[3]= cared not.
[3]= cared not.
Source.—Paston Letters, Vol. III., Letter 943. March 20th, 1500A.D.
Henry VII. to Sir John Paston.
To our trusty and well beloved knight Sir John Paston.
By the King.
"Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well, letting you know that our dearest cousins, the King and Queen of Spain, have signified unto us by their sundry letters that the right excellent Princesse the Lady Catharine, their daughter, shall be transported from the parties of Spain aforesaid to this our Realm, about the month of May next coming, for the solemnization of matrimony between our dearest son the Prince and the said Princess. Wherefore we, considering that it is right fitting and necessary, as well for the honour of us as for the honour and praise of our said Realm, to have the said Princess honourably received at her arrival, have appointed you to be one among others to give attendance for the receiving of the said Princess; willing and desiring you to prepare yourself for that intent, and so to continue in readiness upon an hour's warning, till that by our other letters we shall advertise you of the day and time of her arrival, and where ye shall give your said attendance; and not to fail therein as ye tender our pleasure, the honour of yourself and this our foresaid Realm.
"Given under our signet at our Manor of Richmond, the xxth day of March."
Source.—Holinshed, p. 532.
The clergy was of two sorts, the one shewing themselves as they were wealthy, seemly and comely; the other pretending that which was not, poverty, bareness and scarcity, but both were of one mind, and devised all the ways they could to save their purses. The first being called alledged that they were daily at great charges and expenses in keeping of hospitalities, in maintaining themselves, their house and families, besides extraordinaries which daily did grow and increase upon them, and by that means they were but bare and poor, and prayed that they be borne with all and pardoned for that time. The other sort alledged that their livings were but small and slender and scarce able to maintain themselves with all which compelled them to go bare and to live a hard and poor life, and therefore (they having nothing) prayed that they might be excused. The bishop when he heard them at full and well considered thereof, very wittily and with a pretty dilemma answered them both, saying to the first: "It is true you are at great charges, are well beseen in your apparell, well mounted upon your fair palfreys and have your men waiting upon you in good order; your hospitality is good and your daily expenses are large, and you are for the same well reported amongst your neighbours; all which are plain demonstrations of your wealth and ability, otherwise you would not be at such voluntary charges. Now having store to spend in such order, there is no reason but that to your prince you should much more be well willing and ready to yield yourselves contributory and dutiful, and therefore you must pay." To the other sort he said: "Albeit your livings be not of the best, yet good, sufficient, and able to maintain you in better estate than you do employ it, but it appeareth that you are frugual and thrifty men, and what others do voluntarily spend in apparell, house and family, you warily do keep and have it lie by you; and therefore it is good reasonthat of your store you should spare with a good will and contribute to your prince, wherefore be contented, for you shall pay." And so by this pretty dilemma he reduced them to yield a good payment to the King.
William Makefyn to Darcy and Alington.
Source.—Paston Letters, Vol. III., Letter 953. Jan. 17th, 1506.
To the right worshipful Master Roger Darcy and Master Giles Alington, being in the George in Lombard street, be this delivered in haste.
Right worshipful masters, I recommend me unto you, certifying you that the King's Grace and the King of Castile met this day at three of the Clock, upon Cleworth Green, 2 miles out of Windsor, and that the King received him in the goodliest manner that ever I saw, and each of them embraced the other in arms.
To shew you the King's apparell of England, thus it was: his horse of bay, trapped with neddlework; a gown of purple velvet, a chain with a George[4]of diamonds, and a hood of purple velvet, which he put not off at the meeting of the said King of Castile; his hat and his bonnet he doffed and the King of Castile likewise. And the King of Castile rode upon a sorrel hoby,[5]which the King gave unto him; his apparell was all black, a gown of black velvet, a black hood, a black hat, and his horse harness of black velvet....
These be the Spears: Master Saint John upon a black horse, with harness of Cloth of Gold, with tassels of plunkett[6]and white, a coat of plunkett and white, the body of goldsmiths' work, the sleves full of spangles.
John Carr and William Parr with coats alike, the horses gray, of Parr trapped with crimson velvet with tassells of gold and gilt bells. Carr's horse bay with an Almayn harness of silver, an inch broad of beaten silver, both the coats of goldsmiths' work on the bodies, the sleeves one stripe of silver, the other of gold.
Edward Neville upon a gray horse trapped with black velvet full of small bells, his coat the one half of green velvet, the other of white cloth of gold; these to the rutters of the spurs, with other divers well appointed.
Of the King of Castile's party, the Lord Chamberlain the chief, I cannot tell his name as yet; his apparell was sad, and so was all the residue of his company with cloaks of sad tawny black, guarded, some with velvet, some with sarsenet, not passing a dozen in number. It is said there is many behind which comes with the Queen of Castile, which shall come upon Tuesday.
