merfet, by whom fhe had Margaret, Countess of Richmond, Mother to Henry the VIIth, who conferred on him the Honour of Knighthood. Sir John died beyond Sea the first of Sept. in the fourth Year of Henry the VIIIth.

The King's Fame, &c. Spread.

The Fame of the young King's Courage, and Magnanimity of Temper was now fpread abroad, which foon drew over to England a great Concourfe of learned Men from different Parts of the World, with Expectations to partake of the King's Liberality and Generosity; among whom the famous Erafmus was not wanting. And the reigning Princes of Europe as ufual, on his Majefty's Acceffion to the Throne, fent Ambaffadors to compliment him, and renew feverally the Treaties of Alliance and Commerce, fubfifting between them and the late King his Father.

On the other hand, the King fent Minifters abroad to the several Courts, to notify his Acceffion to the Throne

By GEORGE CAVENDISH, Efq;

⚫ from thence he rode upon his
Mule with his Croffes, his Pil-
lars, his Hat, and his broad
Seal carried before him an
• Horfeback along Thames-freet,
⚫ until he came to Billinfgate,
⚫ and there he took his Barge,
and fo went to Greenwich,
where he was nobly enter-

⚫tained of the Lords in the 'King's House, being there with Staves in their Hands, as the Treasurer, Comptroller, with many others, and conveyed into the King's Chamber, and fo went home again in the like • Triumph.

С НА Р.

Council, by her late Majefty Queen Anne; fome time after he was made Secretary of State, and on the 17th of July, 1712, he was created a Baron, and alfo Viscount Bolingbroke; but, in the 1ft of K. Geo. I. he retired Abroad, and his Honours were forfeited by, his Attainder. However, his Lordship has obtained fo much Fayour, by Act of Parliament, 12 K. Geo. I. notwithstanding his Attainder, to enjoy certain Eftates, &c. in Great Britain, and which likewise permitted him (after he had continued several Years in Foreign Parts) to return to his native Country, where we wish he may enjoy the Sweets of a quiet Retreat from the troublesome Affairs of State.

Throne of his renowned Ancestors, and to give Affurances of his Majefty's Defire to live in Peace with all his Neighbours.

Archbishop Bayn bridge made Am15 bajador at Rome.

Chriftopher Baynbridge, Archbishop of York, who was then at Rome, had a Commiffion fent him to take upon himfelf the Title of Ambaffador from England, which was very acceptable to the Pope; and we fhall presently fee the Reafon why the King appointed him as fuch, it not being ufual for his Predeceffors to have ever a one refiding at that Court.

Rapin's Account of
the young King.

66

Rapin obferves, "That the King in the beginning of his Reign willingly left to "his Council and Minifters the Care and Management of his Affairs: As he was at Peace "with his Neighbours, what paffed in his Kingdom "could not keep him much employed; he thought "more of fuch Pleafures and Diverfions as were fuit"able to his Years, than of Application to Bufinefs;

H

The SECRET HISTORY of the CARDINAL,

CHAP. VIII.

Of the Cardinal's Magnificence in his Houfe.
E lived a long Seafon,
ruling all Things in this
Kealm appertaining to the
King, by his Wisdom, and all
other Matters of Foreign Re-
gions, with whom the King
had any Occafion to meddle.

All Ambaffadors of foreign Po-
• tentates were ever difpofed by
the Cardinal's Wifdom, to whom
they had continual Accefs for
♦ their Dispatch.

His Houfe was always re-
• forted unto like a King's Houfe,

with Noblemen and Gentle-
men: And when it pleased the
King's Majefty (as many times
i did) he would for his Reere-

"and

ation refort unto the Cardinal's House, against whofe coming there wanted no Preparation of goodly Furnitures, with Victuals of the finest fort that could be had for Money or Friendship.

Such Pleasures were here devised for the King's Delight as could be invented or imagined; Banquets fet with Mafquers and Mummers, in fuch coftly Manner, that it was glorious to behold, there wanting no Damfels meet to dance with the Mafquers, or to garnifh the Place for the Time, with Variety of other Paftimes.

