red on his favourite, who in the
following year was made Lord Chancellor of England. There was some
hesitancy which bribery and threats overcame, and in 1515 Wolsey was
created Cardinal, in spite of the hatred which Leo X. bore him. Having won
this instalment of greatness, Wolsey promptly asked for the Legateship
which should give him precedence over the Archbishop of Canterbury. This
ambition was realised three years later, but only by what practically
amounted to political and ecclesiastical blackmail. In the Church and
State Wolsey now stood second only to the King.

HIS STATE

(_a_) _His Retinue_

As an instance of the state he kept, we are told that he had as many as
500 retainers--among them many lords and ladies. Cavendish, his secretary,
describes his pomp when he walked abroad as follows: "First went the
Cardinal's attendants, attired in boddices of crimson velvet with gold
chains, and the inferior officers in coats of scarlet bordered with black
velvet. After these came two gentlemen bearing the great seal and his
Cardinal's hat, then two priests with silver pillars and poleaxes, and
next two great crosses of silver, whereof one of them was for his
Archbishoprick and the other for his legacy borne always before him,
whithersoever he went or rode. Then came the Cardinal himself, very
sumptuously, on a mule trapped with crimson velvet and his stirrup of
copper gilt." Sometimes he preferred to make his progress on the river,
for which purpose he had a magnificent State barge "furnished with yeomen
standing on the bayles and crowded with his Gentlemen within and
without."

His stables were also extensive. His choir far excelled that of the King.
Besides all the officials attendant on the Cardinal, Wolsey had 160
personal attendants, including his High Chamberlain, vice-chamberlain;
twelve gentlemen ushers, daily waiters; eight gentlemen ushers and waiters
of his privy chamber, nine or ten lords, forty persons acting as gentlemen
cupbearers, carvers, servers, etc., six yeomen ushers, eight grooms of the
chamber, forty-six yeomen of his chamber (one daily to attend upon his
person), sixteen doctors and chaplains, two secretaries, three clerks, and
four counsellors learned in the law. As Lord Chancellor, he had an
additional and separate retinue, almost as numerous, including ministers,
armourers, serjeants-at-arms, herald, etc.

(_b_) _Gifts from Foreign Powers_

Nor was he above using the gentle suasion