When the King rode forth to Windsor Castle, the King rode upon the right hand of the King of Castile, howbeit the King's Grace offered to take him upon the right hand, the which he refused. And at the lighting the King of Castile was off his horse a good space or our King was alight; and then the King's grace offered to take him by the arm, the which he would not, but took the King by the arm, and so went to the King of Castile's chamber, which is the richestly hanged that ever I saw: 7 chambers together hanged with cloth of Arras, wrought with gold as thick as could be; and as for three beds of estate, no king christened can shew such three.
This is so far as I can shew you of this day, and when I can know more, ye shall have knowledge.
From Windsor this Saturday, at five of the Clock,
By your,William Makefyn.
By your,
William Makefyn.
[4]= figure of St. George,i.e.part of the insignia of the Garter.[5]= horse.[6]= lead green.
[4]= figure of St. George,i.e.part of the insignia of the Garter.
[5]= horse.
[6]= lead green.
Source.—Erasmus,The Praise of Folly, p. 90. 1887. Hamilton Adams, Glasgow.
The next to be placed among the regiment of fools are such as make a trade of telling or inquiring after incredible stories of miracles and prodigies. Never doubting that a lie will choke them, they will muster up a thousand several strange relations of spirits, ghosts, apparitions, raising of the devil, and such like bugbears of superstition, which the farther they are from being probably true, the more greedily they are swallowed, and the more devoutly believed. And those diversities do not only bring an empty pleasure, and cheap divertisement, but they are a good trade, and procure a comfortable income to such priests and friars as by this craft get their gain.
To these again are related such others as attribute strange virtues to the shrines and images of saints and martyrs, and so would make their credulous proselytes believe, that if they pay their devotion to St. Christopher in the morning, they shall be guarded and secured the day following from all dangers and misfortunes. If soldiers when they first take arms, shall come and mumble over such a set prayer before the picture of St. Barbara, they shall return safe from all engagements. Or if any pray to Erasmus on such particular holidays, with the ceremony of wax candles, and other poperies, he shall in a short time be rewarded with a plentiful increase of wealth and riches. The Christians have now their gigantic St. George, as well as the Pagans have their Hercules: they paint the saint on horseback, and drawing the horse in splendid trappings, very gloriously accoutred, they scarce refrain in a literal sense from worshipping the very beast.
What shall I say of such as cry up and maintain the cheat of pardons and indulgences? That by these compute the time of each soul's residence in purgatory, and assign them a longer and shorter continuance, according as they purchase more or fewer of these paltry pardons and saleable exemptions? Orwhat can be said bad enough of others, who pretend that by the force of such magical charms, or by the fumbling over their beads in the rehearsal of such and such petitions, which some religious impostors invented, either for diversion or what is more likely for advantage; they shall procure riches, honour, pleasure, health, long life, and lusty old age, nay, after death a sitting at the right hand of our Saviour in His kingdom.
Though as to this last part of their happiness, they care not how long it be deferred, having scarce any appetite towards a tasting the joys of heaven; till they are surfeited, glutted with, and can no longer relish their enjoyments on earth. By this easy way of purchasing pardons, any notorious highwayman, any plundering soldier, or any bribe-taking judge, shall disburse some part of their unjust gains, and so think all their grossest impieties sufficiently atoned for. So many perjuries, lusts, drunkeness, quarrels, bloodsheds, cheats, treacheries, and all sorts of debaucheries, shall all be as it were, struck a bargain for, and such a contract made, as if they had paid off all arrears and might now begin upon a new score.
And what can be more ridiculous, than for some others to be confident of going to heaven by repeating daily those seven verses out of the Psalms which the devil taught St. Bernard, thinking thereby to have put a trick on him, but that he was overreached in his cunning.
And of all the prayers and intercessions that are made to these respective saints the substance of them is no more than downright folly. Among all the trophies that for tokens of gratitude are hung upon the walls and ceilings of churches, you shall find no relics presented as a memorandum of any that were ever cured of folly or had been made one dram the wiser.
Almost all Christians being wretchedly enslaved to blindness and ignorance, which the priests are so far from preventing or removing, that they blacken the darkness, and promote delusion. Wisely forseeing that the people, like cows, which never give down their milk so well as when they are gentlystroked, would part with less if they knew more, their bounty only proceeding from a mistake of Charity.
Now if any wise man should stand up, and unseasonably speak the truth, telling everyone that a pious life is the only way of securing a happy death; that the best title to a pardon of our sins is purchased by a hearty abhorrence of our guilt, and sincere resolutions of amendment; that the best devotion that can be paid to any saints is to imitate them in their exemplary life. If he should proceed thus to inform them of their several mistakes, there would be quite another estimate put upon tears, watchings, masses, fastings, and other severities, which before were so much prized, as persons will now be vexed to lose that satisfaction formerly they found in them.
Source.—Sir Thomas More,The First Booke of Utopia, 1516. Cambridge Press, p. 29, l. 18.
