He was a fellowe of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, where he was tutor to a young gentleman of Limmington, near Ilchester, in com. Somerset, in whose guift the presentation of that church is, worth the better part of 200 li. per annum, which he gave to his tutor, Wolsey. He had committed hereabout some debauchery (I thinke, drunke: no doubt he was of a high rough spirit), and spake derogatorily of Sir Amias Paulet (a Justice of Peace in the neighbourhood), who putt him into the stockes[CII.], which, when he came to be Cardinall, he did not forget; he layed a fine upon Sir Amias to build the gate of the Middle Temple; the armes of Pawlet, with the quartrings, are in glasse there to this day (1680). The Cardinall's armes were, as the storie sayes, on the outside in stone, but time haz long since defaced that, only you may still discerne the place; it was carved in a very mouldring stone.
[CII.] From my cosen Lyte, of Lytes Carey, about a mile from Limmington, 30 yeares since. The tradition was very fresh: I have forgott his pupill's name.
Remaines of him shew that he was a great master of the Latin tongue; Dr. John Pell tells me, that [he[1275] finds in a preface to a Grammar of ... Haynes, schoolmaster, of Christ-church, London,] that 'twas he that made the Accedence before W. Lilly's Grammar in ... dayes.
His rise (vide the History) was his quick and prudent dispatch of a message to Paris for Henry 8.
He had a most magnificent spirit. Concerning his grandure, vide Stowe's Chronicle, &c.
He was a great builder, as appeares by White-hall, Hampton Court.—Eshur[CIII.], in Surrey, a noble house, built of the best burn't brick (perhaps) that ever I sawe; stately gate-house and hall. This stately house (a fitt pallace for a prince[1276]) was bought about 1666, by ... a vintner, of London, who is since broke, and the house is sold, and pulled downe to the ground, about 1678. I have the draught of the house among my Surrey papers.—Quaere:—he had a very stately cellar for his wines, about Fish-street, called Cardinall Wolsey's cellar.—He built the stately tower at Magdalen Colledge in Oxford, and that stately palace at Winchester (where he was bishop), called Wolsey-house; I remember it pretty well, standing 1647. Now, I thinke, it is most pulled downe.—His noble foundation of his Colledge of Christ-Church, in Oxford, where the stately hall was only perfected by him. There were designed (as yet may appeare by the building)[1277] most magnificent cloysters (the brave designe wherof Dr. John Fell hath deteriorated with his new device) to an extraordinary spacious quadrangle, to the entrance whereof was carrying up a tower (a gate-house) of extraordinary rich and noble Gothique building. Vide J. Oweni Epigrammata:
Sit domus imperfecta licet, similisque ruinae,
At patet in laudes area lata tuas.
Owen, Epigr.
[CIII.] Vide my Surrey notes <MS. Aubr. 4> if William Wanfleet did not build it: both their scutcheons are there.