The Church

The Church Hiftorian, upon the CardiHiftorian's nal's being commanded to retire to his Obfervations. See of York, and his preparing for that Purpose, fpeaks thus, "The whole Affair was manag"ed by Mr. Cromwell, who, as he was a Person of 66 great natural Parts, fo now he began to have a "confiderable Power and Intereft; for the Revenues "of the two Colleges, confifting of the Spoils of a great Number of Monafteries, committed to his "Care both before and after they were confifcated by his Master's Delinquency, it was in his Power "to fhew Favour to all Degrees of Perfons, whofe "Concerns were intermixt with the Abbey Lands. "This Occurrence may be looked upon as the first

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*

large Step towards this great Statefman's Preferment, "for every Day his Capacity became more and more "known to the King; and he had learnt from the "Cardinal how to ingratiate himself with the King, which was by punctually complying with his Will,

though to the Injury of his Confcience; and as they "rofe by the fame Method, fo they were alike In"ftances of King Henry's Ingratitude by their Fall."

Though the King had confented to the Cardinal's Removal to York, yet, no Time being fixed, he delayed his Departure, which fo provoked the Duke of Norfolk, that, fending for Cromwell, he faid to him in a great Rage, Go, and tell thy Mafter, that, unless he quickly remove towards the North, I will tear him in Pieces with my Teeth. When the Cardinal was informed how the Duke refented it, he faid, It is high time for me to think of moving: But Money being neceffary for fuch a Journey, he difpatches Cromwell to the King

*Here the Gentleman is miftaken, for Cromwell did not come into the Cardinal's Service till after thefe Monafteries were given to Wolfey for the Ufes he afterwards appropriated them to; nor had Cromwell any thing to

for

do with the Cardinal's College at Oxford until after his Master's Difgrace.

† We alfo deny, that Cromwell was taught this by Wolfey. There was a wide Difference too in the Manner of their Rifing.

Wolfey retires to a Monastery.

for a Supply, as alfo to acquaint him, that the Want thereof had been the Occasion of his Delay. In the mean time he removed from the Lodge at Richmond to a Monastery of Carthufian Monks at Shene, near that Place. He took up his Lodging in an Apartment built by Dr. Colet, Dean of St. Paul's, whither that excellent Man retired to end his Days. While the Cardinal remained at Shene he applied himself carefully to the main Concern of his Salvation: He vifited the Church every Morning, in the Afternoon he conferred with fome religious Monk that was most remarkable for Piety He put on a Hair Shirt, and in other Respects conformed to the Rules of a Monastick.

York.

Mr. Cromwell all this while was employed in making Preparations for his Master's Journey, and, having received a Sum of Money, by Order of the Council, as also a handsome Prefent from the King, who ftill gave Wolfey repeated Affurances of FriendHe fets out to fhip, his fetting out was fixed for Paffion his Charge at Week. The first Day he arrived at Hendon, a Seat belonging to the Abbot of Westminster; the next Day he came to Rye, a Houfe of Lady Parry's; from thence to Royston, where he lodged in the Priory; the following Stage was to the Abbey in Huntingdon; from hence next Day he arrived at the Abbey of Peterborough. [His Manner of spending the Holy Week Cavendish relates, to whom we refer.] The Monday Night following he took up his Lodging at William Fitz-williams,* Efq; formerly one of his trufty Domesticks; and from thence he went to Stamford, and the next Day to Grantham, where he lodged at the U u 2 Houfe

*A Mile and Half from Peterborough. From a Branch of this grateful Gentleman's Family we understand the prefent Right Hon. Lord Vifcount Fitz-wil

liams is defcended; who was lately married to Mrs. Cathe rine Decker, eldest Daughter of the Worthy and Hon. Sir Matthewo Decker, Bart.

House of one Mr. Hall; the next Night he lodged at Arrives at his Newark-caftle, and the Day following proceeded to his Seat at Southwell. He found

Seat at
Southwell.

it in a bad Condition; nor was himself and Family like to be in a much better State; for his old Steward had taken no care to lay in Provisions for them, which made others also unwilling at first to fupply the Cardinal without being paid ready Money, in regard he was a Stranger in those Parts; and this had still a further Iffue, as one Misfortune feldom comes alone, thofe to whom he owed Money were very importunate to be paid, as appears by a Letter from him to the King, now likewife to be seen in the Exchequer Re

His Letter to the King.

cord-office.