But let us consider those things that chance daily before our eyes. First, there is a great number of gentlemen, which cannot be content to live idle by themselves, like drones, of that which others have laboured for; their tenants I mean, whom they poll and shave to the quick, by raising their rents (for this only point of frugality do they use, men else through their lavish and prodigal spending likely to bring them to very beggary). These gentlemen, I say, do not only live in idleness themselves, but also carry about with them at their tails a great flock or train of idle and loitering serving men, which never learned any craft whereby to get their livings. These men as soon as their master is dead, or be sick themselves, be incontinent thrust out of doors. For gentlemen had rather keep idle persons, than sick men, and many times the dead man's heir is not able to maintain so great a house, and keep so many serving men as his father did. Then in the meanseason they that be thus destitute of service, either starve for hunger, or manfully play the thieves. For what would you have them to do? When they have wandered abroad so long, until they have worn threadbare their apparell, and also appaired their health, these gentlemen, because of their pale and sickly faces, and patched coats, will not take them into service. And husbandmen dare not set them a work, knowing well enough that he is nothing meet to do true and faithful service to a poor man with a spade and a mattock for small wages and hard fare, which being daintily and tenderly pampered up in idleness and pleasure, was wont with a sword and buckler by his side to strut through the street with a bragging look, and to think himself too good to be any man's mate. Nay, by Saint Mary, Sir (quod the lawyer), not so. For this kind of men must we make most of. For in them as men of stouter stomachs, bolder spirits, and manlier courages than handycraftsmen and plowmen be, doth consist the whole power, strength, and puisance of our army, when we must fight in battle. Forsooth, Sir, as well you might say (quod I) that for war's sake you must cherish thieves. For surely you shall never lack thieves, while you have them. No, nor thieves be not the most false and faint-hearted soldiers, nor soldiers be not the cowardliest thieves: so well these two crafts agree together. But this fault, though it be much used among you, yet is it not peculiar to you only, but common also to most nations. Yet France, besides this, is troubled and infected with a much sorer plague. The whole realm is filled and besieged with hired soldiers in peace time (if that be peace) which be brought in under the same colour and pretence, that hath persuaded you to keep these idle serving men. For these wise fools and very archdolts thought the wealth of the whole country herein to consist, if there were ever in a readiness a strong and sure garrison, specially of old practised soldiers, for they put no trust at all in men unexercised. And therefore they must be forced to seek for war, to the end they may ever have practised soldiers and cunning manslayers, lest that (as it is prettily said of Sallust) their hands throughidleness or lack of exercise should wax dull; but how pernicious and pestilent a thing it is to maintain such beasts, the Frenchmen by their own harms have learnt. For not only the kingdom but also their fields and cities by divers occasions have been overrunned and destroyed by their own armies beforehand had in a readiness. Now how unnecessary a thing this is, hereby it may appear that the French soldiers, which from their youth have been practised and inured in feates of arms, do not crack nor advance themselves to have very often got the upper hand and mastery of your new made and unpractised soldiers. But in this point I will not use many words, lest perchance I may seem to flatter you.
Yet this is not only the necessary cause of stealing. There is another, which, as I suppose, is proper and peculiar to you Englishmen alone. Your sheep that were wont to be so meek and tame, and so small eaters, now, as I hear say, be become so great devourers and so wild, that they eat up, and swallow down the very men themselves. They consume, destroy, and devour whole fields, houses and cities. For look in what parts of the realm doth grow the finest and therefore dearest wool, these noblemen and gentlemen, yea, and certain abbots, holy men no doubt, not contenting themselves with the yearly revenues and profits, that were wont to grow to their forefathers and predecessors of their lands, nor being content that they live in rest and pleasure nothing profiting, yea, much annoying the weal public, leave no ground for tillage, they enclose all into pastures; they throw down houses; they pluck down towns, and leave nothing standing, but only the church to be made a sheep house. And as though you lost no small quantity of ground by forests, chases, lands and parks, those good holy men turn all dwelling places and all glebeland into desolation and wilderness. Therefore that one covetous and insatiable cormorant may compass about and enclose many thousand acres of ground together within one pale or hedge, the husbandmen be thrust out of their own, or else either by coveyn[7]and fraud or by violent oppression they be putbesides it, or by wrongs and injuries they be so wearied, that they be compelled to sell all; by one means therefore or by other, either by hooke or crooke they must needs depart away, poor, silly, wretched souls, men, women, husbands, wives, fatherless children, widows, woful mothers, with their young babes, and their whole household small in substance and much in number, as husbandry requireth many hands. Away they trudge, I say, out of their known and accustomed houses, finding no place to rest in. All their household stuff, which is very little worth, though it might well abide the sale; yet being suddenly thrust out, they be constrained to sell it for a thing of nought. And when they have wandered abroad till that be spent, what can they else do but steal, and then justly pardy[8]! be hanged, or else go about a begging. And yet then also they be cast in prison as vagabonds, because they go about and work not: whom no man will set at work, though they never