of King Henry VIII. but that learned herald and antiquary has made it the vehicle of some observations, which may not be misplaced here. “Almost every action of Wolsey hath been interpreted as an instance of pomp, ambition, or insolence; notwithstanding, probably, upon a strict examination, most of them will be
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APPENDIX.
APPENDIX.
EXTRACTS FROM THE LIFE OF THE VIRTUOUS CHRISTIAN AND RENOWNED QUEEN ANNE BOLEIGNE. BY GEORGE WYATT, ESQ. WRITTEN AT THE CLOSE OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. FROM THE MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS OF THE REV. JOHN LEWIS. Among the other calumnies with which the memory of the unfortunate Queen Anne Boleyn has been aspersed by the enemies of the Reformation, it has been said—“that she had long carried on a criminal intercourse with Sir Thomas Wyatt the poet; who, we are told, had gone so far as to confess to t
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LETTER I.
LETTER I.
Sir William Kingston to Secretary Cromwell, upon Queen Anne’s committal to the Tower. [ MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X. fol. 225.] Thys ys to advertyse you apon my Lord of Norfolk and the kyngs counsell depart[ inge ] from the Towre I went before the quene in to hyr lodgyng, & [ then she ] sayd unto me, M. Kyngston, shall I go in to a dungyn? Now, madam, y[ ou ] shall go into your logyng that you lay in at your coronacion. It ys to gu[ de ] for me, she sayd, Jesu, have mercy on me; and kneled dow
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LETTER II.
LETTER II.
Sir William Kingston to Secretary Cromwell, on Queen Anne’s behaviour in Prison. [ MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X. fol. 222.] After your departyng yesterday, Greneway gentilman ysshar cam to me, & . . . M. Caro and Mast r Bryan commanded hym in the kyngs name to my [ Lord of ] Rotchfort from my lady hys wyf, and the message was now more . . . . . se how he dyd; and also she wold humly sut unto the kyngs hy[ nes ] . . . . for hyr husband; and so he gaf hyr thanks, and desyred me to know [ at what
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LETTER III.
LETTER III.
Sir William Kyngston to Secretary Cromwell, with further details of the Queen’s conduct. [ MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X. fol. 224 b.] S R . The quene hathe meche desyred to have here in the closet the sacarments, & also hyr amner who she supposeth to be Devet; for won owre she ys determyned to dy, and the next owre meche contrary to that. Yesterday after your departyng I sent for my wyf, & also for mestrys Cossyn to know how the [222] had done that day, they sayd she had bene very mery
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LETTER IV.
LETTER IV.
Edward Baynton to the Treasurer: declaring that only one person, named Mark, will confess any thing against Queen Anne. [ MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X. fol. 209. b.] M R Theasurer , This shalbe to advertyse yow that here is myche communycacion that noman will confesse any thyng agaynst her, but allonly Marke of any actuell thynge. Wherfore (in my folishe conceyte) it shulde myche toche the kings hono r if it shulde no farther appeere. And I cannot beleve but that the other two bee as f[ ully ] culpapul
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LETTER V.
LETTER V.
Sir William Kyngston to Secretary Cromwell, May 16 th . 1536, upon the preparations for the execution of my Lord Rochford and Queen Anne. [ HARL. MS. 283. fol. 134. Orig. ] SIR , Thys day I was with the kyng’s grace and declared the petysyons of my Lord of Rochford, wherin I was answred. Sir, the sayd lord meche desyreth to speke with you, weche towchet hys consyens meche as he sayth, wherin I pray you I may know your plesur, for by cause of my promysse made unto my sayd lord to do the same, and
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LETTER VI.
LETTER VI.
Sir William Kingston to Lord Cromwell, apparently May 18 th 1536. [ MS. COTTON, OTHO C. X. fol. 223.] Syr , Thys shalbe to advertyse you I have resayved your lett r wherin yo[ u wolde ] have strangerys conveyed yowt of the Towre and so thay be by the [ meanis ] of Richard Gressum, & Will-m Loke, & Wythepoll, bot the n̄mbr [229] of stra[ ngers past ] not XXX. and not mony; Hothe and the inbassit r of the emperor had a [ servaunt ] ther and honestly put yowt. S r yf we have not an
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LETTER VII.
LETTER VII.