After prefacing it with very great Obfervance and Respect, he fays, "The 1000 Marks affign"ed me, for the Maintenance of me and my poor

Folks, out of the Bishoprick of Winchester, is gone "and spent. I have neither Corn, nor Cattle, nor any other Thing to keep Houfe with, nor know "where to borrow any Thing in thefe Parts. My દ Houses are, by the Overfight and evil Behaviour of "fuch as I did truft, defpoiled, run to Ruin and Decay, as well in the Roofs as in the Floors, being ready to fall down.

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My Creditors, to whom I am indebted, cry daily "and importunately for Payment, not having where"with to content them. Thus am I moft pitiful, સ્પંદ Sovereign Lord, wrapped in Mifery and extream "Need on every Side, not knowing where to be fe"cured or relieved, but only at your Highness's most "charitable and merciful Hand. The great Virtue, "Noblenefs, Pity, Compaffion, and Charity, that I "have always known to be in your most noble "Heart, with firm Belief that I have, and ever had, that you would not fuffer your poor Creature, (whom you made of Nought) to perish for Lack,

who

The King fends him a Supply of Ma

ney.

"who has fo entirely loved and ferved your High"nefs, embolden me to recur unto your excellent "Goodnefs for fome Comfort and Relief, most "humbly proftituting at your Feet, befeeching your "Royal Majesty's Benignity to confider the Premifes, "and to have Pity and Compaffion on your poor "Cardinal, who is, and fhall be, during his Life, your faithful and moft obedient Creature, daily "Beadfman and Slave, as our Lord knoweth ; to whom I fhall inceffantly pray for the Continuance "of your most noble and royal Estate." * It is evident, that this fubmissive Letter had fome Effect; for the Cardinal foon after received a Supply of Money and other Things, that enabled him to provide for his Family, pay fome of his Creditors, repair his House, and get rid of his ungrateful Steward. At this Place he continued the greateft Part of the Summer, where his Behaviour, even according, to his Enemies Account, was noble and edifying he being conftantly vifited by the Gentlemen of the Neighbourhood, and many of the Nobility, who had Occafion to pafs near him, kindly entertained; for, as the Revenues of his Archbishoprick now began to come in, he was enabled to keep a good House; and did daily diftribute at his Gates great Quantities of Provifions to the Poor: Thofe that had lived feveral Years at Variance were reconciled by his Mediation; his Tenants he treated with great Humanity, and they in Return extolled him as a kind Landlord.

Spends his Time commen

dably.

About the latter End of Summer he removed from South

*We would not have our Reader mistake, by placing the fubmiffive Terms, ufed by the Cardinal in this Letter, to any Abjectness of Spirit in him, which

were only confiftent to the Language ufed in his Time, as appears from the Letters now preserved in the Exchequer Record-office, and elsewhere.

Arrives at
Scrooby.

Southwell to Scrooby, another Place in his own Diocefs, where he remained till almoft Michaelmas, and gave there the fame Satisfaction both to the Rich and Poor; for his Cuftom was to vifit the little Parish Churches, and one of his Chaplains generally preached; and fometimes he condefcended to dine at an honest Farmer's House, where he was commonly furrounded by a great Number of Poor, whom he frequently converfed with and relieved; by which Means he reminded his Clergy of a very material Part of their Duty.

At Cawood.

Two Days before Michaelmas he arriv

ed at Cawood-castle, an antient Palace belonging to his See, within a few Miles of York, which he found not in fo good Repair as he could wifh. This induced him to Caufe it to be re-edified, in which he employed at one Time 300 Artificers and Labourers, and at the fame time continued his ufual Hofpitality: Yet thefe good Qualities were mifconftrued by his Enemies about the Court, and imputed to him as Crimes; however, at Cawood he likewife foon acquired much Honour, Love, and Efteem from moft Perfons of every Distinction.

Tranfactions on the Cardi

Robert Smythe, one of the Cardinal's Mr.Smythe's Stewards, being intrufted, in his Abfence from London, with fome Matters of confequence, kept a clofe Correfpondence with his Mafter, and faithfully difcharged his Truft, as appears from many Letters that paffed between them,

nal's Behalf.

*

one of which we have

here

• would to God that your Grace, • would content yourself with that you have, and there is no doubt but that the King will be good and gracious to your Grace. He further faid, that your Grace

• maketh