Dean Wolfey was appointed the King's Almoner, and, as foon as he appeared at Court, his Majefty received him with great Marks of Favour, fingling him out from his other Attendants, and converfed with him in fo much Freedom, that the Courtiers paid the Refpect to him, as to one looked upon in the high Road to Preferment.

The King, after fettling his Council, iffued a Proclamation, wherein is fet forth, "That his Majefty, being in"formed his good Subjects had been oppref"ed under the fpecious Pretence of preferving "the Prerogative of the Crown, gave them Leave "to bring in their Complaints, and promised them "Satisfaction:" And withal the King confirm'd his Father's general Pardon, granted before his Death, excepting, as Stow fays, all Perfons guilty of Murder, Felony, or Treafon.

This

The SECRET HISTORY of the CARDINAL, by GEORGE CAVENDISH, Efq; his GentlemanUsher.

FTER the Solemnizations,and coftly Triumphs, our natural, young, couragious, lufty Prince, and Sovereign Lord, King Henry the Eighth, en· tering into his Flower and lufty

·

CHA P. II.

Of King HENRY the VIIIth's Afcending the Throne, and the CARDINAL's Favour with him.

Shews Wolfey great Fu

cour.

A

And iffues a

Proclamation.

Youth, took upon him the
Royal Sceptre, and Imperial

This Proclamation fo much engaged the Hearts of the People towards the young King, that his Clemency was the Subject of all Conver fations. Petitions were foon brought from all Parts of the Kingdom, not only a gainft Empfon and Dudley, but also against their Under-ftrappers, called Promoters, filled with Complaints of the Extortions they had been guilty of in the Execution of their Offices; among the latter were Joseph Derby, Jofeph Smith, and John Simfon, with whom the Government made fhort Work, inftantly trying, convicting, and fentencing them feverally according to their Deferts; and then they were conveyed thro' the City on Horfeback, with their Faces to the Horfes Tails, and Papers pinned to their Breafts, denoting the Of fences they had been guilty of; at which Time the Populace were not wanting in their Beneficence. This Treatment had fuch an Effect on these Miscreants,

that

Complaints brought against Empfon, Dudley, &c.

that divers of them fhortly after died in Newgate. A Warning, one would think, fufficient to deter Perfons from enriching themselves by ftirring up Suits on Inquifitions, and obfolete Recognizances.

But Mr. Salmon remarks" Thus we find the Ministry making a Sacrifice of their inferior Agents " and Under-strappers at the beginning of this Reign, "to remove the Odium of the late Extortions from "themselves; for it is not to be fuppofed, that those unhappy Men durft have diftreffed the Nation in "the manner they did, if they had not been fupport"ed and encouraged in it by their Superiors: But "this has ever been the Policy of the great Men at "the Helm, when they have ventured upon any "deftructive Schemes, to give up their Inftruments, " in order to turn the Fury of the People from them"felves, expecting to be looked upon as Patriots, perhaps for punishing thofe very Facts which they "themfelves advifed."

Emp

By GEORGE CAVENDISH, Efq;

CHA P. II.

Of King Henry's Invading France in his own Perfon, with the Cardinal's Affiftance:

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<

HUS the Almoner continuing in high Favour,» till at last many Prefents, Gifts, and Rewards, came in fo plentifully, that, I dare fay, he wanted nothing, for he had all Things in Abundance, that might either please his Fancy, or enrich his Coffers; for the Times fo favourably fmiled up ་ on him, but to what End you ' fhall hereafter hear: Therefore let all Men, to whom Fortune extendeth her Favour and Grace, take heed they truft not her fubtil and fair Promifes, for under Colour there

•

of fhe carries an envious Gall for, when the feeth her Servant in highest Authority, she turn⚫eth her Favour and pleafant 'Countenance into Frowns.

This Almoner climbing up Fortune's Wheel, that no Man " was in Eftimation with the King, but only he, for his witty Qualities and Wisdom.