From the Earl of Northumberland, addressed “To his beloved Cosyn Thomas Arundel, one of the Gentlemen of my Lord Legates prevy chambre.” It was written soon after the death of the Earl’s father, in 1527. Referred to at p. 339 of Wolsey’s life. [FROM THE ARCHIVES OF THE DUKE OF NORTHUMBERLAND.] Bedfellow, after my most harte recommendacion: Thys Monday the iijd off August I resevyd by my servaunt, Letters from yow beryng datt the XX th day off July, deliveryd unto hym the sayme day at the kyngs t
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LETTER VIII.
LETTER VIII.
The Earl of Northumberland to Cromwell, denying any contract or promise of marriage between Anne Bullen and himself. [ ORIGINAL, COTT. LIB. OTHO c. 10.] M r Secretary , This shall be to signifie unto you that I perceive by Sir Raynold Carnaby, that there is sup posed a precontract between the queen and me; wherupon I was not only heretofore examined upon my oath before the Archbishopps of Canterbury and York, but also received the blessed sacrament upon the same before the Duke of Norfolk, and o
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LETTER IX.
LETTER IX.
Queen Catherine of Arragon and King Henry VIII th to Cardinal Wolsey, a joint letter, 1527. [ MS. COTTON, VITELL. B. XII. fol. 4.] Mr. Ellis has printed this letter in its mutilated condition; I have ventured to supply the lacunæ from the copy in Burnet’s History of the Reformation, vol. i. p. 55. Burnet obtained his transcript when it was in a perfect state, but has unaccountably attributed the first part of the letter to Anne Boleyn. It is however said by Mr. Ellis to be in the hand-writing of
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LETTER X.
LETTER X.
Anne Boleyn to Cardinal Wolsey. [ FIDDES’ COLLECTIONS , p. 256.] My Lord , after my most humble recommendations this shall be to gyve unto your grace as I am most bownd my humble thanks for the gret payn & travelle that your grace doth take in steudyeng by your wysdome and gret dylygens how to bryng to pas honerably the gretyst welth that is possyble to come to any creator lyving, and in especyall remembryng howe wretchyd and unworthy I am in comparyng to his hyghnes. And for you I do kn
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LETTER XI.
LETTER XI.
FROM FIDDES’ COLLECTIONS , p. 255. Collated with the Original in the Cottonian Collection. Brit. Mus. Otho C. X. fol. 218. My Lord , in my most humblyst wyse that my powuer hart can thynke I do thanke your grace for your kind letter, and for youer rych and goodly present, the whyche I shall never be able to desarve wyth owt your gret helpe, of the whyche I have hetherto hade so grete plente that all the dayes of my lyfe I ame moaste bownd of all creators next the kyngs grace to love and serve yo
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LETTER XII.
LETTER XII.
Cardinal Wolsey in his Distress to Thomas Cromwell. MS. COTTON. VESP. F. XIII. fol. 76. From Fiddes’ Collections, p. 256. Collated with the Original. Myn owne enterly belovyd Cromwell , I beseche you as ye love me and wyl evyr do any thyng for me, repare hyther thys day as sone as the parlement ys brokyn up, leyng aparte all thyngs for that tyme; for I wold nat onely commynycat thyngs unto yow wherin for my comfort & relief I wold have your good sad, dyscret advyse & counsell, bu
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LETTER XIII.
LETTER XIII.
From Wolsey to Dr. Stephen Gardener, Secretary of State. Communicated to Mr. Grove by Mr. Littleton, afterwards Lord Littleton, who possessed the original. It is now in the Ashmole Museum at Oxford. My owne goode Mastyr Secretary , Goyng this day out of my pue to sey masse, your lettres datyd yesternygth at London wer delyveryd unto me; by the contynue wherof I undyrstand, that the kyng’s hyhnes, of hys excellent goodnes & cheryte ys contentyd, that I shall injoy & have the admyn
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LETTER XIV.
LETTER XIV.
Cardinal Wolsey to Dr. Stephen Gardener. This Letter was also communicated to Mr. Grove by Mr. Littleton. It is now in the Ashmole Museum at Oxford. MY OWNE GOODE MASTYR SECRETARY, Aftyr my moste herty commendacions I pray yow at the reverens of God to helpe, that expedicion be usyd in my persuts, the delay wherof so replenyshyth my herte with hevynes, that I can take no reste; nat for any vayne fere, but onely for the miserable condycion, that I am presently yn, and lyclyhod to contynue yn the
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LETTER XV.
LETTER XV.
