The life of Cardinal Wolsey By George Cavendish, his gentleman usher. And metrical visions, from the original autograph manuscript. With notes and other illustrations, by Samuel Weller Singer |
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CARDINALIS EBORACENSIS. |
 | The life of Cardinal Wolsey |  |
CARDINALIS EBORACENSIS.
O Fortune! (quod he) shold I on the complayn,
Or of my negligence, that I susteyn this smart?
Thy doble visage hathe led me to this trayn;
For at my begynnyng thou dydst ay take my part,
Untill ambysion had puffed up my hart
With vainglory, honor, and usurped dignytie,
Forgettyng cleane my naturall mendycitie.
Or of my negligence, that I susteyn this smart?
Thy doble visage hathe led me to this trayn;
For at my begynnyng thou dydst ay take my part,
Untill ambysion had puffed up my hart
With vainglory, honor, and usurped dignytie,
Forgettyng cleane my naturall mendycitie.
From povertie to plentie, which now I see is vayn,
A cardinal I was, and legate de latere,
A byshope, and archbysshope, the more to crease my gayn
Chauncellor of Englond, Fortune by hir false flatterie
Dyd me advance, and gave me suche auctorytie
That of hyghe and low I toke on me the charge,
All England to rewle, my power extendyd large.
A cardinal I was, and legate de latere,
A byshope, and archbysshope, the more to crease my gayn
Chauncellor of Englond, Fortune by hir false flatterie
Dyd me advance, and gave me suche auctorytie
That of hyghe and low I toke on me the charge,
All England to rewle, my power extendyd large.
10
Whan Fortune with favor had set me thus aloft,
I gathered me riches; suffisance could not content;
My fare was superfluous, my bed was fyne and soft;
To have my desiers I past not what I spent:
In yerthe, such abondaunce Fortune had me lent,
Yt was not in the world that I could well requier,
But Fortune strayt wayes did graunt me my desier.
I gathered me riches; suffisance could not content;
My fare was superfluous, my bed was fyne and soft;
To have my desiers I past not what I spent:
In yerthe, such abondaunce Fortune had me lent,
Yt was not in the world that I could well requier,
But Fortune strayt wayes did graunt me my desier.
My byldyngs somptious, the roffes with gold and byse
Shone lyke the sone in myd day spere,
Craftely entaylled as connyng could devise,
With images embossed, most lively did appere;
Expertest artificers that ware both farre and nere,
To beautyfie my howssys, I had them at my will:
Thus I wanted nought my pleasures to fullfill.
Shone lyke the sone in myd day spere,
Craftely entaylled as connyng could devise,
With images embossed, most lively did appere;
Expertest artificers that ware both farre and nere,
To beautyfie my howssys, I had them at my will:
Thus I wanted nought my pleasures to fullfill.
My galleries ware fayer; both large and long
To walke in them whan that it lyked me best;
My gardens sweet, enclosed with walles strong,
Enbanked with benches to sytt and take my rest:
The knotts so enknotted, it cannot be exprest,
With arbors and alyes so pleasaunt and so dulce,
The pestylent ayers with flavors to repulse.
To walke in them whan that it lyked me best;
My gardens sweet, enclosed with walles strong,
Enbanked with benches to sytt and take my rest:
11
With arbors and alyes so pleasaunt and so dulce,
The pestylent ayers with flavors to repulse.
My chambers garnysht with arras fynne,
Importyng personages of the lyvelyest kynd:
And whan I was disposed in them to dynne,
My clothe of estate there ready did I fynd,
Furnysshed complett according to my mynd;
The subtyll perfumes of muske and sweet amber,
There wanted non to perfume all my chamber.
Importyng personages of the lyvelyest kynd:
And whan I was disposed in them to dynne,
My clothe of estate there ready did I fynd,
Furnysshed complett according to my mynd;
The subtyll perfumes of muske and sweet amber,
There wanted non to perfume all my chamber.
Plate of all sorts most curiously wrought,
Of facions new, I past not of the old,
No vessell but sylver before me was brought,
Full of dayntes vyands, the some cannot be told;
I dranke my wynne alwayes in sylver and in gold:
And daylye to serve me, attendyng on my table,
Servaunts I had bothe worshipfull and honorable.
Of facions new, I past not of the old,
No vessell but sylver before me was brought,
Full of dayntes vyands, the some cannot be told;
I dranke my wynne alwayes in sylver and in gold:
And daylye to serve me, attendyng on my table,
Servaunts I had bothe worshipfull and honorable.
12
My crosses twayne of sylver long and greate,
That dayly byfore me ware carried hyghe,
Upon great horses, opynly in the strete,
And massie pillars gloriouse to the eye,
With pollaxes gylt, that no man durst come nyghe
My presence, I was so pryncely to behold,
Ridyng on my mule trapped in sylver and in gold.
That dayly byfore me ware carried hyghe,
Upon great horses, opynly in the strete,
And massie pillars gloriouse to the eye,
With pollaxes gylt, that no man durst come nyghe
My presence, I was so pryncely to behold,
Ridyng on my mule trapped in sylver and in gold.
