THE PAPAL LEGATE IN THE CITY (1519).
Campeggio is well known in connection with the part which he played in the divorce proceedings between Henry VIII. and his first wife Catherine of Aragon in 1529. That occasion was not his first visit to England; he had previously been entrusted with a mission from the Pope to Henry, and the reception of himself and his train is described in the passage below. The subject of this embassy of 1519 was to urge Henry to assist in waging war on the Turks, who were apparently endeavouring to push their way into Europe; and similar messages were conveyed at the same time to the other powerful rulers on the Continent. The incident of the opening of the chests must have created considerable amusement among the onlookers, and would hardly add to the popular estimation of a Papal embassy.
Source.—Hall's Chronicle.
When the Cardinal of York knew, that there was coming a legate into England, which should have a greater pre-eminence than a Cardinal, he whose ambition was never satisfied, caused a Bishop and certain Doctors to pass the sea to Calais to welcome him, and to show him that if he would have the Popes purpose, to take any effect in England, he should in any wise send in post to Rome, to have the said Cardinal of York to be legate also, and to be joined in commission with him, which thing was done (not without good rewards) so that in thirty and five days, the bull was brought to Calais. During which time the Cardinal of York sent to the Legate to Calais, red cloth to clothe his servants, which at their coming to Calais, were but meanly appareled. And when all things were ready he passed the sea and landed at Dover, and so kept forth his journey toward London. At every town as they passed, he was received with Procession, and accompanied with all the Lords and gentlemen of Kent. And when he came to Blackheath, there met him the Duke of Norfolk, with a great number of prelates, knights and gentlemen, all richly appareled. And in the way he was brought into a rich tent of cloth of gold, where he shifted himself into a robe of a Cardinal, edged with ermine, and so took his mule riding toward London.
The night before he came to London the Cardinal of York, to furnish the carriages of the Cardinal Campeius, sent to him twelve mulettes with empty coffers covered with red, which twelve mulettes were led through London, amongst the mulettes of Campeius, which were but eight and so these twenty mulettes passed through the streets, as though they had been full of treasures, apparel and other necessaries. And when they came into Chepe, one of the mulettes brake from her keeper, and overthrew the chests, and overturned two or three other mulettes carriages, which fell with such violence, that divers of them unlocked, and out of some fell old hosen, broken shoon, and roasted flesh, pieces of bread, eggs and much vile baggage; at which sight the boys cried, See, see my Lord Legates treasure, and so the muleteers were ashamed, and took up all their stuff and passed forth. And about three o'clock in the afternoon on the 29th day of July the said legate entered the city, and in Southwark met him all the clergy of London with crosses, censors and copes and 'censed him with great reverence. The Mayor and Aldermen, and all the occupations of the city in their best liveries stood in the streets, and him highly honoured: to whom Sir Thomas More made a brief oration in the name of the city. And when he came to St. Pauls, there he was received by bishops mitred, and under a canopy entered the church: which canopy his servants took for their fees. And when he had offered, he gave his benediction to all the people, and took again his mule, and so was with all his train aforesaid, conveyed to Bath place, and there rested: where he was welcomed of the Cardinal of York. And on Sunday next ensuing these two Cardinals as legates, took their barges and came to Greenwich, each of them had beside their cross two pillars of silver, two little axes gilt, and two cloke bags embroidered, and the Cardinals hats borne before them. And when they came to the kings hall, the Cardinal of York went on the right hand; and there the King royally appareled and accompanied, met them even as though both had come from Rome, and so brought them both up into his chamber of presence, and there was a solemn oration made by an Italian, declaring the cause of the legacy to be in two articles, one for aid against God's enemies, and the second for reformation of the Clergy. And when Mass was done, they were had to a chamber, and served with lords and knights, with much solemnity: and after dinner they took their leave of the king and came to London and rode through the city together, in great pomp and glory, to their lodgings.