P " lain most in School Divinity, and Canon Law; " but, notwithstanding this Character of Abatement, "we do not find he was ever taxed of being underqualified for the Chancery-bench. He is much blamed by some Historians for Haughtiness and "stiff Behaviour; but, if this had been his Fault, " it feems he left it off before his last Misfortune ;* " for * In further Support of what • To the Rygth honorable Mr. Se- wyth the ruinowse of the olde Howsys & the decay of the 'faid Archbyshopryck at the best to the Sum of viii C 'Marke yearly, by the reason ' of the Act passyd for Fynys ' of Testaments, wth also my long paynful Servys and poore Degre; and for the Declara' tion of hys Grace's excellent 'Cheryte, yf hys Hyhnes be myndyd I shal leve Wynchef'ter & Saynt Albon's, wych I supposyd, when I maid my 'Submyssyon, not offendying in 'my Trewth towards hys Royal Parfen, Dygnyte, or Majeste desyryd to have Life; and ' much the more knowying his 'Grace's excellent Propensyon ' to Pyte & Mercy, & re membryng the francke Depart yng " for Cavendish relates, that, in his last Journey to the " North, he gained very much upon all Sorts of "People, and that he was remarkable, not only for " his Bounty and exemplary Life, but likewife for " his Condescension and obliging Manner. He seems to have been a good-natured Man, by the Ten" derness 6 yng with of all that I had in thys World, that I may have some convenyent Pension re• servyd unto me, such as the Kyng's Hyhnes of his nobyll • hert shal thynke mete, so orderyng his that shal suc* cede unto my lyvyngs, that the same may be of lyck va• lew yeerly and exstent. Whereas my trust ys, that, and my * Herte so gevyth me, that hys Majeste wold make no Dyffyculte, yf yt may lycke yow friendly to propound the fame, affuryng yow, that I desyre not ⚫ thys for any mynde, (God ys my judge,) that I have to • accumulate Good, or defyre, • that I have to the mucke of • World; for, God be thank'yd, at thys ower I set no • more by the Ryches of & Pree• minences of the World, then ' by the dust under my Fote; • but onely for the Declaration • of the Kyng's Favor & hyhe • Cheryte, & to have where' with to do good dedys, & ' to helpe my poore servants & • kynnysfolks. And further • more that yt wold please the Kyng's excellent Goodnes by your freindly Medyation, con• syderyng how slendyrly I am • furnyshyed in my Howse, nowe • specially that the Apparell of • Wynchester and Saynt Albons 6 6 ، • shal be takyn from me to geve ' and appoynt unto me a convenyent for the fame, non ad pompam, fed neceffariam honeftatem. And yf I may have the free gyft and Dysposytion of the Benyfyts, yt shal be gretly to my Comfort. And yet when any of the v or vi pryncypall shal Fortune to be voyd, the Kyng's Grace being mynded to have any of them, hys hyhnes shal be as fure of the same, as though they wer reservyd. And thus by his nobyl & mercyful Goodnes delyvered 6 6 ، 6 6 owt of extreme Calamite, & reftoryd to a newe Fredome, • I shal, with God's Mercy & Help, so ordyr my Lyff, that • I trust hys Majeste shal take special Comfort therin, & be pleasyd with the fame: Spero quod hoc, quod peto, non vide'bitur magnum. Howbeyt I ' most humbly fubmyt and re' ferre all my Petytions, immo noftram Vitam, to his gracyous Ordynance & Pleasure, praying yow to declare & syg'nify the fame, supplying myn Indysposytion & lacke of Wyt, waynyd by Reason of my extreme forowe & hevynes, that the same may be to ' the Kyng's oftentation, wher 'in I had lever be ded then to • offende in Word, Thowght, 6 10, " derness and Regret between him and his Family " at parting, and his declaring, That no Circumstance " in his Misfortunes troubled him so much, as his being disabled from making a Provision for his "Servants. " His Schemes for the Benefit of Learning were " noble and well laid, as appears by his College "at Oxford; he likewife founded a College