The Life And Death of Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal: Once Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England

The Life And Death of Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal: Once Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England written by Sir William Cavendish who was one of His Own Servants, Being His Gentleman Usher was published in London in 1901. This book was edited by Grace H. M. Simpson. (208 pages)

The Publisher has copy-edited this book to improve the formatting, style and accuracy of the text to make it readable. This did not involve changing the substance of the text.

Containing:

1. The Origin Of His Promotion, And The Way He Took To Obtain It
2. The Continuance In His Magnificence
3. His Negotiations Concerning The Peace With France And The Netherlands
4. His Fall, Death, And Burial

Preface To The Present Edition:

.....The author of this book, Sir William Cavendish, was Privy Counselor during the successive reigns of Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Queen Mary. Preserving to the last great esteem and reverence for his old master, Cardinal Wolsey, he wrote his life.
.....For a long time it remained only in manuscript, and is quoted by Lord Herbert in his 'History of Henry VIII.,' and by Burnet in his 'History of the Reformation.' It was at length printed for Dorman Newman, and dedicated to the Marquis of Dorset, in 1667. This is the first edition.
.....I give below a short account of Sir William Cavendish, taken from the 'Biographia Britannica,' published 1748:
.....'William Cavendish, a great favorite and Privy Counselor of three Princes, viz., Henry VIII., Edward VI., and Queen Mary, was the second son of Thomas Cavendish, of Cavendish, in the county of Suffolk, Clerk of the Pipe in the reign of Henry VIII., and was born about the year 1505, being descended of very ancient and honorable families, both by his father and mother, as appears by unquestionable authorities. He had a liberal education given him by his father, who settled upon him also certain lands in the county of Suffolk, but made a much better provision for him by procuring him to be admitted into the family of the great Cardinal Wolsey, upon whose person he waited in quality of Gentleman Usher of his chamber at a time when he lived with all the state and dignity of a Prince.... As Mr. Cavendish was the Cardinal's countryman, and as he had a great kindness for his father, he took him early into his confidence, and showed him, upon all occasions, very particular marks of kindness and respect.
.....'In 1527 he attended his master in his splendid embassy to France. . . . He returned with that great Prelate into England, and served him with the utmost zeal and fidelity as well in his disgrace as when in the highest favor, and was one of the few servants that stuck close to him when he had neither office nor salary to bestow upon them. This was so far from prejudicing him in the opinion of his Sovereign, that on this very account he took particular notice of him, and gave him singular intimations of his grace and favor; and after the Cardinal's death, upon whom Mr. Cavendish waited to the last and delayed going to Court till he had seen his body interred, the King took him into his own family and service. He was also constituted one of the Commissioners for visiting and taking the surrenders of several religious houses, and in 1531 he took several surrenders in that capacity. In 1540 he was appointed one of the auditors of the Court of Augmentation, and soon after had a very considerable grant made him of several lordships in the county of Hereford. In 1546 he was made Treasurer of the Chamber to His Majesty, and on Easter Day the same year he had the honour of Knighthood conferred upon him, and was soon after sworn of the Privy Council. He continued to enjoy both these honors for the space of eleven years, in which time his estate was much increased by the grants he received from King Edward VI. in several counties; nor does it appear that he was less in credit or favor with Queen Mary, under whose reign he died, 1557. He married three wives.........