As all rivers return to the ocean, so shall the laybrinth, we are in, be by the help of wise Ariadne's escaped, and the golden fleece, continuance of gospel, justice, peace, and downy tranquillity, with the help of those godly Medea's, be preserved and procured: Therefore, not as a lawyer, give me leave as a well-wisher to the state, to put the case by way of supposition.

If the fundamental laws be quite overthrown, religion altered, the nobility taken away by councils of war, as the Lord Mount-Norris should have been; the meaner sort used as Prynne, Burton, and Bastwick; the propriety of goods taken away from the subject; an army force an arbitrary way of government, and justice, bought and sold; what misery will follow, when the judges shall affirm it legal, the clergy wrongfully in their pulpits teach it, and the cabinet-council authorise the conveniency, for matter of state? Therefore, to have our laws established, religion maintained, the pride of prelates abased, justice administered, liberty settled, and peace continued for after times It is necessary, the King, lords, and commons join in a most severe punishment, that none, in the Postea, dare to enterprise, the surprise and ruin of the common good; for it is an infallible maxim, The King is richer in the hearts, than in the treasures of his subjects.

Surely there was never a fitter time, nor a more convenient occasion then now, when three kingdoms unite for their own safety; when the Scot hath an army on foot for this purpose, and the King hath promised they shall not be interrupted in their counsels, and God requires it for his glory.

Especially when ministers of state have begun to act this fatal tragedy, the guiltiness by so many lively testimonies proved, and the treason by precedents and weighty authority assured, by law maintained, and by all the commons-house adjudged; who have power by the 25th of Edward the Third; and when it is brought to so good a pass by the lords, who both have legislative power; why should not lords and commons bring it to perfection, that the King sign, that who shall dare to alter religion, innovate law, or take away liberty of the subject, be condignly punished, and, for the future, cause an express law to be made on purpose, to attaint blood, forfeit life, lands, and goods, if any shall essay such crying exorbitances?

If by the law it be high treason to kill a commissioner of Oyer and Terminer, in time of justice; à majori, to confound the whole body. when a commissioner, is but one poor member of the body politick.

2. To make a law, that none be capable of any place of government, that hath, or shall give such counsel, and leave the rest to the triennial parliament, and not grasp too much, lest all the harpies fly away.

Likewise, it is necessary to make a remonstrance of the necessity of giving 300,000 pounds, to the Scots, to give satisfaction to future ages, that it was no pusillanimity, but upom mature deliberation; because the evident necessity, and inevitable dangers cast upon us by ill counsel, justly caused it.

To the purpose, the house of commons hath done wisely, to endeavour to clip the wings of the clergy, that they may fly into no temporal

place, whose pens and tongues have uttered such poison against the common good, and in their pride, would willingly adhere to Rome; as by many superstitions it plainly appears, they have introduced some Babylonian ceremonies, and made a bridge unto the church, by the Arminian opinion, to pass over to popery.

The state of Venice, jealous of any their members confederating with enemies, cause them to be strangled, and hanged up between columns, confiscate their goods and estates, banish their children, and make them incapable of government; if for jealousy, much more, for so foul acts committed, ought they to die, by the law of God and man

Among the Athenians, Lacedemonians, and Romans; whosoever should go about to alter the form of government, or laws, without publick consent, hath been ever accounted the highest traitor; witness their ostracism, and many such exemplary punishments, used to such wretches.

If destroying the head be high treason, then ruining the state of the body must be; for if it be suffocated with gross spirits, the head will not only ach, but be apoplectical or lethargical, such a sympathy or rather relation is betwixt head and members, that no rhetorick or eloquence can take it away: In this case it is no pity, but convenient to destroy the brood of such vipers, and by our law the intention makes it treason. But how many ways the Lord of Strafford hath perpetrated this intention, hath been often proved.

In 18, and 21, Jacobi, the whole house adjudged it treason, to alien the hearts of the subjects from the sovereign, which hath been done by his counsellors. His imprisoning without law, was high treason, in Sir Haukin Hanby, 25. E. 3. Art. 61, who was drawn, hanged, and quartered.

Judge Thorpe's giving such an oath, contrary to law, was high treason; and is not his ?

The reason Richard the Second was deposed, plainly manifested, 'was, because he suffered divers malefactors to escape, condemned by parliament, which caused the oppression of the subject and ruin of the kingdom.

In all ages, a lethargy in Kings hath caused their ruin; witness Edward the Second, Richard the Second, and Henry the Sixth. I humbly desire God to bless his Majesty. But consider we, that the three kingdoms will not be satisfied, unless the wrong received be expiated with the oblation of some, who hath caused a heretick condition.

The Lord of Strafford hath had counsel, in case of treason, when none hath had the like since the conquest.

So the whole world may see with what temper, gravity, and patience they proceed.

Edward Earl of Northumberland, in the 8th of Richard II, because his deputy let the Scots take Berwick Castle, was condemned of high treason, and yet he never consented thereunto, for it was done without his privity; but the Lord of Strafford writ to the mayor of Newcastle, to let in the Scots, and caused the arms to be taken away from the four adjacent counties, making them incapable of defence.

Wherefore it is visible as the sun, he is guilty, besides his other crimes; now this delay of punishment hath kindled such a fire, as all the subjects of the three kingdoms are in a flame, and will not be satisfied:

Ex parvis magna crescunt.