• Then

❝ and, as he was naturally liberal, his Entertainments "at Court were very expenfive. The Bishop of "Winchester could not help murmurring to fee the

66

Money lavished without any Neceffity, which his "deceafed Mafter had amaffed with fo much Care, "Pains, and Injustice,* in which he had himself been "employed; he threw all the Blame upon the Earl "of Surry, Lord Treasurer, who was his Rival in "Favour under the late King, and continued to be "fo under the prefent King, by gaining the Affec "tion of his new Mafter, by a blind Compliance to "his Will. During Henry the VIIth's Life he was more close, and harder to part with Money than "the King himself: However exprefs the Orders "were for Payment, he found Difficulties to evade it, "and by that Means he made his Court admirably "to his Master. Being continued in his Poft in the present Reign, he became quite another Man; he

66

66

6c nat

By GEORGE CAVENDISH, Efq; Then was there divers Kinds ing they were discharged, ⚫ of Mufick, and many choice • Men and Women-fingers appointed to fing, who had ex⚫cellent Voices. I have feen

the King come fuddenly thither in a Mask, with a dozen • Mafquers all in Garments like Shepherds, made of fine Cloth ⚫ of Gold and Silver-wire, and "fix Torch bearers, befides their • Drummers, and others attending on them with Vizards, and clothed all in Sattin. And before his entering into the 'Hall, you fhall understand, 'that he came by Water up to 'the Water-gate without any 'Noife, where were laid divers ⚫ Chambers, and Guns charged 'with Shot; and at his LandVOL. II.

which made fuch a rattling 'Noife in the Air, that it was like Thunder; it made all the Noblemen, Gentlemen and Ladies to muse, what it fhould mean coming fo fuddenly, they fitting quietly at a Banquet. In this fort you fhall understand, that the Tables were fet in the Chamber of • Prefence, covered, and my 'Lord Cardinal fitting under his ⚫ Cloth of State, and there hav

Very kind of Monfieur Rapin, a Bishop with Injustice in the fame Breath.

66

not only paid, without Examination, what ever was "ordered, but also put the King upon spending extravagantly; this gained himself the Favour of the young Prince, who was naturally addicted to Prodigality: But the Bishop of Winchester openly "blamed this Conduct, as highly prejudicial to the

66

King's Intereft. But he was little regarded in a "Court where every one was ftriving to make an Advantage of the Sovereign's liberal Temper. "Mean while his Difcourfes exafperated more and "more the Earl of Surry and the young Courtiers a"gainst him, who never ceafed to do him ill Office "with the King. Thus the Bishop, who was in fo

great Credit in the late Reign, gradually loft it in "this. His Difgrace, which fat heavy upon his Mind, "threw him upon devifing Means to fupplant his "Rival, by introducing, at Court, Thomas Wolfey, whofe Qualifications he was no Stranger

to.

The SECRET HISTORY of the CARDINAL,

Table. All which Order was 'done by my Lord Sands, then Lord Chamberlain to the King, and by Sir Henry Guilford, then Comptroller of the King's

House.

Hifto

to take the Pains to go into 'the Hall, there to receive them into the Chamber, where they 'fhall fee us, and all those noble Perfonages being merry at our Banquet, defiring them to fit down with us, and take part of our Fare.

commends Mr.

Bishop Fox re-
Wolley to the
King.

Hiftorians agree, that the Bishop of Winchester could not fee, without great Uneafinefs, the Courfe the young King was purfuing in the beginning of his Reign, which made him think of retiring from Court; but then he forefaw, he should, by fo doing, foon lose all his Intereft there, in cafe he could not fall on a Method to check the Defign of his Rival,the Earl of Surry; therefore he (feeing the young King from time to time received Mr. Wolfey with great Diftinction) waited on his Majefty, and in a handfome Speech begged he might be excufed from a conftant Attendance at Court, on Account of his Age and Infirmities; which the King was pleafed to grant. He next took the Opportunity of recommending to his Royal Mafter, in the moft effectual Manner, Mr. Wolfey, as a Minifter of great Abilities, and fitly qualified for the moft important Services, which Advice his Majefty was pleafed to receive very graciously; expreffing at the fame time, that

By GEORGE CAVENDISH, Efq;

⚫ verently; to whom the Lord • Chamberlain for them faid, Forafmuch as they are Strangers, ⚫ and cannot speak English, they ⚫ have defired me to declare unto 'you, that they, hayingunderftand

ing at this your triumphant Banquet were affembled fuch ⚫ a Number of fair Dames, they 'could do no lefs (under the • Supportation of your Grace) than to view as well their incomparable Beauties, as to accompany them to the Mum'chance, and after that to dance with them, fo to beget their • better Acquaintance.

And furthermore, they require of your Grace Licence to accomplish this Cause of ⚫ their Coming.

|

• When the Cardinal faid he
was willing, and very well
content they should do fo.

Then went the Masquers,
and firft faluted all the Dames,
and then returned to the moft
worthieft, and there opened
the great Cup of Gold filled
with Crowns, and other Pieces
⚫ to caft at.

Thus perufing all the Gen⚫tlewomen, of fome they won, and to fome they loft. And, having viewed all the Ladies, they returned to the Cardinal 'with great Reverence, pouring

down all their Gold, which was above two hundred Crowns. At all, quoth the Cardinal, and cafting the Dye he won it, whereat was made great Joy. • Then

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