so willingly profer themselves thereto. For one shepherd or herdman is enough to eat up that ground with cattle, to the occupying whereof about husbandry many hands were requisite. And this is also the cause why victuals be now in many places dearer. Yea, besides this the price of wool is so risen, that poor folks, which were wont to work it and make cloth thereof, be now able to buy none at all. And by this means very many be forced to forsake work, and to give themselves to idleness. For after that so much ground was inclosed for pasture, an infinite number of sheep died from the rot, such vengeance God took of their inordinate, unsatiable covetousness, sending among the sheep that pestiferous murrain, which much more justly should have fallen on the sheep masters own heads. And though the number of sheep increase never so fast, yet the price falleth not one mite, for there be so few sellers. For they be almost all come into a few rich mens hands, whom no need forceth to sell before they lust, they lust not before they may sell as dear as they lust. Now the same cause bringeth in like dearth of the other kinds of cattle, yea and that so much the more, because that afterfarms plucked down and husbandry decayed, there is no man that passeth for the breeding of young store. For these men bring not up the young of great cattle as they do lambs. But first they buy them abroad very cheap, and afterward, when they be fatted in their pastures, they sell them again exceeding dear. And therefore, I suppose, the whole incommodity hereof is not yet felt. For yet they make dearth only in those places where they sell. But when they shall fetch them away from thence where they be bred faster than they can be brought up; then shall there also be felt great dearth, store beginning then to fail, when the ware is bought. Thus the unreasonable covetousness of a few hath turned that thing to the utter undoing of your land, in the which thing the chief felicity of your realm did consist. For this great dearth of victuals causes men to keep as little houses and as small hospitality as they possible may, and to put away their servants: whither, I pray you, but a begging: or else (which these gentle bloods and stout stomachs will sooner set their minds unto) a stealing?
[7]= conspiracy.[8]= pardieu.
[7]= conspiracy.
[8]= pardieu.
Source.—Holinshed, p. 659.
About this time the King having regard to the common wealth of his realm, considered how for the space of fifty years past and more, the nobles and gentlemen of England had been given to grazing of cattle, and keeping of sheep, and inventing a means how to increase their yearly revenues, to the great decaying and undoing of husbandmen of the land. For the said nobles and gentlemen, after the manner of the Numidians, more studying how to increase their pastures, than to maintain tillage, began to decay husband tacks[9]and tenements, and to convert arable land into pasture, furnishing the same with beasts and sheep, and also deer, so inclosing the field with hedges, ditches, and pales, which they held in their own hands,ingrossing[10]wools, and selling the same, and also sheep and beasts at their own prices, and as might stand most with their own private commodity.
Hereof a threefold evil chanced to the commonwealth, as Polydore noteth. One, for that thereby the number of husbandmen was sore diminished, the which the prince useth chiefly in his service for the wars: another for that many towns and villages were left desolate and became ruinous: the third, for that both wool and cloth made thereof, and the flesh of all manner of beasts used to be eaten, was sold at far higher prices than was accustomed. These enormities at the first beginning being not redressed, grew in short space to such force and vigour by evil custom, that afterwards they gathered to such an united force, that hardly they could be remedied. Much like a disease, which in the beginning with little pain to the patient, and less labour to the surgeon may be cured; whereas the same by delay and negligence being suffered to putrify, becometh a desperate sore, and then are medicines nothing available, and not to be applied. The King therefore causing such good statutes as had been devised and established for reformation in this behalf to be reviewed and called upon, took order by directing forth his commissions unto the justices of peace, and other such magistrates, that presentment should be had and made of all such inclosures, and decay of husbandry, as had chanced within the space of fifty years before that present time. The justices and other magistrates, according to their commission, executed the same. And so commandment was given, that the decayed houses should be built up again, that the husbandmen should be placed eftsoones in the same, and that inclosed grounds should be laid open, and sore punishment appointed against them that disobeyed.
These so good and wholesome ordinances shortly after were defeated by means of bribes given unto the cardinal: for when the nobles and gentlemen which had for their pleasures imparted the common fields, were loath to have the same again disparked,they redeemed their vexation with good sums of money; and so had licence to keep their parks and grounds inclosed as before.
Thus the great expectation which men had conceived of a general redress, proved void: howbeit, some profit the husbandmen in some parts of the realm got by the moving of this matter, where inclosures were already laid open, ere Mistress Money could prevent them; and so they enjoyed their commons, which before had been taken from them.
[9]= rented farms.[10]= "cornering."
[9]= rented farms.
[10]= "cornering."
Source.—Rutland Papers(Camden Society), p. 79.
First, the certainty to be known how many messes[11]of meat shall be ordered for the Emperor and his nobles at the King's charge; viii messes, x messes more or less?
Item, how many of these messes shall be served as noblemen, and how many otherwise.
Item, how many messes of meat shall be served for my Lord Cardinal and his chamber at the King's charge; v or vi more or less? Or whether his grace will be contented with a certainty of money by the day to his diet, and cause his own officers to make provision for the same, and to serve it.