Cardinal Wolsey to Secretary Gardener , Desiring him to write to him and give him an account of the king’s intentions with regard to him. ( From Strype. ) Myn own good mastyr secretary, albeit I am in such altiration and indisposition of my hede & body, by the meansse of my dayly sorowe & hevynesse, that I am fen omit to writ any long lr̅e̅s. Yet my trustyng frend, Thomas Crowmwel, retornyng & reparyng unto yow, I cowde nat forbere, but brively to put yow in remembrance:
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LETTER XVI.
LETTER XVI.
Cardinal Wolsey to Secretary Gardener. To draw up his pardon. ( From Strype. ) Myn owne good Mastyr Secretary , Aftyr my moste herty recommendations, with lycke thanks for your goodnes towards me, thes shal be to advertyse yow that I have beyn informyd by my trusty frend Thomas Cromwell that ye have signifyed onto hym to my syngular consolation how that the kynges highnes movyd with pety & compassyon, & of hys excellent goodnes & cheryte consyderyng the lamentable conditi
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LETTER XVII.
LETTER XVII.
Cardinal Wolsey to Secretary Gardener , Desiring him to favour the cause of the Provost of Beverly, and to intercede with the king for him and his colleges. ( From Strype. ) Myne awne gentil Maister Secretary , After my mooste herty recommendations, these shal be to thanke you for the greate humanite, lovyng & gentil recule, that ye have made unto the poore Provost of Beverly: & specialy, for that ye have in such wise addressed hym unto the kings highnes presence, that his grace
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LETTER XVIII.
LETTER XVIII.
Cardinal Wolsey to Secretary Gardener , Desiring his favour in a suit against him for a debt of 700 l. by one Strangwish. ( From Strype. ) Myne awne good Maister Secretary , After my mooste harty recommendations, these shal be to desire, & mooste effectuelly to pray you to be good maister & friende unto me, concernyng the uncharitable sute of Strangwishe for vij C li., which he pretendith that I shulde owe unto hym, for the ward of Bowes. And albeit there was at his fyrste comyng
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LETTER XIX.
LETTER XIX.
Lettre de Monsieur de Bellay Evesque de Bayonne à M r le Grant Maistre. De Londres le xvij Oct. 1529. [ MSS. DE BETHUNE BIBLIOTH. DU ROY, V. 8603. f. 113.] Monseigneur , depuis les lettres du Roy & les aultres vostres que je pensoye sur l’heure envoyer, cette depesche a estée retardé jusques à présent, parce qu’il a fallu faire & refaire les lettres que je vous envoyé tout plein de fois, & pour ce aller & venir souvent, tant les Ducs mêmes qu’aultres de ce conseil
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LETTER XX.
LETTER XX.
Thomas Alward to Thomas Cromwell. A. D. 1529. [ MS. COTTON. VITELLIUS B. XII. fol. 173. Orig. ] “The following Letter (says Mr. Ellis), though mutilated, presents a genuine picture of one of the last interviews with which Wolsey was favoured by his Sovereign. It is dated on the 23 d . of September; sixteen days after which the King’s attorney presented the indictment against him in the Court of King’s Bench upon the Statute of Provisors. “Thomas Alward, the writer of this Letter, appears to have
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The Will of Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal Wolsey’s father; E Libro Testamentorum in Registro principali Dni. Epi. Norwic. Multon inscripto, fo. 146. a.
The Will of Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal Wolsey’s father; E Libro Testamentorum in Registro principali Dni. Epi. Norwic. Multon inscripto, fo. 146. a.
In Dei Nomine, amen. The xxxi day of the Moneth of September the yer of our Lord God a m. cccclxxxxvi. I Robert Wulcy of Ipyswiche hool of mend and in good memory beyng, make my testament and my last wyll in this maid wyse. Fyrst, I bequeth my soull to Almyghty God, our Lady Sent Mary, and to all the company of hevyn, and my body to be buryed in the churche yard of our Lady Sent Mary of Neum r ket. Also I beq. to the hey aut r of the pariche of Sent Nicholas of Ippyswiche vi s. vij d. Also I beq
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Fisher, Bishop of Rochester.
Fisher, Bishop of Rochester.
Bishop Fisher’s opposition to Henry’s divorce, as noticed by Cavendish at p. 222 , subsequently cost him his head. Besides his letter to Wolsey maintaining the validity of the marriage with Catherine, published by Fiddes in his Appendix to the Life of Wolsey, and in Collier’s Ecclesiastical History, vol. 2 Records, he wrote a larger discourse in Latin, “De Causa Matrimonii Regis Angliæ,” which was long thought to exist only in MS. But in a late sale by public auction in London, of Don Jos Antoni
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The Instrument of the Kings gift to the Cardinal after his forfeiture by the premunire, which so much revived his hopes, is printed by Rymer and by Fiddes. The following is the Schedule appended to it. V. Life, 291.
