age, attended him as pages,* and the daily service of the household corresponded to the opulence and ostentation of

the master.

The entertainment which the cardinal gave at Hampton Court to the French commissioners† who were sent to ratify the league, offensive and defensive, exceeded in splendour every banquet which had before that time been exhibited in

* Hume speaks of the young nobility wearing the cardinal's livery as if such a thing had not happened before, and was peculiar to his household. "Some of the nobility," says the philosophical historian," put their children into his family, as a place of education; and, in order to ingratiate them with their patron, allowed them to bear offices as his servants." It was, however, the practice of the time, and of some antiquity. "A custom which had been introduced in former ages, seems in this (Henry VIII.) to have been carried almost beyond credibility: it was that of retaining in the houses of the nobility the sons of their superior dependents, where their educations were completed, who, with a numerous retinue of servants, were all known by the badges of their lord." Dallaway's Enquiries into the Origin and Progress of Heraldry in England, p. 186. Whiting, abbot of Glastonbury, who was contemporary with Wolsey, retained young noblemen. And Gavin Douglas, the celebrated bishop of Dunkeld, who was also a contemporary of Wolsey, mentions that he learnt the dialect which he makes use of in his poetry, when he was a page. Ellis's Early English Poets, vol. i. p. 397. And Douglas was a son of old Bell-the-Cat, earl of Angus, a man who was not likely to have allowed his sons to serve as pages had not the custom been common. The practice, in fact, continued till the reign of Charles I. Dr. Fiddes mentions that, in his time, the then earl of Stafford had a letter of instructions written by the earl of Arundel, in the year 1620, for the benefit of his son William, then in the house of the bishop of Norwich, in which he says, "You shall, in all things, reverence, honour, and obey my lord bishop of Norwich, as you would do your parents, esteeming what he shall tell or command you, as if your grandmother of Arundel, your mother, or myself, should say it; and, in all things, esteem yourself as my lord's page; a breeding which youths of my house, far superior to you, were accustomed to, as my grandfather of Norfolk, and his brother, my good uncle of Northampton, were both bred as pages, with bishops."

"Then was there no more to do but to make preparation of all things for the entertainment of this great assembly at Hampton Court, at the time appointed. My lord cardinal called before him all his chief officers, as stewards, treasurers, comptrollers, and clerks of his kitchen, to whom he declared his whole mind touching the entertainment of the Frenchmen at Hampton Court, to whom he also gave command neither to spare for any cost, or expense, or pains, to make such a triumphant banquet, as the guests might not only wonder at it here, but also make a glorious report to the great honour of our king and this realm. Thus having made known his pleasure, to accomplish his commandment, they sent all the carriers, purveyors, and other persons, to prepare all they could for love or liking, for

WOLSEY ENTERTAINS THE FRENCH COMMISSIONERS.

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England. Two hundred and eighty beds, with furniture of the costliest silks and velvets, and as many ewers and basins of silver, were prepared for the guests. The halls were illuminated with innumerable sconces and branches of plate. Supper was announced by the sound of trumpets, and served with triumphal music. But the master was not yet come. He had been detained late in London, and the dessert, which

my lord's friends. Also they sent for all expert cooks, and cunning persons in the art of cookery in London, or elsewhere that might be gotten to beautify the noble feast, then the purveyors provided, and my lord's friends sent in such provision that it was a wonder to see it. The cooks they wrought both day and night in many curious devices, where was no lack of gold, silver, or any other costly thing. The yeomen and grooms of his wardrobes were busied in hanging the chambers with costly hangings, and furnishing the same with beds of silk, and other furniture for the same in every degree. Then my lord sent me, being his gentleman-usher, and two other of my fellows, to foresee all things, touching our rooms to be richly garnished, wherein our pains were not small, but daily we travelled up and down, from chamber to chamber, to see things fitted. Then wrought joiners, carpenters, painters, and all other artificers needful, so that there should be nothing wanting to adorn this noble feast. There was carriage and re-carriage of plate, stuff, and other rich implements, so that there was nothing lacking that could be devised or imagined for the purpose. There were also provided two hundred and eighty beds, with all manner of furniture to them, too long to be here related.

"The day assigned to the Frenchmen being come, they were ready assembled at Hampton Court, before the hour of their appointment, where.. fore the officers called them to ride to Hanworth, a park of the king's within three miles of Hampton Court, there to spend the time in hunting till night, which they did, and then returned, and every one of them was conveyed to his several chamber, having in it a good fire, and store of wine, where they remained till supper was ready.

"The chambers where they supped and banqueted were adorned thus: -First, the great waiting chamber was hung with a very rich cloth of arras, and so all the rest, some better than others, and furnished with tall yeomen to serve. There were set tables round about the chambers, banquetwise covered; also a cupboard garnished with white plate, having also in the same chamber, to give the more light, four great plates of silver, set with lights, and a great fire. The next chamber was the chamber of presence, richly hanged also with the cloth of arras, and a sumptuous cloth of estate, furnished with many goodly gentlemen to serve. The tables were ordered in manner as the others were, save only the high table was removed beneath the cloth of state, towards the midst of the chamber. There was a cupboard with six desks of plate, garnished all over with fine gold, with one pair of candlesticks of silver and gilt, that cost three hundred marks, with lights of wax in the same. The cupboard was barred about, that no man could come very near, for there was great store of plate to use

consisted of figures, castles, and cathedrals, in confectionary, with all the emblems of ecclesiastical pomp and the pageants of chivalry, was on the tables when he entered, booted and spurred. Having welcomed the guests, he called for a golden bowl filled with hippocras; the French commissioners were served, at the same time, with another, and they reciprocally drank to the health of their respective sovereigns. He then retired to dress, and returning speedily to the company, exerted those convivial talents which had first contributed to his attainment of this excessive grandeur. The Frenchmen doubted which most to admire, the mansion, the feast, or the master. Wolsey felt exultingly gratified, and the measure of his greatness could hold no more.

besides. The plates that hung on the walls to give light, were silver and gilt, with wax lights.