Item, whether the emperor and his nobles shall be served with his own diaper,[12]or else with the king's?The Emperor and his court with the king's.[13]
Item, whether the Emperor shall be served with his own silver vessels, or else with the king's?At Dover with the king's.[13]
Item, how many of the emperors carriages shall be at the king's charge, and whether any parcell of the King's carriage shall be at the King's charge or us?
Item, whether any of the great officers, as my lord Steward, Master Treasurer, or Master Comptroller, shall give attendance upon the Emperor at Dover or not?
Item, whether there shall be any banquetting, and in what places?At[14]Greenwich, London, Richmond, and Windsor.
Item, placards to be had for the purveyors of the poultry and others.
Item, letters to be directed to the Lords both spiritual and temporal, for fishing of their ponds for dainties.
Item, a warrant to be had and directed to Master Micklow for ready money.
Item, to know whether the King's grace will have any of his sergeant officers to attend upon the emperor, or yeomen for his mouth daily or not?
Wines laid in divers places for the King and the Emperor between Dover and London.
First, to assign iiii bakers within the city of London to serve the noblemen belonging to the Emperor that be lodged in the Canons' houses of Paules and their abbots and other places within the City.
Item, to assign the King's wax chandler to serve them of torches.
Item, to assign a tallow chandler for white lights.
Item, to assign iiii butchers for serving of oxen, sheep, calves, hogges of gresse,[18]flitches of bacon, marrow bones, and such other as shall be called for.
Item, to assign ii fishmongers for provision of lynges to be ready watered, pikes, tenches, breams, caller salmon, and such other dainties of the fresh water.
Item, to appoint ii fishmongers for provision of sea-fish.
Item, to appoint iiii poulterers to serve for the said persons of all manner poultry.
Item, to provide into every lodging wood, coal, rushes, straw, and such other necessaries.
Item, it is requested that there may be always two carpenters in readiness to furnish every place with such things as shall be thought good, as cupboards, forms, boards, trestles, bedsteads, with other necessaries, where lack shall be.
Item, to see every lodging furnished with pewter dishes, and saucers as shall be thought sufficient.
Item, to furnish every house with all manner kitchen stuff, if there be any lack of such like within any of the said houses, as broches[19]of diverse sorts, pots and pans, ladles, skimmers, gridirons, with such other stuff as shall be named by the officers of the said noblemen.
Item, appoint ii men to serve all manner of sauces for every lodging.
Item, to appoint ii tallow chandlers to serve for all manner of sauces.
Item, to warn every owner of the house to put all their stuffof household in every office against their coming to be in a readiness.
Item, the King's grocers to be appointed to serve in all manner of spices.
Bill of fare for the ordinary dieting of the Emperor's attendants per diem.
ccviii noblemen and gentlemen, by estimation every of them to have a mess full furnished of this fare as followeth.
ccviii messes.
[11]A sufficient quantity of provisions for four persons.[12]Linen.[13]= the answer to the question in the original written in the margin.[14]= the answer to the question in the original written in the margin.[15]= cask.[16]vat = about 20 gallons.[17]alne = ell:i.e.45 inches. This refers to the dimensions of the barrel.[18]= fat hogs.[19]= spits.[20]= Goslings.[21]A compôte of fruit.[22]= Pasties.[23]The recipe for Jussell was "grated bread, eggs, sage, saffron and good broth."[24]A kind of sweet wine.
[11]A sufficient quantity of provisions for four persons.
[12]Linen.
[13]= the answer to the question in the original written in the margin.
[14]= the answer to the question in the original written in the margin.
[15]= cask.
[16]vat = about 20 gallons.
[17]alne = ell:i.e.45 inches. This refers to the dimensions of the barrel.
[18]= fat hogs.
[19]= spits.
[20]= Goslings.
[21]A compôte of fruit.
[22]= Pasties.
[23]The recipe for Jussell was "grated bread, eggs, sage, saffron and good broth."
[24]A kind of sweet wine.
"Why come ye not to courte."
Source.—John Skelton,Chalmers' Works of the English Poets. London, 1810. Vol. II., p. 274.