He had an efpecial Gift of ⚫ natural Eloquence, and a filed Tongue to pronounce the fame, that he was able therewith, to perfuade and allure all Men to his Purposes, in the time of his continuance in Fortune's Favouri

6

Empfon and Dudley, the two principal Contrivers of all this Calamity, were cited before the Council, where the principal Articles against them were briefly exhibited. Empfon anfwered for them Emplon's both, "That he could not but take it Speech. " as a Favour that he was allowed to "fpeak for himself and Mr. Dudley, "when he confidered with what Violence they had "been pursued; and obferved, that the Accufation "was of a very new and ftrange Nature; that usually "Men were profecuted for acting against the Laws, or disobeying their Sovereign's Commands; but they were charged for executing the Laws, of "which the People were the Authors. That he "knew it was to little purpose for him to speak, when "the King, to whom they fhould appeal as their "fupreme Judge and Protector, had abandoned them "to the Fury of their Enemies, for no other Cause "than obeying his Father's Orders, and maintaining

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"his

In the fifth Year of the

•

Reign of King Henry the Eighth it chanced, that the Realm of England and France was at Variance, but upon what • Ground or Occafion I know not; infomuch, that the King was fully refolved in his own • Perfon to invade France with a puiffant Army: It was therefore thought very neceffary, that his Royal Enterprizes ⚫fhould be fpeedily provided and • furnished in every degree, in Things apt and convenient for ⚫ the fame. For Expedition the For Expedition the King thought no Man's Wit fo meet for Policy and pain•ful Travel as the Almoner, 4 to whom he committed his whole Affiance, and Truit

6

The SECRET HISTORY

of the CARDINAL,

therein: And he being nothing fcrupulous in any Thing that the King would command, although it feemed very diffi'cult, took upon him the whole Charge of the Bufinefs, and proceeded fo therein, that he brought all Things to good • Effect in direct Order, for all manner of Victuals and Pro• vifion convenient for so noble a Voyage and Army.

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All Things being thus prepared by him in Order, the King not intending to neglect or delay any Time, but with noble and valiant Courage to • advance his Royal Enterprize, 'paffed the Seas between Dover

·

and Calis, where he profperoufly arrived; and, after he

•had

"his Authority. How could they expect Juftice "from the People, or have an equal Tryal from "them, who fought their Destruction before they were "heard? If any of the Statutes, that had been put "in Force, were difagreeable to the Kingdom, why "were they not repealed? Was it ever known before, "that an Attempt fhould be made for condemning "Men for doing Juftice, efpecially when the King, "the chief Difpenfer thereof, had confirmed and "warranted every part of their Proceedings, which

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they were able to fhew. An Attempt (fays he) "before unheard of! and if what we have thus done "be now construed as Crimes, and we fuffer thereby, "I defire it may not be divulged to Foreign Nations, " left they should infer the final Diffolution of the English Government was approaching". To this one of the Council answer"That, tho' Empfon had fpoken "with Boldness, yet he had not

66

ed,

•

"

"

had there made his Arrival, and landed all his Provifion and Munition, and fate in Confultation about his weighty Affairs, marched forth in good • Order of Battle, till he came to the ftrong Town of Turwine, to the which he laid strong Siege, and made a sharp Alfault, fo that in a short space it was yielded unto him, unto 'which Place the Emperor Max'imilian reforted unto him with a great Army like a mighty 'Prince, taking of the King's Wages.

s

By GEORGE CAVENDISH, Efq;

Thus, after the King had taken this ftrong Town, and 'taken Poffeffion thereof, and

tion thereof to his Majefty's

·

Ufe, then he retired from thence ⚫ and marched towards Turney, and there lay'd Siege in like manner; to which he

6

<

gave fo ⚫ fierce Affault, that the Ene'mies were constrained to render the Town to his Majesty. At ‹ which Time, the King gave unto the Almoner the Bishoprick of the fame See towards ⚫ his Pains and Diligence sustained in that Journey. And when he had established all Things according to his Prince⚫ly Mind and Pleasure, and fur.nifhed the fame with Men and Captains of War for the Safeguard of the Town, he prepared for his Return to En

• But

One of the Council anfers Emp

fon.

"thereby

fet all Things in good Order,
for the Defence and Preferva-gland,