Wherefore Yorke being aduertised of the basenes of this messenger, & of the peoples opinion, thought it meete for his honor, that this iewell should not be conueied by so simple a person, and therefore caused him to be stopped by the waie immediatlie after his arriuall in England, where he was newlie furnished in all maner of apparell, with all kind of costlie silks,The cardinall in all his ac|tions standeth vp on his re|putation. which séemed decent for such an high ambassador, and that doone, he was incountered vpon Blackeheath, and there receiued with a great assemblie of prelats, and lustie gallant gentlemen, and from thense con|ducted thorough London with great triumph. Then was great and spéedie preparation made in West|minster abbeie, for the confirmation and acceptance of this high order and dignitie, the which was execu|ted by all the bishops and abbats about or nigh Lon|don, with their rich miters and copes, and other orna|ments, which was doone in so solemne wise, as had not béene seene the like, vnlesse it had béene at the co|ronation of a mightie prince or king. Obteining this dignitie, he thought himselfe méet to beare rule a|mong the temporall power, & among the spirituall iurisdiction: wherfore, remembring as well the taunts susteined of Canturburie, as hauing respect to the ad|uancement of worldlie honor & promotion, he found the meanes with the king,Thomas Wolseie lord chancellor ar|rogateth all that he may to himselfe by vertue of his promotions, that he was made lord chancellor of England, and Canturburie which was chancellor dismissed, who had continued in that roome long since before the deceasse of Henrie the seuenth. Now being in possession of the chancellorship, and indued with the promotions of the archbishop, & car|dinall EEBO page image 920 De Latere, hauing power to correct Canturbu|rie, and all other bishops and spirituall persons, to as|semble his conuocation when he would assigne, he tooke vpon him the correction of matters in all their iurisdictions, and visited all the spirituall hou|ses, hauing in euerie diocesse all maner of spirituall ministers, as commissaries, scribes, apparators, and all other officers to furnish his courts, and presented by preuention whome he pleased vnto all benefices thoroughout all this realme.

And to the aduancing further of his legantine iurisdiction and honor, he had masters of his facul|ties, masters Ceremoniarum, and such other, to the glo|rifieng of his dignitie. Then had he his two great crosses of siluer, the one of his archbishoprike, the o|ther of his legacie, borne before him whither soeuer he went or rode, by two of the tallest priests that he could get within the realme. And to increase his gaines, he had also the bishoprike of Durham, and the abbeie of saint Albons in commendation. And after, when doctor For bishop of Winchester died, he surrendred Durham into the kings hands, and tooke to him Winchester.Thomas Wolseie bi|shop of Win|chester, he had also thrée o|ther bishop|riks in his hands as it were in farme. Then had he in his hand (as it were in farme) the bishopriks of Bath, Worcester, & Hereford, for so much as the incumbents of them were strangers, and made their abode continuallie beyond the seas in their owne countries, or else at Rome, from whence they were sent in legation to this realme vnto the king, and for their reward at their departure, king Henrie the seuenth gaue them those bishopriks.

But they being strangers, thought it more méet for the assurance to suffer the cardinall to haue their benefices for a conuenient sum of monie paid them yearelie, where they remained, than either to be trou|bled with the charges of the same, or to be yearelie burthened with the conueiance of their reuenues vn|to them: so that all the spirituall liuings and presenta|tions of these bishopriks were fullie in his dispositi|on, to prefer whom he listed. He had also a great num|ber dailie attending vpon him, both of noblemen & woorthie gentlemen,What kind of persons he re|teined in his seruice. with no small number of the tallest yeomen that he could get in all the realme, in|somuch that well was that nobleman and gentle|man, that could preferre a tall yeoman to his ser|uice.