spoken at the first meeting and acquaintance of strangers, Robinson we went thence to my house, and there in my garden, upon 1551 a bench covered with green turves, we sat down talking together. There he told us, how that after the departing of Vespuce, he and his fellows, that tarried behind in Gulike, began by little and little, through fair and gentle speech, to win the love and favour of the people of that country, insomuch that within short space they did dwell amongst them, not only harmless, but also occupying with them very famiilarly. He told us also, that they were in high reputation and favour with a certain great man (whose name and country is now quite out of my remembrance), which of his mere liberality did bear the costs and charges of him and his five companions. And besides that gave them a trusty guide to conduct them in their journey (which by water was in boats, and by land in wagons) and to bring them to other princes with very friendly commendations. Thus after many days' journeys, he said, they found towns, and cities, and weal publics, full of people, governed by good and wholesome laws. For under the line equinoctial, and on both sides of the same, as far as the sun doth extend his course, lieth (quoth he) great and wide deserts and wildernesses, parched, burned, and dried up with continual and intolerable heat. All things be hideous, terrible, loathsome, and unpleasant to behold all things out of fashion and comeliness, inhabited with wild beasts and serpents, or at the leastwise, with people that be no less savage, wild, and noisome than the very beasts themselves be. But a little farther beyond that, all things begin by little and little to wax pleasant. The air soft, temperate, and gentle. The ground covered with green grass. Less wildness in the beasts. At the last shall ye come again to people, cities, and towns, wherein is continual intercourse and occupying of merchandise and chaffer, not only among themselves and with their borderers, but also with merchants of far countries, both by land

Robinson and water. There I had occasion' (said he) to go to many 1551 countries on every side. For there was no ship ready to any voyage or journey but I and my fellows were into it very gladly received.' The ships that they found first were made plain, flat, and broad in the bottom, troughwise. The sails were made of great rushes, or of wickers, and in some places of leather. Afterward they found ships with ridged keels, and sails of canvas: 'yea, and shortly after having all things like ours. The shipmen also very expert and cunning both in the sea and in the weather.' But he said, that he found great favour and friendship among them, for teaching them the feat and the use of the loadstone, which to them before that time was unknown. And therefore they were wont to be very timorous and fearful upon the sea, nor to venture upon it but only in the summer time. But now they have such a confidence in that stone, that they fear not stormy winter: in so doing farther from care than danger, insomuch that it is greatly to be doubted, lest that thing, through their own foolish hardiness, shall turn them to evil and harm, which at the first was supposed should be to them good and commodious.

Cavendish 1557

Ralph Robinson.

MY

WOLSEY'S ARREST

Y lord sitting at dinner upon All-Halloween day in Cawood Castle, having at his board's end divers of his most worthiest chaplains sitting at dinner to keep him company, for lack of strangers, ye shall understand that my lord's great cross of silver accustomably stood in the corner, at the table's end, leaning against the tappet or hanging of the chamber. And when the table's end was taken up, and a convenient time for them to arise; in arising

from the table, one Doctor Augustine, physician, being a Cavendish Venetian born, having a boisterous gown of black velvet 1557 upon him; as he would have come out at the table's end, his gown overthrew the cross that stood there in the corner, and the cross trailing down along the tappet, it chanced to fall upon Doctor Bonner's head, who stood among others by the tappet, making of curtsy to my lord, and with one of the points of the cross razed his head a little, that the blood ran down. The company standing there were greatly astonished with the chance. My lord sitting in his chair, looking upon them, perceived the chance, demanded of me, being next him, what the matter meant of their sudden abashment. I showed him how the cross fell upon Doctor Bonner's head. 'Hath it,' quoth he, 'drawn any blood?' 'Yea, forsooth, my lord,' quoth I, 'as it seemeth me.' With that he cast down his head, looking very soberly upon me a good while without any word speaking; at the last, quoth he, shaking of his head: 'Malum omen'; and therewith said grace, and rose from the table, and went into his bedchamber, there lamenting, making his prayers. Now mark the signification, how my lord expounded this matter unto me afterward at Pomfret Abbey. First, ye shall understand, that the cross, which belonged to the dignity of York, he understood to be himself; and Augustine, he understood, that overthrew the cross, to be he that should accuse him, by means whereof he should be overthrown. The falling upon Master Bonner's head, who was master of my lord's faculties and spiritual jurisdictions, which was damnified by the overthrowing of the cross by the physician, and the drawing of blood betokened death, which shortly after came to pass. About the very same time of the day of this mischance, Master Walshe took his horse at the Court Gate, as nigh as it could be judged. And thus my lord took it for a very sign or token of that which after ensued, if the circumstance be equally considered and noted, although no man was there

