v. 1066. let] i. e. hinder, obstruct.
v. 1067. maumet] See note, p. 188. v. 170.
v. 1070. crakynge] i. e. vaunting, talking bigly.
[Page 60.] v. 1077. him lykys] i. e. pleases him.
v. 1086. For all priuileged places, &c..] See note, p. 342. v. 126.
v. 1094. Saint Albons to recorde, &c..] Wolsey, at that time Archbishop of York and Cardinal, was appointed to hold the abbacy of St. Alban’s in commendam; and is supposed to have applied its revenues to the expensive public works in which he was then engaged, the building of his colleges at Oxford and Ipswich, &c.,—a great infraction, as it was considered, of the canon law.
[Page 60.] v. 1100. legacy] i. e. legatine power.
v. 1104. ben] i. e. be.
v. 1105. take] i. e. took.
[Page 61.] v. 1113. He is periured himselfe, &c.] “And York [Wolsey] perceiving the obedience that Canterbury [Warham] claimed to have of York, intended to provide some such means that he would rather be superior in dignity to Canterbury than to be either obedient or equal to him. Wherefore he obtained first to be made Priest Cardinal, and Legatus de Latere; unto whom the Pope sent a Cardinal’s hat, with certain bulls for his authority in that behalf.” ... “Obtaining this dignity, [he] thought himself meet to encounter with Canterbury in his high jurisdiction before expressed; and that also he was as meet to bear authority among the temporal powers, as among the spiritual jurisdictions. Wherefore remembering as well the taunts and checks before sustained of Canterbury, which he intended to redress, having a respect to the advancement of worldly honour, promotion, and great benefits, [he] found the means with the king, that he was made Chancellor of England; and Canterbury thereof dismissed, who had continued in that honourable room and office, since long before the death of King Henry the Seventh.” Cavendish’s Life of Wolsey, pp. 90, 92. ed. 1827. It appears, however, from the contemporary testimonies of Sir Thomas More and Ammonius, that this statement was founded on false information, and that Wolsey did not employ any unfair means to supersede Warham. The latter had often requested permission to give up the chancellorship before the king would receive his resignation. When the seals were tendered to the Cardinal, either from affected modesty, or because he thought the office incompatible with his other duties, he declined the offer, and only accepted it after the king’s repeated solicitations. See Singer’s note on Cavendish, ubi supra, and Lingard’s Hist. of Engl. vi. 57. ed. 8vo.