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Now were all things in readiness, and supper fit; the principal officers caused the trumpets to blow, to warn all to supper. Then the officers conducted the French roblemen where they were to sup, and they being set, the service came up in such abundance, both costly and full of devices, with such a pleasant noise of music, that the Frenchmen, as it seemed, were wrapped up in a heavenly paradise. You must understand that my lord cardinal was not there all this while, but the French Monsieurs were very merry with their rich fare and curious cates and knacks; but before the second course, my lord cardinal came in, booted and spurred, suddenly amongst them, and bade them proface (proficiat, may it do you good). At his coming there was great joy, every man rising from his place, whom my lord cardinal caused to sit still and keep their places, and being in his riding apparel, called for his chair, and sat him down in the midst of the high table, and was there as merry and as pleasant as ever I saw him in my life. Presently after came up the second course, which was above a hundred several devices, which were so goodly and costly, that I think the Frenchmen never saw the like. But the rarest curiosity of all the rest, they all wondered at, which indeed was worthy of wonder, were castles with images in the same; Saint Paul's church, the model thereof; beasts, birds, fowls, personages most excellently made, some fighting with swords, some with guns, others with cross-bows, some dancing with ladies, some on horseback with complete armour, jousting with long and sharp spears, and many more strange devices, which I cannot describe. Amongst them all I noticed there was a chess-board of spices, with men to the same, and of good proportion; and because the Frenchmen are very expert at that sport, my lord cardinal gave the same to a French gentleman, commanding that there should be made a good case to convey the same into his country."-Cavendish.

BOOK V.

State of Ireland-Character of the Irish-Feudal system-Election of chieftains-Tanistrie-Origin of yeomanry-Brehon law-Ireland as often subject to military rule as to civil discipline-Laid waste during the civil wars of Henry VI.-State on the accession of Henry VIII.—The earl of Kildare deputy of Ireland - His administration - Summoned to England on charges of misdemeanour-The earl of Ossory appointed deputy-Acquittal of Kildare-Again summoned to London-His defence -Its effect on the cardinal-The Reformation Anarchy in France after the death of Charlemagne-Efforts of the priesthood to restrain it-Preaching of Peter the Hermit-Intercourse caused by the crusades -Revival of literature in Italy-Changes produced by it-Wolsey's design in reforming the church-First general result of the Reformation -Wolsey more the patron of literary institutions than of men of genius -Literature of the reign of Henry VIII. and of the age of Elizabeth -Progress of the ornamental arts in Italy-State of literature and arts in Scotland-College of physicians founded-Low state of medical science prior to that event-Wolsey a patron of national instruction-Proposes to found public lectures at Oxford-The laws of that university submitted to him for revisal-Cambridge adopts the same measure-Progress of learning-Wolsey founds and endows Christ-church college, OxfordProject by which he proposed to furnish its library-Wolsey lays the foundation of a public school at Ipswich-Estimate of his acquirements as a scholar-Projects an institution to be founded in London for the study of law-The courtiers and clergy jealous of his influence.

Ir may still be said, as in the days of queen Elizabeth, that Ireland seems reserved by Almighty God for woes which shall come by her upon England. Causes intrinsically similar to those which agitated that unfortunate country in the age of Henry VIII., have stained the annals of the present reign* with blood. The terrible constancy with which the people have reviled, for more than six hundred years, the English system of rule, must be ascribed to the effect of something

*That of George III.

vicious in that system. Nor can this be denied. By calling the descendants of the English who settled in Ireland subsequent to the time of Henry II. Protestants, and the aboriginal inhabitants Catholics, the relative condition of the people will appear to have continued unaltered since that epoch; and yet, in all the series of the ministers who have successively ruled England, will it be found that any one of them has pursued a wiser policy than that of cardinal Wolsey?

The earliest authentic descriptions of the Irish represent them as a frank, kind-hearted people, much under the influence of the imagination, enthusiastic in all their passions and pursuits, amorous, fond of renown, delighted with war, generous to the distressed, and hospitable to friends and strangers. When polished by education, they excel in the convivial fascination of wit and humour, and they are the most eloquent of all the modern nations. The lower classes are faithful and affectionate where they form attachments, but the strength of their passions makes them lax in their morality. They have little ambition, the consequence of ignorance, and they entertain for their masters sentiments that would become the humility of an inferior cast. The men are well formed, tall, and clear complexioned, and the women are more remarkable for the symmetry of their arms and limbs than for the beauty of their features. In the days of Campion, the men wore their hair cropped close, leaving on their forehead a large tuft,* which they thought added to the manliness of their countenance; and in the present age the same fashion has been revived. To their national customs the Irish have always been strongly attached, valuing antiquity more than utility. In the time of Wolsey, those who were skilled in the delicacy of their native language affected to be enraptured by the allusions and apophthegms of the bards and jesters. The chieftains retained tale-tellers, who invented stories for their amusement; and the delight which the nation has always received from wonderful tales has drawn upon Irishmen the imputation of being credulous.+

+ In the sixteenth century, a remarkable class of adventurers, called carrows, who followed no other profession but cards, was entertained among them. These carrows, being commonly well-born, but without patrimony, gleaned a livelihood by passing, in quest of play, from house to house among