Once yet againOf you I would frayne,[25]Why come ye not to court?To which court?To the King's court?Or to Hampton Court:The king's courtShould have the excellence;But Hampton CourtHath the preeminence,And Yorkes Place,[26]With my lord's grace,To whose magnificenceIs all the confluence,Suits and supplications,Embassies of all nations.Be it sour or be it sweetHis wisdom is so discreet,That in a fume or an heat—"Warden of the fleet,Set him fast by the feet!"And of his royal powerWhen him list to lower,Then, "Have him in the tower,[27]'Saunz aulter' remedy!Have him for the by and by[28]To the Marshalsea,Or to the King's bench!"He diggeth so in the trenchOf the court royal,That he ruleth them all.So he doth undermineAnd such sleights doth find,That the king's mindBy him is subverted,And so straightly cöarted[29]In credensynge his tales,That all is but nutshellsThat any other saith;He hath in him such faith.And, yet all this might be,Suffered and taken in gre[30]If that that he wroughtTo any good end were brought:But all he bringeth to nought,By God, that me dear bought!He beareth the king on hand,That he must pull his land,To make his coffers rich.But he layeth all in the ditchAnd useth such abusionThat in the conclusionHe cometh to confusion,Perceive the cause why,To tell the truth plainlyHe is so ambitiousAnd so superstitiousAnd so much obliviousFrom whence that he came,That he falleth into a "caeciam"[31]Which, truly to express,Is a forgetfulnessOr wilful blindness."A caecitate cordis,"In the Latin sing we,"Libera nos, Domine!"But this mad AmaleckeLike to a Mamelek,He regardeth lordes,No more than potsherdes,[32]He is in such elationOf his exaltation,And the supportationOf our sovereign lord,That, God to record,He ruleth all at willWithout reason or skill,How be it the primordialOf his wretched original,And his base progeny,And his greasy genealogy,He came of the sank[33]royal,That was cast out of a butcher's stall.But however he was borne,They would have the less scorn,If he could considerHis birth and room together,And call to his mindHow noble and how kindTo him he hath found,Our sovereign lord, chief groundOf all this prelacyAnd set him noblyIn great authority,Out from a low degreeWhich he cannot see.For he was, parde![34]Nor doctor of divinity,Nor doctor of the law,Nor of none other saw;[35]But a poore master of arte,God wot, had little parteOf the quatrivials,[36]Nor yet of trivials,[37]Nor of philosophy,Nor of philology,Nor of good policy,Nor of astronomy,Nor acquainted worth a flyWith honourable Italy,Nor with royal Ptholomy,Nor with AlbumasarTo treate of any starFixed or else mobile;His Latin tongue doth hobble,He doth but clout and cobbleIn Tully's facultyCalled humanity;Yet proudly he dare pretendHow no man can him amendBut have ye not heard this,How an one-eyed man isWell sighted whenHe is among blind men?[38]Than our process for to stable,This man was full unableTo reach to such degree,Had not our prince beRoyal Henry the eight,Take him in such conceit,That to set him on sightIn exemplifyingGreat Alexander the KingIn writing as we find;Which of his royal mind,And of his noble pleasure,Transcending out of measureThought to do a thingThat pertaineth to a king,To make up one of nought,And made to him be broughtA wretched poore manWhich his living wonWith planting of lekesBy the days and by the wekes,And of this pore vassallHe made a king royal,And gave him a realm to rule,That occupied a shovel,A mattock and a spade,Before that he was madeA king, as I have told,And ruled as he would.Such is a king's power,To make within an hour,And work such a miracle,That shall be a spectacle,Of renown and worldly fame:In likewise now the sameCardinal is promoted,Yet with lewd conditions coted,Presumption and vain glory,Envy, wrath, and lechery,Covetousness and gluttony,Slothful to do good,Now frantick, now starke wode.[39]
Once yet againOf you I would frayne,[25]Why come ye not to court?To which court?To the King's court?Or to Hampton Court:The king's courtShould have the excellence;But Hampton CourtHath the preeminence,And Yorkes Place,[26]With my lord's grace,To whose magnificenceIs all the confluence,Suits and supplications,Embassies of all nations.Be it sour or be it sweetHis wisdom is so discreet,That in a fume or an heat—"Warden of the fleet,Set him fast by the feet!"And of his royal powerWhen him list to lower,Then, "Have him in the tower,[27]'Saunz aulter' remedy!Have him for the by and by[28]To the Marshalsea,Or to the King's bench!"He diggeth so in the trenchOf the court royal,That he ruleth them all.So he doth undermineAnd such sleights doth find,That the king's mindBy him is subverted,And so straightly cöarted[29]In credensynge his tales,That all is but nutshellsThat any other saith;He hath in him such faith.And, yet all this might be,Suffered and taken in gre[30]If that that he wroughtTo any good end were brought:But all he bringeth to nought,By God, that me dear bought!He beareth the king on hand,That he must pull his land,To make his coffers rich.But he layeth all in the ditchAnd useth such abusionThat in the conclusionHe cometh to confusion,Perceive the cause why,To tell the truth plainlyHe is so ambitiousAnd so superstitiousAnd so much obliviousFrom whence that he came,That he falleth into a "caeciam"[31]Which, truly to express,Is a forgetfulnessOr wilful blindness."A caecitate cordis,"In the Latin sing we,"Libera nos, Domine!"But this mad AmaleckeLike to a Mamelek,He regardeth lordes,No more than potsherdes,[32]He is in such elationOf his exaltation,And the supportationOf our sovereign lord,That, God to record,He ruleth all at willWithout reason or skill,How be it the primordialOf his wretched original,And his base progeny,And his greasy genealogy,He came of the sank[33]royal,That was cast out of a butcher's stall.But however he was borne,They