I pray God divert the evil, and give us true repentance.

Composed by Mr. Cavendish, one of his own Servants, being his Gentleman-Usher.

Loudon, printed by William Sheers, 1641. Quarto, containing one-hundred twenty-six pages.

IT seemeth no wisdom to credit every light tale, blazed abroad in the mouths of vulgars, for we daily hear, how, with their blasphemous trump, they spread abroad innumerable lyes, without either shame or honesty, which, prima facie, shew forth a visage of truth, as though it were an absolute verity, though indeed nothing less; and, amongst the better sort, those babblings are of no validity.

I have read the allegations of divers worthy authors against such false rumours and opinions of the common people, who delight in nothing more, than to hear strange things, and to see new alterations of authority, rejoicing sometimes in such novelties, which afterwards

do produce repentance. Thus, may all men of understanding conceive the madness of the rude multitude, and not give too much credence to every sudden rumour, until the truth be perfectly known, by the report of some approved and credible persons, that commonly have the best intelligence.

I have heard, and also seen set forth in divers printed books, some untrue imaginations, after the death of divers persons, who, in their lives, were in great estimation, invented rather to bring their honest names in question than otherwise.

Now, forasmuch as I intend to write here some special proceedings of Cardinal Wolsey, the great archbishop, his ascending unto honour and great promotion, his continuance in it, and sudden falling from the same: A great part thereof shall be of mine own knowledge, and some part from credible persons informations.

This Cardinal was my lord and master, whom, in his life-time, I served, and so remained with him in his fall continually, during the time of all his troubles, both in the south and north parts, until he died. In all which time, I punctually observed all his demeanors, as also in his great triumph and glorious estate.

And, since his departure, I have heard divers surmised and imagined tales concerning his proceedings and dealings, which I myself have certainly known to be most untrue, unto which I could have sufficiently answered according to truth: But conveiving it to be much better to be silent, than to reply against their untruths, whereby I might, perhaps, have rather kindled a great flame of displeasure, than have quenched one spark of their untrue reports; therefore I did refer the truth thereof to the Almighty, who knows the truth of all things.

Nevertheless, whatsoever any man hath conceived of him in his life, or since his death; thus much, I dare say, without offence to any, that, in my judgment, I never saw this realm in better obedience, and quiet, than it was in the time of his authority, nor justice better administered, with partiality, as I could justly prove, if I should not be taxed with too much affection.

I will therefore here desist to speak any further, by the way of apology, and proceed now to speak of his original, and ascending through fortune's favour to high dignity, and abundance of wealth.

An Advertisement to the Reader.

WHO pleaseth to read this history advisedly, may well perceive the mutability of honour, the tottering state of earthly dignity, the deceit of flattering friends, and the instability of princes favours.

This great cardinal having experience of all this, witness his fleeting from honour, the loss of friends, riches, and dignities, being forgotten of his prince, whilst fortune smiled, having satiety of all these: and she, bending her brow, deprived him of all terrestrial joys, who, by twenty

years study and pains, had obtained so great wealth and dignity, and, in less than one year, lost all.

And thus was his honour laid in the dust.

CHAP. I.

Of the Cardinal, his Original, and who he was.

RUTH it is, Cardinal Wolsey was an honest poor man's son in the town of Ipswich, in the county of Suffolk, and there born, who being but a child was very apt to learn; wherefore, by means of his parents, and other his good friends, he was maintained at the university of Oxford, where, in a short time, he prospered so well, that, in a small time, as he told me with his own mouth, he was made batchelor of arts, when he was but fifteen years of age, and was most commonly called the boy batchelor. Thus, prospering in learning, he was made fellow of Magdalen college in Oxford; after that, he was made master of Magdalen School, at which time were the Lord Marquis of Dorset's sons there at school, committing unto him as well their education as their instructions and learning.

It pleased this Lord Marquis, against Christmas, to send as well for the schoolmaster as for the scholars home to his house, for their recreation in that pleasant and honourable forest. They being a while there, the Lord Marquis their father perceiving them to be well improved in learning for the time: He was so well contented, that he, having a benefice in his gift, being at that present void, gave the schoolmaster the same, in regard of his diligence. After Christmas, at his departure to the university, he having the presentation thereof, repaired to the ordinary for his institution; and, being then furnished with all his instruments, at the ordinary's hands, for his preferment, made haste, without any further delay, to his benefice, to take possession thereof. Now you shall understand, that the schoolmaster had not been long there, but one Sir James Pawlet, Knt. dwelling in the country thereabouts, took an occasion of displeasure against him, but upon what ground I know not: Insomuch, that Sir James was so bold as to set the schoolmaster by the heels during his displeasure, which affront was afterwards neither forgotten, nor forgiven: For, when the schoolmaster mounted so high as to be lord chancellor of England, he was not forgetful of his old displeasure most cruelly ministered unto him by Sir James, but sent for him, and after a very sharp reproof enjoined him not to depart out of London, without license first obtained; so that he continued in the Middle Temple the space of five or six years, and afterwards lay in the Gatehouse next the stairs, which he re-edified, and sumptuously beautified the same all over on the outside, with the cardinal's arms, his hat, his cognisance and badges, with other devices, in so glorious a manner, as he thought thereby to have appeased his old displeasure.