My legantyne prerogatyve was myche to myn avayle,
By vertue whereof I had thys high preemynence:
All vacant benefices I did them strayt retaylle,
Presentyng than my clarke, as sone as I had intellygence:
I prevented the patron, ther vaylled no resistence;
All bysshopes and prelates durst not oons denay,
They doughted so my power, they myght not dysobey.
By vertue whereof I had thys high preemynence:
All vacant benefices I did them strayt retaylle,
Presentyng than my clarke, as sone as I had intellygence:
I prevented the patron, ther vaylled no resistence;
All bysshopes and prelates durst not oons denay,
They doughted so my power, they myght not dysobey.
Thus may you see how I to riches did attayne,
And with suffisaunce my mynd was not content;
Whan I had most, I rathest wold complayne;
For lake of good, alas! how I was blent!
Where shall my gatheryngs and good be spent?
Some oon, perchance, shall me thereof dyscharge,
Whom I most hate, and spend it owt at large.
And with suffisaunce my mynd was not content;
Whan I had most, I rathest wold complayne;
For lake of good, alas! how I was blent!
Where shall my gatheryngs and good be spent?
13
Whom I most hate, and spend it owt at large.
Sytting in Jugement, parcyall ware my doomes;
I spared non estatte, of hyghe or low degree;
I preferred whom me lyst, exaltyng symple gromes
Above the nobles; I spared myche the spritualtie,
Not passyng myche on the temperaltie;
Promotyng such to so hyghe estate
As unto prynces wold boldly say chek-mate.
I spared non estatte, of hyghe or low degree;
I preferred whom me lyst, exaltyng symple gromes
Above the nobles; I spared myche the spritualtie,
Not passyng myche on the temperaltie;
Promotyng such to so hyghe estate
As unto prynces wold boldly say chek-mate.
Oon to subdewe that did me always favor,
And in that place another to avaunce,
Ayenst all trewthe, I did my busy labor,
And, whilest I was workyng witty whiles in Fraunce,
I was at home supplanted, where I thought most assuraunce:
Thus who by fraud fraudelent is found,
Fraud to the defrauder will aye rebound.
And in that place another to avaunce,
Ayenst all trewthe, I did my busy labor,
And, whilest I was workyng witty whiles in Fraunce,
I was at home supplanted, where I thought most assuraunce:
Thus who by fraud fraudelent is found,
Fraud to the defrauder will aye rebound.
14
Who workyth fraude often is disceyved;
As in a myrror, ye may behold in me;
For by disceyt, or I had it perceyved,
I was disceyved: a guerdon mete parde
For hyme that wold, ayenst all equite,
Dysceyve the innocent, that innocent was in deede;
Therefore Justice of Justice ayenst me must proceede.
As in a myrror, ye may behold in me;
For by disceyt, or I had it perceyved,
I was disceyved: a guerdon mete parde
For hyme that wold, ayenst all equite,
Dysceyve the innocent, that innocent was in deede;
Therefore Justice of Justice ayenst me must proceede.
For by my subtill dealyng thus it came to passe,
Cheafely disdayned, for whome I toke the payn;
And than to repent it was to late, alas!
My purpose I wold than have changed fayn;
But it wold not be, I was perceived playn:
Thus Venus the goddesse that called is of love
Spared not with spight to bryng me from above.
Cheafely disdayned, for whome I toke the payn;
And than to repent it was to late, alas!
My purpose I wold than have changed fayn;
But it wold not be, I was perceived playn:
Thus Venus the goddesse that called is of love
Spared not with spight to bryng me from above.
Alas! my soverayn Lord, thou didest me avaunce,
And settest me uppe in thys great pompe and pryde,
And gavest to me thy realme in governaunce;
Thy pryncely will why did I set aside,
And followed myn own, consideryng not the tyde,
How after a floode an ebbe comyth on a pace?
That to consider, in my tryhumphe I lakked grace.
And settest me uppe in thys great pompe and pryde,
And gavest to me thy realme in governaunce;
Thy pryncely will why did I set aside,
And followed myn own, consideryng not the tyde,
How after a floode an ebbe comyth on a pace?
That to consider, in my tryhumphe I lakked grace.
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Now fykkell Fortune torned hathe hir whele,
Or I it wyst, all sodenly, and down she did me cast;
Down was my hed, and upward went my hele,
My hold faylled me that I thought suer and fast:
I se by experience, hir favor doth not last;
For she full low now hath brought me under,
Though I on hir complayn, alas! it is no wonder.
Or I it wyst, all sodenly, and down she did me cast;
Down was my hed, and upward went my hele,
My hold faylled me that I thought suer and fast:
I se by experience, hir favor doth not last;
For she full low now hath brought me under,
Though I on hir complayn, alas! it is no wonder.
I lost myne honor; my treasure was me beraft;
Fayn to avoyd, and quykly to geve place,
Symply to depart, for me nothing was laft,
Without penny or pound I lived a certyn space,
Untill my soverayn Lord extendyd to me his grace;
Who restored me sufficient, if I had byn content
To mayntayn myn estate, both of lond and rent.