would have the less scorn,If he could considerHis birth and room together,And call to his mindHow noble and how kindTo him he hath found,Our sovereign lord, chief groundOf all this prelacyAnd set him noblyIn great authority,Out from a low degreeWhich he cannot see.For he was, parde![34]Nor doctor of divinity,Nor doctor of the law,Nor of none other saw;[35]But a poore master of arte,God wot, had little parteOf the quatrivials,[36]Nor yet of trivials,[37]Nor of philosophy,Nor of philology,Nor of good policy,Nor of astronomy,Nor acquainted worth a flyWith honourable Italy,Nor with royal Ptholomy,Nor with AlbumasarTo treate of any starFixed or else mobile;His Latin tongue doth hobble,He doth but clout and cobbleIn Tully's facultyCalled humanity;Yet proudly he dare pretendHow no man can him amendBut have ye not heard this,How an one-eyed man isWell sighted whenHe is among blind men?[38]Than our process for to stable,This man was full unableTo reach to such degree,Had not our prince beRoyal Henry the eight,Take him in such conceit,That to set him on sightIn exemplifyingGreat Alexander the KingIn writing as we find;Which of his royal mind,And of his noble pleasure,Transcending out of measureThought to do a thingThat pertaineth to a king,To make up one of nought,And made to him be broughtA wretched poore manWhich his living wonWith planting of lekesBy the days and by the wekes,And of this pore vassallHe made a king royal,And gave him a realm to rule,That occupied a shovel,A mattock and a spade,Before that he was madeA king, as I have told,And ruled as he would.Such is a king's power,To make within an hour,And work such a miracle,That shall be a spectacle,Of renown and worldly fame:In likewise now the sameCardinal is promoted,Yet with lewd conditions coted,Presumption and vain glory,Envy, wrath, and lechery,Covetousness and gluttony,Slothful to do good,Now frantick, now starke wode.[39]
Once yet againOf you I would frayne,[25]Why come ye not to court?To which court?To the King's court?Or to Hampton Court:The king's courtShould have the excellence;But Hampton CourtHath the preeminence,And Yorkes Place,[26]With my lord's grace,To whose magnificenceIs all the confluence,Suits and supplications,Embassies of all nations.Be it sour or be it sweetHis wisdom is so discreet,That in a fume or an heat—"Warden of the fleet,Set him fast by the feet!"And of his royal powerWhen him list to lower,Then, "Have him in the tower,[27]'Saunz aulter' remedy!Have him for the by and by[28]To the Marshalsea,Or to the King's bench!"He diggeth so in the trenchOf the court royal,That he ruleth them all.So he doth undermineAnd such sleights doth find,That the king's mindBy him is subverted,And so straightly cöarted[29]In credensynge his tales,That all is but nutshellsThat any other saith;He hath in him such faith.And, yet all this might be,Suffered and taken in gre[30]If that that he wroughtTo any good end were brought:But all he bringeth to nought,By God, that me dear bought!He beareth the king on hand,That he must pull his land,To make his coffers rich.But he layeth all in the ditchAnd useth such abusionThat in the conclusionHe cometh to confusion,Perceive the cause why,To tell the truth plainlyHe is so ambitiousAnd so superstitiousAnd so much obliviousFrom whence that he came,That he falleth into a "caeciam"[31]Which, truly to express,Is a forgetfulnessOr wilful blindness."A caecitate cordis,"In the Latin sing we,"Libera nos, Domine!"But this mad AmaleckeLike to a Mamelek,He regardeth lordes,No more than potsherdes,[32]He is in such elationOf his exaltation,And the supportationOf our sovereign lord,That, God to record,He ruleth all at willWithout reason or skill,How be it the primordialOf his wretched original,And his base progeny,And his greasy genealogy,He came of the sank[33]royal,That was cast out of a butcher's stall.But however he was borne,They would have the less scorn,If he could considerHis birth and room together,And call to his mindHow noble and how kindTo him he hath found,Our sovereign lord, chief groundOf all this prelacyAnd set him noblyIn great authority,Out from a low degreeWhich he cannot see.For he was, parde![34]Nor doctor of divinity,Nor doctor of the law,Nor of none other saw;[35]But a poore master of arte,God wot, had little parteOf the quatrivials,[36]Nor yet of trivials,[37]Nor of philosophy,Nor of philology,Nor of good policy,Nor of astronomy,Nor acquainted worth a flyWith honourable Italy,Nor with royal Ptholomy,Nor with AlbumasarTo treate of any starFixed or else mobile;His Latin tongue doth hobble,He doth but clout and cobbleIn Tully's facultyCalled humanity;Yet proudly he dare pretendHow no man can him amendBut have ye not heard this,How an one-eyed man isWell sighted whenHe is among blind men?[38]Than our process for to stable,This man was full unableTo reach to such degree,Had not our prince beRoyal Henry the eight,Take him in such conceit,That to set him on sightIn exemplifyingGreat Alexander the KingIn writing as we find;Which of his royal mind,And of his noble pleasure,Transcending out of measureThought to do a thingThat pertaineth to a king,To make up one of nought,And made to him be broughtA wretched poore manWhich his living wonWith planting of lekesBy the days and by the wekes,And of this pore vassallHe made a king royal,And gave him a realm to rule,That occupied a shovel,A mattock and a spade,Before that he was madeA king, as I have told,And ruled as he would.Such is a king's power,To make within an hour,And work such a miracle,That shall be a spectacle,Of renown and worldly fame:In likewise now the sameCardinal is promoted,Yet with lewd conditions coted,Presumption and vain glory,Envy, wrath, and lechery,Covetousness and gluttony,Slothful to do good,Now frantick, now starke wode.[39]
Once yet again
Of you I would frayne,[25]
Why come ye not to court?
