of his office to obtain
sumptuous gifts from the representatives of foreign powers--for
Giustinian, on his return to Venice, reported to the Doge and Senate that
"Cardinal Wolsey is very anxious for the signory to send him a hundred
Damascene carpets for which he has asked several times, and expected to
receive them by the last galleys. This present," continues the diplomat,
"might make him pass a decree in our favour; and, at any rate, it would
render the Cardinal friendly to our nation in other matters." The carpets,
it seems, were duly sent to the Cardinal.

(_c_) _His Drinking Water_

To show his disregard for money, it may be mentioned that in order to
obtain pure water for himself and his household, and not being satisfied
with the drinking water at Hampton Court, Wolsey had the water brought
from the springs at Coombe Hill by means of leaden pipes, at a cost, it is
said, of something like L50,000.

(_d_) _His Table_

Wolsey seems to have been a lover of good food, for Skelton, for whose
verse the Cardinal had perhaps expressed contempt, wrote:

"To drynke and for to eate
Swete hypocras[3] and swete meate
To keep his flesh chast
In Lent for a repast
He eateth capon's stew,
Fesaunt and partriche mewed
Hennes checkynges and pygges."

(Skelton, it should be explained, was the Poet Laureate.) It appears that
on this score of his delicate digestion, Wolsey procured a dispensation
from the Pope for the Lenten observances.

He had not a robust constitution, and suffered from many ailments. On one
occasion, Henry sent him some pills--it is not recorded, however, that
Wolsey partook of them.

(_e_) _His Orange_

Cavendish speaks of a peculiar habit of the great Cardinal. He tells us
that, "Whenever he was in a crowd or pestered with suitors, he most
commonly held to his nose a very fair orange whereof the meat or
substance within was taken out, and filled up again with the part of a
sponge, wherein was vinegar and other confections against the pestilent
airs!" The habit may have given offence to importunate mayors and
others--the Poet Laureate himself may have been thus affronted by the
imperious Cardinal, when he wrote:

"He is set so high
In his hierarchy
Of frantic phrenesy
And foolish fantasy
That in the Chamber of Stars
All matters there he mars.
Clapping his rod on the Board
No man dare speak a word;

* * * *

Some say "yes" and some