The Instrument of the Kings gift to the Cardinal after his forfeiture by the premunire, which so much revived his hopes, is printed by Rymer and by Fiddes. The following is the Schedule appended to it. V. Life, 291.
The Money, Goods, and Cattells, given by the King’s Grace to the Lorde Cardinall, whereof mention is made in the King’s Lettres Patentes hereunto annexed. Fyrste in Redy Money, MMM li. Item, in Plate, Nyne Thowsand Fyve Hundred Thre-score Fyve oz. dim. quarter, at iij s viij d the oz. amounteth to MDCCLII li. iij s viii d . Item, Dyvers Apparell of Houshold, as Hangyngs, Beddyng, Napry, and other thyngs, as appereth by the Inventorie of the same—amountyng in Value by Estimation, DCCC li. Item, I
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A Memoryall of suche Communication as my Lorde Legatts grace had with the Quenes Almoner.
A Memoryall of suche Communication as my Lorde Legatts grace had with the Quenes Almoner.
[EX. MS. INTER ARCHIVA ACADEMIA CANTABRIG.] This interesting paper is published in Fiddes, from the communication of the learned and Reverend Mr. Baker. It is so necessary a supplement to the very interesting interview of the two Cardinals with Katherine, given by Cavendish, that I could not resolve to withhold it from the reader, who may not chance to have ready access to Dr. Fiddes’ ponderous volume. Fyrst my lordes grace taking for introduction & commencement of his graces purposes &a
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Itinerary of Cardinal Wolseys last Journey Northward, 1530.
Itinerary of Cardinal Wolseys last Journey Northward, 1530.
He set out from Richmond at the beginning of Passion Week, but we know not on what precise day. The first days journey was to Hendon in Middlesex, where he lodged for the night at the house of the abbot of Westminster. The next day he removed to a place called the Rye, the abode of the Lady Parry. The third day to Royston, where he lodged in the monastery. The fourth day to Huntingdon, where he sojourned for the night in the abbey. On Palm Sunday he reached the Abbey of Peterborough, which he ma
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The Comming and Reseyving of the Lord Cardinall into Powles for the Escaping of Pope Clement VII. A. D. 1527. Ao Regni Henrici VIII. XIXth.
The Comming and Reseyving of the Lord Cardinall into Powles for the Escaping of Pope Clement VII. A. D. 1527. Ao Regni Henrici VIII. XIXth.
Memorandum that the fifth day of January beyng Sunday even in the year aforesaid, the Lord Thomas Wolcy Cardinall of Yorke &c. landyd betweene eight of the clocke and nyne in the morninge at the Black fryars at London, with great company of noblemen and gentlemen, where met with him the Embassadours of the Pope, of the Emperour, the Frenche kinge, of Venise, of Florence, of Millain. And so procedyd on horseback unto Powles church dore, where they did alight. And ther the officers of arme
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The Ceremonial of receiving the Cardinal’s Hat, sent by the Pope to Wolsey. Extracted from a MS. in the Herald’s Office. Ceremon. vol. 3. p. 219.
The Ceremonial of receiving the Cardinal’s Hat, sent by the Pope to Wolsey. Extracted from a MS. in the Herald’s Office. Ceremon. vol. 3. p. 219.
[ FROM FIDDES’ COLLECTIONS. See p. 92. ] In the yeare of our Lord 1515, the 15 th daie of November, being Thursdaie and the seaventh yeare of our sovereigne lord King Henry the Eight, the said prothonitary enter’d into London, which before according was mett bothe at the sea side, likewise at Canterbury and at Rochester with the bishop of the same, and at Black Heath theare mett with him the Reverend Father in God the Bishop of Lincolne, the Earle of Essex, and many other gent. of great honour,
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TH’AUCTOR TO HIS BOOKE.
TH’AUCTOR TO HIS BOOKE.
FINIE ET COMPILÉ LE XXIIIJ JOUR DE JUNIJ Ᾱ REGNOR̄ PHILIPPI REX & REGINE MARIE IIIJ TO . & V TO . [269] PER LE AUCTOR G. C. Novus Rex, nova Lex: Nova sola Regina, probz pene ruina. FINIS. LONDON: PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS....
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