To which court?
To the King's court?
Or to Hampton Court:
The king's court
Should have the excellence;
But Hampton Court
Hath the preeminence,
And Yorkes Place,[26]
With my lord's grace,
To whose magnificence
Is all the confluence,
Suits and supplications,
Embassies of all nations.
Be it sour or be it sweet
His wisdom is so discreet,
That in a fume or an heat—
"Warden of the fleet,
Set him fast by the feet!"
And of his royal power
When him list to lower,
Then, "Have him in the tower,
[27]'Saunz aulter' remedy!
Have him for the by and by
[28]To the Marshalsea,
Or to the King's bench!"
He diggeth so in the trench
Of the court royal,
That he ruleth them all.
So he doth undermine
And such sleights doth find,
That the king's mind
By him is subverted,
And so straightly cöarted[29]
In credensynge his tales,
That all is but nutshells
That any other saith;
He hath in him such faith.
And, yet all this might be,
Suffered and taken in gre[30]
If that that he wrought
To any good end were brought:
But all he bringeth to nought,
By God, that me dear bought!
He beareth the king on hand,
That he must pull his land,
To make his coffers rich.
But he layeth all in the ditch
And useth such abusion
That in the conclusion
He cometh to confusion,
Perceive the cause why,
To tell the truth plainly
He is so ambitious
And so superstitious
And so much oblivious
From whence that he came,
That he falleth into a "caeciam"[31]
Which, truly to express,
Is a forgetfulness
Or wilful blindness.
"A caecitate cordis,"
In the Latin sing we,
"Libera nos, Domine!"
But this mad Amalecke
Like to a Mamelek,
He regardeth lordes,
No more than potsherdes,[32]
He is in such elation
Of his exaltation,
And the supportation
Of our sovereign lord,
That, God to record,
He ruleth all at will
Without reason or skill,
How be it the primordial
Of his wretched original,
And his base progeny,
And his greasy genealogy,
He came of the sank[33]royal,
That was cast out of a butcher's stall.
But however he was borne,
They would have the less scorn,
If he could consider
His birth and room together,
And call to his mind
How noble and how kind
To him he hath found,
Our sovereign lord, chief ground
Of all this prelacy
And set him nobly
In great authority,
Out from a low degree
Which he cannot see.
For he was, parde![34]
Nor doctor of divinity,
Nor doctor of the law,
Nor of none other saw;[35]
But a poore master of arte,
God wot, had little parte
Of the quatrivials,[36]
Nor yet of trivials,[37]
Nor of philosophy,
Nor of philology,
Nor of good policy,
Nor of astronomy,
Nor acquainted worth a fly
With honourable Italy,
Nor with royal Ptholomy,
Nor with Albumasar
To treate of any star
Fixed or else mobile;
His Latin tongue doth hobble,
He doth but clout and cobble
In Tully's faculty
Called humanity;
Yet proudly he dare pretend
How no man can him amend
But have ye not heard this,
How an one-eyed man is
Well sighted when
He is among blind men?
[38]Than our process for to stable,
This man was full unable
To reach to such degree,
Had not our prince be
Royal Henry the eight,
Take him in such conceit,
That to set him on sight
In exemplifying
Great Alexander the King
In writing as we find;
Which of his royal mind,
And of his noble pleasure,
Transcending out of measure
Thought to do a thing
That pertaineth to a king,
To make up one of nought,
And made to him be brought
A wretched poore man
Which his living won
With planting of lekes
By the days and by the wekes,
And of this pore vassall
He made a king royal,
And gave him a realm to rule,
That occupied a shovel,
A mattock and a spade,
Before that he was made
A king, as I have told,
And ruled as he would.
Such is a king's power,
To make within an hour,
And work such a miracle,
That shall be a spectacle,
Of renown and worldly fame:
In likewise now the same
Cardinal is promoted,
Yet with lewd conditions coted,
Presumption and vain glory,
Envy, wrath, and lechery,
Covetousness and gluttony,
Slothful to do good,
Now frantick, now starke wode.[39]