this field of the cloth of gold. Various histories of this gay meeting were probably extant, and Shakspeare's forcible description cannot be traced to one Chronicler in particular. Our poet appears to have invented Buckingham's sickness for the mere purpose of making him listen to Norfolk's story, for he is specially mentioned in the Chronicle as present. In this conversation, in which Lord Abergavennyt takes part, there is much complaint of the expense of this royal meeting; and the blame of devising it, as well as officious intermeddling in all the arrangements, for 66 no man's pye is freed From his ambitious finger," is laid upon Wolsey. Buckingham is unmeasured in his censure and sarcasm; Norfolk, professing friendly feelings, warns him that the cardinal is a dangerous enemy. The complaints of the enormous expense which this expedition caused to those who were compelled to attend it, of whom * Hol., 654; Hall, 616. + George Neville, third lord. He married Buckingham's daughter; he is said to have warned the king, while on his way to the meeting, that Francis was more numerously attended than he. The present earl is his lineal male representative. Collins, v. 162. many Have broke their backs with laying harness on them For this great journey," are taken from the Chronicle; which also represents Buckingham as incensing the displeasure of Wolsey by his complaints.* The political bearings of the meeting are discussed in the play. "Buck. What did this great vanity But minister communication of A most poor issue? Norf. Grievingly, I think, The peace between the French and us not values The cost that did conclude it." And, "France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux. Aberg. Is it therefore Th' ambassador is silenc'd? Norf. Marry is't." A new treaty between France and England was the result of the meeting of the kings, by which Francis stipulated to pay annually 100,000 crowns to Henry.† I know not whether Shakspeare meant this by the peace which was * Hol., iii. 644. + Lingard, vi. 50; Rymer, xiii. 719. 66 not worth its cost; but as the money was not paid punctually, the remark might have been fairly made. * A league had been made a few years before between Henry, Charles, and Francis, which was certainly " flaw'd” by a declaration of war between the two latter; and, in 1523, the King of France sequestered English goods at Bourdeaux, and the French ambassador was consequently "commanded to keep his house." This French aggression appears to have arisen immediately out of Henry's resenting the support given by France to the Duke of Albany in Scotland; but Henry was, during the whole of this time, plotting against France. Of these plots Francis had probably sufficient information to account for, and perhaps to justify, his hostile measures. Buckingham accuses the cardinal of being bribed by the emperor to break the peace between England and France. I find no authority for the accusation of Wolsey by the duke; but as the cardinal had received, at the hand of Charles, some valuable preferment in Spain, t and hoped for his interest towards attaining the papacy, it was not unnatural that he should be * Oct. 1518; Lingard, 39; Rymer, xiii. 626. suspected of a bias towards the Austrian in terest. Shakspeare follows his authority,* and the general belief, in ascribing to Wolsey the proceedings against Buckingham, who is now arrested for high treason;† which event occurred in April 1521,+ some time before the proceedings at Bourdeaux, which he mentions in the play. The duke being accused, was summoned from Gloucestershire to London, and there arrested and conveyed to the Tower, without previous intimation. Hall says, that he discovered, when at Windsor in his way up, that he was a prisoner; that he went in his barge to call upon Wolsey at York-house, but was told that the cardinal was sick; that he nevertheless landed, and went to the cellar to drink, but was very ill received; and, when he had returned to his barge, was arrested and conveyed to the Tower; some of his followers had been previously apprehended.§ *Hol., 658; Hall, 622. † Act i. Sc. 3. He is styled Duke of Buckingham, and Earl of Hereford, Stafford, and Northampton. He was Earl of Stafford by paternal descent. He assumed Hereford, and perhaps Northampton, as representative of the Bohuns; from whom the present Viscount Hereford is descended. ‡ Lingard, 54. § In the play, the duke is arrested by Brandon. His name does not occur in the Chronicles. Sir Henry But Shakspeare interrupts these proceedings to introduce Queen Catherine, who comes to represent to the king— "the subjects' grief Comes through commissions, which compel from each The sixth part of his substance, to be levied Without delay." * She charges this exaction especially upon Wolsey, who avers that what was done was the act of the privy council and judges. Henry disclaims all knowledge of the affair, and challenges his minister to produce a precedent, and directs the commission to be recalled, which order Wolsey thus cunningly executes : "Let there be letters writ to every shire Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd com mons Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd That through our intercession this revokement This commission to ascertain every man's property is from Holinshed : "Order was taken by the cardinal that the true Marne, or Marney, captain of the king's guard, made the arrest. * Mrs. Jameson says (p. 256) this is true to history. I know not where she found it. |