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.
Ye shall vnderstand, that he had in his hall conti|nuallie three boords,The order of the cardinals house, and first of his hall. kept with three seuerall principall officers, that is to saie, a steward which was alwaies a priest; a treasuror a knight; and a comptrollor an esquier; also a cofferer being a doctor; three mar|shals; three yeomen vshers in the hall, besides two groomes, and almoners. Then in the hall kitchin, two clearks of the kitchin;The hall kit|chin. a clearke comptrollor; a surueior of the dressor; a clearke of the spicerie, the which togither kept also a continuall messe in the hall. Also in his hall kitchin he had of master cooks two, and of other cooks, laborers and children of the kitchin, twelue persons; foure yeomen of the scul|lerie, and foure yeomen of the siluer scullerie; two yeomen of the pastrie, with two other pastelers vn|der the yeomen.