at Ipswich, for the Service of Religion and the "Poor: He likewise designed the Founding of a " So " • byr of Folks, wych I nowe ' have, my Howsys ther be in 6 6 6 • & Dyscharge of Consyens, • & to your gret Prayse for 'the bryngyng of the same to decay, and of evry Thyng mete for Howssold unprovyd-passe for your old Brynger up yd and furnyshyd. I have non Apparell for my How and lovying Frende Thys Kynd⚫ nes exhibite from the Kyng's 'Hyghnes shal prolong my 6 sys ther, nor money to bring me thether, nor to lyve wyth Lyff for some lytyl whyl, ' tyl the tyme of the Hevynes, myn Age ther• with & Sycknes consyderyd, Alas Mr. Secretary, ye with o'ther my Lords shewyd me, that • I shuld otherwyse be furnyshyd & seyn unto, ye knowe in your Lirnyng & Consyens, • whether I shuld forfet my • Spiritualties of Wynchester or 6 6 . no. Alas! the Qualytes of myn • Offencys confyderyd, with the gret Punishment & Loss of Goodes, that I have sustaynyd ⚫owt to move pytiful Sutys; • and the moste nobyl Kyng, • to whom yf yt wold please yow of your cherytable Good• nes to shewe the Premises af• tyr your accustomable Wyf• dom & Dexteryte yt ys not ' to be dowbtyd, but his High⚫ nes wold have Confyderatyon & Compassyon, augmentyng my Lyvyng, & appoyntyng • such thyngs, as should be con• venient for my Furniture, wych * to do shal be to the Kyng's Highnes Honor, Meryte, VOL. IV. ' thow yt shal not be long, by • the Meane whereof hys Grace • shal take Profytt, & by my • Deth non. What ys yt to hys • Hyhnes to give some conve 6 nyent Penfions owt of Wyn'chester, & Seynt Albons, hys • Grace takyng with my herty • good wyl the Residew. Re' member, good Mr. Secretary, my poore Degre, & what Servys I have done, & how nowe approchyng to Deth, I • must begyn the World ageyn. ' I besech you therfore, movyd with Pity & Compassyon ' soker me in thys my Cala mite, & to your Power, wych • I knowe ys gret, releve me; ' & I wyth all myn shal not 6 onely ascrybe thys my Relef ' unto yow, but also praye to • God for the Increase of your 'Honor, & as my Power shal ' increase, so I shal not fayle ⚫ to requyte your Kyndnes. Wryttyn hastely at Asher, with ' the rude and shackyng Hand ' of • Your dayly Bedyfman, Zz "Society in London, for the Civil and Canon Law : " For this Purpose he projected the building a fine "Stone College: The famous Antiquary, Sir Tho" mas Cotton, saw the Model of this Structure. He " built the greatest Part of White-hall, and Hampton court entirely. The Monument of Brass, which " he left imperfect, was a Work of extraordinary Curiofity and Expence. 'Tis not certain, whether " he designed this Mausoleum for the King, or him" felf. Fie came into the World with no Advantage " of Family, his Father being but a poor Man in Ipswich: But Cavendish says nothing of his being a "Butcher. While the Cardinal fat at the Helm "the Kingdom held on in a Course of Profperity, " and the publick Motions were steady and strong; " but not long after the Government grew perplexed " and inacceptable, and the Face of Things were " much altered both at Home and Abroad; and, to ८८ speak foftly, it must be faid, The King crushed this " Minister with a very indifferent Grace." Church Hifflorian. 66 " It is a difficult Matter to give a " Character of this great Man, without displeasing almost all Sorts of Readers; " few Writers have done him Justice; they com"monly discover both a great deal of Paffion and " Prejudice in the Account they give of him; Ca "the Our renowned Shakespear gives an Account of Wolfey's Death in a Scene, where he introduces Queen Catherine, (whom he calls Catherine Dowager) being fick, led between Griffith, her Gentleman-usher, and Patience, her Woman, Grif. How does your Grace? [Sitting down, Did'st thou not tell me, Griffish, as thou led'st me, Grif. Yes, Madam; but I think your Grace, Out of the Pain you fuffer'd, gave no car to't, Kath. |