Fayn to avoyd, and quykly to geve place,
Symply to depart, for me nothing was laft,
Without penny or pound I lived a certyn space,
Untill my soverayn Lord extendyd to me his grace;
Who restored me sufficient, if I had byn content
To mayntayn myn estate, both of lond and rent.
Yet, notwithstanding, my corage was so hault,
Dispight of mine enemyes rubbed me on the gall,
Who conspyred together to take me with asault;
They travelled without triall to geve me a fall:
I therefore entendyd to trie my frends all;
To forrayn potentates wrott my letters playn,
Desireng their ayd, to restore me to favor againe.
Dispight of mine enemyes rubbed me on the gall,
Who conspyred together to take me with asault;
They travelled without triall to geve me a fall:
I therefore entendyd to trie my frends all;
To forrayn potentates wrott my letters playn,
Desireng their ayd, to restore me to favor againe.
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Myn ennemyes, perceiving, caught thereof dysdayn,
Doughtyng the daynger, dreamed on the dought;
In councell consulting, my sewte to restrayn,
Accused me of treason, and brought it so about
That, travelling to my trial, or I could trie it owte,
Death with his dart strake me for the nons,
In Leicester, full lowe, where nowe lyeth my boons.
Doughtyng the daynger, dreamed on the dought;
In councell consulting, my sewte to restrayn,
Accused me of treason, and brought it so about
That, travelling to my trial, or I could trie it owte,
Death with his dart strake me for the nons,
In Leicester, full lowe, where nowe lyeth my boons.
Loo, nowe you may see what it is to trust
In worldly vanyties that voydyth with the wynd;
For death in a moment consumeth all to dust:
No honor, no glory, that ever man cowld fynd,
But Tyme with hys tyme puttythe all out of mynd;
For Tyme in breafe tyme duskyth the hystory
Of them that long tyme lyved in glory.
In worldly vanyties that voydyth with the wynd;
For death in a moment consumeth all to dust:
No honor, no glory, that ever man cowld fynd,
But Tyme with hys tyme puttythe all out of mynd;
For Tyme in breafe tyme duskyth the hystory
Of them that long tyme lyved in glory.
Where is my tombe that I made for the nons,
Wrought of fynne copper, that cost many a pound,
To couche in my carion and my rotten boons?
All is but vayn-glory, now have I found,
And small to the purpose, when I am in the ground;
What doth it avaylle me, all that I have,
Seyng I ame deade and layed in my grave?
Wrought of fynne copper, that cost many a pound,
To couche in my carion and my rotten boons?
All is but vayn-glory, now have I found,
And small to the purpose, when I am in the ground;
What doth it avaylle me, all that I have,
Seyng I ame deade and layed in my grave?
17
Farewell Hampton Court, whos founder I was;
Farewell Westminster Place, now a palace royall;
Farewell the Moore, let Tynnynainger passe;
Farewell, in Oxford, my college cardynall;
Farewell, in Ipsewich, my schole gramaticall:
Yet oons farewell, I say, I shall you never see;
Your somptious byldyng, what now avayllethe me?
Farewell Westminster Place, now a palace royall;
Farewell the Moore, let Tynnynainger passe;
Farewell, in Oxford, my college cardynall;
Farewell, in Ipsewich, my schole gramaticall:
Yet oons farewell, I say, I shall you never see;
Your somptious byldyng, what now avayllethe me?
What avayllyth my great aboundance?
What is nowe left to helpe me in this case?
Nothing at all but dompe in the daunce,
Among deade men to tryppe on the trace;
And for my gay housis now have I this place
To lay in my karcas, wrapt in a sheete,
Knytt with a knott at my hed and my feete.
What is nowe left to helpe me in this case?
Nothing at all but dompe in the daunce,
Among deade men to tryppe on the trace;
And for my gay housis now have I this place
To lay in my karcas, wrapt in a sheete,
Knytt with a knott at my hed and my feete.
What avayleth now my feather bedds soft,
Sheets of Raynes, long, large, and wide,
And dyvers devyses of clothes chaynged oft;
Or vicious chapleyns walking by my syde,
Voyde of all vertue, fullfilled with pryde,
Which hathe caused me, by report of suche fame,
For ther myslyvyng to have an yll name.
Sheets of Raynes, long, large, and wide,
And dyvers devyses of clothes chaynged oft;
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Voyde of all vertue, fullfilled with pryde,
Which hathe caused me, by report of suche fame,
For ther myslyvyng to have an yll name.
This is my last complaynt, I can say you no more,
But farewell my servant that faythefull hathe be;
Note well these words, quod he, I pray the therfore,
And wright them thus playn, as I have told them the,
All which is trewe, thou knowest well, parde;
Thou faylledst me not, untill that I dyed,
And now I must depart, I maye no longer byde!
But farewell my servant that faythefull hathe be;
Note well these words, quod he, I pray the therfore,
And wright them thus playn, as I have told them the,
All which is trewe, thou knowest well, parde;
Thou faylledst me not, untill that I dyed,
And now I must depart, I maye no longer byde!
FINIS.
| The life of Cardinal Wolsey | |