Cavendish present at that time that had any knowledge of Master 1557 Walshe's coming down, or what should follow. Wherefore, as it was supposed that God showed him more secret knowledge of his latter days and end of his trouble than all men supposed; which appeared right well by divers talks that he had with me at divers times, of his last end. And now that I have declared unto you the effect of this prodigy and sign, I will return again to my matter.

The time drawing nigh of his stallation; sitting at dinner, upon the Friday next before Monday on the which he intended to be stalled at York, the Earl of Northumberland and Master Walshe, with a great company of gentlemen, as well of the Earl's servants as of the country, which he had gathered together to accompany him in the King's name, not knowing to what purpose or to what intent, came into the hall at Cawood, the officers sitting at dinner, and my lord not fully dined, but being at his fruits, nothing knowing of the Earl's being in his hall. The first thing that the Earl did, after he came into the castle, commanded the porter to deliver him the keys of the gates, who would in no wise deliver him the keys, although he were very roughly commanded in the King's name to deliver them to one of the Earl's servants; saying unto the Earl: 'Sir, ye do intend to deliver them to one of your servants to keep them and the gates, and to plant another in my room; I know no cause why ye should so do, and this I assure you, that you have no one servant, but that I am as able to keep them as he, to what purpose soever it be; and also, the keys were delivered me by my lord, my master, with a charge both by oath and by other precepts and commandments; therefore I beseech your lordship to pardon me, though I refuse your commandment. For whatsoever ye shall command me to do that belongeth to my office, I shall do it with a right good will, as justly as any other of your servants.' With that quoth the gentlemen there present unto the Earl, hearing

him speak so stoutly, like a man, and with so good reason: Cavendish 'Sir,' quoth they, he is a good fellow, and speaketh like a 1557 faithful servant to his master; and like an honest man: therefore give him your charge, and let him keep still the gates; who, we doubt not, will be obedient to your lordship's commandment.' 'Well then,' quoth the Earl, hold him a book,' and commanded him to lay his hand upon the book, whereat the porter made some doubt, but being persuaded by the gentlemen there present, was contented, and laid his hand upon the book, to whom, quoth the Earl: Thou shalt swear, to keep well and truly these gates to the king our sovereign lord's use, and to do all such things as we shall command thee in the king's name, being his highness's commissioners, and as it shall seem to us at all times good, as long as we shall be here in this castle; and that ye shall not let in nor out at these gates, but such as ye shall be commanded by us, from time to time.' And upon this oath he received the keys at the Earl's and Master Walshe's hands.

Of all these doings knew my lord nothing; for they stopped the stairs that went up into my lord's chamber where he sat, so that no man could pass up again that was come down. At the last, one of my lord's servants chanced to look down into the hall at a loop that was upon the stairs, and returned to my lord, and showed him that my Lord of Northumberland was in the hall; whereat my lord marvelled, and would not believe him at the first; but commanded a gentleman, being his gentleman-usher, to go down and bring him perfect word. Who going down the stairs, looking down at the loop, where he saw the Earl, who then returned to my lord, and showed him that it was very he. 'Then,' quoth my lord, 'I am sorry that we have dined, for I fear that our officers be not stored of any plenty of good fish, to make him such honourable cheer as to his estate is convenient. Notwithstanding, he shall have such as we have, with a right