Now after the deceasse of the lord marquesse, this same schoolemaster considering himselfe to be but a simple beneficed man, and to haue lost his fellowship in the college, which was much to his reléefe, thought not long to be vnprouided of some other helpe, and in his trauell thereabouts, he fell in acquaintance with one sir Iohn Naphant,Sir Iohn Naphant treasuror of Calis, Tho|mas Wolsie his chapleine. a verie graue & ancient knight, who had a great roome in Calis vnder king Henrie the seuenth: this knight he serued, and beha|ued himselfe so discreetlie, that he obteined the espe|ciall fauor of his master, insomuch that he commit|ted all the charge of his office vnto his chapleine, and (as I vnderstand) the office was the treasurorship of Calis, who was in consideration of his great age discharged of his roome, and returned againe into England, and thorough his instant labor, his chap|leine was promoted to be the kings chapleine,Thomas Wolsie was chapleine to Henrie the s [...]uenth. and when he had once cast anchor in the port of promoti|on, how he wrought, I shall somewhat declare.

He hauing there a iust occasion to be in the sight of the king dailie, by reason he said masse before him in his closet, and that being doone, he spent not the daie in idlenesse, but would attend vpon those whom he thought to beare most rule in the councell, the which at that time was doctor For, bishop of Win|chester, secretarie, and lord of the priuie seale: and al|so sir Thomas Louell knight, a sage councellor, ma|ster of the wards, and constable of the Tower: these graue councellors in processe of time perceiued this chapleine to haue a verie fine wit, and thought him a méet person to be preferred to wittie affaires. It chanced at a certeine season that the king had an vr|gent occasion to send an ambassador vnto the empe|ror Maximilian, who laie at that present in the low countrie of Flanders, not farre from Calis.

The bishop of Winchester, and sir Thomas Lo|uell, whome the king counselled and debated with vpon this ambassage, saw they had a conuenient oc|casion to prefer the kings chapleine, whose wit, elo|quence, and learning, they highly commended to the king. The king commanded them to bring his chap|leine before his presence, with whome he fell in com|munication of great matters, and perceiuing his wit to be verie fine, thought him sufficient, com|manding him therevpon to prepare himselfe to his iournie; and hauing his depeach, he tooke his leaue of the king at Richmond about noone; & so comming to London about foure of the clocke, where the barge of Graues end was readie to lanch foorth,Thomas Wolseie am|bassador to the emperor. both with a prosperous tide and wind, without anie abode he en|tered the barge.