the
Bishopric of Bath and Wells.[246] The ceremonies exceeded in splendour
even those of the year before. They included, says Giustinian, a "most
sumptuous supper" at Wolsey's house, "the like of which, I fancy, was
never given by Cleopatra or Caligula; the whole banqueting hall being
so decorated with huge vases of gold and silver, that I fancied myself
in the tower of Chosroes,[247] when that monarch caused Divine honours
to be paid him. After supper... twelve male and twelve female dancers
made their appearance in the richest and most sumptuous array possible,
being all dressed alike.... They were disguised in one suit of fine
green satin, all over covered with cloth of gold, undertied together
with laces of gold, and had masking hoods on their heads; the ladies
had tires made of braids of damask gold, with long hairs of white
gold. All these maskers danced at one time, and after they had danced
they put off their visors, and then they were all known.... The (p. 098)
two leaders were the King and the Queen Dowager of France, and all the
others were lords and ladies."[248] These festivities were followed by
the formal ratification of peace.[249] Approval of it was general, and
the old councillors who had been alienated by Wolsey's Milan expedition,
hastened to applaud. "It was the best deed," wrote Fox to Wolsey,
"that ever was done for England, and, next to the King, the praise of
it is due to you."[250] Once more the wheel had come round, and the
stone of Sisyphus was lodged more secure than before some way up the
side of the hill.

[Footnote 242: _L. and P._, ii., 3705.]

[Footnote 243: _Ibid._, ii., 4022.]

[Footnote 244: _Ibid._, ii., 4164, 4188.]

[Footnote 245: _L. and P._, ii., 4047.]

[Footnote 246: _Ibid._, ii., 4348.]

[Footnote 247: Chosroes I. (Nushirvan) of Persia.]

[Footnote 248: _Ven. Cal._, ii., 1085, 1088; _cf._
Shakespeare, _Henry VIII_.]

[Footnote 249: _L. and P._, ii., 4468, 4483, 4564,
4669.]

[Footnote 250: _Ibid._, ii., 4540.]

* * * * *

This general peace, which closed the wars begun ten years before by
the League of Cambrai, was not entirely due to a universal desire to
beat swords into ploughshares or to even turn them against the Turk.