tried his parts, he never came under the reproofe Hen. 8. of Megabyfes, to whom Apelles faid. Whilft thou was filent, thou feemedit to be fome body, but now there is not the meaneft boy that grindeth oaker, but he laugheth at thee. And as he was referved in his fpeech, fo he was moderate in his carriage, till the fuccefs of leffer actions fleshed him for greater.

He could make any thing he read or heard, his own; and could improve any thing that was his own to the uttermost.

One Christmas retirement to the marquefs of Dorfets from Magdalen college, where he was fellow and school-mafter, was like to have undone him, at the fame time that it made him; for that debonairness whereby he hoped to open the way to honour as a courtier, occafioned his difgrace as a Minister.

Sir James Pawlet, (who for fix days imprisonment of him in Somersetshire, fuffered fix years confinement by him in the Middle-Temple and the Gate-Houfe, untill he was glad to adorne one prifon at a great charge, with the badge and cognizance of the Cardinals greatnefs, to abate his displeasure, as he faid, he had disgraced another with a school-mafters meanness to provoke it,) thought fit to Commit him for that activity, for which others advanced him; and that to a capacity, (fee the inftability of humane affairs; the Greatest fhould not prefume, the meanest fhould not defpond) of haveing the knight as much at the school-mafters pleasure, as the school-mafter was at his humour. For having loft the Marquefs through whom he hoped to fhew himself with advantage at court, by death,

and

Hen. 8. and his fellowship at Magdalen, where he might have appeared with applaufe in the university, by Refignation, he travelled himself into the old treasurer of Callis favour and service, first as his chaplain, then as his deputy, and by him to K. H. 7ths. notice: to whom he became, by dextrous addreffes to the two then great favourites bishop Fox and fir Thomas Lovel, known as well by his fharpe and folid difcourfes in the clofet, as by his difcreet and modeft behaviour in the chappel, to be capable of two things, Bufinefs by his diligence, and Trust by his Refervednefs, both tryed in an ambaffage to Maximilian the emperour; his firft employment performed fo quickly, that the king checked him for not being gone, when he presented himself to fignifie that he was returned; and fo prudently and effectually, that according to his duty he fulfilled all those inftructions given with him, and out of his dif cretion thofe likewife too late fent after him; anfwering the wife king, who afked him whether he met the pursuivant he fent after him? that he met him and read his letters, the matter whereof he had dispatcht, conceiving it neceffary, for which he craved pardon, confeffing it a prefumption; the fage king vouchfafeing him not only pardon, but applause, promifing himfelf the greatest fervices from one that had given fo good an earnest. And indeed he had better fuccefs in ferving others, than his dependents had in ferving him; for it was mr. Cromwels great complaint to him, and his great trouble within himfelf, that he had not taken all the opportunities offered him, to advance his fervants while he stood, that they might have had abilities to

affift him when he was fallen; for when he was Hen. 8. reduced to a penfion of 4000. markes at Winchefter, and had his lands belonging to his colledges at Oxford and Ipswich feized on by the * præmunire to the kings use, and the abbey at St. Albons divided among the courtiers, he was forced to borrow 2001. of John Higdon his first dean of Chrift-Church, to pay and reward fome of his pooreft fervants, on this condition, that they fhould not + fufcipere gradum Simonis, and having ferved a Cardinal, wait on any other below the King. Indeed his eftate in his profperity was little enough for his magnificence which performed great things, and defigned greater; and in his adverfity little enough, for his charity, which he dispensed in all places between the Charterhouse at Richmond, where he began to dye religiously, and the Abbey of Leicefter where he dyed naturally: a charity, which added to his reading divine service, and preaching in fome church every Sunday, his open house all the week days, the familiarity and sweetness of his converfe, and the humility of his life, gained him as great a respect in the North as he had loft in the South.

No fooner was he in with the Bishop of Winchefter, but the bifhop was out with the Earl of Surrey; to whom he must have stooped, as he did unto nature and age, had not he raised his servant equal to himself in the king's favour, and above Howard. He was forbid by the canon, heirs of his body; he was enjoyned by his prudence

A writ to restrain the subjects from suing in any other courts than the King's.

+ Serve below their character.

Hen. 8. dence to make an heir of his favour, equally to fupport and comfort his old age, and maintain his intereft. Children in point of policy, as in nature, are a bleffing, and as arrows in the hands of a mighty man; and happy is that old courtier that hath his quiver full of them, he shall not be afbamed when he speaks with his Enemies in the gate. The old man commends Wolfey to Henry the Seventh for one fit to ferve a king, and command others. Forein employment is the ftatefman's firft fchool; to France therefore he is fent, to poife his English gravity with French debonairness: A well pois'd quickness is the ex'cellent temper. From forein epmloyment under an old king, he is called home to some domestic fervices under the young one. He as quickly found the length of His Foot, as he fitted him with an eafie Shoo; the King followed his pleafures, and the Cardinal enjoyeth His power; the one pursued his fports while Youth, the other his bufinefs while Time ferved him, (Give me to Day, and take thou to Morrow, is both the Courtier and the Chriftian's Language :) the Favourite took in the council-table debates, and other state-affairs in the mass and whole bulk of them by day, and the king had the quinteffence of them extracted, and the fum of them reprefented to him at night. All state-business was difpofed of by him, and moft church-preferments bestowed upon him; the Deanry of Lincolne, the king's Almonership, a house near Bridewell, Durham, Winchester, Bath, Worcester, Hereford, Tourney, Lincolne, St, Alban's and York, were in his poffeffion; and all other promotions in his gift He was inftalled in the kingdom (during

King Hen'ry's youthfulness) and had the church Hen.8. in commendam. His great fervices indeed could r not be managed without a great revenue, nor his greater power fupported, but by an able purse, which may buy off expedients as readily as his greatness may command them.

His pithy and witty sentences at the StarrChamber made him fpeaker there, and his fluent tongue the most forward every where elfe; his clear head and smooth tongue engroffed all the king's favour, and most persons addresses, which advanced his eftate much, and his reputation more in fo much that the management of, and provision for the great voyage to France, 5 H. 8. by fea and land was trusted to his fole Care; and ordered to very good effect by his fole discretion: not neglecting his own affairs while he provided for the King's, being the most dextrous by his correfpondents at difcovering preferments, the clofeft at attaining of them; the quickeft at poffeffing them, and the most skilfull for improving them of any man living; punctual in keeping up the honour of his place, witness his advancing of his croffes as Primate of England, above those of Canterbury as Primate of all England (pitty faith one, that they who should contend *de pafcendis ovibus fhould fall out † de lanâ capriná) and what jurifdiction he wanted as Arch-bishop, he made up as Cardinal, Legate de latere and Chancellour. In which capacity, he kept 500 fervants, among whom 9 or 10 Lords, 15 Knights, and

About feeding the flock.

+ About Goat's Hair.

A particular Commiffion given by the Pope to those who are in his greatest confidence.