The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-16 00:00:00

SVPTEMBEit l6, 1854.

Sighs are my food ; my drink they are my tears;
Clinking of fetters would such music crave;
Stink, and close air, away my life it wears ;
Poor innocence is all the hope I have :
Rain, wind, or heather judge I by mine ears:
Malice assaults that righteousness should have.
Sure am I, Bryan, this wound shall heal again;
But yet, alas, the scar shall still remain.

It was one of the accusations brought against
him by the malicious Bonner that "he doth
"often call to his remembrance his imprison-
meat in the Tower, Which seemeth so to stick
" in his stomach that he cannot forget it ;" which
might very well be, considering that his con-
duct afforded not the slightest ground for
suspicion.
The life of Wyatt prefixed to his works is
well written, and, apart from its biographical
interest, supplies some amusing particulars of
the social existence of the time. 'Wyatt was in-
troduced to Court early, and as ho had the advan-
tages of a handsome person, a ready wit, and
skill in all chivalrous pastimes, it is no wonder
that he attracted the King's favour. It must be
added that his wit was of the unscrupulous
kind, best adapted to fall in with the arbitrary
humour of the bluff King. Thus, when Henry,
with affected concern, spoke of his conscience
being pricked by his marriage with Catherine,
and the difficulty of obtaining a divorce, Wyatt
is said to have exclaimed, " Sad that a man
"cannot repent him of his sin without the
" King's leave !" When the confiscation of the
lands of the clergy seemed likely to breed
great discontent, Wyatt suggested to the King
"to butter the rooks' nest, and they would
"never trouble him," the rooks being the great
families of the realm, who would thus acquire
au interest in maintaining the Restoration ;
and when the King was incensed against Wol-
sey, Wyatt, we are told, " ups with the story
"of the curs baiting the butcher's dog, which
" contained the whole method of that great
man's ruin." These are clever sayings, no
doubt, and prove, as Mr. Bell asserts, that
Wyatt jested in earnest; but they scarcely
support the exalted view which his biographer
would have us take of his character. We can-
not accept "the honours and trusts heaped
" upon him" by Henry as the best proof of his
integrity. A better man would have fared
worse. To have been so successful a courtier,
he must have had some skill in adapting his
sentiments to his master's capricious temper.
He was free from malice and ambition, of a
jovial nature, and friendly disposition, but we
find no solid ground for the exalted virtues
ascribed to him.
It is rather loosely assorted by Mr. Bell that
" he passed through an atmosphere of envy
" and slander without making a single enemy."
The assertion, if true, would prove too much.
An honourable man in those times could not
hope to escape slanderous tongues; and it is
to Wyatt's credit that he excited the enmity
of "Master Bonner," who, with Mr Haynes,
was sent over to aid him in a special mission
to the Emperor Charles V. Bonner, who was
jealous of the superiority of Wyatt, subse-
quently drew up a rancorous accusation
against him ; and the investigation into these
charges forms a curious chapter in the history
of the time. Accused of not having placed
his horses at the service of his colleagues, he
pleasantly retorts
Bat mark 1 I pray you! I lent them not my horses.
They never desired to go into the town, to walk or stir out
of their lodging, but they, had mule, or horse, or both ready
for them, footcloth, and harnessed with velvet of the best
that I had for mule or hackney. Marry! it was thought
indeed amongst us that Bonner could have been Content
to have been upon a genet with a gilt harness. These
men came in post, and went again in post. At their part-
ing my servants had gotten their post-horses ready. Would
they have had without necessity my horse to have ridden
post! I brought them to their horse. Would they I
should have companied them riding in post ? Children
would not have played the fool so notably. Was not this
a pretty article toward treason to be alleged against me by
Bonner?
To the charge gravely urged that he had
made merry with nuns on a certain occasion,
he replied by a home thrust which showed his
contempt for his antagonist:—
Come on now, my Lord of London, what is my abomi-
nable and vicious living? Do ye know it? or have ye
heard it? I grant Ido not profess chastity; bat yet I use
not abomination. If ye know it, tell it here ; with whom,
and when? If ye heard it, who is your author? Have ye
seen me have any harlot in my house whilst ye were in my
company ? Did you ever see woman so much as dine or
sup at my table? None, but for your pleasure; the woman