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to take upon him the kings commission to travell beyond the seas in this matter, and by his high wit to compasse a perfect peace among these great princes and potentates; and encouraging him thereunto alleged, that it was more meete for his high wit, discretion and authority, to bring so weighty a matter to passe, than any other man within this realme. Their intent was none other but, if they might, to get him from the king out of the realme; then might they sufficiently adventure, by the help of their chief mistress, to deprave him unto the kings highness, and so in his absence to bring him in displeasure with the king, or at the least to be of lesse estimation. Well! what will you have more? This matter was so handled that the cardinall was commanded to prepare himselfe to this journey; which he toke upon him; but whether it were with his good will or no, I am not able well to tell you. But this I knowe, that he made a short abode, after the perfect resolution thereof, but caused all things to be prepared onward toward his journey. And every one of his servants were appointed that should attend upon him in the same.

When all things were concluded, and for this noble ambassage provided and furnished, then was there no more to doe but avaunce forwardes in the name of God. My lord had with him such of the lordes and bishoppes and other worthy persons as were not of the counsel or conspiracy.

Then marched he forwarde from his owne house at Westminster through all London, over London Bridge, having before him a great number of gentlemen, three in a rank, with velvet coates, and the most part of them with great chaines of gold about their neckes. And all his yeomen followed him, with noblemens and gentlemens servaunts, all

in orange tawny coates, with the cardinalls hat, and a T and a C, for Thomas Cardinall, imbrodered upon all the coates, as well of his owne servauntes, as all the rest of his gentlemens servauntes: and his sumpter mules, which were twentie or more in number. And when all his carri ages and cartes and other of his traine were passed before, he rode like a cardinall very sumptuously with the rest of his traine, on his owne mule, with his spare mule and spare horse, trapped in crimson, velvet upon velvet, and gilt stirrops, following him. And before him he had his two great crosses of silver, his two great pillars of silver, the kings broad seale of England, and his cardinalls hat, and a gentleman carrying his valence (otherwise called his cloak bag) which was made of fine scarlet, altogether embrodered very richly with gold, having in it a cloake. Thus passed he forth through London, as I said before; and everie day on his journey he was thus furnished, having his harbingers in every place before, which prepared lodging for him and his traine.

The first journey that he made was two miles beyond Dartford in Kent, unto sir Richard Wilshires house; and the rest of his traine were lodged at Dartford, and in the country thereabouts. The next day he marched to Rochester, where he was lodged in the bishoppes pallace, and the rest of his traine were lodged in the citty, and in Stroud on this side of the bridge. The third day he rode from thence to Fevershame, and there was lodged in the abbey, and his traine in the towne there, and some in the country there abouts. The fourth day he rode to Canterbury, where he was encountred with the worshipful of the towne, and country, and lodged in the abbey of Christ-churche in the Priors lodging. And all his traine were

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lodged in the city, where he continued three or foure daies; in which season there was the jubilee, and a great faire in the towne, by the reason it was the feast of St. Thomas their patron. At which very day in the same abbey there was a solemne procession, wherein my lord cardinall then went, apparelled in his legantine ornaments with his hat upon his head; who commanded the monkes and the quier to sing the litany after this sort, Sancta Maria ora pro papa nostro Clemente, and in this manner perused the litany throughe, my lord cardinall kneeling at a stool before the quier dore, prepared for him with carpets and qusshions. All the while the monks and their quier stoode in the body of the churche singing this litany. which time I sawe my lord cardinall weepe tenderly, which as I and other tooke it, was for the heaviness to see the pope in such calamity and danger of the Launce Knightes.

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The next day I was sent with letters from my lord cardinall unto Callice in post, insomuch as I was that same night at Callice. And at my arrival I found standing upon the piere, without the lanterne gate, all the council of the towne, to whom I declared my message, and delivered my letters or I entered the towne, where I lay till my lord came there, who arrived in the haven two daies after my coming, before eight of the clocke in the morning; who was received with all the noble officers and council of the towne, the mayor of the towne, and the mayor of the staple in procession, the clerkes being in rich copes, and having many riche crosses. And in the Lanterne gate a stool with carpets and qusshions was set for him, whereat he kneeled, and made his praiers. All which time they censed him with great censers of silver, and sprinkled holy water. That done they passed

on before him in procession untill he came to St. Maries churche, where at the high altar, tourning him to the people, he gave them benediction, and pardon. And then he repaired with a great nomber of noblemen and gentlemen, being peeres of the towne, unto a place called the Checquor, where he lay after and kept his house, as long as he abode in the towne; going immediately to his naked bed, because he was somewhat troubled with sickness upon his passage upon the seas.

That night unto this place called he unto him Mons. de Bees, capitaine then of Bullen, with a number of other gallant gentlemen, who dined with him; and after some consultation with my lord cardinall, he with the rest of the gentlemen departed againe to Bullen. Thus my lord was daily visited with one or other of the French nobility.

Then when all his traine and his carryage was landed, and every thing prepared for his journey, his grace called all his noblemen and gentlemen, being servants, unto him into his privy chamber where they being all assembled before him, he saide: "I have called you hither to the intent to declare unto you, that I consider the duty ye bear unto me, and the good will that I semblably beare unto you for the same, seeing your intendment to further the authority that I have by commission; which your diligent service I will hereafter remember, and therefore I meane to declare the same directly unto the king; secondly, to shew you the nature of the French men; and thirdly, to shewe you how, and with what reverence, ye shall use me for the high honor of the kings majesty, and then, to inform you howe ye shall entertaine and accompany the French men, when ye shall meet at any time. To the first point, ye shall understand

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that the kings majestie, for certaine weighty af fairs of his graces, hath for more advauncement of his royal dignity, assigned me to be in this journey his lieutenant; and what reverence belongeth to the same I will tell you. For my parte I must, by virtue of my commision and of lieutenantship, assume and take upon me, to be esteemed in all honors and degrees of service, as to his highness? presence is meete and due; and that by me ndthing be neglected, that to his royal estate is due and appurtenant. And for my parte ye shallo see, that I will not omit one jot thereof. Therefore, because that ye should not be ignorant of s your duty in this case, is one of the chief causes of this your assembly, willing you as you will have my favor, and also charging you all in the kings! name, that ye doe not forget the same in time and place, but that every one of you do observe your duty to mee accordingly, as ye will at your returne avoide the kings indignation, or obtaine and deserve... his highness' thanks, the which I will set forth, as each of you shall deserve.

"Nowe to the second pointe: The nature of Frenchmen is suche, that at the first meeting they will be as familiar with you, as they had bine acquainted with you long before, and common with you in their French tongue, as though you understoode every worde; therefore use them in like manner, and be as familiar with them as they be with you. If they speake in their naturall tongue, speake you againe to them in the Englishe tongue, for if you understande not them, no, niore. shal! they understande you." And speaking merrily to one of the gentlemen there, being a Welshman, he saide, "Riche," quoth he, "speake thou Welche to him, and I doubt not but thy speache shall be

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